Aibu to think it's high time some cyclist haters realised that for every cyclist on the road it means there is one less car.

[rottentomatoes]

On my bike this morning and as is so common a motorist shouted some abuse at me. Why? Because I held the driver up for about 20 secs until they could over take me when the road widened even though I was cycling absolutely legally.

AIBU to think it's high time motorists stopped this and thought about the fact that for every cyclist there is one less car or person squeezed on the overcrowded train system.

I agree! Some people are just very impatient.

the problem with these threads is that everyone overgeneralises and its just so pathetic.

there are shit, unsafe and abusive motorists

there are shit, unsafe and abusive cyclists

hth

I've never shouted abuse at a cyclist but have had one shout abuse at me for being too 'fucking slow' going over a series of 12 speed bumps.. Also, the only time I've ever been knocked over was by a cyclist who - surprise surprise - ignored a red light.
I think all road users should respect each other's space.

FEWER.

I would happily make that trade

Bollocks - unless you know every cyclist and know whether they can drive/have a car or not.

For every stupid arsed cyclist ON THE PATH usually, I have to step into the road or fling myself into a sodding hedge because they won't slow down or use the fucking cycle paths.

There are crap cyclists. There are some awful drivers and there are some really stupid pedestrians out there.

To be honest, I'd rather have the cars. The way some cyclists (including motorcyclists) meander across the road (overtaking one car, undertaking the next) in London traffic is highly disconcerting! I do wonder if some of them have a death wish...

NotYoMomma
^there are shit, unsafe and abusive motorists

there are shit, unsafe and abusive cyclists^

100% spot on summary.

"Research by Westminster Council found that 68 per cent of crashes between drivers and cyclists are the fault of the motorist, compared to 20 per cent which are the fault of the cyclist"

Just saying

There seems to be more shit, unsafe motorists.

As someone who both cycles and drives in London I agree with NotYoMamma.

I got shouted at my some pillock behind a wheel the other day because he couldn't get past on a piece of road where there wasn't enough room for him to overtake anyway. There is no obligation for cyclists to ride in the gutter just to shorten some moron's car journey by 10 seconds. In fact in such a situation for the cyclist to take up a central position in the lane is now recognised as the best thing to do.

I generally find most drivers OK but then it only takes the odd one to seriously spoil your day.

But I have no sympathy with cyclists who drive like maniacs on the pavement or regard stopping at red light or going the correct way down a one way street as purely optional.

Also, however, there is an issue of perspective, which distorts cyclists responses.

If a driver steers their car to within four inches of me on my bike because they are too impatient to wait until it is safe to overtake:

• the risk to them is almost nil. Maybe the potential to lose a tiny bit of paint.

• the risk to me is injury. Or, worst case, death.

As a result, my response (probably shouting, because there aren't many other options) may seem extreme to the driver because of their perspective.

But as a driver I do not get abused just because I am in my car, that has never happened to me ever.

I have been abused on my bike though for simply just being a cyclists regularly. Including some quite nasty vulgar words followed by much laughing by the abusers that had nothing to do with the road or transport mode. Just because I was seen a someone to abuse because I was on a bike.

I'm also agreeing with everything somebloke123 said.

That "research" is just by Westminster Council. It's harldy representative of the whole country

"There seems to be more shit, unsafe motorists."

Well naturally because there are more motorists than cyclists. If the number of cyclists went up and the number of motorists went down those figures would change.

livinginwonderland

So because it's only from Westminster council, the area with highest percentage of cars on the road btw, we should just disregard it? How strange?

Amazingbouncingferret

I was referring to the research not my opinion.

I think it takes nerves of steel to cycle on the roads. Motorists and potholes being the biggest fear.

More cycle lanes would be good, but I have read on other threads that cyclists prefer to use the road anyway.

Everyone should just use the roads respectfully and carefully. No need for shouting at each other.

Nope, not disregard it, just take it for what it is - research done in a certain area of London, where there are WAY more cars on the roads than cyclists, so of course there are going to be more accidents where the motorist is repsonsible. There are more of them!

I would never cycle in London as I don't think it's safe.

However cyclists who ignore pedestrian crossings and the green man drive me nuts! Bloody rude.

And I say all this as someone who has been abused by a cyclist who decided to try and cross the road in front of me when there was a full stream of traffic coming in the opposite direction, so I had to slam on my breaks because he hadn't looked, and he had to break to avoid hitting the cars in the opposite direction.

Oh, and the ones that ride on the pavement and ting the bell at you to move out the way. I'm the one who should be on the fucking pavement.

Sparklingbrook
Everyone should just use the roads respectfully and carefully. No need for shouting at each other.

Absolutely. And if everyone followed the rules ( both drivers and cyclists ) it would all work just fine.

livinginwonderland
And I say all this as someone who has been abused by a cyclist .....

If you're suggesting that in your whole life no driver has ever "abused" you, I would be staggered.

livinginwonderland

but there are also more cyclists so your idea that the stats are skewed because there are more cars on the road doesn't make sense.

You can't ignore that for whatever reason in one part of the country 68% of accidents were due to the motorist and only 20% the cyclist. It's a fact, I am not trying to say anything other than pointing out a fact.