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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why some people are twats towards cyclists

715 replies

Apacheshadows · 16/11/2021 14:29

I’ve lost count of the number of times a car has driven past me and people (usually grown men) have screamed/shrieked at me out of their window, shouted obscenities etc.
Beeped at and then they drive on laughing
Today I had a teenage boy deliberately try and jump in front of my path on a road, this isn’t the first time someone has done that.
I had another teenager try to intimidate me by pulling out in front of me on his own bike, forcing me to quickly swerve

It’s putting me off cycling really, there are some absolute pricks out there.

Also, the number of people who have to comment on how small the bike is. It’s not one of the mini fold up bikes or a children’s one, it’s a bit smaller than average but suits me fine, but people have to comment on it constantly which is weird.

Anyone else had this when cycling? I’m responsible, use lights and wear a high vis and go slowly

OP posts:
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6
alittlequinnie · 16/11/2021 14:47

Yeah - I get this sort of abuse all the time.

Also - if I car comes close enough that it touches my elbow I sometimes shout "whoa whoa whoa" or something - they ALWAYS - and I mean ALWAYS have time to then stop and berate me for daring to criticise their driving.

.... but they never have time to wait and give me a bit more room.

I blame Jeremy Clarkson and the Daily Fail - people have been brainwashed into thinking all cyclists are idiots and therefore lump them into one group - we are completely dehumanised.

Sometimes when I am waiting to go at traffic lights I look back and give a little smile to the driver behind - just so he knows I'm a real person and not a "red light jumping, pavement riding, non-tax paying idiot".

I feel your pain - but I have no answers.

Don't give up - one day the Government will do a campaign to remind drivers we need room and don't need to pay any more "road tax" than an electric car (*I'm dreaming here obviously!)

Pennguin · 16/11/2021 14:53

I don't think it's because you're a cyclist. It's because you're a woman. It's misogyny.

FrenchBoule · 16/11/2021 14:53

Because they are arseholes. Every group of people has the arseholes- drivers,cyclists or pedestrians.
If only people stopped being inconsiderate towards the others...
I’m speaking as a driver,cyclist and pedestrian,

SusieBob · 16/11/2021 14:53

Too many people get into their little metal boxes and think they own the road.

SusieBob · 16/11/2021 14:56

@Pennguin

I don't think it's because you're a cyclist. It's because you're a woman. It's misogyny.
I'm not sure that's true.

Women definately get it worse, but plenty of men have stories about drivers being arseholes towards them just for being on a bike. Lots of people are just anti-cyclist because, I dunno. Jealousy I think comes into it a lot.

DreadingChristmasAlready · 16/11/2021 14:57

As a driver on country lanes cyclists are extremely dangerous. They often have a long queue of traffic behind them and choose to cycle during the busiest times of the day. I have never shouted abuse at anyone in my life and wouldn't start on cyclists now, but I can see how people would get the rage.

tabletennistop · 16/11/2021 14:58

@Pennguin

I don't think it's because you're a cyclist. It's because you're a woman. It's misogyny.
I was thinking this about your examples too OP.
DrManhattan · 16/11/2021 14:59

Some cyclists are proper dickheads.
Said as a person who was injured when a cyclist was over taking a car, which was over taking a bus. They ended up on the path.

DdraigGoch · 16/11/2021 15:00

I don't think it's because you're a cyclist. It's because you're a woman. It's misogyny.

I'm not sure that's true.

Women definately get it worse, but plenty of men have stories about drivers being arseholes towards them just for being on a bike. Lots of people are just anti-cyclist because, I dunno. Jealousy I think comes into it a lot.

It's both. Men can be right dicks if they are following a car they think is driven by a woman, and they can also be right dicks if they are following a cyclist. So women cyclists cop it on both counts.

DdraigGoch · 16/11/2021 15:02

@DreadingChristmasAlready

As a driver on country lanes cyclists are extremely dangerous. They often have a long queue of traffic behind them and choose to cycle during the busiest times of the day. I have never shouted abuse at anyone in my life and wouldn't start on cyclists now, but I can see how people would get the rage.
Tractors also have long queues. It's not inherently dangerous, it is the behaviour of motorists which is dangerous.
tabletennistop · 16/11/2021 15:02

@DreadingChristmasAlready

As a driver on country lanes cyclists are extremely dangerous. They often have a long queue of traffic behind them and choose to cycle during the busiest times of the day. I have never shouted abuse at anyone in my life and wouldn't start on cyclists now, but I can see how people would get the rage.
You think like this because you have failed to realise that cyclists are just as legitimate users of roads as cars. You seem to think that cyclists should only use roads if they do not slow cars down. You are wrong about this. You just have to accept that you need to slow down when other legitimate users of the road are legitimately using that road.

Just like tractors slow cars down and police horses (and other horses) and pedestrian crossing slow cars down. All of these are legitimate users of roads and you have absolutely no entitlement to think of these users as 'dangerous' or an inconvenience to you.

Charliesgotachocolatefactory · 16/11/2021 15:02

Mainly it’s just because some people are complete areseholes. However, I’ll agree there’s definitely an element of you being a woman too as I have experienced similar.

