Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

AIBU to bloody hate cyclists

845 replies

FortyAndFlagging · 30/05/2019 16:20

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
MonsterChopz · 02/06/2019 10:18

Thanks, just wanted to get opinions as wouldn't want anyone to feel that I was sitting on their tail and trying to get them to speed up. My DH said the same - do what you would do if it was another car.

redspider1 · 02/06/2019 11:40

Just back from a long ride on cycle paths and roads. Every single driver, pedestrian , dog walker I cam across was safe and courteous as was I .
The real world is so much nicer than MN world thank goodness!

WaxOnFeckOff · 02/06/2019 12:44

I've been thinking about this today (sad sack) and I have come to the following conclusion: the AIBU was about whether the OP WBU to "bloody hate cyclists" and the answer is that it depends. I think we are all talking at cross purposes and of course are also talking based on our personal circumstances and experiences.

Firstly, what cyclists are we actually talking about as like drivers, they aren't a homogeneous group. There are people using their bikes for daily/occasional travel from A to B as they like cycling, or can't afford a car, or don't want to add pollution/congestion. There are folk that like to go out for a family rides to get fresh air and exercise. There are the individual hobbiest road cyclists, there are mountain bikers, there are group/team cyclists etc. So, to attribute the same characteristic to all these groups, positive and negative doesn't make sense.

For instance, a decent proportion of cyclists will also be drivers, an amount of those drivers will be driving the biggest polluting cars, some will be driving to get to where they want to cycle. Some cyclists come hurtling down footpaths and tracks in the woods at 50mph etc with no regard for pedestrians (i'm sure this is enjoyable to them but they will come off as badly in a crash as anyone they hit). Some cyclists like to dictate the speed that everyone else gets to travel at just because they can and will argue their right to do so, even when other vehicles such as tractors etc will pull over. Some cyclists disobey the road rules, switch from road cycling to being a pedestrian (still on wheels) as and when it suits them. There are equally a vast majority of cyclists who are just going about their daily business and get abuse and dangerous passes from drivers and pedestrians for no reason.

So It's not unreasonable to hate some cyclists in the same way as it's okay to hate some drivers.

Giving the different numbers of each on the road, I honestly think that there are a disproportionate amount of cyclists causing issues compared to the amount of vehicle drivers causing issues, but I say that as a driver so come from a position of bias....I'm sure someone could did out the stats. I'm sure I remember seeing some shocking ones about the number of accidents caused by jumping red lights and when you extrapolated the data there were many more caused by cyclists but it's difficult to say as you can't ever say exactly what the proportion of bikes on the road area at any one time which is easier to do with cars as they are registered.

UserX · 02/06/2019 12:51

I'm sure someone could did out the stats. I'm sure I remember seeing some shocking ones about the number of accidents caused by jumping red lights and when you extrapolated the data there were many more caused by cyclists but it's difficult to say as you can't ever say

Please provide actual links instead of spreading lies and disinformation.

What are you all getting out of so much hate? Do you just like to say nasty things anonymously? Do you really believe it’s ok to endanger other people’s lives? Is there some other benefit to this vileness?

WaxOnFeckOff · 02/06/2019 12:58

Please provide actual links instead of spreading lies and disinformation.

What are you all getting out of so much hate? Do you just like to say nasty things anonymously? Do you really believe it’s ok to endanger other people’s lives? Is there some other benefit to this vileness?

What? - Where is the hate and vileness that you refer to?

echt · 02/06/2019 13:00

Giving the different numbers of each on the road, I honestly think that there are a disproportionate amount of cyclists causing issues compared to the amount of vehicle drivers causing issues

Based on what? Some idea you pulled out of your arse?

Oh, and it's numbers, not amounts.

Try reading this:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cycle-safety-laws-new-kim-briggs-death-warning-against-witch-hunt-a7960291.html

Alexis21 · 02/06/2019 13:03

The bad cyclists who ride three abreast are ridiculous as are the ones who ignore the cycle lanes. All cyclists should be made to pay road tax and have insurance the same as car drivers

WaxOnFeckOff · 02/06/2019 13:04

If you are going to quote then at least use it all....."but I say that as a driver so come from a position of bias"

You know what, I "was" trying to be reasonable, but I've changed my mind. I would never put a vulnerable road user in danger but I think I will crack on hating them.

