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.

I'm sure that "ding-ding-ding-ding" does sound impatient. That's why I prefer to wait a couple of seconds for a reaction before ringing a second time. Rarely have problems.

Half the time, I don't even want the person to do anything at all. I simply need them not to make any sudden changes of direction.

@Sunshineonmars

Usually when my phone rings it's someone that wants to speak top me so I don't see your point there there's no connection between the two things They’re both doing what they were designed to do - ring to get your attention.

One for my benefit and the other definitely not.

Well true. Some phone calls turn out to be wrong numbers or scammers whereas all bike bells are there to alert you of a rider's presence

Well true. Some phone calls turn out to be wrong numbers or scammers whereas all bike bells are there to alert you of a rider's presence

In my experience the bike bells are to get you to move out of the way, I am still not sure exactly why we're comparing them to phones, but if we are then the great difference is that you can mute or turn your phone off.

Hope none of you cycle haters move to Cambridge... You'd combust. 🤣🤣. Crossing the road can be like waiting for a gap in the Tour de France some days.

Why should crossing the road be annoying? If the cyclists follow the rules and stop at red lights and zebra crossings there should be no problems.

This thread was derailed by cyclists. It was about sharing a path with pedestrians, but some reason the cyclists turned it into something else.

In my experience the bike bells are to get you to move out of the way,

The bike bell alerts you to the presence of a bike. It's then up to you if you want to be a considerate shared path user and make sure they have room to get past so you don't hold each other up and can then both get on with your day or if you want to be Gandalf, stand in the middle wielding the flame of Arnor and shout "you shall not pass".

@Noodlewave

In my experience the bike bells are to get you to move out of the way,

The bike bell alerts you to the presence of a bike. It's then up to you if you want to be a considerate shared path user and make sure they have room to get past so you don't hold each other up and can then both get on with your day or if you want to be Gandalf, stand in the middle wielding the flame of Arnor and shout "you shall not pass".

Oh I am extremely considerate. I stand in the dog poo in the long wet grass while they whizz by! it's that or leap into the canal.

I don't know what canal paths are like elsewhere but they are very narrow on the local stretch so it's difficult.

What is the legal status of designated footpaths? During lockdown I went on daily walks along local country footpaths and was constantly getting out of the way of cyclists. Do cyclists have legal right to ride on country footpaths?

Well if there is a fuel crisis, might see a few of you anti cyclists riding along with the rest of us . See how much fun it is then.

Apparently there is a National shortage of bicycle and bicycle parts so us walkers might yet come up trumps

@ElinoristhenewEnid

What is the legal status of designated footpaths? During lockdown I went on daily walks along local country footpaths and was constantly getting out of the way of cyclists. Do cyclists have legal right to ride on country footpaths?

depends on the paths I think - some are footpaths only, some are bridlepaths so can be used by horses (and bikes? not sure) and others can be used by people and horses but not bikes.

And I was also thinking that if people can't get fuel they will have to get their lockdown bikes out again

@Sparklingbrook

I might get a thank you but they are cycling at such speed they're off in the distance while I stand there in the grass hoping it's not in dog poo!

The cyclists aren't the ones responsible for the dog poo though...well probably not those ones anyway, even if they have a dog at home.

As for lycra, you don't need lycra to ride a bike. Padded shorts are very useful if you do longer rides. Well, actually, they're quite good all the time. But the MAMILs do look silly pretending to be part of a team like Alpecin-Fenix.

@lockdownmadnessdotcom

Another ill informed post!

You do realise that for all padded shorts, the material is lycra! 🙄 whether short ones, mid length ones etc. They are all lycra so you say you don't need to wear lycra, well then there goes all padded shorts then.

The jerseys worn arent always lycra either so the only lycra worn is the padded shorts.

Like ffs get over it already, people wear what they want to wear but their clothes don't define their attitudes or behaviour.

@vivainsomnia

The key is "slowing down" There's slowing down and slowing down. If you have to almost stop each time you pass walkers because they can't be bothered to check their surroundings and move out of the way until they have no choice but to do so, that's not on.

If the cyclist is indeed going so fast they wouldn't be able to stop in an emergency, that's not on either.

