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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get annoyed at cyclists in the middle of the road

217 replies

ILiveAtTheBeach · 03/11/2015 18:26

There are loads round here. They don't cycle to the side. They cycle in the very centre of the lane you are in. So you can't overtake if it's busy. Thus you drive to your destination in first gear. I. Haven't. Got. Time. For. This. Aargh!

OP posts:
chrome100 · 03/11/2015 18:27

YABVU and impatient.

It's often safer to cycle in the middle, especially if there's a lane change coming up. What are they meant to do, suddenly swerve across?

Be more patient and calm down.

bigsnugglebunny · 03/11/2015 18:28

I think you might get shot down in flames here OP.

I'm not a cyclist but I thought that you were supposed to give a cyclist the same amount of space as you'd give a car when you overtake? And aren't all the potholes and drains at the side of the road, and pretty dangerous to cyclists?

buymeabook · 03/11/2015 18:29

The vast majority of the time when cyclists are in the middle of the road it is because they don't want idiots trying to scrape past when it isn't safe to do so.

Sighing · 03/11/2015 18:30

The cyclists / motorcyclist should be treated like a car when overtaking. Cycling in the gutter is dangerous (drains etc) just as driving in the gutter.
The cyclist is taking the safe line for being noticed and handled correctly by faster road users.

mudandmayhem01 · 03/11/2015 18:30

Here we go, read your highway code and you might find out why cyclists do this. I do it to stop cars squeezing past me. I don't do it to annoy I do it to stop me being killed, riding in the gutter is very dangerous.

Sighing · 03/11/2015 18:31

As for not enough time. Simple. Manage your journey time better.

Cheesymonster · 03/11/2015 18:33

Why do some cycle on the pavement when there's a cycle lane? This genuinely baffles me and I see it every day on my journey to work.

hedgehogsdontbite · 03/11/2015 18:35

YABU

They are cycling safely.

merrymouse · 03/11/2015 18:36

I'm afraid you are being unreasonable. Cyclists are supposed to cycle in the middle of the road. realistically, most cyclists don't cycle in the middle of the road so that cars can pass. However this can encourage cars to overtake where it isn't safe.

I don't think it's a particularly cyclist v. car thing. The other day I saw a car narrowly miss colliding head on with a large camper van because they were so desperate to overtake a slow car.

The difference is that with so much less protection the cyclist needs to be safer.

Of course some cyclists don't cycle sensibly, but it still isn't a good idea for cyclists to cycle in the gutter.

BoneyBackJefferson · 03/11/2015 18:37

As a driver that has been in several "heated discussions" with cyclists on here, I get quite irate when I see cyclists riding in the gutter.

Cyclists when they choose to use the road IMHO should be at least one metre away from the curb or parked vehicles.

catfordbetty · 03/11/2015 18:37

I. Haven't. Got. Time. For. This. Aargh

It seems as though you need to leave more time for your journey.

mudandmayhem01 · 03/11/2015 18:39

Probably lack of confidence or appropriate training, or just an inconsiderate idiot, or really shit dangerous cycle paths. I personally never cycle on the pavement or ride through red lights ( don't drive on the pavement , speed or drive through red lights either) just polishing my halo!

GoblinLittleOwl · 03/11/2015 18:41

I agree with the original poster.

BlueJug · 03/11/2015 18:42

Agree - but many won't. It is shit driving in first gear just because some cyclist thinks you should. I am a cyclist - but I never do this.

Saddlesore · 03/11/2015 18:42

Who do you think you are - Ronnie Pickering????

DonkeyOaty · 03/11/2015 18:43

Yabu and need to read the highway code. Soz.
rule163

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 03/11/2015 18:43

YABU. They're cycling in the middle to stop people like you trying to get past when it's not safe to.

felicityiguessso · 03/11/2015 18:43

Sometimes heavy traffic slows me down on the bike. If there were fewer cars and more bikes on the road it wouldn't be such a problem. Tough; if I don't like it, I need to leave earlier.

bearleftmonkeyright · 03/11/2015 18:45

Here we go, another one .....

Indiana50 · 03/11/2015 18:47

I cycle in the middle of the lane if it's splitting in various directions, then I'm more visible to drivers - doesn't mean they won't do something impatient and compromise my safety. I don't hold them up by many seconds.

But traffic tonight was pretty bad, and a journey that should have taken 15 mins by car, 20 mins by bike, actually took 25 mins by bike, and would've taken 30 by car.

Cleansheetsandbedding · 03/11/2015 18:49

I agree with the original poster too. At peak traffic times it causes mayhem.

we have a horse riding school near us and they can be even worse ....

buymeabook · 03/11/2015 18:50

How dare people get in the way of cars. Shocking.

SlaggyIsland · 03/11/2015 18:51

OP if you wouldn't have room to overtake a car due to oncoming traffic, you shouldn't be overtaking a bike either.

mudandmayhem01 · 03/11/2015 18:52

Clean I wish all those cars would keep out of the way at peak time and let me and my bike through, until this happens we are just going yo have to learn to live together

celtictoast · 03/11/2015 18:57

YABU