Sunday cyclists

[ihatefuckingfrozen]

I'm probably going to be flamed for this but here goes.

Out driving today and come across the usual Sunday cyclists, fine I just drive around them. They've every right to use the road and I've no issue with that.

However my bugbear is the ones in large groups who think it's ok to cycle 3 or 4 or even 5 in a row whilst having a chat when there are numerous cars behind them - these are on country roads too so not exactly easy or safe to overtake them.

I was waiting behind a group like this for over 5 minutes and there was a build up of cars behind me and the guy in front. There was no safe way to go around them as it's quite a windy country road so guy in front gives them a gentle beep to see if they can move over, he was met with a torrent of abuse! They cycled even slower to piss him off even more!

Aibu to think they are twats and should be thinking of other road users too? Especially the ones that pay road tax?!

I am a walker, a cyclist, horse rider and car driver and so I try to see it from everyone's perspective. Yes, sometimes it pains me to sit behind a cyclist or horse rider for what seems like an eternity (it of course never is)

However as I use all these forms of transport. I am very familiar with those that do likewise. Simply put, I treat all other road users the same way I would like to be treated.

I tend to agree with Rudymentary's comment about placing yourself in a position to prevent a dangerous overtake, when otherwise your safety would be compromised. For example when approaching a mini roundabout (one lane) that has an island too, I will move to centre of that lane to prevent being pinched against the kerb. it's not bullying, it's self preservation. Considerate drivers understand the reason for the move and are more likely to be cyclists themselves. Sadly those that have never been on the road on a bike, presume giving you 6 inches clearance on passing you is acceptable.

However, it is only fair to pull over on your bike, when a opportunity presents itself, if riding along a single track road to allow other vehicles to pass.

My advice is to walk a mile in that persons shoes (or ride his horse/bike...) then decide how much room you think he/she needs

This thread is dangerous. Dangerous to people who cycle on the roads every day (or once a month). It doesn't matter whether you are one of those cyclists - going through red lights, cycling on pavements, not letting anyone past on a country lane - you're still lumped in with them by the idiots of the world. The ones who like to see who close they can go past you at 40mph. Who overtake then turn left in front of you. There is a peculiar attitude in this country that gives license to this hatred. If you don't cycle regularly then you won't get it, won't understand that you can never trust someone to have seen you; to constantly be on alert to dodgy manoeuvres; to be used to cars pushing you out of the way when you have priority simply because they can.

I know that people will say that this is a just a forum and they have the right to whinge about whatever they like. That's perfectly true. But that whinging feeds into the consciousness and legitimates those who say cyclists as an inconvenience, annoyance, deserving of whatever they get.

I don't think it does. I cycle myself but I can completely understand why the Sunday MAMILs get on peoples' nerves. Equally the impatient cyclists who tear past slower cyclists in London, I remember seeing one incident where one cyclist effectively pushed another cyclist into the path of a taxi - fortunately the taxi driver was paying attention and there was no accident. No thanks to the younger MIL.

If you don't cycle regularly then you won't get it, won't understand that you can never trust someone to have seen you; to constantly be on alert to dodgy manoeuvres; to be used to cars pushing you out of the way when you have priority simply because they can

I beg to differ. Pedestrians are just as invisible to drivers. The problem is people have expensive cars and genuinely believe they have more right to be on the road than anyone else (including drivers in cheaper/older cars). Cyclists are peculiarly vulnerable as they have to go on the roads but anyone who walks around a busy town will know exactly what it feels like to be at the mercy of drivers who are oblivious to your existence. I don't know what can be done short of making every driver in the country have a refresher course on certain road safety rules.

In Scotland there is a TV / billboard advert which is aimed at teaching drivers to leave the same space as they would a car when overtaking a bike (don't know if it's shown in England or not). I think that is good advice and on that basis you can decide when it is safe to overtake.

I give cyclists lots of room, but they hassle me to pass when it's not safe as they hate cars on their tail....they should pull over!

Thing is purplevase that most of the time pedestrians are not on the road and don't have to be as constantly alert. I certainly don't feel the same walking as I do cycling.

I followed 2 cyclists home the other day. I wasn't in a rush and they were going quite fast - on the road. i wasn't hassling them at all and the journey was only a few minutes long anyway.