Both scenarios happen but in my experience as both a regular walker and cyclist, the former is much more common in tight areas.

See - you are saying that pedestrians have to move out of your way until they have no choice - entitled or what?

We are as entitled to occupy the space on the path as you are. You can always move out of OUR way

Cyclists need to be taxed and insured just as motorists are.

The cyclists aren't the ones responsible for the dog poo though...well probably not those ones anyway, even if they have a dog at home

No, they are just responsible for me having to possibly stand in some to let them past. The dog owners are responsible for the poo. If there's not dog poo then currently it's very long wet grass and all the daddy long legs fly out.
There's one section with a 'cyclists dismount' sign, just before a short tunnel (going around a blind corner), but that's not happening either.

Unless someone is polite I will not move. Bikes have breaks people need to use them. Tough shit really.

Almost impossible to tax, are you going to tax children who cycle.

And cyclists pay vat when they purchase a bike! And most cyclists have insurance too.

Bikes don’t need petrol or diesel…

Cyclists need to be taxed and insured just as motorists are.

Motorists are pay VED based on their vehicle's emissions. Bikes would obviously be zero-rated if they were for some reason brought in scope.

The biggest issue with shared paths is that there doesn’t seem to be rules for them in the same way there are for the road. On the road, vehicles (including bikes and horses) are part of traffic and travel on the left (UK) and pedestrians should walk towards traffic, i.e on the right. So they can see it coming. On shared use paths the bikes in my experience do tend to ride on the left, move left for an oncoming cyclist and they all pass each other fine. Groups of walkers in my experience tend to wander across both ‘sides’, when pairs do move over for you when on a bike (after slowing and calling out/ringing bell) sometimes one will step one side and one the other. It’s all a bit haphazard. If these paths were also used ride on left and walk on right you’d never have a bike sneaking up behind you because you’d be walking towards them.

I drive, walk the dog and cycle. I have to admit I will get out of the way of bikes on foot and safely overtake waiting if necessary in the car. Given the choice between stepping off the path on foot or changing surface from tarmac to grass on a bike one is infinitely less risky and that is stepping off on foot allowing the bike to maintain their route through. It’s really no bother. Likewise if I stop on a hill on foot or in my car it’s pretty easy to get going again, if I have to stop on a hill on the bike and it is steep enough I’m going to have to walk until it’s flat enough. If everyone walked, drove and cycled I feel that the challenges of each ‘vehicle’ would be more appreciated. I also don’t go up the inside of lorries on roundabouts in my car even though it’s my ‘right’ to use that lane and not the HGV’s to cross into it, because I appreciate the limitation of the turning circle of an HGV (I have some experience of trucks too). More awareness of the limitations of the various modes of transport would generally make people act more reasonably I think.

Those who won't step out of the way for a bike, I hope you are prepared for a young or inexperienced rider to skid/fall off into you. If you make them cycle on the grass (because you won't walk on it) or make them swerve at slow speed (more likely to fall off when going slowly) this is a risk.

Those who won't step out of the way for a bike, I hope you are prepared for a young or inexperienced rider to skid/fall off into you. If you make them cycle on the grass (because you won't walk on it) or make them swerve at slow speed (more likely to fall off when going slowly) this is a risk.

If only there was a way of minimising that risk, maybe by slowing down or something…

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Those who won't step out of the way for a bike, I hope you are prepared for a young or inexperienced rider to skid/fall off into you. If you make them cycle on the grass (because you won't walk on it) or make them swerve at slow speed (more likely to fall off when going slowly) this is a risk.

If only there was a way of minimising that risk, maybe by slowing down or something…

PP has specifically said going too slowly can also cause someone to fall off.

I wish there was a way of identifying cyclists, like a registration plate or something. Most cyclists are considerate, but I would dearly loved to have been able to identify the cyclist that went through the red light near Catford Bridge station and hit a woman. He cycled off, swearing, leaving her lying in the road, and other pedestrians looked after her and called an ambulance (a broken arm, possibly). And the ones who don't stop at the zebra crossing on the cycle lane on Park Lane. Ever.