Page 2 | To ask cyclists to follow the rules!!!

Beseigedbykillersquirrels · 18/03/2021 18:24

Ironically you are criticising cyclists for expecting pedestrians to move out of the way when you expect them to move out of the way for you. How is it different just because you’re in a car?

Good grief. Does being a cyclist mean that you have to defend all other cyclists to the death? He didn't want to breathe my fumes in from behind? Why cycle on a road then? And if he hadn't have overtaken me at the lights I would have been a fair distance ahead of him, allowing the fumes to disperse somewhat before they reached his previous nostrils. As it was, he was surrounded by more fumes for much longer as I had to do 10mph behind him for five miles. I didn't say I expected him to get out of my way. I waited until the only safe passing point for miles to overtake him. All he had to do was not jump ahead of me at the lights. There is no excuse for doing what he did, no matter how much you want to defend cyclists.
It is very selfish for cyclists to hold up twenty or thirty cars, all going ten to twelve miles an hour, yet not feel they should wait for pedestrians who move more slowly. I don't think there's anything ironic about that. Just wanky.

Laiste · 18/03/2021 18:24

So many who, when reminded to abide by the rules, immediately look around for someone else to point a finger at.

The whataboutery here is astounding!

Beseigedbykillersquirrels · 18/03/2021 18:26

@Laiste

So many who, when reminded to abide by the rules, immediately look around for someone else to point a finger at.

The whataboutery here is astounding!

Isn't it just!

itstiktok · 18/03/2021 18:29

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PattyPan · 18/03/2021 18:33

@Beseigedbykillersquirrels

Ironically you are criticising cyclists for expecting pedestrians to move out of the way when you expect them to move out of the way for you. How is it different just because you’re in a car?

Good grief. Does being a cyclist mean that you have to defend all other cyclists to the death? He didn't want to breathe my fumes in from behind? Why cycle on a road then? And if he hadn't have overtaken me at the lights I would have been a fair distance ahead of him, allowing the fumes to disperse somewhat before they reached his previous nostrils. As it was, he was surrounded by more fumes for much longer as I had to do 10mph behind him for five miles. I didn't say I expected him to get out of my way. I waited until the only safe passing point for miles to overtake him. All he had to do was not jump ahead of me at the lights. There is no excuse for doing what he did, no matter how much you want to defend cyclists.
It is very selfish for cyclists to hold up twenty or thirty cars, all going ten to twelve miles an hour, yet not feel they should wait for pedestrians who move more slowly. I don't think there's anything ironic about that. Just wanky.

Calm down, I was just taking a guess. Believe it or not, cyclists don’t get out of bed in the morning with the express intention of inconveniencing motorists or mowing down pedestrians. They just want to get from A to B safely using the roads that they’re just as entitled to as any other vehicle.

ComtesseDeSpair · 18/03/2021 18:33

However, they are not prepared to wait behind pedestrians on shared paths and often ring their twatty bells with the expectation that they will part like the red sea and let them through so they can continue on their merry way.

What’s wrong with this? Most people say excuse me and overtake if they’re walking behind people travelling at a slower pace, is this also rude?

But everyone should obey the rules of the road when they’re using it, agreed.

PattyPan · 18/03/2021 18:37

@Laiste

So many who, when reminded to abide by the rules, immediately look around for someone else to point a finger at.

The whataboutery here is astounding!

Maybe you’ll understand my frustration if I say I’ve literally never broken a single rule of the road in my whole life because I am scared of being killed by a dangerous motorist and blamed for it, and get abuse shouted at me anyway just for being on a bike.

itstiktok · 18/03/2021 18:39

@PattyPan Blamed for it?! You could deliberately throw your bike in front of a car and the car driver would still be held responsible. That's part of why bad cyclists are so frightening.

