AIBU to think people who are anti cyclists are hypocrites

[microfight]

I am always hearing people moan about cyclists and the normal argument is that they don't pay road tax and they jump red lights and generally a menace on the roads.
I was wondering how many of these people who moan about them jumping red lights do exactly the same thing as a pedestrian. I would say on my average cycle journey I have to shout, brake or ring my bell three or more times because a pedestrian has stepped out without looking or crossed the road when the red man is lit.

So, AIBU to think that many of the anti cycle brigade must be hypocrites because they don't abide by the highway code themselves.

Cyclists are a pain in the ass. And so are pedestrians. In fact, anyone not in my car while I'm in it is a pain in the ass.

Not necessarily... I suspect the anti-cycling "brigade" moaning about road tax are more likely to be driving cars as, obviously, pedestrians don't pay road tax either.

I find cyclists much more of a hazard when I'm driving than when I'm walking (although that would have been different when I worked in London when they were, frankly, a menace).

Bing might I venture to suggest that quite a lot of other drivers are also pains in the ass?

Belle you are absolutely correct, as I said in my post - anyone not in my car while I'm in it is a pain in the ass.

I don't doubt some drivers find cyclists a hazard but some of those same drivers are a hazard to cyclists when they run across the road when there's a red man. It's these same drivers that I think must be hypocrites or AIBU.

I'd love someone to be honest and say yes I drive and find cyclist annoying because they jump red lights and to then own up and say yes I do jump lights as a pedestrian and cause potential hazards to both cars and cyclists.

Well, I'd love to help but I seldom walk anywhere and anyway, I'm perfect.

From what I have physically experienced it is waaaaayyyyyy more common for cyclists to jump red lights than anyone else, more than pedestrians proportionally too. After having been almost knocked down by rogue cyclists quite a few times as well as seeing them do the same to other pedestrians, I see cyclists as a pain in the arse. And I see cyclists taking their own lives in their hands by doing risky things all the time. Yes motorists can be a massive pain too, but cyclists are more of a pain for me than anyone else on the road.

And I don't care about road tax, I am more fuming about almost being knocked over by another cyclist recently while 5 months pregnant when it was green for me to go

I walk everywhere BTW and my DP is a cyclist, a very considerate one.

This will just kick off unproductively (sigh).
Yes, inconsiderate people use all modes of transport.

I am anti cyclists being twats and I am also anti drivers or pedestrians or anyone else being unthoughtful road users.

When I am driving, I hate:

cyclists
black cabs
buses
old people
young people
other motorists
road-works
pedestrians
motorbikes

When I am walking I also hate all of the above but in a different order.
Therefore, I conclude, that nobody should be allowed on the roads/pavements apart from me.

I understand LDNmummy
Of course there are bad cyclists out there and I am sorry you nearly got knocked over, it's awful when cyclists do this.

However, I regularly cycle down Oxford Street and I would be very surprised if you would say that cyclists are more of a menace than pedestrians there. I have never once been able to turn left into any side street without having to shout, veer onto the right hand side of the road or stop and walk my bike due to the sheer volume of pedestrians walking across every side road never looking back to see if anyone is turning left.
Obviously Oxford street is a busy pedestrian street but it gives you an idea from a cyclist point of view the problems faced by pedestrians Jay walking (of which many are drivers).

I would also argue that in my experience I wouldn't say it was more common for cyclist to jump red lights. Nearly every time I get to a traffic light pedestrian crossing some people will run across the road before the green man appears. In my experience in London it is also common for pedestrians to walk off the pavement into the gutter (exactly where cyclists are) in order to pass other pedestrians on narrow street. They rarely look behind them before doing this.

Cyclists are a pain, weave in and out of traffic, go through red lights then complain about drivers if they get knocked off due to their own carelessness

"However, I regularly cycle down Oxford Street and I would be very surprised if you would say that cyclists are more of a menace than pedestrians there."

