To wonder why some people are twats towards cyclists

[Apacheshadows]

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

I’m not a nervous driver at all. I AM a human who is nervous about accidentally killing another human.

With your car, that you're driving

[quote TarzansFavouriteThong]**@Offmyfence* @UnsuitableHat* I’m not a nervous driver at all. I AM a human who is nervous about accidentally killing another human. I don’t drive my car for leisure - only for purpose. I live in a village with two buses a day (one in the morning, one in the evening) so I have to use my car. When I say ‘risky’ overtakes, I mean that by its nature, any overtaking is a risk because you are driving on the wrong side of the road. I’m not speeding round blind bends, I just prefer to stay on the side of the road I’m supposed to be on but I also prefer not to be stuck doing 20mph for miles and being late to work/appointments so someone can enjoy their leisure activity . My leisure activities don’t involve danger or disruption to other people it’s a pity cyclists’ feel their enjoyment trumps everyone else’s.

The point of my second paragraph was to demonstrate that not all poor beleaguered cyclists are cycling around being bullied by cars. They can be the bullies, road hogs and abusive.[/quote]
It's not hard to safely overtake a cyclist. You simply wait until you have sufficient free space on the opposite side of the road and go past. Much easier than overtaking cars, in fact.

If you have to wait a bit going slow then that's what you have to do. If you are frequently late for appointments because of it maybe you just need to leave 5 minutes earlier.

I am not a cyclist but a dog walker and driver and I just can't get all this aggression towards cyclists, dogwalkers moaning about them in the park, drivers being aggressive because they have to maybe slow down for 20 seconds to overtake. It's beyond weird, just take a chill pill and drive safely!

[quote TarzansFavouriteThong]**@Offmyfence* @UnsuitableHat* I’m not a nervous driver at all. I AM a human who is nervous about accidentally killing another human. I don’t drive my car for leisure - only for purpose. I live in a village with two buses a day (one in the morning, one in the evening) so I have to use my car. When I say ‘risky’ overtakes, I mean that by its nature, any overtaking is a risk because you are driving on the wrong side of the road. I’m not speeding round blind bends, I just prefer to stay on the side of the road I’m supposed to be on but I also prefer not to be stuck doing 20mph for miles and being late to work/appointments so someone can enjoy their leisure activity . My leisure activities don’t involve danger or disruption to other people it’s a pity cyclists’ feel their enjoyment trumps everyone else’s.

The point of my second paragraph was to demonstrate that not all poor beleaguered cyclists are cycling around being bullied by cars. They can be the bullies, road hogs and abusive.[/quote]
So you never leave your village except for a non leisure purpose? Never visit friends or family? Never have a day out or go on holiday? Really?

Oh and forgot to add that when I am driving I am much more worried about L plated scooters all over the place, overtaking on the inside, weaving in and out of traffic! Much rather have a cyclist

I am more cross at cyclists when I am a pedestrian than when I am driver. I give cyclists a wide berth as a driver.

But it is guaranteed that I have to dodge cyclists when I am crossing the road at redlights or pavements because there are many that don't seem to think rules apply to them. I am the more vulnerable person when I am a pedestrian as compared to a cyclist but cyclists don't give me the same consideration I do for them as a driver. I am glad I am still relatively young and can have a reasonable chance of permanent injury in a collision with a cyclist but I feel for older people and children who are pedestrains.

I will now wait for the deluge of saintly cyclists on this thread who will NEVER jump red lights and who start shifting blame onto car drivers completely dodging the elephant in the room.

It's not about being saintly, it's just common sense why would a cyclist jump the red lights, unless they have a death wish.
You are far more vulnerable as a cyclist on the road, than a car user, so why purposely endanger yourself. Also why would I purely from a selfish point of view want to hit a pedestrian, I'm also risking injury.
I'm not sure where you are all encountering these deadly cyclists that are running into pedestrians, don't think I've encountered one in my life time, so finding it hard to believe that it's as frequent an occurrence as some are making out.

The deadly cyclists killing pedestrians is something some people like to whinge about but has little basis in fact.
People who drive like twats will probably cycle like twats - another way of describing this is "selfish people".

People who drive like twats will probably cycle like twats - another way of describing this is "selfish people

Yes I agree. I once had an altercation with a tw*t on a Boris Bike in London when he refused to give way to me as I crossed a side road (I've had such altercations with drivers in London and at home where I live too). He told me that ringing his bell meant I should stop for him. I told him to read the Highway Code, especially before he next got into the massive expensive car he probably had at home (he was a City Lawyer type). I don't doubt he was a moron behind a steering wheel as well as on a bike - but morons in cars are a lot more dangerous.

I'm not sure where you are all encountering these deadly cyclists that are running into pedestrians, don't think I've encountered one in my life time, so finding it hard to believe that it's as frequent an occurrence as some are making out

I agree - it's the same point I made on the dog thread yesterday - MNers do like to exaggerate.

We now have:

People who get breathed all over by virus shedding joggers every time they go out.

People who get chased and bitten by dogs every time they go out

People who get run over by mad cyclists every time they go out.

