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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think people who are anti cyclists are hypocrites

182 replies

microfight · 15/05/2011 18:42

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.

OP posts:
teaforone · 16/05/2011 21:03

ooo so who pays for a tax money to fix the roads ;) belive thats our road tax :>
Dont have a pop at my age :P im not have been driving 60 odd year but have been driving and paying road tax for 7 thank you

bronze · 16/05/2011 21:07

Maybe Soupy I wasn't on the equine bit.
tis not vehicles anyway

Crikeyblimey · 16/05/2011 21:21

Your council tax pays for the roads (except motorways and major roads and this just comes from the government pot). Road fund licence is paid to tje treasuary who then divvy it up as they see fit, along with all the other taxes. So some of it goes to the nhs, some to schools, some to the motorways and some to all the other stuff.

They do not have a pot of money from rfl that only pays for roads.

And, if it was aimed at me - why the hell would I have a pop at your age???

Crikeyblimey · 16/05/2011 21:27

Having read back, I realise the "age" comment wasn't aimed at me but I do take umbridge with the "get out of the middle of the road" comment. A cyclist should cycle within the lane. If they hof the curb it is not only dangerous for them but it encourages motorists to overtake them when it isn't safe to do so. I am often shocked at how many motorists will overtake me and ds when we are cycling and there is a car coming the other way. The wouldn't bloody overtake another car in those circumstances. It's not like we cycly with a line of traffic queuing up behind us.

teaforone · 16/05/2011 21:31

Well there was a hell of lot of traffic behind me the other day that was all i was saying a man on a bike weaving in and out on the road going a stupidly slow speed i think sometimes they are stupid and should not be on the road if they cannot cycle properly but yes there are car drivers and walkers who behave just as bad
When you act stupid on the road whatever your form of travel you should not be on it!!

madmn52 · 16/05/2011 21:48

Cymru - I am one of those people who are very intolerant of children riding on pavements. My six year old grandson walked out of my drive and was hit by a pavement cyclist approximately 10 yrs old and knocked to the ground hitting his head very hard on the pavement. I will never forget that sickening crack of his head on the concrete. Luckily he was ok with no lasting effects but had severe concussion and passed out on us twice before the ambulance came. Any parent putting their childs safety first and never mind endangering others in the process is unacceptable I'm afraid.

ivykaty44 · 17/05/2011 19:03

No it was me having a pop at your age - I really had no idea you where around when Winston was PM

teaforone · 17/05/2011 20:12

lol i never said i was you werido

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 17/05/2011 20:15

Ivykaty44 - you gave me a good piece of advice further down the thread Wink

ivykaty44 · 17/05/2011 20:24

saggermaker - MNHQ never use the breath test on mners posting, yet sometimes you just know they have had one to many to be sitting at the pc Wink

teaforone · 17/05/2011 20:25

haha

mummytime · 18/05/2011 06:24

Okay! My DD told me about an incident that happened on her walk to school yesterday. She and her friend (both 12) had just crossed a road, as they stepped onto the pavement they were nearly knocked down by a Mum cycling behind her son. Who then shouted that they should "get off the pavement" (it isn't a shared use pavement btw.).

Original poster
microfight · 18/05/2011 06:49

mummytime that is outrageous!

There are some crazy people out there.

OP posts:
Original poster
microfight · 18/05/2011 07:23

I have realised why I get so annoyed when pedestrians step out into the road right in front of me. It's because in general they give me a nasty look or verbal aggression implying it was somehow my fault.

However, yesterday, 2 ladies stepped out literally right into my path on a main road but jumped back on the pavement when they saw me at the eleventh hour. They quickly said sorry and laughed that they'd nearly caused an accident. I smiled because luckily no-one got hurt and they had the decency to apologise or at least not give me a filthy look.

So, I think it's the fact that SOME pedestrians are so anti cyclists and yet unaware the implications they can have as pedestrians that makes me angry and feel they are hypocrites.

It's those that step out and nearly cause me to go over my handle bars or swerve into traffic to my right AND have the audacity to give ME a filthy look that I feel are hypocrites.

