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

If someone is an inconsiderate person they will be whatever form of transport they use.

I do think some cyclists have no grasp on the highway code, but then again a lot of motorists seem to be the same and they have supposedly passed a test to be on the road.

My lasting memory of nutty road users are

Drivers that overtake three cars then cut you up to get to the lane to turn left because they want to be first in the que.
Not indicating.
Driving the wrong way round roundabouts or up one way streets.
Cylists Jumping on and off the pavement.
Anybody that goes through a red light.
people going across pedestrian crossings when people are waiting or on them.
cylists who use the road until they get to pedestrian crossings then use them.

The list really is endless.

But the memory that still gives me the chills is the cyclist that went through a red light to get knocked of her bike by a car, she was still claiming that it was the drivers fault whilst she was being put in the ambulance.

Living in Cambridge - in which the roads are heavy with cyclists, I have to say I have extreme sympathy with you OP. Yes there are a lot of good cyclists - but far too many are completely unconscious about the issuesthey cause. I use all of bike, car and motorbike, and it's the cyclists who cause the most problems, followed far behind by cars. This weeks bugbears

• 60 mph national speed limit road (single lane each way). Cyclists going two abreast around corners. It's tantamount to suicide.

• The numerous cyclists running red lights on main roads which have traffic lights to allow people to turn from side roads, and subsequently causing panic/near misses

*cyclists jumping off pavements onto the road, frightening people to death and making them swerve.

• 95% of cyclists do not wear a helmet or any safety gear. If a motorised vehicle hits you, and its not their fault but you die, we are the ones who have to live with that.

Finally this argument that they have no environmental impact. Traffic has to continuously slow down and speed up because of cyclists. That's using more fuel, brakes etc than just going at a continuous rate.

I like cycling and I admire cyclists, but a lot of them do themselves no favours.

Traffic has to continuously slow down and speed up because of cyclists. I suggest you seek advanced driver training which will teach you to look ahead and monitor your speed. Do you really think a polystyrene helmet is going to save your life in the event of being hit by a truck or car moving at 40mph? A helmet only works up to certain speeds and certain incidents- it isn't some magic device. Most of the last post could be the inability to judge road conditions. I'll conclude that I can watch motorists doing similar actions ever day.
"but a lot of them do themselves no favours." I will agree with the last point but the same applies to some motorists and pedestrians

Pedalleur - if that comment is directed at me, you clearly didn't understand my point. I already am a driver (a lot of which I attribute to cycling/motorcycling) who does observe, far far into the distance and does make every effort to anticipate the actions of other road users. As a cyclist, I understand the point of maintaining momentum, and as a motorcyclist, I understand damn well the idea that everyone else on the road is blind and it's my duty to ride with that attitude.

You however are complete incapable of grasping a point and indeed contradict yourself. I was saying that cyclists as to their zero carbon footprint is negated by the fact that other road users are forced into braking and accelerating due to their actions on a frequent basis. Even the very best driver will, as you say continuously slow down and speed up because of cyclists. Hence they will be using more petrol than if maintaining a constant speed. Your barbs are therefore completely pointless.

As for the helmet not being a magical device - agreed - but it and other safety gear could make the difference.

Now please, stop making snap judgements without reading a post.

Oh now I understand - you quoted me without quotes. Apologies. But my point stands. Looking ahead and monitoring my road speed still may require me to slow down because of a cyclist jumping onto a pavement or swerving in front of me, or suddenly turning without a signal. It happens, and it's their actions which cause my carbon output to increase.

YANBU when I'm driving they cycle in front of me, often two abreast, don't signal and generally get in the way. But that's nothing to how they behave to pedestrians, especially in London, I've lost count how many times I have nearly been mown down by cyclists mounting the pavement at junctions and roundabouts. And they jump the lights and take no notice of zebra crossings. And they have the cheek to swear at me for getting in their way. I hate the way they get on their moral high horse.
And they look bloody stupid in those Lycra get ups.
The Olympic cycle races will be passing this way, oh hell!

But the memory that still gives me the chills is the cyclist that went through a red light to get knocked of her bike by a car, she was still claiming that it was the drivers fault whilst she was being put in the ambulance.

That.

The knowledge that in all probability, one day I'm not going to be able to avoid one of the fuckwits when they do something stupid, hurt them badly, and have to put up with endless legal crap for something that was not my fault.

