AIBU Cyclist Twats

[TractorAndHeadphones]

Walking down lovely canals with DP. Supposed to be romantic - but every 5 minutes we were interrupted by a cyclists whizzing along! Some had the courtesy to ring the bell but even so they rode straight at us instead of around us.

This really boils my piss because cyclists always complain that cars overtake dangerously and that’s it’s their god given right to hold up traffic. But cyclists can ride straight through pedestrians?

There was enough space for a cyclist to ride alongside us if they’d been slower ; even so you don’t expect people to walk in single file on canal roads which are meant to be enjoyed slowly! There were families in front of us, mothers with prams etc. Thé cyclists were probably scared of swerving into the lake but if you can’t control your bike then dont bloody ride!
It really ruined my day.

This has also happened on pavements with people whizzing along in the middle. Even if the road is dangerous there’s no need to go that fast.
AIBU to think that cyclists are twats and should be licensed?
People often complain that cars are rude to cyclists but IMO people in general are twats. Cars can do more damage but they’re not behaving worse than cyclists.

There was one MAMIL who used to do this regularly.

Someone had enough one day and pushed him into the canal.

He received zero sympathy, given the number of near misses he'd inflicted.

I do agree with @runningstrong. Strava segment chasing roadies are not on tow paths. And there's plenty of Sunday bimbler cyclists on tow paths who cycle on 3 sunny days a year and would never cycle on a road.

Why on Earth would I? The cars don’t have any rights over me…..I’ve never had a car behind me for more than a few minutes. Boo bloody hoo if they have to wait a few minutes

And then they wonder ...

@YetAnotherSpartacus

Why on Earth would I? The cars don’t have any rights over me…..I’ve never had a car behind me for more than a few minutes. Boo bloody hoo if they have to wait a few minutes

And then they wonder ...

Why do you think the car driver is more important? You must do because you're saying the cyclist must frequently stop throughout their journey to let the cars past. 🤷‍♀️. There's far more cars than bikes so it's not likely that the motorist will be held up by 100 cyclists at different points. But very likely that the cyclist will be passed by 100 cars. Do you really think its reasonable the cyclist must stop 100 times? If so you need to give your head a massive wobble.

So many people bashing cyclists calling them rude, entitled etc.

You do realise cyclists also drive cars and are pedestrians.

Hello! They are judt rude and entitled people generally, do you think they are the perfect driver, no they will be that rude entitled driver tailgating you and cutting you up. Their behaviour isn't just limited to cycling.

I cycle alot, I don't display any of the behaviours talked about here and equally as a driver I am considerate and when I'm walking in a group if people need pass then yes we will walk single file because its the right thing to do. I see plenty of families taking up the whole path and refusing to move aside even for other pedestrians.

End of the day everyone just should be more considerate.

Peaseblossum22....it's honestly the worst thing about living in our otherwise lovely village. I was woken up at 7 on Sunday morning to find about 20 cyclists outside my house talking at full volume, directly under my bedroom window. A few of them were sitting on my garden bench. (My garden is open to the village high st but it's still obviously not a public bench). I told them to pipe down and got tutted at. Wankers.

PS Canals were not built to be romantic

They weren't built to be hurtled down by lycra-clad idiots with their bum cracks visible either!

@exitfreedom

*I don't recall ever seeing a 'canal cyclist' carrying their bike to the canal, or a 'road cyclist' carrying their bike along a tow path. confused* Have you seen those things that people have on the back of cars to carry bikes ?

Oh yes I have seen them! I had always assumed that they were for emergency use in case of a breakdown or flat tyre!

@YetAnotherSpartacus

PS Canals were not built to be romantic

They weren't built to be hurtled down by lycra-clad idiots with their bum cracks visible either!

Serious cyclists wear bib shorts so no bum crack on display. 👍😁. But hey let's have a bit more appearance slagging off. Why not

@PixieLaLa

It really takes a certain type of person to dress head to toe in lycra and zoom around on a bike. Twats 😂

Wow what a nasty post. I cycle and I wear lycia because if I'm out on a 4hr ride it's the best material to wear to avoid chafing.

So yeah that type of person wearing lycia is an educated person who knows how to dress appropriately for the activity they are doing.

Says more about you in that you clearly need to educate yourself otherwise you wouldn't of made such an ill informed comment.

Lycra wearing cyclists tend to have more road sense, are safer to be on the roads and are also faster than people who wear normal clothes cycling

Cracking up at some of these comments 😂
I can’t think where the stereotypical self importance idea comes from…..

