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.

Equally nobody has the right to hold others up for their own pleasure.

But they literally do if they were there first and you've come up behind them. They don't have to move over for you. They have the right to keep on making progress safely on the road. As do you. Safely being the key word.

They do not have to move over. Faster traffic does not have the right to pass slower traffic if it is not safe.

@CovidCorvid. Sorry, had to laugh at you calling motorists entitled! I have a car so I can get to places, usually work, not so I can drive around for fun. Why on earth should others be delayed to accommodate someone else's hobby? As I said if people are cycling to get somewhere I have no objection but the majority where I live are entitled MAMILs.

@Macncheeseballs

Op, you wanna do something romantic with your partner, may I suggest a tandem

Or a condom........😉

Hangrylady, and cyclists going to work?

Lindylou, well that's a different kind of ride altogether

We live in a rural area and regularly see signs put up for road races so dozens of cyclists. No warning either. I know that two abreast is allowed but on narrow country lanes, this takes up more than half the road and therefore not leaving enough room to get past. In these instances, it is much safer for all concerned for the cyclists to be single file. I've been stuck behind cyclists for 5 miles before getting home because I'm not being left enough room to overtake safely. If it is one bike , then it's possible to get past.

It also doesn't help that the roads are full of holes so it's not easy to predict when the cyclists are likely to move even further over.

FWIW I have the same problem with the cars doing 20 mph and sitting in the middle of the road, rather than moving over to the left so you can get by.

All parties need to have consideration and awareness of others.

I know that two abreast is allowed but on narrow country lanes, this takes up more than half the road and therefore not leaving enough room to get past.

You mean takes up half the road like a car does? Shocking.

In these instances, it is much safer for all concerned for the cyclists to be single file. I've been stuck behind cyclists for 5 miles before getting home because I'm not being left enough room to overtake safely. If it is one bike , then it's possible to get past.

No, it is more dangerous because idiot drivers see that they can physically squeeze their cars past single file cyclists and do so, even though it's not a safe overtake.

You must leave cyclists as much room as you would a car when you overtake.

If it would not be safe to overtake a car then you should not overtake a cyclist.

They do not need to leave you enough room, it is your responsibility to overtake safely, not theirs to facilitate it.

I'm not even a cyclist, I don't own a bike. I am a driver through and the amount of shit driving excuses on this thread because people don't want to slow down is unbelievable.

@Macncheeseballs

Hangrylady, and cyclists going to work?

No problem with them at all but I suspect that 6 Lycra clad men riding 2 abreast aren't going to work but are pursuing a hobby. I go on bike rides with my family but will always pull over where safe to let motorists past. It's called having consideration for others.

[quote PattyPan]@Dobbyafreeelf and how do you think children should obtain third party insurance? I agree though about helmets and high vis (at night) and that all road users should abide by the traffic laws and stop at red lights and pedestrian crossings. Unfortunately most of the vehicles I see not doing those are cars, in particular taxis around here don't seem to be able to see zebra crossings. I've never had a near miss with a bike as a pedestrian but there is a crossing I've had to stop using due to so many near misses with cars
Good luck stopping teenagers from acting like knobs whether on a bike or not though [/quote]
I've been a horse rider since I was very young. But from 14 or so I had 3rd party cover for riding and still do. There is no reason why kids wouldn't be able to have insurance if it became compulsory. Insurance providers would provide it if there was sufficient demand.
Too young to have insurance should equal too young to be unsupervised on the roads

A lot of cyclists (including me) do actually have insurance. If you're a member of British Cycling, Cycling UK, or the London Cycle campaign, (added together have several hundred thousand members), along with many other membership groups, you do get liability insurance with your membership.

I agree. It really is unreasonable and selfish to use a means of transport that lowers your carbon footprint.

[quote hangrylady]@CovidCorvid. Sorry, had to laugh at you calling motorists entitled! I have a car so I can get to places, usually work, not so I can drive around for fun. Why on earth should others be delayed to accommodate someone else's hobby? As I said if people are cycling to get somewhere I have no objection but the majority where I live are entitled MAMILs.[/quote]
I’m calling you entitled. And you are. The arrogance in your posts is breathtaking. Me, me, me….I’m more important than anyone else…..comes screeching though in your posts. If you’re really so worried about a slight delay on the way to work leave 5 mins earlier like a normal person does. I do. Why the nasty “mamil” comment? Does that make you feel better. Do you think it’s acceptable to cast insults on groups of people? Says a lot about you.

The main issue with insurance (and with licencing schemes) is that it puts off the casual cyclist. I think don't think horse riding is a good comparison because that is a hobby rather than transport, and I think horse riders are more committed than casual cyclists who might use another form of transport if cycling is made less appealing. Most people I see cycling around here are just getting from A to B and we really need to support them in that. I live in the town centre and there are a lot of traffic and pollution problems. We need to be taking away barriers to people deciding to make their journey by bike, not adding more. Many people (adults) might have also some legal assistance as part of eg their home insurance or union membership that they might be able to use in the event of a liability from an accident.

@CovidCorvid being held up for. Few minutes isn't a problem for most people but being held up repeatedly or for long periods is.
A couple of months ago I got caught up behind a pack of 30 odd cyclists travelling about 12 miles per hour. I was stuck behind them for 20 minutes before being able to overtake them. Only to be held up by a second group a few miles further down the road.
I was 40 minutes late to an elderly client who was panicked I wasn't going to turn up. Not to mention the fact they were in a huge deal of pain as they hadn't been able to have their pain relief on time and couldn't administer it themselves. I couldn't call as I was in an area of no signal.