And so it continues.

Some cyclists are fuckwits. Some drivers are fuckwits.

Some cyclists jump red lights and ride on the pavement but before some drivers get so judgey perhaps they should consider how many times they break the highway code on their journey; mobile phone use, speeding, I don't mean breakneck speeds, I mean 40 in a 30, the difference between killing a child and not, going through an amber light, parking inappropriately and with no consideration for buggy and wheelchair users, shoddy use of indicators and lane discipline on roundabouts. I'm teaching dd to drive at the moment and sriously some drivers need to go back and retake their tests and give their sense of entitlement a rest.

My friend's son was knocked off his bike and killed by a driver who had no licence, no road tax and no insurance. It was entirely the driver's fault.

Cycling will never be safe because of the lack of cycle lanes, and the complete inability of the police to enforce the laws relating to road safety.

If we could take all the unlicenced, uninsured/untaxed drivers and cars off the roads, the congestion problem would be well on the way to being solved.

Going anywhere in my part of London is scary because it is a free-for-all, people drive the wrong way round roundabouts, drive on pavements - anyone can buy a car for cash, drive it around with impunity without passing a test or insuring it. I have been driving for 35 years and find it more nerve racking now that when I was learning.

Yes I thought the same littlefrogs when I was out with dd. I'd hate to be learning to drive now.

I think the message is; before you criticise other road users, whatever the mode of transport, take a look at yourself. People in glass houses and all that.

It is about time car drivers where charged for using the roads the damage they do to the road surface is awful, they are already charged for pollution each year so why not the damage they create to the road surface - all those pot holes don't just appear by magic

Isn't the point of a road for someone to drive on it?

So why on earth did the Romans build the Fosse way?

Some cyclists are fuckwits. Some drivers are fuckwits

Yes but by and large the fuckwitted drivers don't go through red lights, undertake then go straight from a left turning lane, sail blithely into miniroundabouts into 2 streams of oncoming traffic, come shooting off sidewalks between parked cars etc etc (to recall just this week's haul).

And by and large they will survive a ding, whereas fuckwit cyclists probably won't.

So what do the fuckwitted drivers do? You do agree there are plenty?

A little of the crap driving I've seen this week. Speeding, jumping the lights, don't indicate on roundabouts, switch lanes without looking, stop right up behind a learner driver on a hill and then beep and panic her and are generally arseholes because they can't get where they want to be without being aggressive, use their mobile phones, park across driveways

And yes they will survive a ding which why they think they own the bloody road.

I expect you're a perfect driver though. The ones who are most aggressive towards cyclists usually think they are.

Yes but by and large the fuckwitted drivers don't go through red lights

what planet do you live on? Cos here on earth in the UK motorists jump lights and get caught at the rate of 6000 cars per week - that is of course only the drivers that get caught jumping red lights.
try taking a look at
but this one is over 100 cars jumping one set of traffic lights

I think there's a fairly even split between the number of cyclists and drivers who commit offences, but I do think that there's an imbalance in the perception of who commits these offences. Any debate on cycling / motoring will focus on red light jumping and cycling on pavements by cyclists. But how often do we about the motorists?

To give an example, speeding is just as much a crime as red light jumping, and how many people do it? Go on any motorway and there are many people driving 80. How many people park illegally (and justify it because it's for just for a few minutes)?

I think a lot of cyclists and motorists basically drive the unwritten highway code that says do what you like, as long as you're unlikely to get caught

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=c0aOnoUhq0k

yy Sugarpaste - it never fails to amaze me that if I happen to go through a light as it turns amber at least 5 cars will follow me through afterwards - but then our area of London was found to be the one with most uninsured, unlicensed, untaxed drivers when the police/DVLC/insurers first linked up. Don't think that's changed, sadly.

And even when I've rung up and reported dangerous drivers (one guy overtook a 7 car queue on the wrong side of the road and went through a red light, narrowly missing DD and myself because he couldn't be arsed to wait), the police don't appear to give a shit. :(

Doesn't excuse cyclists who go through reds, though.

In reply to the OP. I've had my cars over the years driven into and the culprit drive off, had cars damaged in supermarket car parks by trolleys (perhaps shoppers should have insurance). It's annoying you lost your mirror due to an idiot but sometimes that's how it is. If it's a company car it gets fixed 'for free' but when you have to work for a living, another £100+ to find can be difficult.