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

@XelaM

I HATE cyclists!!! Why do they think the rules of the road don't apply to them?!? Almost 100% of the cyclists I see don't care about traffic lights! They should be fined just like drivers

Yep. I just don't get it.

Only yesterday I was waiting at a red traffic light by a junction. Pedestrians had a green man - yet the cyclist cycles up alongside the cars, passes me and carries on going.

I find that a lot of cyclists bend the rules to suit themselves. They want to be bobbing and weaving infront of your car but the next minute are running red lights and think of themselves as pedestrians.

I've experienced this as a pedestrian too. I had a green man - a cyclist comes hurtling past almost into my buggy. I felt like pushing him off his bike the dickhead.

@MurielSpriggs The aggression against cyclists on MN might suggest that is it not limited to men
Which is a shame as a bike is quite feminist transport method I think, having played a role in the suffrage movement.

@trappedsincesundaymorn

It's the entitled twats on shared paths I have an issue with, especially those that cycle behind pedestrians and get arsey that the pedestrians won't move out of the way. They can ring their bloody bells all they want but not once, ever, have any considered the fact that the person in front may not be able to hear it. Just get off the fucking bike and walk around them or cycle around if there's room.

Cyclists can’t win on this one. For every person that shares your view there’s another that complains when cyclists don’t use their bell and pass them silently.

I voted YANBU because the behaviour you describe is crap.
There is no discussion about it

There is also no discussion that SOME cyclists are a twats too (we are all human after all).
I am also the type who has issue with cyclists in the countryside. The ones that stay stuck in the middle of a country lane so you can’t overtake them. The ones who cycle in groups of 10+ all in a single file so again you can’t overtake (longer than a tractor in length and more likely to stay in that road for much lounger - tractors usually turn into a fuel pretty quickly)

I personally think there is a need to review ‘rules’ around cycling and impose them.
From leaving the width of a door between the cyclist and the car (which most people don’t do) to avoiding groups of cyclists that just take over the road.
Humans (both sides) don’t seem to be able to just be decent drivers/cyclist wo someone pointing out to them

#DdraigGoch No, I am very anal (not proud). I am mentally unwell and get particular anxiety over crossing the road so always go to where there are pedestrian crossings on the one day a week I use this road. I have seen cyclists turning on the road even though it is a red light and just stepped back when they ignore it or I can see them coming (thankfully). Some cyclists use the cycle paths others use the road but don't seem to think the red lights mean stop.

I personally cannot remember a time when a cyclist has almost hit me on a crossing. I have, however, where I have now lived for four years, several times come close to being hit by a car when on a zebra crossing because car drivers just don't stop (at that's not counting all the times I have had to wait at the zebra crossing waiting to cross because car drivers can't be arsed to stop to let me cross). On one memorable time, I had walked to the middle of the crossing and had to come to an abrupt halt to avoid being hit by the driver, who skimmed past me at speed, and who clearly had no idea she had almost hit me as I saw her head turned towards her friend chatting away as she drove. She never had any idea I was there. I was also almost hit by a car as I crossed on a green man with my pram, as the driver had to do an emergency stop to avoid crashing into me and my baby. At least she had the good grace to look mortified. She had a friend in the car too. Maybe she had turned her head to chat to her pal too.

Given the number of mortalities and injuries caused by drivers, I surely can't be the only one with these stories of near misses of being hit by a car. Yet drivers seem to accept this from other drivers, whilst feeling free to hate all cyclists.

@trappedsincesundaymorn

It's the entitled twats on shared paths I have an issue with, especially those that cycle behind pedestrians and get arsey that the pedestrians won't move out of the way. They can ring their bloody bells all they want but not once, ever, have any considered the fact that the person in front may not be able to hear it. Just get off the fucking bike and walk around them or cycle around if there's room.

Same here. We regularly use a path alongside a river which is a designated shared use path. Cyclists and pedestrians have an equal right to be on it. But you wouldn’t think so the way some cyclists use it.