Why do those individuals desire to use the roads for pleasure outweigh the rights of my clients? Leaving earlier wouldn't have helped!

No problem with them at all but I suspect that 6 Lycra clad men riding 2 abreast aren't going to work but are pursuing a hobby. I go on bike rides with my family but will always pull over where safe to let motorists past. It's called having consideration for others.
And what about the retiree that's not driving fast enough on the way to do their shopping, do they need get out the way too ?

@PattyPan

The main issue with insurance (and with licencing schemes) is that it puts off the casual cyclist. I think don't think horse riding is a good comparison because that is a hobby rather than transport, and I think horse riders are more committed than casual cyclists who might use another form of transport if cycling is made less appealing. Most people I see cycling around here are just getting from A to B and we really need to support them in that. I live in the town centre and there are a lot of traffic and pollution problems. We need to be taking away barriers to people deciding to make their journey by bike, not adding more. Many people (adults) might have also some legal assistance as part of eg their home insurance or union membership that they might be able to use in the event of a liability from an accident.

I don't think that would be a problem actually! If someone isn't prepared to pay a small amount for insurance then frankly they shouldn't be on the roads! Odds are the insurance would still be way less than the alternative forms of transport anyway!

Why do those individuals desire to use the roads for pleasure outweigh the rights of my clients? Leaving earlier wouldn't have helped!

The two aren't related. You and they both still have an equal right to use the road for whatever purpose they wish as long as they are progressing safely.

YANBU. I am a cyclist but I’m obviously also often a pedestrian. Bad cyclists are just the worst (as are bad drivers). Shared use paths are very dangerous.

@Sunshineonmars

No problem with them at all but I suspect that 6 Lycra clad men riding 2 abreast aren't going to work but are pursuing a hobby. I go on bike rides with my family but will always pull over where safe to let motorists past. It's called having consideration for others. And what about the retiree that's not driving fast enough on the way to do their shopping, do they need get out the way too ?

If they are not capable of driving at a sensible speed then they probably aren't safe to be on the roads at all! We are far too lax about unsafe drivers as well!

@Lockheart

Why do those individuals desire to use the roads for pleasure outweigh the rights of my clients? Leaving earlier wouldn't have helped!

The two aren't related. You and they both still have an equal right to use the road for whatever purpose they wish as long as they are progressing safely.

It's arguable that the cyclist were not behaving safely!

[quote Dobbyafreeelf]@CovidCorvid being held up for. Few minutes isn't a problem for most people but being held up repeatedly or for long periods is.
A couple of months ago I got caught up behind a pack of 30 odd cyclists travelling about 12 miles per hour. I was stuck behind them for 20 minutes before being able to overtake them. Only to be held up by a second group a few miles further down the road.
I was 40 minutes late to an elderly client who was panicked I wasn't going to turn up. Not to mention the fact they were in a huge deal of pain as they hadn't been able to have their pain relief on time and couldn't administer it themselves. I couldn't call as I was in an area of no signal.

Why do those individuals desire to use the roads for pleasure outweigh the rights of my clients? Leaving earlier wouldn't have helped! [/quote]
I think 20 mins is a rare and extreme example. Did you not overtake because it was too narrow, too many cars coming the other way or your lack of confidence? If it was the former they certainly should have pulled in, if safe to do so but I suspect there often wouldn’t be space for 30 odd cyclists to pull in. Our club don’t let more than 12 out in a bunch for this reason.

And when I say certainly should have pulled in….that’s my opinion and personally I would have done. They don’t legally have to but I agree if the road is too narrow it would be nice to.

@CovidCorvid. You don't know me from Adam and yet you think you have the right to call me entitled. If you had actually read my posts you'd know that I have no problem with people cycling in general but the hobby cyclists who hold people up and don't give a shit as long as they're enjoying themselves. These people are out at all times of day so leaving early makes no difference and I don't work standard hours. As for MAMIL being an insult, get a grip please, even the blokes I know who cycle regularly call themselves that as a joke.

It's arguable that the cyclist were not behaving safely!

I can't tell you that since I wasn't there. But the fact you were late to see your client has nothing to do with the fact that all road users have the right to use that road as long as they are using it legally and safely.

Unless you're the emergency services, you will come across things that obstruct your progress. Car crashes, broken down vehicles, cyclists, horses, roadworks, faulty traffic lights etc. The fact you were made late because you had to wait to pass some cyclists is unfortunate but does not in and of itself mean the cyclists were doing anything wrong.

@Dobbyafreeelf I don't think that would be a problem actually! If someone isn't prepared to pay a small amount for insurance then frankly they shouldn't be on the roads!
Odds are the insurance would still be way less than the alternative forms of transport anyway!

It's less about the cost (although since I don't live in a well-off area I think a lot of the cyclists here can't afford to travel by car and you would be making their free transport cost money which is obviously not ideal in the current economic climate) and more about the forward planning. It would stop people who might otherwise think 'oh it's a lovely day, I'll cycle to work/bring the kids' bikes when I pick them up from school today' on the spur of the moment because they haven't got insurance in advance.