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.

Lycra-cyclists. Hate them. Riding two abreast to bring traffic to a near-standstill, or in groups of twenty so no-one can get by at all, or singly as if they own the road. There's a couple near Otley, a man and a woman, ride two-abreast everywhere, taking up as much room as a damned lorry.

Cyclists should cycle at a velodrome. It's designed for cyclists. Roads aren't. Cyclists on the road are a hazard, even if they're not trying to be (and to be fair, they don the lycra to demonstrate their twattish intent).

Ordinary cyclists, alone, normal clothes and some high viz, on their way to or from work, or cycling because they aren't old enough for a driving licence - yes, give them as much space and care as you can. Lycra-cyclists, ban them from the road.

@gannett

you don’t expect people to walk in single file on canal roads which are meant to be enjoyed slowly!

Not a cyclist but yes I bloody do. What boils my piss more than cyclists on narrow towpaths are people who absolutely refuse to go in single file even for a second to let someone faster overtake them - whether that's a cyclist or a runner or even just someone coming in the opposite direction. Those towpaths are often too narrow for people to pass each other comfortably otherwise.

You don't get to amble down them spread out and oblivious to the world around you. Have a crumb of awareness of who else is behind or ahead of you and make way if you need to. It's just common courtesy.

Not sure if this is the same everywhere but where I live the Canal and River Trust puts signs up everywhere saying cyclists should give way to pedestrians. Yes, it's common courtesy to move aside to let someone faster past, but equally it's courtesy to slow down whilst passing someone slower. Cyclists don't just get to bomb past everyone at 30mph 🙄

@altforvarmt here you are assuming that drivers are driving appropriately. some drivers object to cycling abreast because then they can't squeeze past!

I am obviously aware that not all cyclists are bad, but that doesn’t mean we can’t protest about the fucking Lycra Louts.

Lovely park near me, with a footpath all round the perimeter that is now terrifying to use as a pedestrian. Cyclists travelling at 25mph, speeding silently from behind, expecting you to step out of their way on to the grass when they come towards you, which last winter meant stepping into a mud bath.

Abd last year I was knocked over by a cyclist speeding along a pavement and broke 3 ribs.

Went in a walking holiday in a mountain area, constantly having to step out of the way while being overtaken in a shower of flying gravel by speeding mountain bikers hurtling downhill.

Sick to death of the all too common inconsiderate hobby riders, pavement cyclists and red light runners, while fully sympathising with cyclists who brave the traffic to keep down carbon emissions!

Don't get me started on them riding two or even more abreast on a road
And this is exactly what cyclists have to deal with, people who think they know better and give a hard time to cyclists, putting them in danger by their actions when it is the cyclists who are following the rules correctly.

Was it a shard path for both cyclists and pedestrians?

I hate a lot of cyclists. Cycling fast on narrow canal paths is anti-social and dangerous. If one comes up behind me and rings the bell/shouts, I just stop. They can find their way round me. Same on pavements. Do they not realise it's illegal, or do they just not care?

Sick to death of the all too common inconsiderate hobby riders
You're coming across as the inconsiderate person, expecting a shared path just for yourself!

Bitching about cyclists on a cycle path 🙄 seen it all now

If one comes up behind me and rings the bell/shouts, I just stop. They can find their way round me
Are you for real? You are on a shared path when cyclists are entitled to be. You are blocking the path. They warn you in advance they are coming the only way they can. Yet you stay and block the path even more. Sorry but the cyclist in the not the twat here, and you are the exact person i refered to above.

I live right near the River Severn so do a lot of walking / cycling around the area. There are designated cycle lanes but the amount of pedestrians who are out in groups spilling into the cycle lane never ceases to amaze me. I always ring my bell but really they seem to have no clue that the lane even exists.

@vivainsomnia

Sick to death of the all too common inconsiderate hobby riders You're coming across as the inconsiderate person, expecting a shared path just for yourself!

The poster doesn't say she wants the path to herself. She just doesn't appreciate cyclists travelling inappropriately fast and expecting you to step onto grass or mud. Happened to me on a recent trip that involved what were meant to be nice strolls along a country trail. Yes, it's a shared trail for walkers/runners/cyclists; I get that. But endless cyclists coming up behind, skimming past me, riding right through groups of people obviously together and talking to each other –it's just rude, not to mention dangerous.

YANBU to say that all cyclists are twats (pretty much all people are at times, but cycling brings out the worst in people).

