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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask cyclists to follow the rules!!!

321 replies

summeriscomingsoon · 18/03/2021 16:14

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.

OP posts:
DdraigGoch · 18/03/2021 22:51

@Dobbyismyfavourite

Some cyclist are extremely reckless. My DD is learning to drive and we had a teenager pelting along on the pavement straight onto the road as we were alongside them. This is not the first time this has happened on the school run but I despair as he could have easily ended up under our wheels. Plus he was dressed in dark clothes, hood up, ear pods in and no lights - madness!
That same teenager in a few years time may well get himself a banger and take up street racing and/or spent their free time doing doughnuts in car parks.

Teenage boys can be reckless, no matter how many wheels they are on.

UrAWizHarry · 18/03/2021 22:57

@Ohforarainyday

I don't understand why cyclists get so furious about defending dangerous illegal cyclists who hurt people with their selfishness. If I started a thread about a drunk driver, it wouldn't be full of outraged drivers going "another driver bashing thread, typical!"

Cyclists should be more like horse riders. Horse people take no shit and are first in line to call out bad and dangerous riding. You'd never see horse riders defending illegal and dangerous behaviour from other horse riders. Yet cyclists act like owning a precious planet-saving bike puts you above criticism and get vicious and abusive at the mere suggestion that disabled or elderly people want to be able to walk down the pavement.

In past threads I've seen all sorts, cyclists defending breaking the law, saying they have to cycle on pavements or through red lights because it's safer or more convenient for them, saying that no one should walk on a pavement if they're unsteady on their feet or deaf, no pedestrian should ever wear earphones and if you do and a pavement cyclist smashes into you it's your fault for not "being aware", all manner of disableist abuse.

Pure arrogant entitled selfishness.

I've only seen a car blatantly charge through a red light at a pedestrian crossing that had people on it once in my life, and it was late at night and the driver was obviously drunk. (Reported to police.)

I see cyclists do the same multiple times a day. I once saw a cyclist decide to weave through cars and illegally cross a red light pedestrian crossing in Sheen when the traffic meant he couldn't see the crossing or if there was anyone on it until it was too late, and he smashed into a dog.

There's a different crossing in Hammersmith that's immediately after a sharp 'blind' corner, I never cross there because sometimes cyclists come haring round it at speed, ignore the red light, and because it's a blind corner there's no way for them to be able to see if there's anyone on the crossing until after they've turned the corner. I was once on a bus and witnessed a cyclist ignore the red light and take that corner at speed, notice there was a party of school children on the crossing, and have to hurl his bike down to one side (injuring himself) to avoid smashing into them.

The traffic light directly outside my house is another one I can't use because five or six buses use that road which means there are often buses stopped at the red light, and if a bus is the first vehicle stopped behind the light it's so big you can't see if there's a cyclist coming up on the inside about to race across the pedestrian crossing and smash into you, should you happen to be walking at the same time. I regularly walk a quarter of a mile to the other crossing just to avoid it.

It's not just the odd bad apple, it's clearly systemic. A change in cycling culture needs to occur.

Maybe because such threads inevitably get populated by pricks saying things like this:

"I despise road cyclists. Honestly, as soon as I find out someone I know is a road cyclist I lose all respect for them."

Fact is, cyclists are vunerable road users and get about a 1/1000000th of the respect and caution they deserve on the roads because tHey DonT PaY RoAD TaX.

DdraigGoch · 18/03/2021 23:03

I don't understand why cyclists get so furious about defending dangerous illegal cyclists who hurt people with their selfishness. If I started a thread about a drunk driver, it wouldn't be full of outraged drivers going "another driver bashing thread, typical!"
That would be because you'd have started a thread about the drunk driver who nearly ran you off the road last night. At no point are you insinuating that all drivers are routinely guilty of these behaviours. Neither would you be suggesting that all motorists should be banned from using public roads on the basis that traffic holds you up.

Look at some of the replies through this thread, "cyclists this", "cyclists that" - even one reply which wasn't coy at all about their sweeping prejudice against all cyclists. Can you not see why many of us are irritated at the tar brushes being frequently deployed?

We aren't defending the dangerous idiots at all, we are fighting back against the common myth that all cyclists are like them. Other myths include the one about the primary position - perfectly permissible in law and actually advised by experts to move into the middle of the lane when road conditions necessitate. Then there's the whole "I pay road tax" bollocks - the road fund was abolished in 1936, following Winston Churchill arguing that "It will be only a step from this [the old road fund] for them to claim in a few years the moral ownership of the roads their contributions have created". What foresight he had.