I think increasingly though, it’s as @alittlequinnie says, there’s this narrative that all cyclists are law-breaking idiots and that has the effect that people get riled up as soon as they see us and expect confrontation. I try and stick to off road now but even then, you get grief too.

Cherrysoup · 16/11/2021 15:02

Because some are arseholes? During lockdown, a cyclist decided to speed through our yard. I stopped him and told him it was private land and if he met me coming up the lane with the horse, it wouldn’t be pretty. He tried to argue-hello, private land?! Eventually he went round the public footpath and came across me again where it rejoins the main path, all sneery. The horse is retired, so no need to train him to accept bikes. He’s very spooky and reared at a bike the other day. It shouldn’t have been there so he was surprised.

It’s unfortunate that some cyclists aren’t considerate (see the one in a race that clipped a horse?) I’m very careful, particularly as my dh is a biker. Shame that some aren’t as considerate in return.

Foreverlexicon · 16/11/2021 15:02

@DreadingChristmasAlready

As a driver on country lanes cyclists are extremely dangerous. They often have a long queue of traffic behind them and choose to cycle during the busiest times of the day. I have never shouted abuse at anyone in my life and wouldn't start on cyclists now, but I can see how people would get the rage.
This. And they will happily block the road for miles on end on single track lanes when there is no room to overtake instead of stopped for a split second in a gateway. I just don’t understand the mindset. Obviously not all are like this but I can count on one hand the number of times a cyclist has let me past.

I ride horses so well aware of vulnerable road users and would never try and squeeze by when there isn’t enough room. But when I’m on a horse and there’s a car, I get out of the way as quick as I can because it’s considerate! Also can’t be much fun cycling with a car hovering behind you?

DreadingChristmasAlready · 16/11/2021 15:03

@DdraigGoch tractor drivers are working, providing food on all of our tables, not out for a bit of fresh air and exercise. Totally different in my view, plus tractors are a lot quicker than cyclists.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 16/11/2021 15:03

@DreadingChristmasAlready

As a driver on country lanes cyclists are extremely dangerous. They often have a long queue of traffic behind them and choose to cycle during the busiest times of the day. I have never shouted abuse at anyone in my life and wouldn't start on cyclists now, but I can see how people would get the rage.
Most cyclists on country lanes are also drivers on country lanes. Myself included. I used to be out on my bike at busy times because I was commuting to/from work. Why not suggest drivers refrain from going out at busy times?
DreadingChristmasAlready · 16/11/2021 15:05

@tabletennistop I disagree with everything you say. Horse users are even worse than cyclists as they are not only putting themselves and other road users at risk, but also the horse!

Quantify legitimate road use please?

tabletennistop · 16/11/2021 15:06

and choose to cycle during the busiest times of the day

Has it occurred to you that they may be commuting to work? Like my husband?

Why not suggest drivers refrain from going out at busy times? Quite.

Pennguin · 16/11/2021 15:08

How do you expect horse "users" to exercise their horses without using roads? Unfortunately there's no many places nowadays that you can ride without going on a road.

GaspingGekko · 16/11/2021 15:09

I get similar when I'm running or even when gardening near the roadside outside my house.
Beeping horns, yelling, deliberately unlocking their car (so it beeps loudly) when I'm next to the car and they are still a long way off.

I've had a couple of issues when cycling but not as many.

I sadly have to agree with a PP that it's often when jerks see a woman on her own.

loopyapp · 16/11/2021 15:09

Tractors pay road tax and insurance so if their occasional presence on the road while their drivers are providing the nations food cause an accident no one is out of pocket.

I'm not condoning screaming out of a window or berating anyone to be clear.

If as a cyclist you cannot fathom why other road users, including tractors wish you wouldn't then that there is half the problem.

tabletennistop · 16/11/2021 15:10

[quote DreadingChristmasAlready]@tabletennistop I disagree with everything you say. Horse users are even worse than cyclists as they are not only putting themselves and other road users at risk, but also the horse!

Quantify legitimate road use please?[/quote]
Quantify legitimate use of road please? Oh my goodness! What an appalling comment.

Cyclists, horses, tractors, cars. All legally entitled to use the road. Hence legitimate users of road. It is for car users to recognise this and recognise they need to slow down at times.
And in reality, the thing that mostly slows a car user down, especially at 'busy times' is other cars. This called congestion or a traffic jam.

DreadingChristmasAlready · 16/11/2021 15:10

@Pennguin

How do you expect horse "users" to exercise their horses without using roads? Unfortunately there's no many places nowadays that you can ride without going on a road.
I have no idea and have zero expectation regarding horses, but not on bloody roads during peak times it's completely and utterly ridiculous.
tabletennistop · 16/11/2021 15:12

If as a cyclist you cannot fathom why other road users, including tractors wish you wouldn't then that there is half the problem

Actually 100% of the problem is people like you who think that legal road users are not entitled to use the road. You are wrong about that.

DreadingChristmasAlready · 16/11/2021 15:12

@tabletennistop what is appalling about my question?

I would say roads are for cars, buses, lorries, vans, etc. Vehicles that pay tax to upkeep them. Cyclists have cycle routes, horses should be in fields.

Please stop being so rude and faux offended.