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

*towards pedestrians

@ivykaty44

Oh course, in a vertical line

so which rider goes to the front? and where does the rider on the front go?

As it's a vertical line, I'm wondering who goes on top. I'm imagining something like the sheep in the Wallace and Gromit motorbike chase.

@Intercity225

Cyclists and motor vehicles are an unsafe mix when using the same busy roads, as one is far more vulnerable than the other.

It's funny then, that cyclists don't have more empathy for pedestrians crossing on the green man, while they cycle through red lights and expect the pedestrians to jump out of the way? Or, don't the rules of the road apply to cyclists?

You speak for yourself, I often drop the anchor as soon as I see someone walking towards a zebra crossing, even though you aren't technically obliged to stop until the person actually steps onto the road.

Must remember to change gears before stopping though. Hard work starting again otherwise.

You speak for yourself, I often drop the anchor as soon as I see someone walking towards a zebra crossing, even though you aren't technically obliged to stop until the person actually steps onto the road.

I was talking about red traffic lights at junctions in rush hour in London, not plain zebra crossings.

Intercity, still, some cyclists are respectful, please don't tar us with the same brush

@Intercity225

You speak for yourself, I often drop the anchor as soon as I see someone walking towards a zebra crossing, even though you aren't technically obliged to stop until the person actually steps onto the road.

I was talking about red traffic lights at junctions in rush hour in London, not plain zebra crossings.

Yeah, people go through them on bikes. They're wrong to do it.

Doesn't justify a negative attitude to everyone on a bike.

Yesterday a car in front of me went through a red light. That doesn't mean I think everyone who uses a car is a lawbreaker. Just that guy.

I’m amused by this idea that only cyclists jump red lights and all drivers are amazingly law abiding. Maybe it’s just in London but I see drivers jump red lights every single day and it’s 50/50 whether a driver stops for me on a zebra crossing. Everyday I find myself standing on them trying to walk across and the driver just rolls past me. I’m pretty sure these drivers don’t actually realise what zebra crossings are for and how they work.
And yes I do also see cyclists jump red lights and I don’t like it. I think they equate it to being a pedestrian who decides he doesn’t need to wait for the green man at a crossing because the road is clear and crosses anyway.
Many people just have have a habit of ignoring the rules and doing what they think is sensible in a given situation - the only reason drivers appear more law abiding is because they have number plates and can be fined.

I was talking about red traffic lights at junctions in rush hour in London, not plain zebra crossings

I think cyclists in London are just a different breed. I find them really annoying when I am walking around there. Totally agree about the red light thing. But they are an annoyance rather than dangerous (most of the time). I also hate it when they cycle up the inside of buses and lorries and can't look!

Maybe it’s just in London but I see drivers jump red lights every single day and it’s 50/50 whether a driver stops for me on a zebra crossing

Agree about the zebra crossing but I've never seen a car blatantly go through a red light. They will speed up on an amber, but they don't just tear through a red light and ignore the fact that people are crossing the road and try to weave through them like some cyclists do!

I often find a stern look at a cyclist will make them stop. Once I said stop to someone and she said she was going to. She wasn't!

In the UK pedestrians don't have to wait for the green man, they're allowed to make their own judgement to cross a road, even if there are lights for them. All road users have to look out for pedestrians because pedestrians have the right of way. If they've stepped into the road other road users must, if required, take steps to not run them down. And that includes slowing down and coming to a stop if necessary. If you're on the road in a busy area you should be travelling at a speed that allows you to stop quickly if required. If you can't do that you're going too fast.

@ColinTheKoala

Maybe it’s just in London but I see drivers jump red lights every single day and it’s 50/50 whether a driver stops for me on a zebra crossing

Agree about the zebra crossing but I've never seen a car blatantly go through a red light. They will speed up on an amber, but they don't just tear through a red light and ignore the fact that people are crossing the road and try to weave through them like some cyclists do!

I often find a stern look at a cyclist will make them stop. Once I said stop to someone and she said she was going to. She wasn't!

Maybe it is just London then as I seen cars go through red lights regularly. And right back at you with the stern look and saying "stop!". I have to do it pretty much daily to pedestrians who step out right in front of me when I'm riding along. They often look right at me before they do it. It's not about riding too fast (I'm nit taking about zebra crossings, just a standard section of road), it's about bikes having a stopping distance just like cars.

@Maestoso
I think that’s exactly it - because it’s so easy for a cyclist to just get off their bike and walk along wheeling it - thereby becoming a pedestrian - they think they can go through red lights just like a pedestrian would - just without the actually getting off their bike part.

@ColinTheKoala
And whilst I agree it’s rare to see a driver go through a red light from a standstill or weave between pedestrians the way a cyclist might (at least not intentionally) but I see plenty of drivers keep on going even after the light has actually turned red. They just rely on the pedestrians to realise this and wait for them to pass - even when the pedestrian has got the green man to cross - still pretty dangerous you’ll agree.

Our roads are not designed to allow motor vehicles and cyclists to safely co-exist. There are none of these issues in Denmark and Germany with properly segregated roads in urban areas. Just look at many entries to roundabouts with two or even three lanes crammed in, no cyclist routes and cyclists and drivers are wondering why they are in each others' way...

@Intercity225

You speak for yourself, I often drop the anchor as soon as I see someone walking towards a zebra crossing, even though you aren't technically obliged to stop until the person actually steps onto the road.

I was talking about red traffic lights at junctions in rush hour in London, not plain zebra crossings.

Not surprised that sort of thing happens in London. Whenever I've visited the place it seemed to be everyone for themselves.

I live in an area where cycling has 'taken off' in the last 5 years ago and there are regularly swarms of cyclists setting off out onto the nearby country roads at the weekend, and on good days during the week. These are generally OK - unless it's a group of over about 40 and they are spread out over about half a mile in groups and singles, making it very difficult to overtake. Groups of about 8 - 10 are usually fine if you wait for the right time. Similarly I see commuting cyclists on my normal run in the morning - I regularly drive on a road where two cars have to use passing places to pass - if I see a cyclist coming in the opposite direction I will wait in a passing place for them to come past - it's much easier for me to stop and get going again after all.

However, I do get really annoyed at some cyclists - the ones that use the footpaths rather than the bridleways - and think that that gives them the right to make pedestrians get out of their way. Similarly the ones that think that they can whizz through a no-cycles park, scattering pedestrians as they go, and laugh if you tell them to look out for your elderly dog that is trailing behind you. Or indeed, the cyclist that was heading down a hill towards a junction I was waiting at - in a 30mph zone - in the centre of the road (on or over the white line) who yelled at me when I had already cleared the lane he should have been because he was still heading straight for my car...

I do think that the examples the OP has given are more because she's female though - generally I would say that most of the twattish cyclists I've seen have been male, and similarly more of the twattish drivers have also been male.