Vulpine · 02/06/2019 13:08

I doubt all the cycle haters posting their vitriol anonymously on the internet would be able to say the same things directly to the parents and children of cyclists killed.

echt · 02/06/2019 13:11

All cyclists should be made to pay road tax and have insurance the same as car drivers

www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2019/mar/18/should-cyclists-be-licensed-and-insured-robert-winston

UserX · 02/06/2019 13:25

@WaxOnFeckOff

What? - Where is the hate and vileness that you refer to?

I think I will crack on hating them

There’s the hate and vileness, right there. Cheers.

UserX · 02/06/2019 13:26

I think the road tax posts are just copy paste trolls as they are all basically the same.

WaxOnFeckOff · 02/06/2019 13:36

FFS User You said there was hate and vileness in my post but all you can quote is the post after when you revealed yourself to be full of shite.

UserX · 02/06/2019 13:39

It’s all over this thread, Feck, you’re only one particularly loud mouthed proponent of it. Got any actual links yet or are you just here to spread lies?

WaxOnFeckOff · 02/06/2019 13:49

So, "it's all over the thread" but you picked out and responded particularly to my post to say it was full of hate and vileness but when asked to quote it you couldn't actually find any in it - oh away and behave.

WaxOnFeckOff · 02/06/2019 13:51

Oh, and you can make any personal insults to me you like :)

UserX · 02/06/2019 13:55

I’m still waiting for the links to the studies you referenced earlier.

WaxOnFeckOff · 02/06/2019 14:02

You can wait as long as you like as I never said I was providing any.
All you are doing is jumping on someone else's post as you didn't express any interest before (unless you are also echt?).

I'm still waiting on my apology for accusing me of hate and vileness in my post and for the personal attack but I guess that's not coming any time soon. So, anyway, I'm going to love you and leave you as I have things do to, people to see, places to go and all that jazz.

orangeshoebox · 02/06/2019 14:03

just today Ben Goldacre on twitter

mobile.twitter.com/bengoldacre/status/1135163521224859649

LolaSmiles · 02/06/2019 14:06

The bad cyclists who ride three abreast are ridiculous as are the ones who ignore the cycle lanes.
Already been covered regarding the need for drivers to do a SAFE overtake.
Cycle lanes have already had people bitching about cyclists using them because they like to walk their dog. Plus many cycle lanes aren't well designed and don't go anywhere, and others are so narrow that they break the safe overtaking principle (and then drivers bitch that cyclists aren't using the 2 foot slice in the gutter)
All cyclists should be made to pay road tax
Not road tax. It's vehicle excise duty and not all cars pay it.
and have insurance the same as car drivers
Many already have insurance if they are part of British cycling or a club, but the car insurance is for the nature of car accidents. Please do enlighten us about why cyclists should have car style insurance.

If only these predictably dull arguments had already been covered in this thread.

countrygirl99 · 02/06/2019 14:10

To the road tax people - cyclists pay precisely the same road tax a low emission car. Which seeing as it's an emissions based tax is entirely logical. So they are doing exactly what you say they should.😊 so you can stop dragging that one up.

WiltedDaffs · 02/06/2019 14:34

Here’s a video with lots of actual data regarding offending rates of humans on bikes and humans in cars...

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/video/2019/may/09/do-cyclists-think-theyre-above-the-law-and-does-it-even-matter-video

Regarding cycle lanes, the white strip of paint on a road is really not fit for purpose. It’s just a bit wider than my handlebars and many cars passing me will only give me that cycle lane of space. It’s too close. If I drive down that same road and pass a cyclist in that cycle lane, giving only the cycle lanes width feels too close then too...so it’s not just when I’m on my bike that it feels dangerous. I would never give a cyclist only a cycle lanes width of space when they’re not in a lane, I’d always give more, but the white bit of paint type of lanes encourage people to drive closer. There’s been studies on this too... www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/14/painted-cycle-lanes-not-sufficient-protect-people-instead-cause/

Other cycle lanes in my town are in the door zone of parked cars so I’m in a car sandwich with parked ones to my left and moving ones to my right. These lanes turn my trip to work into Russian roulette. Will the next car door open and hit me into the path of a moving car? Or will I live to pass the next parked car?

ivykaty44 · 02/06/2019 14:58

Why would it make any difference to a law abiding driver if there was two cyclists riding side by side down a road?

Any law abiding motorist would follow the HC

ivykaty44 · 02/06/2019 15:02

This is what Surrey police say about people on bikes riding along two or more abreast

AIBU to bloody hate cyclists
LolaSmiles · 02/06/2019 15:02

ivykaty44
Don't go using common sense like that.

It highlights how ludicrous some of the whining is.
Smile