To be hacked off with cyclists

[chickydoo]

Well actually just one...but so angry.
Traffic was at a standstill this evening....I was going nowhere fast!
I was on the inside lane of a two lane road in a small town when I hear a massive crash. A cyclist had tried to overtake me on the inside, smacked in to my wing mirror, flew off his bike and landed on the road infront of me.
I had just started to creep forward in the traffic...thank God I slamed on my brakes, I could have driven over him. Thankfully he was fine. (though his Ego a bit bashed) his bike was fine, but my wing mirror totally trashed, looks like it's been ripped off.
I pulled in to a bus stop that was close to us. Looked around for a witness, but everyone just moved on and away.
In fairness to the guy on the bike, he did admit it was his fault, when I said it was going to be a costly repair he just shrugged. I suggested as it was his fault he should pay for the damage, he didn't respond. I asked for his details, he gave me a card with a number on, but now I'm wondering if it was any random card he pulled out his bag. There was no reply from the number when I tried to ring it an hour ago. I am so hacked off. I was doing nothing wrong, and I could have killed this guy, I may have a costly repair bill, just because he wouldn't wait his turn in the traffic.
In general I admire cyclists, I like the enviromental aspect, the health aspect, the fact it's cost effective etc etc....but AIBU to think they should be more bloody careful and not overtake from the inside!!!!!!
sorry just needed to let off steam

You know what really fucks me off? Ramblers.

"Ooo I'm a "rambler", lets trample over someone's elses land because we have nothing better to do and think we own the world" bollocks shit faced tossers. It REALLY pisses me right off. Farmers should be allowed to shoot them.

But yeah, cyclists are a close second. The world is full of selfish people.

How is it evil and selfish for a motorist to want to drive around without inconvenice but it's not evil and selfish of a cyclist to want the same?

Motorists are always having to wait for cyclists, I never see cyclists have to change what they are doing because of the presence of a car.

A chelsea bun is a vair posh cakey bun. And I want one now!

A chelsea bun is a vair posh cakey bun. And I want one now!

Sorry, I'm having a bad day.

Wine is lovely. So was the polite man on a bike who thanked me. I was on a side street waiting to turn right onto the main road. He was approaching from the right and I didn't pull out in front of him and nearly kill him and he thanked me. How lovely! Thanks for making me smile and reminding me not everyone on the road is an a hole!

I might cycle there

I have just come in and seen this thread and want to say that I feel so strongly that ALL road users...cars, cyclists and pedestrians, should follow the rules. No one has the right of way.
Pedestrians who just walk across a junction without looking...cyclists who do not have lights of a high viz jackets to make themselves visible to other road users...and it is car drivers who take the blame.
EVERYONE using a road needs to stop, look and listen, before going ahead. And be responsible for themselves and others.
Right, I'll get off my soapbox now.

I nearly had the same thing happen to me, I couldn't see him properly as he had dark clothing on (black hoody and black trackpants), tried to give him as much room as possible when he did cycle down the inside but he did not signal that he was moving into the middle of the road to turn right.

Are we car drivers supposed to know what cyclists are going to do before they do it? The worst ones around near me are the ones who ride without lights and have no helmets, its only our word against theirs if we hit them and I think that is unfair. I have fully comprehensible insurance on my car by law, it might be a good idea for all cyclists to have liability insurance like a car driver has to have.

Its time these councils built better cycle lanes which have a kerb between the cyclist and the car. My 10 year old son cycles to his friends on the pavement - I don't really want him on the road, its far too dangerous, cars are parked on the joke of a cycle lane so you have to pass around them, I don't like cycling on this road, I feel very vulnerable having had a RTA years ago.

It's obvious. It's a well known fact. Jealous because they can't afford to drive or failed their test.

hahahahahaha
I can drive, and we do have a car. Dh normally takes it to work. I'm not jealous at all!
chickydoo, glad it ended OK for you.

Today. One sailed blithely across a mini roundabout while others were in it causing cars to slam on brakes left and right. Little shithead could have been killed, nearly caused several collisions.

They need to be licenced to use the roads, and carry insurance.

Glad it's worked out ok for you OP.

Jesus christ there is some ENORMOUS bunnage on this thread

I'll bite on this one, looks like a tasty currant bun:

"Motorists are always having to wait for cyclists, I never see cyclists have to change what they are doing because of the presence of a car."

If I wanted to do the road commute to work (off road is better but twice as long and some big hills) I felt forced to leave before 7.15, because any later and it would be impossible to filter right at one point. Despite indicating for 200 yards frequently you couldn't rely on people not ignoring you, plenty actually sped up or would over/undertake pointlessly. After a number of serious accidents (not involving me I'm happy to say) the road was reduced to 50 and finally 40mph and a cycle lane was put in.

Re. the horse insurance, it's almost impossible to get horse insurance that just covers vets bills, 3rd party liability and theft are standard on the policy. Given that horses are unpredictable animals not vehicles, you'd be mad not to have insurance for what they might do (esp. when car drivers who believe their right to drive at 100mph down windy country lanes trumps everyone else's rights come right up your bum and rev the engine loudly despite you wearing a hi-viz vest that clearly states 'please keep your distance'... but I digress...)

I work in the City of London. Crossing Bishopsgate every day is a bloody nightmare of will they/won't they (cyclists) stop at the red light or will they try to mow me down. It's got so that I'm almost thanking personally the ones who do... Some cyclists are arseholes. As are some drivers. Never come across an arseholey horse rider, tho' :)

OP, glad it's getting sorted.

I'm hacked off with cystitis too. It has ruined many a weekend and I wish I could find a cure.

Oh shit I just read that wrong.

Your poor little wing mirror.

Are cyclists supposed to wait at the back of the queue of cars until you've all gone through the lights/congestion?

Weetabix

You may mock but poor little wing mirror is going to cost £300 Inc Vat & labour. Thankfully the cyclist admitted he was wrong, & shouldn't have ploughed in to my car, so is paying for the damage.
We all make mistakes, I'm just glad this cyclist was able to hold up his hands & admit fault. I'm sure not all would have.

I can imagine you are peed off. I'm a frequent cyclist and I spend a small amount of money each year on an insurance policy that covers me for third party damage only (£22 per annum for £1mil of public liability cover).

I think it should be compulsory. Although that might jack up the premiums.

Oh and as far as being jealous of car drivers is concerned.

I've just moved home and I've had to give up my 6x 5.5 miles cycling a week and have to drive instead. Hate hate hate. So friggin tiring!

Cyclists should: stop at red lights, just like other wheeled road-users;
should show proper (i.e. not blinking) lights at front AND rear at night, just like other wheeled road-users; should give clear signals to indicate their intentions, before, NOT after, the event, just like . . ; should only "undertake" where there is a marked lane to do so, etc. etc.

In other words, cyclists who want to be treated as proper road-users should behave like proper road-users.

here - I've been wanting to say that somewhere for a long time.

Perhaps a better title would have been AIBU to be hacked off with this cyclist. And in that case YANBU, but hopefully he'll answer his phone and pay up.

Aside from that I never fail to be surprised by the utter, utter bollocks spouted on anti-cyclist threads like this.

My car was parked outside my house, and a driver went past and knocked my wing mirror off! and just kept on driving!!!

Drivers make me so angry! AND he belched out noxious fumes all the way down the street.

I am glad cyclists are more considerate and I hope he was ok.

^ I am so fed up with the arrogance of drivers! They think they are entitled to hog the entire road!