YABU not to be walking in single file though, walking side-by-side causes obstructions to other pedestrians as well as cyclists.

I say this as the loving wife to a cyclist, the majority of them are twats.
I work right next to the main cycle route in my city which runs along parallel to a road (separated by a raised path) and there is a zebra crossing which runs across both the road and the cycle route. Cars will always stop to let people cross. Cyclists never do, but will happily give you the finger or shout at you.
There are even pedestrian crossings with traffic lights further up and I don't think I've ever noticed a cyclist take any notice.

@DoesHePlayTheFiddle

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. I also don't understand why cyclists should not use the clothing appropriate to their sport? should horse riders not wear jodhpurs?

How can two people on bikes take up as much space as a lorry? not possible.

I wear lycra and cycle in the most considerate way I can to all other road users, however I won't stop using the road and start driving over an hour to our nearest velodrome. a lot of my cycles replace short car journeys, so driving to cycle would be silly.

As was already covered upthread, cycling two abreast is perfectly legal and safer for both cyclists and drivers in many circumstances.

I don't deserve to be mistreated on the road simply because I wear lycra while riding a bike.

@vivainsomnia

If one comes up behind me and rings the bell/shouts, I just stop. They can find their way round me Are you for real? You are on a shared path when cyclists are entitled to be. You are blocking the path. They warn you in advance they are coming the only way they can. Yet you stay and block the path even more. Sorry but the cyclist in the not the twat here, and you are the exact person i refered to above.

I am for real, yes, and feel free to keep calling me a twat; I'm not wrong and I don't care. I will not be shouted at and 'obey'. They can slow right down and coast past slowly and carefully (some do). Or slow down, ring the bell once or say 'excuse me please' calmly (some do), then 'thank you' when I've moved. It's those that shout and/or are audibly screaming up behind me at a rate of knots, then expect me to leap out of their way, who I will not accommodate. It's just basic manners.

@HarrietsChariot

YANBU to say that all cyclists are twats (pretty much all people are at times, but cycling brings out the worst in people).

YABU not to be walking in single file though, walking side-by-side causes obstructions to other pedestrians as well as cyclists.

Another one who didn’t read the OP. There was plenty of space for them to pass - if they’d slowed down.

See this is what I mean

To everyone else who does know what I mean it’s great to see that I’m not alone

People who amble along two abreast (or more abreast) are a bigger nuisance than cyclists. Sometimes I will change my route when I am out running because I can see a joined at the hip couple blocking the path. It's fine on a wide path but why would you walk two abreast on a narrow path and then act surprised/annoyed when someone wants to come past you (in either direction)? It was the constant annoyance of lockdown.

It is just about common sense. Sadly a lot of people don't have any, eg using headphones so they can't hear what's going on around them.

I'm a driver, cyclist, pedestrian, runner - is only 25% of me a twat?

@RunningStrong

People always lump "cyclists" together.

The people riding down a canal tow path are not the same people you see on the road. Road cyclists wouldn't want that kind of a ride.

That's funny because the road cyclists in central London mount the pavements and dismount them to get across junctions quicker. Jump red lights (almost hitting pedestrians) and also decide to just cycle down the pavement at speed next to pedestrians. EVERY DAY!

Sick to death of it. I had one cyclist almost hit me the other day at speed on the pavement it terrified me as I'm pregnant. I am now constantly on edge walking to my work place because this happens every day.

And don't get me started on electric scooters!

I think a lot of drivers need a revision course on how to drive around cyclists (or have to ride a bike to be eligible to sit there driving licence).

Bike ability... another thing loads of children have missed out on. DDs was cancelled twice, no sign of another date.

Maybe walkers and cyclists should have to pay an annual fee to Canal and Rivers Trust to improve tow paths like those On the water have to. (Our canoeing license is £45 a year for example.. paying for tow path maintenance amongst other things!)

It's those that shout and/or are audibly screaming up behind me at a rate of knots, then expect me to leap out of their way, who I will not accommodate. It's just basic manners

If you are walking along a path you stay well over the left and then the issue doesn't arise in the first place - people can pass safely on the right. If it's too narrow to pass at all, then obviously people have to wait until there is some sort of passing place.

I know a man killed by a cyclist on the path here in Dublin 😣

@Macncheeseballs

I'm a driver, cyclist, pedestrian, runner - is only 25% of me a twat?