DdraigGoch · 18/03/2021 23:11

Try starting a thread about how drivers are selfish and entitled for causing congestion, take up public space for parking their cars and make streets dangerous for kids. See how that goes in terms of outraged drivers responding!
We have one of those periodically, it's most entertaining. It usually proceeds something like this: The OP will complain that she was held up in traffic jams and will say that there are too many cars on the road. Someone will then ask the OP if they were held up on the bus or whether they were in one of those cars and therefore part of the problem. At some point, SAHMs on the school run idling outside the school will be mentioned (bonus points if they've "only driven from a few hundred yards away").

Ohforarainyday · 19/03/2021 04:43

Plus of course the very teeny weeny little fact that drivers kill and maim tens of thousands of people in the UK every year does tend to make cyclists, who don’t, feel a little miffed to be held up as this deadly road menace.

Like clockwork this argument gets dragged up in cycling threads: the suggestion that anything short of actual death is completely irrelevant and minor so stfu and stop whining.

I'll stop whining when you stop defending the arseholes who make it unsafe for me as a disabled woman who isn't allowed to drive and has no access to a car to be able walk on pavements and cross on legal pedestrian crossings!

Cars are far more prevalent than bikes, and cars are just plain larger and more dangerous than bikes, so of course there will be more car-related deaths than bike-related deaths. It's a bit like an American going "but there are far more gun deaths than knife deaths so all you people who were non-fatally stabbed stop whinging!"

Bikes might not kill people very often but illegal cyclists are still very very dangerous. Bikes aren't registered which means there's a lack of accountability. If I get hit by a car or witness a car jump a red light, I can call the police and the police, at least in theory, can look at the licence plate number on CCTV. There's no option to do this with illegal cyclists, which is why most incidents of illegal cycling, and injuries caused by cyclists, go unreported.

In my whole life, I've never been hit by a car. I know one person who's been hit by a car. Everyone I know has been hit or nearly hit by illegal cyclists numerous times. It's frightening and dangerous especially if you're elderly or disabled. Even a small knock or being forced to jump out of the way could cause an elderly person to fall and break their hip, which might lead to premature death. Yet just because they weren't killed outright cyclists act like it doesn't count?

Rarely have I ever seen cyclists do what horse riders do, which is to unreservedly condemn people who break the law and endanger others. If more cyclists were willing to say "cyclists who run break the law and endanger others are completely in the wrong, period" then it would go a long way to decreasing hostility. Why are cyclists so unwilling to do that? Why the defensiveness and constant infernal whataboutery and yelling about air horns and how dare pedestrians on a pedestrian path slow you down and "oh but you were just injured you didn't DIE what's the big deal" attempts to downplay illegal behaviour?

BasiliskStare · 19/03/2021 05:06

Of course not all cyclists are twats, of course, I do however have a scar on one hand from when some years ago when I was getting stuff out of parked car ( from pavement side) and cyclist just banged into me as I was picking up bags,. - he was just freewheeling along pavement on a slight incline. My hand went right up against his wheel / spokes. I think that cyclist was a twat - not all are,

CartBfree · 19/03/2021 05:22

I wish their lights had to at least meet the mot standard (you don't need any fancy equipment other than a wall to check its set up).

If I put a super bright white non dipped strobing light on my bonnet it would quite rightly be illegal and dangerous.

So why is it OK on a bike?

Because when the law was written it simply wasn't possible to have a 10,000 lumen sun on a bicycle.

It needs updating. None of this "its to be seen crap" either if that was the case your car would just run on highbeam automatically all the time

JohannaC · 19/03/2021 05:36

This reply has been deleted

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TooBored1 · 19/03/2021 06:29

@HeyDemonsItsYaGirl

YANBU. Selfish wankers.
You did.
hibbledibble · 19/03/2021 06:45

It's not as simple as driver=good and cyclist=bad

I see plenty of drivers thinking that the highway code doesn't apply to them, in particular regarding giving way at roundabouts. Especially if the other roundabout user is a cyclist.

Cycling slowly and considerately on the pavement wouldn't be necessary either, if there were sufficient cycle lanes.

SelkieQualia · 19/03/2021 06:51

Honestly, I try my best, as a cyclist, you can't win. I want to cycle because it means one less car on the road. However, cycle lanes tend to not join up, and are frequently blocked by cars. I ride on the road and I'm holding up traffic. I tide on the footpath (when allowed)and I'm a danger to life and limb. And no, I can't ride more slowly - my bike is heavy, so I need to be doing at least 10 -15 kph to stay upright.