However, they looked behind them, they saw my car, they pulled in to let me past. This did not require them to stop or even slow down much. But they were aware, they were considerate and they facilitated my overtaking.

I was so amazed I have to report it here. Totally out-of-the-ordinary behaviour. Thank you cyclists - whoever you were.

This thread just shows me Wat a bunch of single minded idiots the UK public are. The car isn't king. It's a lethal killing machine that people drive round in without a care.

That driver that almost paralysed me doesn't give a shit, just like you lot here moaning. Share the roads. On and don't get me started on drivers that must have an SUV or 4x4 for the bloody school run.

I very nearly got seriously injured by a cyclist recently. I was on a seaside promenade and he was going at a tremendous speed. If I'd stepped sideways by just a couple of inches he'd have crashed into me. They come behind you so silently. That's why they used to have bells, they should be compulsory.

I have cycled, ridden a horse, drove in a car and walked the same four mile stretch of road for most of my life. I've negotiated tractors, combines, cattle, ambulances and motorbike club runs. In my experience the most aggressive and dangerous users of this stretch of road are the weekend cycle packs. I'm sure as individuals they are lovely, but as a group they are awful. I have been screamed at while pushing baby DD in her buggy,because I didn't get off the road to stand in a ditch my friend was riding her horse along the road when a pack came past, with their usual COMING THROUGH! Well it's a bit hard to make an 18hh horse vanish into thin air in a few seconds... So one of the cyclists in anger actually hit out at the horse as he sped past. A farmer I know was sworn at and threatened because he was moving some cattle and the cyclists had to stop

They hog and dominate the road because nothing seems to be more important than beating their time

As a cyclist myself, I stop to let other road users past. The lycra guys seem to be incapable of doing this. This is a nice area, and people are usually friendly and patient with each other on the narrow and often dodgy roads. At the end of the day we have to live and work here no matter what day of the week it is. A bit of patience and manners from the cycling clubs would not go amiss either

Dance I'm very sorry that you were nearly injured but 5 people a day are killed and 68 seriously injured by drivers. I'm sick of 'I nearly had this encounter' being used as evidence of why it's OK to attack cyclists but then any attempts to stop drivers from killing and harming causes a huge uproar.

They hog and dominate the road because nothing seems to be more important than beating their time sounds like most drivers

My street is currently completely backed up with barely moving motor vehicles right now, sitting there with their engines running causing air and noise pollution. Not one of them is pulling aside to let faster moving people on bikes past. Hypocrites

I think these weekend men in lycra who are so often mentioned on the thread are the one and the same as men who develop 'road rage' behind the wheel of cars, just in a different lifestyle stage.

So when they're operating the most popular vehicle used on the roads, we label the behaviour and blame the individual for his actions, but when they're operating a rarer vehicle, we conflate the behaviour with using that vehicle and all others using it.

Perhaps we should just be more strict as a society on aggressive people operating vehicles and make them let the train (and bus) take the strain?

Goddess, I agree. There's a pack mentality which is very unpleasant. Tbh, it's visible in other groups too, but the cycle one is obvious and round us dangerous. Funnily enough, even the motor cyclist gangs round us are less dangerous with livestock, don't know why.

What would you call the way that you've all jumped on here and attacked cyclists other than an unpleasant pack mentality?

Fewer than one person is killed by cyclists a year, 5 a day by cars so who is dangerous?

And as for livestock, a hundred or so animals are killed by drivers in the New Forest every year

I don't think we should lump all cyclists together as a bad lot, the same as motorists who drive dangerously. There's good and bad in each group. Both sides need to show consideration to the other, but pedestrians aren't causing danger to anyone I don't think.

Insufficiently how can they pull over if they are backed up and unable to move?

Yep pedestrians are hassled by cyclists frequently - I respect the shared road thing but cyclists on shared footpaths are a nightmare!

Dancetilldawn, not necessarily.

I've come off my bike twice after a pedestrian has walked into the road with no warning.

I'm fed up of threads from entitled motorists complaining about cyclists.

I'm a pedestrian and I'm a motorist and motorists piss me off the worst! Especially the aggressive ones. OP, you sound like you may be one of those. Are you?