This hatred towards cyclists needs to stop

[OverlyFragrant]

This constant drip feeding from the media and online that cyclists are road vermin, dont pay tax, shouldn't be on roads etc needs to stop.
The last two days ive read about cyclists being pushed into dangerous situations by members of the public who feel entitled to hurt them, just because...
First a cyclist was pushed into a canal, the cyclist was still clipped into their bike pedals and couldn't swim. They very nearly drowned.
The second was pushed off a beach wall and needed urgent assistance from the ambulance and suffered serious injuries.
Words aren't just words, they have consequences and know two people have come to harm simply because they were riding a bike.

You’re telling us that every single cyclist you’ve ever encountered, including young children and the elderly, is an entitled twat? How extraordinary.

Oh dear! Such hypocrisy 😂

Just yesterday I watched a video on FB from a dash cam. Three lanes at lights. The L lane had loads of cyclists in and was a L turn only. The middle lane had a lorry that went straight over but so did the cyclists and one got knocked off.

There was a right row and the cyclists were all in the wrong but were adamant the truck drive should have known they were going straight across.

This personifies the issues that people have with cyclists. They behave like idiots and whine when they get into trouble.

I would love it if there was a good network of safe cycle paths. I’d much prefer to cycle than get in a car. However, I think a lot of the roads near me aren’t really that safe. There are also a lot of very annoying cyclists on the roads near me. I don’t think it should be allowed to cycle in large groups as it distorts overtaking and makes that harder.

I never have had any reason to be annoyed by a horse rider but have come across plenty of cyclists with bad behaviour.

Because the the OP made out that cyclist were being persecuted by mean drivers.

just pointing out that a lot of the time they are their own worst enemy and, as per usual, the minority cause a problem for the majority.

if a cyclist was riding like a complete test and I hit them who do you think would get the blame?

oh. And I have never hit or killed a cyclist.

The Highway Code allows for cyclists to remain in the left lane of roundabouts, regardless of which exit they're taking, for their own safety. So, it's not unreasonable for them to keep in the left lane even though they intend to go ahead at a multi-lane junction. Of course, they need to ensure that they remain visible to other vehicles.

But that’s not true, as many have stated. Cyclists get abuse whether they behave in the way you feel is acceptable or not..

Some cyclists undoubtedly are being persecuted by mean drivers. We've all seen cyclists being given 'punishment' close passes by motorists. The difference is, any motorist can kill or maim a cyclist in the blink of an eye, at next to no risk to themselves. The opposite is virtually impossible.

It wasn't a roundabout, it was a crossroads. The cyclists were expected to turn left from the position they were in. The lorry driver would have needed a crystal ball to think they were going straight across. They should have got behind the lorry to go straight across.

Yes, I understood that. They may have felt safer not being stationary in the middle of a multi-lane carriageway. As you say, however, they should have stayed out of the lorry's blind spot.

Obviously assaulting cyclists is illegal and abhorrent. But what about selfish cyclists causing accidents. I’ve been knocked over by a cyclist whizzing up behind me on a non shared footpath. Apparently it was my fault for not leaping out of the way. I’m mobility impaired, as evidenced by my walking aid. The main reason for anger against cyclists is the behaviour of cyclists.

That's the point of cycle boxes at crossroads, so the cyclists can get in the safe position. They should have been in front of the truck.

Presumably if there had been such a box, the cyclists would have been in it, and visible to the lorry driver.

to all the people complaining about cyclists: don’t you see the problem? It’s because only crazed, determined, passionate daredevils are brave enough to cycle on these terrifying roads.

In the quiet suburban area where I live most people cycle with respect. Yes, I have seen a young guy cycling the wrong way on a cycle path in black clothing at night, no lights, holding a phone in one hand. But most of us cycle sensibly and drivers are considerate. I avoid cycling in rush hour because my skills aren’t amazing. I’m a driver too so I follow the rules of the road. I’m sensible.

it requires better, safer cycling routes to find large numbers of sensible, boring cyclists.

Saying "but" means you did justify it

Yes, I cross over South Lambeth Road at a crossing often. Rarely do cyclists stop at the red light. I've been clipped while pushing a pram, lost track of the times I've had a close miss...,

I fear for their future. Last week I saw 5 cyclists at night cycling down that road, no helmets, no lights, dark clothing, went through red light, miraculously all just missed being hit by cars going through on a green light. Why would they do that? Why didn't they even look to see if there was any traffic ? Have they got a death wish?

The next day one cycled at speed through the red light and missed another cyclist speeding through on a green light.

They won't live long I fear.

Wow! Pedestrian and occasional driver here and I'm speechless at the victim blaming and hatred on this thread. You do get awful cyclists but there are more awful car drivers by miles. Stats on pedestrian deaths will back that up. These are human beings and I'm horrified to see people thinking hate of them as a group is ok or justified. I'd like to see more cycle lanes to get bikes off footpaths of course but I've no ill feeling towards cyclists on the road when I drive. It's vanishingly rare where I live to see two cyclists side by side on a road. And a daily occurrence to see cars parked in cycle lanes or on pavements 🤷🏼 Bikes and cars going through red lights - 50/50 so nobody is in a position to be sanctimonious if we're clumping everyone together in a single group.

Lol, that’s interesting! Genuinely. Those were comments I made over 5 years ago, times and attitudes have definitely changed in my area then. I don’t remember making those comments, or in fact, a time when cyclists weren’t entitled twats. Mind, there is many a post now not specifically rated to cycling, but to how people are becoming more and more entitled.

Easy to bring up ones much more recent.

My goodness, this is deeply sad @Roothewheelthat this is how you want to spend a Friday night searching through my comments. For my part, I actually enjoyed reading my comments, for they each bought back a memory I smiled at.
anyway, my comments on this thread were referring to the adult cyclists on the river where I live and is pedestrian priority. They are indeed all entitled twats. No hypocrisy whatsoever as none of my messages are talking about cycling on the pedestrian priority path on the river. Feel free to spend your time digging through my comments to find one where I might have cycled on the river in the past, once you’ve dug it out, if it’s there, I shall enjoy a memory id forgotten.

Not you specifically, I’m not really tracking usernames.
It’s more of a general tone of the thread.

I totally agree OP - there has to be some give and take (eg pull over and let drivers past when you are out for a Sunday ride, they might be trying to get to work!) but ultimately drivers have to accept that their right to be on the road isn't any greater than anyone else's (and many of them seem uncapable of realising that they shouldn't be on the pavements, either).