Pinchoftums · 19/03/2021 06:54

As a driver I would say I see far far far more dangerous twathead drivers than Cyclists. There are some dickhead cyclists about but nothing compares to the drivers. Waiting at a zebra crossing yesterday I saw a car overtake a stationary car to get past almost hitting a woman and a pram. Cars speed all the time down my road I could see about 15 an hour going over the speed limit by at least 10 mph many far faster than that.

Ginuwine · 19/03/2021 06:58

@DaisyWaldron

YANBU, but I generally get 10 cars narrowly missing me or not stopping for a red light for every bike that does, so I'd target the drivers before the cyclists.

There isn't an "order" of target - each incident is discrete in itself and can cause life changing events if the worst happens

Zampa · 19/03/2021 07:14

This thread pretty much sums up why I don't cycle on UK roads.

Very few drivers know how to safely behave around cyclists on the road and I think it's because the majority just don't care about the person on the bike. It's more important to get ahead even if it means a close pass or turning in front of a cyclist's path. I'm not sharing a road with lunatics behind the wheel who could kill me.

I can't remember finishing any bike journey without adrenaline pumping through me after a near miss.

We need a culture change towards cycling in the UK.

Sbk28 · 19/03/2021 07:17

YANBU at all. Of course cyclists need to stop at red lights and crossings if there is someone there. Not doing so is extremely dangerous. Some cyclists behave as if they can predict pedestrian behaviour completely, and they absolutely can't.

Many others on the thread are being completely unreasonable about cyclists, as some people always are.

Blockedoff · 19/03/2021 07:22

Can I ask all road users to follow the rules?

Drunk or drugged drivers
People speeding
Pedestrians walking out whilst on their phones and not looking
Red light dodgers
Parking selfishly
Those people on motorised scooters
Those kid on those one wheel things

All are an issue, buts it's always "cyclists" , it may come as a big shock OP, but it's a road rule breaker not "cyclists".

Rowanapp · 19/03/2021 07:36

I see lots of inconsiderate driving but it doesn’t usually result in social media posts calling all drivers selfish idiots. Drivers. breaking the speed limit in town is the norm. Let’s not forget 99% of deaths of pedestrians involve cars, not bikes so it’s quite clear what the real danger is here.

jasjas1973 · 19/03/2021 07:37

@HeyDemonsItsYaGirl

No less logical than trying to say all cyclists are selfish wankers because of the behaviour of a minority.

Good job nobody did that then!

You did, "Selfish twats" ..... you called cyclists.

Hopefully road pricing, increases in fuel and the expensive of EV vehicles will see more people cycling & walking & less vehicles.

Possibly the only benefit of lockdown has been quieter roads, the first LD was especially quiet, i could cycle to touristy areas of cornwall, something i haven't done for for many years due to the roads being too dangerous.

To be clear, cyclists who run red lights are idiots, there is zero defense but if you are going to be critical of this behavior, then perhaps the next time you see a cyclist or anyone walking or running on the road, slow down a little, give some distance and please don't overtake on blind bends, your air bag will not help you in a head on collision.

PrelovedWithValue · 19/03/2021 07:41

Why is it always cyclists?

Nobody slags off all drivers that don't follow the rules, and I have seen WAY more of them run red lights here than cyclists. I live at a four way junction.

And absolutely nobody slags off all pedestrians for crossing at the wrong time.

But all cyclists get tarred with the same 'I saw one break a role. All cyclists are therefore bad' brush.

BasiliskStare · 19/03/2021 07:52

well I posted upthread. & to repeat that cyclist was a bit twattish. Not all are . But I do have a scar remaining. Now for avoidance of doubt had it been a motorist I may not be here but still no excuse for going at massive speed on pavement on an incline.
Enough I do not believe all cyclists are bad

notimagain · 19/03/2021 07:58

@Zampa

Very few drivers know how to safely behave around cyclists on the road and I think it's because the majority just don't care about the person on the bike. It's more important to get ahead even if it means a close pass or turning in front of a cyclist's path

FWIW it's beginning to sound (police reports) like the French youngsters I mentioned upthread were "taken out" due to somebody not having the patience to wait behind the group until they could see it was clear to overtake....

Stay safe..

summeriscomingsoon · 19/03/2021 08:35

I posted because cyclists routinely go through red lights from my experience and one nearly hit me, again.