OP you are having a larrrrfffff! Having worked there for 6 years, I have lost count of the amount of times I have had to jump back on the pavement, been verbally abused by cyclists and (on two aoccasions) been hit by cyclists running a red light

I'm afraid you picked a bad example there as I am truly struggling to think of another place on earth where cyclists act so appallingly!!

I think the problem is that cyclists, pedestrians and motorists are not trained and accustomed to looking out for each other. In the Netherlands, for example, where cycling is very mucgh more prevelant, and cycle lanes are almost universally present, these problems don't occur so musch

i hate cyclists with a passion, i'm afraid. not all cyclists, but the "jump the red lights/ride on the pavement" brigade. bastards. i've been nearly hit while heavily pregnant and had to jump out of the way.

as for oxford street - ffs - it's a damn near a pedestrian only area, there are so many people on that road. i nearly got killed by a cycle courier who clipped me while running a red light on oxford street. it's one of the worst places in london for bad cycle behaviour.

i want all cyclists to have a license plate and be held accountable for their actions.

ooh, this post came out a lot angrier than expected.

Cyclists are a pita in the countryside too.

My route home from work takes me down a long, single track road with passing places. Pedestrians step up onto the verge to get out of the way. Oncoming cars pull into passing places, as do tractors when they have car behind them, to allow you to pass.

Yet nearly every day I come across cyclists who won't pull over. So you either get stuck behind them at a crawl while they tootle past several passing places without pulling in, or you have to ditch your car in the verge because they are coming in the opposite direction and won't wait for anyone!

Their sense of entitlement is mind boggling considering how vulnerable they are!

Curryspice
But the majority of pedestrians on Oxford street just walk on across the side roads without looking to see if a car or cyclist is coming, they also normally spill out without a moments notice onto the road to pass slower pedestrians.

I have worked in that area for 20 years and have never been shouted at or nearly run down by a cyclist whilst walking to my destinations. I have seen cyclist running red lights but I have also seen a sea of pedestrians walking passed side streets without a moments glance and darting across the road.

microserf I hear you about Oxfors Street!!

Oxford!

microserf, that's exactly it Oxford street is NOT nearly a pedestrian only road but you'd think it was the way pedestrians behave. I am not condoning the couriers behaviour but the pedestrians behaviour is equally as bad. The fact that people view it as a pedestrian area just goes to prove my point.

Microfight
But the majority of cyclists on Oxford street just whizz across the road and red lights without looking to see if a car or pedestrians is coming, they also normally cycle the wrong way down one way streets without a moments notice and onto the pavement to avoid traffic laws.

I have worked in that area for many years and have often been shouted at or nearly run down by a cyclist whilst walking to my destinations. I have seen cyclist running red lights every day but I have also seen a sea of pedestrians crossing the road as is their right and nearly mowed down by a cyclist without a moments glance

:o

I suspect most of the ant-cycling brigade are just jealous, stuck in their cars

YANBU at all.

I loathe anyone that says "cyclists are cocky, have a sense of entitlement blah blah blah" Of course we have a fucking sense of entitlement - we are allowed to use the road too! And if you have to drive a little slower to accommodate that, so be it.

Yes, there are irresponsible cyclists, just as there are irresponsible motorists. Don't tarnish everyone with the same brush.

So come on all of you who have complained about cyclist on this post, particularly the people who have complained about them running red lights, are you hypocrites, are you saying you have never run across a road when the little man is still red
Own up!

The thing is, cyclists seem to think they own the road and everyone has to jump out of their way.

If a pedestrian steps out in front of car, the car has to stop. They may be annoyed. They may mutter under their breath. But they have to realise that a pedestrian is, by their very nature, the most vulnerable person on the road.

Cyclists on the other hand, seem to think that pedestrians are all out to get them and spoil their god-given right to ignore the laws of the road cycle

And don't forget OP that a very high proprtion of people on Oxford Street are tourists and may not be used to looking for traffic coming on the LH side of the road or be aware of just how aggressive the traffic is in London. Cyclists should think of that too

I don't expect cyclists to give way and bow down. I do expect them to exerecise the same kind of courtesy as anyone else