@Offmyfence 👍

TuftyMarmoset

They can and should use the bells, it's just the assumption that the person in front can hear it. The amount of times someone has passed me yelling "are you fucking deaf or what?" (I lipread), is too many to count. I have also been hit by cyclists who have ridden too fast and assume that I will jump out of their way in time. It's really not too much to ask that if a cyclist sees somebody ahead, that they slow down and prepare to stop and not rely on a bell.

Whoa... I am cyclist (mainly outer south London) and I've not had experiences like that.
I get an odd beep or an occasional elbow brush but nothing like you describe.. and yes plenty of cyclists are twats as well.

[quote DreadingChristmasAlready]@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.[/quote]
Tractors also pull in when then they see there is a queue to allow quicker vehicles to pass.

I could have written your post, except that I am a middle aged pedestrian walking on the pavement. Abuse from random cars, attempted intimidation from schoolboys, cyclists passing too close ( on unshared foot way). I was almost knocked over last night by a cyclist riding fast along a dark and narrow pavement beside an empty, well lit road.

Whatever makes people twats, it’s not uniquely triggered by the presence of cyclists.

To be fair most cyclists are men. I have a bike but I’m too scared of motorists to actually cycle anywhere.

The problem again is men.

Yes, men cyclists and men drivers

@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.

I agree. Cyclists are a menace on the roads.

Tractors, horse riders and pedestrians all move over to the side when they have people queuing to get past them. Cyclist NEVER do! The completely disregard the rules of the road.

A serious accident was caused here yesterday when a cyclist ignored a red light along a local lane going past roadworks. Car coming the through the opposite way had to swerve out the way and the driver lost control and now has life changing injuries. The cyclist didn't even stop!

Because they are fed up with cyclists being twats to them.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

To be fair most cyclists are men. I have a bike but I’m too scared of motorists to actually cycle anywhere.

The problem again is men.

Yes, men cyclists and men drivers

I’m not scared of male cyclists though but I am just as scared of female motorists.

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

To be fair most cyclists are men. I have a bike but I’m too scared of motorists to actually cycle anywhere.

The problem again is men.

Yes, men cyclists and men drivers

"Tractors, horse riders and pedestrians all move over to the side when they have people queuing to get past them. Cyclist NEVER do! The completely disregard the rules of the road. "

Nothing like a bit of completely unsubstantiated generalising.

To wonder why some people are twats towards cyclists

Because a lot of cyclists are twats, simple

Nothing like a bit of completely unsubstantiated generalising

Its true though. Dealing with cycling clubs is like playing Risk. How much territory can they take up, without conceding an inch. They have car drivers exactly where they want them.

Why can they ride in packs hogging the whole road? Imagine if cars tried that.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow yes, cars definitely don’t hog the roads in any way

I know cars can hog the road. But not in packs like cyclists. Driving side by side or more. In big groups.

So much cyclist love on this thread!

I think cyclists are like female prime ministers. Rare enough that you remember the bad behaviour and assume it's because they are cyclists / female rather than just how that person is choosing to behave.

I will pull over if I'm on a single track lane and there are a few cars behind me. It's extremely rare to get a wave of thanks though, which makes me less inclined to bother next time. ALL drivers are so rude.

I'm not a cyclist, and like many it can be frustrating wheb you see a gang of them wobbling along the road or ignoring traffics lights etc. But Jesus, they're people, you can't go around endangering people's lives because they're annoying!

@trappedsincesundaymorn

It's the entitled twats on shared paths I have an issue with, especially those that cycle behind pedestrians and get arsey that the pedestrians won't move out of the way. They can ring their bloody bells all they want but not once, ever, have any considered the fact that the person in front may not be able to hear it. Just get off the fucking bike and walk around them or cycle around if there's room.

This is unfortunate for you and rude too. I'll assume that the path you use is too narrow for you to keep to one side of it.

However, the context is that a helluva lot more pedestrians on shared paths can't hear bells because they're either not paying attention or because they're wearing headphones or earphones and are ambling along the middle of the path. That in itself is rude to other users of the path.

I’m not scared of male cyclists though but I am just as scared of female motorists.

Moreso female motorists.