There seems to be a sizeable minority who do this, enough to indicate a certain mindset that rules don't apply consistently only when it suits.

OP posts:
OooPourUsACupLove · 19/03/2021 08:36

@Ohforarainyday

Plus of course the very teeny weeny little fact that drivers kill and maim tens of thousands of people in the UK every year does tend to make cyclists, who don’t, feel a little miffed to be held up as this deadly road menace.

Like clockwork this argument gets dragged up in cycling threads: the suggestion that anything short of actual death is completely irrelevant and minor so stfu and stop whining.

I'll stop whining when you stop defending the arseholes who make it unsafe for me as a disabled woman who isn't allowed to drive and has no access to a car to be able walk on pavements and cross on legal pedestrian crossings!

Cars are far more prevalent than bikes, and cars are just plain larger and more dangerous than bikes, so of course there will be more car-related deaths than bike-related deaths. It's a bit like an American going "but there are far more gun deaths than knife deaths so all you people who were non-fatally stabbed stop whinging!"

Bikes might not kill people very often but illegal cyclists are still very very dangerous. Bikes aren't registered which means there's a lack of accountability. If I get hit by a car or witness a car jump a red light, I can call the police and the police, at least in theory, can look at the licence plate number on CCTV. There's no option to do this with illegal cyclists, which is why most incidents of illegal cycling, and injuries caused by cyclists, go unreported.

In my whole life, I've never been hit by a car. I know one person who's been hit by a car. Everyone I know has been hit or nearly hit by illegal cyclists numerous times. It's frightening and dangerous especially if you're elderly or disabled. Even a small knock or being forced to jump out of the way could cause an elderly person to fall and break their hip, which might lead to premature death. Yet just because they weren't killed outright cyclists act like it doesn't count?

Rarely have I ever seen cyclists do what horse riders do, which is to unreservedly condemn people who break the law and endanger others. If more cyclists were willing to say "cyclists who run break the law and endanger others are completely in the wrong, period" then it would go a long way to decreasing hostility. Why are cyclists so unwilling to do that? Why the defensiveness and constant infernal whataboutery and yelling about air horns and how dare pedestrians on a pedestrian path slow you down and "oh but you were just injured you didn't DIE what's the big deal" attempts to downplay illegal behaviour?

Nice rant. I used the KSI number... killed or seriously injured. Feel free to tell me how many people are killed or seriously injured by cyclists every year.

Simple fact is this. If every single cyclist gave up and threw their bike away it would make almost no difference to that number. So when someone chooses to rant about "cyclists" it just tells me they don't really give a monkey's about actual safety, they have a personal bee in their bonnet about cyclists and ignore what drivers do.

It's not ok that you and your friends have encountered selfish cyclists. I personally don't know anyone who has been hurt by a bicycle but I've sadly seen the aftermath of several serious car or lorry accidents.

As a cyclist of course I don't condone selfish cycling, but also as a cyclist I won't be held responsible for it, and I will absolutely call out people who want to make my method of transport subject to expensive and pointless rules ahead of doing something that will actually make a difference.

skirk64 · 19/03/2021 08:51

@PrelovedWithValue

Why is it always cyclists?

Nobody slags off all drivers that don't follow the rules, and I have seen WAY more of them run red lights here than cyclists. I live at a four way junction.

And absolutely nobody slags off all pedestrians for crossing at the wrong time.

But all cyclists get tarred with the same 'I saw one break a role. All cyclists are therefore bad' brush.

Because proportionally more cyclists break the rules and more cyclists get away with it. I've rarely seen drivers jump the lights, and even when they do it's not as blatant as sailing through ten seconds after they turned red. I've once seen a motorcyclist riding on the pavement, and they got stopped by a police officer. I see many cyclists riding on the pavement daily (at least, back when I felt allowed to go outside).

Obviously #notallcyclists, but as with #notallmen, there are way too many bad ones. I've never seen a supposedly "good" cyclist stop and take issue with one breaking the rules. As we demand men should be active in stopping misogyny, all cyclists have an obligation to tackle bad cycling.

Think of it like this:

GOOD BAD
Women Men
BAME White
Drivers Cyclists
Pedestrians Cyclists

The "bad" side have the duty to make the lives of the "good" side better, because although it's #notallmen #notallcyclists #notallwhitepeople it's enough of them to cause a massive problem.

skirk64 · 19/03/2021 08:51

It took all the spaces in my little table out. Oh well.

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