AIBU to bloody hate cyclists

[FortyAndFlagging]

I have just trailed three cyclists during the course of the day. Honest to God, why don't they just pull over and let people pass?

I know I shouldn't but I hate them too. A big proportion of them are awful, massively inconsiderate road users

Really? Can you even see how baseless and prejudiced that is? Do you hate the massively higher number of dangerous vehicle drivers for no reason as well?

This thread (and other similar ones that have been recently started) is unbelievably depressing. There are people on here advocating behaviour that could potentially kill or injure someone, a massive lack of knowledge of the Highway Code and of what is correct and legal behaviour for drivers (and cyclists), and just a huge sense of entitlement by car drivers that they have priority over other road users.

Drivers, go spend a day cycling around your local area, doing the kind of journey your average cycle commuter might do each day. See how fucking terrifying when a car roars past you at over 30mph less than a foot away from you, or swings lift in front of you causing you to slam on your brakes. See how it feels to have pedestrians swear at you and refuse to move when you ring your. Ell to alert them that they are walking in the cycle lane. Then come back and say it's cyclists that are the problem.

I can’t stand the “bike races” that happen around here every bank holiday/nice Sunday. They drive me insane!
They always always ride right up to the white line in a massive group so there’s no chance you can pass them safely. There’s a lot of road where they cycle and if they were to stick to single file, a car could easily pass (it’s a very wide road) safely and without hindering anyone, but instead they choose to sit 5 or 6 abreast.
Half of them don’t wear helmets which makes it difficult to explain to a 4 year old why a grown up would take their own life into their hands like that.
Not to mention the rubbish. When I’ve gone to pick it up it’s gel packs and hydration packets and protein bar wrappers. Last time there were 5 full bin bags of rubbish from one lay-by which was an official resting station.
Then there’s the selfishness of the organisers, who don’t actually advertise a cycle race is in progress so you turn an sharp corner and almost run into the back of them (national speed limit road).
I have asked the organisers and volunteers to take their rubbish home with them to recycle and was told “that’s not my job.” Arrogant and selfish.
I have no issues with single riders or even slow riders, and am more than happy to wait for them to turn off, or until it is safe to pass properly, I have no issue with considerate riders, but inconsiderate groups spilling all over the carriageway I have no time for.

It depends what type of cyclist. Are we talking Lone person cycling to the shops, using bike as environmentally friendly transport yabvu,

Group of blokes using the roads to assert their alpha male status totally oblivious to everyone else on the road, everyone else’s need to get places playing second fiddle to their road hogging hobby, no you’re not at all unreasonable

We're plagued by gangs of cyclists here in the summer, as we're on a national cycle path. They wind their way around the village riding 3/4 abreast at high speed and showing no care for walkers, horse riders and cars.... it is terrifying to be out walking with dogs and meet them as they don't slow down for you to get out the way.... and it's not easy now the verges are full of nettles! And what angers me is the abuse you get from them if you dare ask them to slow down...........

There have been several incidents with horse riders already this year in the Parish magazine. It gets quite heated too on the village FB page.

It's the arrogance and entitlement that winds me up. They're a unique breed........

I’ve never had a problem with a horse rider whilst cycling. I unclip my right pedal ready to stop if needed & gently roll passed. If approaching from the rear I call a greeting so the rider knows I’m there from a reasonable distance - never had an issue

It’s the trophy wives in the Chelsea tractors in London who do my head in

Ah, we call them Hippo cars because they wallow along and when they need to pass each other on roads already choked by double-parked hippos, they look like hippos in a mating dance.

Ridiculous choice for a city.

Cyclist here
I pull in as soon as i can and let cars pass

Costs nothing and is safer
Don’t tarr us all ! We are doing good things
For the environment

City commuter rather than Lycra man

Toffiepennie uci rules for racing you must wear a helmet, same with any club ride you can’t attend without a helmet. Although it’s no compulsory by law to wear a helmet on the Highway when riding a bike, so not illegal

Well that’s not comforting. I can only assume they are flouting the rules then.
I saw with my own eyes what happens when a 15 year old is hit by a car without a helmet on.
They should be made law.

I was a cyclist and am still a car driver. I have always found those cyclists who have to double or triple up irritating, it is dangerous to them and me. Also mountain bike riders who insist on cycling on footpaths and jostling me for room. I was a considerate cyclist.

I’ve never had a problem with a horse rider whilst cycling. I unclip my right pedal ready to stop if needed & gently roll passed. If approaching from the rear I call a greeting so the rider knows I’m there from a reasonable distance - never had an issue

@ivykaty44

Thanks for being considerate.

I wish there were more cyclists like you - most of the ones we encounter out riding have no idea how scary & noisy they are to horses & how dangerous speeding past unannounced is - both to us & themselves.

I have always found those cyclists who have to double or triple up irritating, it is dangerous to them and me

Riding two abreast is safest for cyclists and takes up the same width as a car.

Today 16:45YouBumder

A group of 3 men created a tailback of over 40 cars on our single carriageway country road on BHoliday Monday. It is a wide road designed to accommodate cyclists easily but they chose to ride 3 abreast and make everyone wait for 11 miles on a national speed limit road.

Not one car could overtake them for 11 miles? Bullshit.

.........
Overtake? Probably just the BMWs and AUDIs.. Seriously though why say its bullshit, you don't know what the road is like or what traffic was coming the other way.

Overtake? Probably just the BMWs and AUDIs.. Seriously though why say its bullshit, you don't know what the road is like or what traffic was coming the other way

Because (a) it is absolutely vanishingly unlikely that there was no overtaking opportunity in that distance. And (b) there was no way the poster could have known what was happening 40 cars in front.

So shove your biscuit up your arse.

It's the arrogance and entitlement that winds me up

Same applies to car drivers who think they have more right to be on the road than cyclists.

weekend mamils drive me insane on our local country lanes and hills

I cycle around my area as do many local people - but come the weekend out comes a different breed of cyclist - bright, loud, inconsiderate and generally aggressive. If you fly down a hill v fast then your ability to stop at the bottom of it,at the T junction is minimal - it does not give you the right to go through the junction, not stopping and expecting every other road user to accommodate your dangerous cycling.
that includes the locals riding on the main road as they normally do!

Good and bad cyclists and drivers - but weekend Mamils are breed that still needs defining!

To pp who said cyclists are keeping fit whilst car drivers are sat in a box of pollution. Do you not realise that as cyclists ride on the road they are breathing in just as much pollution if not more than car drivers?

@MyBlueMoonbeam

I’m surprised you say noisy, as that’s why I call a greeting due to being so noiseless on a bike I’m worried that I’ll startle the horse - but if you think cyclists are noisy and can be heard approaching there isn’t a need for this then - I doubt cars are less noisy as they have engines, though electric cars are very quiet

Dimsum123 you do realise that your incorrect, inside the car has been proved your subjected to higher levels of pollution and for children it’s even worse than for adults in a car.

www.iqair.com/international/blog/air-quality/in-car-pollution

15x worse pollution inside the car than outside

uk.businessinsider.com/test-scores-drop-cognitive-decline-with-high-levels-air-pollution-2018-8?r=US&IR=T
Air pollution has a detrimental affect on the brain

globalnews.ca/news/3520642/air-pollution-inside-cars/

Why pollution is worse for children inside a car

So you are saying that a cyclist in London riding next to and behind buses, lorries, taxis, and cars, including diesel are breathing in fresh clean air?

Aibu to bloody hate car drivers? Aggressive polluting lazy