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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

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
PregnantOnPurpose · 30/05/2019 20:25

@lolasmiles. He was on a pathway a decent distance from the road, there was no reason for me to believe he was a hazard when he was on his own path in no close proximity to me. He literally made a a-line at the last second, as I was coming past.

jasjas1973 · 30/05/2019 20:26

dimsum123

You have the right username.

Car drivers are not held accountable for their actions, unless you think a fine and short ban for maiming a pedestrian, on a footpath, whilst pissed and failing to stop is ok.
Which is exactly what happened to a friend of mine.

As i said earlier, cyclists are not the problem, cars drivers are, we need to wean ourselves of them, in anycase, their days are numbered.

WaxOnFeckOff · 30/05/2019 20:27

If I lived in an area with any public transport then I wouldn't drive at all, as it is I drive a very low emission vehicle and also get 60-70 mpg. can't really do much more.

mbosnz · 30/05/2019 20:27

@BobbyBrewstersMagicTorch - TOTALLY off topic - but you know of Bobby Brewster too?! I've never met anyone else that read those books - I've been thinking I must have dreamed them!

ivykaty44 · 30/05/2019 20:30

Drivers kill 5 people per day every day, if anything else was killing 1700 people every year there’d be an outcry

stepup123 · 30/05/2019 20:30

I dislike some cyclists 🙈 those who ride in groups hogging the road and I don't like the Lycra outfits either. However, I have no problem with cyclists who use the cycle lanes or lone cyclists.

dimsum123 · 30/05/2019 20:30

Of course car drivers are held accountable for their actions. They're the ONLY road users who are as there is no way of identifying a cyclist who eg jumps a red light even if he/she is filmed by a traffic camera.

I bet if cyclists are registered and identifiable, their behaviour on the road would dramatically improve.

MsTSwift · 30/05/2019 20:33

Yabu car drivers days are numbered. Bikes are the future

LolaSmiles · 30/05/2019 20:34

PregnantOnPurpose
In which case it was a knob thing to do.

I'm not sure that 'some cyclists behave badly' justifies the amount of nonsense and vitrol on the thread though.

I get cut up by drivers most days. There's certain types of car that seem to be probe for knobbish tailgating & others that you can predict will stop at an empty roundabout and others that are consistently 35mph drivers regardless of speed limit. Some motorcyclists take reckless risks. But it would be ludicrous to start a thread about how they need to stay off the road, be banned etc. Part of using the roads is knowing other road users will be there. Anyone getting irritated by other road users over precious seconds needs to leave a bit of time for their journey rather than cut it fine (I know there's times I've cursed being stuck behind a tractor for a few minutes, but really that's my problem for not leaving enough time).

ivykaty44 · 30/05/2019 20:36

Stepup123 it’s drivers hogging the road, usually with several empty seats and they just sit in long queues, literally pumping out pollution. I don’t mind a solo car but I can’t stand all the queue

Symbol · 30/05/2019 20:37

Yabu, if everyone cycled or walked everywhere the environment wouldn't be heading towards disaster and the world would be a much nicer place. Cars do not have more right to use the road than pedestrians or cyclists.

PregnantOnPurpose · 30/05/2019 20:38

@lolasmiles. I agree, this one cyclist was an absolute tosser.
But the majority I come across are just travelling the same direction as me, but at a different pace. I'm patient enough to wait for a safe time to overtake.
I'm not phased by most of them, hut the few that tend to swerve in and out of the middle of the road makes me feel so uneasy, not because I get irritated but I get anxious that I'll begin to overtake and then they swerve out and I hit them.

If I did hit one I'd have to finish them off and chuck then aside for the boar to eat.

Louiselouie0890 · 30/05/2019 20:38

Cyclists dont bother me. However the lot I always come across on a Sunday there is four of them they take all 3 lanes and then all turn off the second exit so there's really no need for them to be taking up all 3 lanes. I think they would win the award for no head cyclists. Generally though cyclists dont bother me.

ivykaty44 · 30/05/2019 20:39

Dimsum do explain then why speeding offences raised 2.2 billion last year? They are registered yet still break the law - why isn’t drivers behaviour improved by being registered & tested?

LolaSmiles · 30/05/2019 20:39

PregnantOnPurpose
The image of you finishing one off Grin

BlackPrism · 30/05/2019 20:43

Why should they pull over every two minutes?

dimsum123 · 30/05/2019 20:45

Ivy please do explain why you think cyclists shouldn't be treated exactly like all other road users by being taxed, insured and registered?

Zampa · 30/05/2019 20:46

I'm not phased by most of them, hut the few that tend to swerve in and out of the middle of the road makes me feel so uneasy, not because I get irritated but I get anxious that I'll begin to overtake and then they swerve out and I hit them

This is why drivers need to give cyclists plenty of room when overtaking. The cyclists might be avoiding a pothole, a gust of wind might push them off course or they're new to cycling and a bit wobbly.

ivykaty44 · 30/05/2019 20:47

Dimsum - I’ll let you answer my question first, then I’ll explain

fishonabicycle · 30/05/2019 20:58

It's the packs of male lycra clad weekend cyclists, riding 3-4 abreast that are a pain in the arse in the country lanes where I live.

HouseName · 30/05/2019 21:00

Why don't they wear pants? I'm sick of all the arse cracks!

Alarae · 30/05/2019 21:00

For years I never bought a bicycle as I was genuinely scared to be on the roads due to cars.

My job is a lot closer now (approx 2 miles each way) so as its a short distance I decided to cycle and I am happy I did.

Cars however overtaking me tend to do so at speed and if I stuck my arm out (and I have short arms!) they would take it off with how close they are to me.

I cycle close to the kerb, often on the double yellows and only venture out about 50cm into the road if I need to swerve a drain.

YABU OP, its your attitude that had me avoid cycling for years.

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 30/05/2019 21:00

I see many more bad drivers than cyclists . Never seen a cyclist on their phone....
I had a tit of a cyclist crash into the back of my car when I was stopped at a pedestrian crossing because he was so bloody busy texting. He had his headphones in as well.

Every single person who complains that it is harder to overtake cyclists when they ride 2 abreast is admitting that they will happily overtake single cyclists dangerously.
I don't think so. Say a single cyclist takes up 3' of road - so to give them a good clearance, on a wide road, your car is two-thirds in the oncoming lane. Two cyclists would take up 6' so to give adequate clearance you are pushed right into the other lane. This means it takes longer to get past, which means that your opportunities to overtake safely are reduced, compared to overtaking two bikes which are single file and maybe fifty feet apart..

I do my utmost to overtake cyclists considerately when I'm driving, as I ride a bike regularly myself.

avocadochocolate · 30/05/2019 21:01

House - it's because the seams chafe!

orangeshoebox · 30/05/2019 21:01

Why don't they wear pants?

seams chaffing in the most uncomfortable places...

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