No the arrogance is to think it's absolutely fine to block a road for your entitled convenience. You don't have to walk single file the whole way, you stay aware of your close environment at all time, and move into single lane when you need to make way

It is not a road. It is a path. Made initially for as a canal path and then given to walkers and old-fashioned, slower cyclists; now colonised by lycra louts.

In the height of summer I took my DD for a stroll in her pram along the towpath. I was called a cunt by a charming cyclist on the very narrow path because when he dinged his bell I only stopped so he could move passed rather and jump into the canal or dive into a muddy bush so he could continue on his journey at full speed.

@TractorAndHeadphones

Also the majority of votes are YANBU 😎 Treat everyone with respect that’s all I’m saying Cars, cyclists, pedestrians

Best laugh of the day!!! Treat everyone with respect you say after starting a thread calling cyclists twats and carrying on bitching and moaning...hardly respectful is it.

What a hypocrite you are

Why do you think the car driver is more important? You must do because you're saying the cyclist must frequently stop throughout their journey to let the cars past. 🤷‍♀️. There's far more cars than bikes so it's not likely that the motorist will be held up by 100 cyclists at different points. But very likely that the cyclist will be passed by 100 cars. Do you really think its reasonable the cyclist must stop 100 times? If so you need to give your head a massive wobble.

I think the issue is that in the same breath, many of my fellow cyclists think it’s reasonable to expect pedestrians to frequently stop their journey to let the cyclists pass, rather than the cyclists slowing down and being patient and slowly overtaking.

I think the issue is that in the same breath, many of my fellow cyclists think it’s reasonable to expect pedestrians to frequently stop their journey to let the cyclists pass, rather than the cyclists slowing down and being patient and slowly overtaking

Thanks heaps for saving me the bother :). It was getting tiring :)

OP, you seem to be confused (and patronising, and arrogant - but that’s another matter). I agreed that YANBU on close, fast passes.

Congratulations on completely ignoring the rest of my post, though, which was arguably much more important.

@YetAnotherSpartacus

I think the issue is that in the same breath, many of my fellow cyclists think it’s reasonable to expect pedestrians to frequently stop their journey to let the cyclists pass, rather than the cyclists slowing down and being patient and slowly overtaking

Thanks heaps for saving me the bother :). It was getting tiring :)

IKR 😂 Anyway at this point all points to be made have been made already …

Pardon thé pun

When walking on the pavement up to a junction I always look over my shoulder to see if a cyclist or driver is coming up behind and wants to turn in. I do it because I want to don't get run over and also because I love to see their little faces drop when cheated out of the pleasure of theatrically shouting abuse.

Not everyone is as twatty. A cyclist called "thanks" me last week. I guess he was a nice person who was keeping his eye out for road hazards and was pleased someone else was doing it too.

@HJ91

OP, you seem to be confused (and patronising, and arrogant - but that’s another matter). I agreed that YANBU on close, fast passes.

Congratulations on completely ignoring the rest of my post, though, which was arguably much more important.

The rest of your post was about how dangerous cars were to cyclists which is not relevant to the discussion. How dangerous cars are to you shouldn’t change how you treat pedestrians. In fact you should have more empathy for them because of how cars treat you but you don’t, which is the whole point of the post and beautifully explained above. Also while you claim I ‘attempted to backtrack’ I am not scared to admit that I make typos, and as later posters have mostly grasped what I was trying to say it seems that you’re the outlier.

But I've certainly seen Dutch roadies in lycra.

Road cycling is a massive hobby in the Netherlands at all levels

Patience goes both ways op

@OneTC

But I've certainly seen Dutch roadies in lycra.

Road cycling is a massive hobby in the Netherlands at all levels

And the difference is over there you won't have people calling them lycra louts either.

People cycle in clothing appropriate to their needs. If I'm popping to shop I won't wear lycia as they don't either. If I'm commuting a short distance like they do I would most likely wear normal clothes.

If I'm doing a few hrs of riding ill wear lycra as I'm sure some of them do over there.

Yet here in the UK stupid, ill informed people think its clever to call cyclists lycra louts. No they are just people with poor manners and lack consideration for other road users including pedestrians.

What they wear isn't a direct link to their behaviour.

@OneTC

But I've certainly seen Dutch roadies in lycra.

Road cycling is a massive hobby in the Netherlands at all levels

While visiting central Amsterdam a couple of years ago, we were astonished to see literally thousands of them whizzing around on bikes - and not a single person wearing a helmet.

A friend who was with us very nearly collided with one such woman whizzing along - not only with no helmet, but also holding a baby in one arm!