OP posts:
CurrySpice · 18/05/2011 08:20

microfight perhaps it's not a dirty look, perhaps it's shock and terror that they have nearly caused an accident / been run over

Original poster
microfight · 18/05/2011 11:40

curryspice you are right I think sometimes it is shock.

However I will never forget pulling up behind a queue of cars waiting to turn right on a London road so busy but narrow. A car was parked on the left (illegally) which meant the car behind me had a difficult job getting passed myself and the queue of traffic in front of me to carry on straight ahead. I was doing everything absolutely right and I stopped as far to the centre as possible to leave room for the traffic behind. However, the driver behind thought it appropriate to shout "f%$king cyclist Whore" at me as he sped away. If I had been a car he definitely wouldn't have got passed so I was totally Shock at this abuse. I suppose he thought cyclist shouldn't stop in the queue to turn right ever?

This kind of verbal abuse is not uncommon. So sometimes it is shock and other times it is just abuse.

OP posts:
Original poster
microfight · 18/05/2011 11:45

Another time I was cycling slowly along the southbank when a father with his family started swearing at me and telling me to "get off your f$£king bike" "This is a pedestrian area and I've got kids with me"etc etc.
He was quite incorrect there are only a couple of places not for cyclist on the south bank which have clear signs stating cyclist dismount.

I would have understood if I was being inconsiderate but I was meandering along just enjoying the sunny day.

I did dismount and explained that cyclist were allowed to cycle on that path but he screamed "cyclist shouldn't be allowed ANYWHERE" It's not the law but it should be. Just F**king get off"

Ho Humm!

OP posts:
CurrySpice · 18/05/2011 11:49

Oh micro how awful :(

There are certainly some really stupid and inconsiderate people around on two wheels, two feet or four wheels :(

nijinsky · 18/05/2011 11:59

Britain must be the only country where people actually claim to hate a group of people such as cyclists. Makes me think the Brits must be a bunch of nutters. Anywhere else you go, cycling is encouraged for its health and transport benefits. Here in Britain, they lay road tacks down to catch out cyclists taking part in organised events and organise campaigns against them. Theres far more hatred in Britain directed against cyclists than against drug users, burglars, rapists, murderers, fraudsters, the feckless and workshy and so on. Wierd country.

Original poster
microfight · 18/05/2011 12:14

It's true Nijinksi

Cars/vehicles cause the most death and injuries but many people on here have shown more hatred towards cyclists than drivers. It's so strange. I know there are some terrible cyclists out there but there are also many of us who try to cycle considerately and still get abuse. I'll bet many of the cycle hating people have a speeding ticket or other points!

OP posts:
teaforone · 18/05/2011 14:26

its abit stupid to judge everyone on certain people
you get people on bikes who are dangerous
you get people in cars who are dangerous
You get people on foot who are dangerous

By being knocked of your bike by car you fall out with the driver who knocked you not EVERY driver
By being made to crash cause of a person on bike
again your mad at that one biker not all cyclist
works all the way

scampadoodle · 18/05/2011 14:32

A lot of cyclists do pay road tax as they will also be car drivers/owners.

A few years ago I was simultaneously a motorcyclist, a car driver (paying tax on both of those), a cyclist and a pedestrian.

Perhaps because of this I am a very considerate driver & rider.

Bennifer · 18/05/2011 14:39

I wanted to add a bit about pedestrians who claim to be "nearly mown down by cyclists". I think this comes from the fact that bicycles are quiet, and a pedestrian not looking where they're going can be shocked by the appearance of a bike, who was well aware of their presence and would avoid them (be it on shared space, or on canal tow-paths, etc)

It's never good for a cyclist to collide with anything.

Nancy66 · 18/05/2011 14:43

Bennifer - no, it's nearly always because the cyclist is jumping red lights

aldiwhore · 18/05/2011 14:52

I find most people on the roads are a PITA really.

Although where I live 'some' cyclists ARE a major PITA, not because they're on their bikes, good for them, but because they ride in swarms, you can't pass them because they don't allow enough of a gap to overtake safely, the roads round me are dangerously bendy.... why they choose to have their races on these roads is beyond me, they'e not suitable.

Saying that, many drivers are idiots on these roads too. I'd rather meet a head on over taking cyclist when rounding a blind bend than some prat in their 4x4 (nothing against 4x4's either, we have one)...