It's not hard to safely overtake a cyclist. You simply wait until you have sufficient free space on the opposite side of the road and go past. Much easier than overtaking cars, in fact

It's true, but you see the queue of angry drivers growing behind you when you won't overtake on a blind bend, when someone is coming towards you, or do a close pass. I've had drivers overtake me and bike on a blind bend rather than waiting a few more seconds until it's safe to go

(so people feel under pressure to overtake quickly - you shouldn't, but I understand why people do)

Some people are twats, @Apacheshadows. The target of their twattishness will differ from one twat to the next, but their essential twattishness will not change. Sadly twats seem to find each other - some kind of twat-dar - and their innate twattishness is magnified when they are in a group of twats.

If only there was some vaccine against it.

@Pennguin

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

Not sure about that.

As a male cyclist I definitely got constant abuse about being a cyclist.

I suspect female cyclists get the usual misogyny as well

If an alien came down and looked at this situation with fresh eyes it would deem it insane! The mode of transport that keeps you fit and has minimal environmental impact and reduces traffic jams is derided by the majority yet the planet wrecking statistically infinitely more dangerous mode of transport is defended to the hilt!

Fix Dh also gets abuse and he is a total rule follower so would never disobey the Highway Code jump lights etc. A certain type of fat bottomed motorist is incensed at the temerity of a cyclist to even exist!

I’m always amused by how many people are absolutely adamant that horses have no place on roads - given that roads were initially built for horse-drawn vehicles in the first place.

Presumably cars had to share the roads with horses for quite a while before motor vehicles became more dominant.

Guess I’d better not invest in that horse drawn carriage to replace my car after all 😂

Presumably cars had to share the roads with horses for quite a while before motor vehicles became more dominant.

And bikes were there prior to cars anyway.

Funnily enough roads managed to exist in a state that was safe to use without qualification until cars came along

Stdg - when you say 'groups of twats', are we talking traffic jams?

I agree - it's the same point I made on the dog thread yesterday - MNers do like to exaggerate.

I'm thinking that of you repeatedly keep encountering the same problem, then the problem is you not them. Look at your own behaviour first.

I am a pedestrian, cyclist and driver, as are lots of us. Or rather, sometimes I get around by walking, sometimes by cycling and sometimes by driving. All this defining people by their mode of transport causes all sorts of trouble, doesn't it. Bloody 'cyclists', as if people on bikes were born with wheels on, purely for the purpose of irritating car drivers.

In no other walk of life is it acceptable for the largest and most dangerous to effectively bully their way to the top of the chain. For the percentage of the population who actually have cars, they take up a massively disproportionate amount of public space (roads, car parks, etc) and their effects of pollution and degradation of the roads is subsidised by everyone else.

The motoring lobby has done a great job in persuading us all that the logical way to transport our 70kg of weight is in a one-tonne box costing £30K. Then once people are in their own expensive box, it's like an extension of their home, and any 'threat' to that home is treated with hostility. That 'threat' seems to include being overtaken by a weaker being (a cyclist), being told they're horrible and polluting, or even that they should stop idling outside schools.

So, why are people such twats to cyclists? Because they're twats.

Some people are just incredibly impatient and don't like to be accommodating for other people if there's any impact on them.

I was just in the supermarket, choosing a steak and some people behind me really couldn't wait to choose a steak and needed to do it right now, over my shoulder, leaning right into me. It's the same mentality. Too many people only think of themselves and they assume everyone else does as well

I also prefer not to be stuck doing 20mph for miles and being late to work/appointments so someone can enjoy their leisure activity
You're not late because of cyclists, but because you don't allow enough time knowing you are likely to be slowed down by a cyclist.

People living in touristy places also get annoyed by traffic and not be able to park during the summer months. Should tourists enjoying their leisurely huday be made to park outside of the town and it circulate on foot, bike or local buses so not to annoy locals?

The self-absorbed attitude of entitlement of some people is bewildering!

@vivainsomnia

I also prefer not to be stuck doing 20mph for miles and being late to work/appointments so someone can enjoy their leisure activity You're not late because of cyclists, but because you don't allow enough time knowing you are likely to be slowed down by a cyclist.

People living in touristy places also get annoyed by traffic and not be able to park during the summer months. Should tourists enjoying their leisurely huday be made to park outside of the town and it circulate on foot, bike or local buses so not to annoy locals?

The self-absorbed attitude of entitlement of some people is bewildering!

I read this is being considered for the Lakes and other national parks, but the article did acknowledge that the public transport would need to improve first!

@OneTC
That works both ways though. Quite often in the supermarket I know exactly what I want to pick up - I don’t need to compare every sandwich for example, i just want to grab one in the few spare minutes I have on my lunch break or before getting my train home for example. And it’s really annoying when someone hogs the whole section, standing right in front of it and picking up every single item to examine like they have all the time in the world. Leaving no room for me to just reach in and pick up the thing I need.
I don’t get annoyed by it as I realise they’re just thinking about themselves and haven’t realised I might be waiting and in a hurry. But just to give you another perspective on the situation.

It’s probably similar with cyclists and drivers - both equally valid but very different perspectives.