Chanjer · 18/03/2021 18:49

despise road cyclists. Honestly, as soon as I find out someone I know is a road cyclist I lose all respect for them. Yes I'm fully aware this makes me a judgemental twat and just as much of a dick as the cyclists themselves, but dear god they are an awful subspecies

Not just a judgemental twat but deeply stupid as well

itstiktok · 18/03/2021 18:51

@Chanjer Yep, you've got me on that one! I actually have a very low IQ. Stupid to the bone.

fizzyp0p · 18/03/2021 18:52

And this is why I get myself in to such a nervous state before I cycle to work each day because I know everyone hates me. But it's my only mode of transport and I don't run red lights. Sorry I exist

IEat · 18/03/2021 18:54

It’s like wanting the rain to not fall on you when your out and about

JackieWeaverHandforthCouncil · 18/03/2021 18:55

The common denominator is people. You want PEOPLE to obey the rules whether they are cycling, walking, running, driving, walking their dogs. I don’t see the point of putting people into transportation groups at all and if you were the ones you should be most concerned about are the drivers as they can cause real damage and I say that as a 4x4 driver.

1Morewineplease · 18/03/2021 18:55

They never will!
As long as you are in a planet destroying electric vehicle on FOUR wheels , and THEY are SAVING THE PLANET on two , then you are an evil bastard.
It really doesn't matter if they jump a red light or ride at 40mph on a narrow pavement, they are wearing Lycra , therefore they are exceptional human beings!
Funny that in Holland, Denmark etc... people just get on an ordinary bike and just cycle to where they want to go, while wearing ordinary clothes.
Yet in UK, you must wear Tour De France standard Lycra skins.

PattyPan · 18/03/2021 18:55

@itstiktok maybe in court but it certainly seems like public opinion would be against me!

PattyPan · 18/03/2021 18:58

Oh and I have a Dutch style bike and cycle in my normal clothes plus a helmet, high vis vest and reflective armbands so you can see me indicating at night. You don’t really see people in Lycra around here (urban area).

UrAWizHarry · 18/03/2021 18:59

Yabu to start yet another tedious cyclist bashing thread. What's it been, like 2 days since the last one?

Chanjer · 18/03/2021 19:03

Funny that in Holland, Denmark etc... people just get on an ordinary bike and just cycle to where they want to go, while wearing ordinary clothes.

Also presumed liability

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 18/03/2021 19:03

The problem with cycling in (most of) the UK is there is no place for cyclists. Drivers don't want them on roads. Pedestrians don't want them on pavements, or on shared use paths (which are often too narrow to accommodate both safely).
In other European countries, there is planning for cyclists. Wide pavements for cyclists and pedestrians along major roads for example. Or country paths that are split in two. And people tolerated cyclists , even young wobbly children. Even the dreaded E-scooters could be used safely, in cycle lanes, where they were the correct speed.

The red light things frustrates me for both pedestrians and cyclists.... Our town has many junctions with odd traffic light sequences (with some lanes on red, some on green) so going through the red light is taking your life into your hands.

HalzTangz · 18/03/2021 19:03

@summeriscomingsoon

Nearly hit by a cyclist going through a red light again as I was crossing the road. We have numerous offenders doing this.

Also going on the pavement to avoid traffic jams.

Cycling has increased so much since lockdown and great health benefits but some of them make me mad!!!

Aibu to expect them to behave as if they were a car on the road and stick to the rules.

Personally I see more cars jumping red lights than I see cyclists. But maybe cyclists in my area generally follow the rules

HeyDemonsItsYaGirl · 18/03/2021 19:05

The common denominator is people.

Actually the common denominator with shitty cycling is cyclists. It's okay to talk about shitty behaviour from one subset; we don't always have to talk about the entire human race.

Chanjer · 18/03/2021 19:05

maybe in court but it certainly seems like public opinion would be against me!

We don't have presumed liability in the UK

UrAWizHarry · 18/03/2021 19:06

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TooBored1 · 18/03/2021 19:10

@Stellaris22

YANBU. When I cycled at uni a friend said they cycled through red lights as they thought it was safer, which I thought was ridiculous.

I don't drive and I walk everywhere, but pedestrians can be a lot worse. I regularly see people walk across a road without looking or not be bothered to walk the few metres it takes to reach a pedestrian crossing.

In many countries, cyclists are allowed to go through red lights as it IS safer - gets them away from the cars that are trying to speed up when they go in the green and it improves the flow of traffic generally.

It's not legal in this country, so it shouldn't be done here, but your friend was not wrong about the safety factor (remembering the onus would be on the cyclist to ensure it was safe to proceed).

JackieWeaverHandforthCouncil · 18/03/2021 19:13

Next up on MN ‘A dog looked at my (19 year old) child a bit funny AIBU to be really angry?’