....to tell you that negative comments about cyclists can cause issues...

[alittlequinnie]

I cycle to work - every day that I'm working in the office.

This morning I was cycling - wearing high viz, a helmet - two red lights on the back and two white lights on the front.

I'm going to try to upload a picture of where I was - the road is really really narrow - so no matter where I position the bike if you want to overtaken me you are going to have to go over the centre line.

This morning only me and a car coming up behind me on the entire road. I'm pretty much bang on centre in the lane. Nothing coming towards me or the car behind me.

Car behind overtakes - really really close and then pulls in too quickly in front of me - causing me to swerve.

Few meters up the road catch up with them at the lights. Knock politely on the window and ask her "why on earth did you do that - there was plenty of room?"

She responds that it's my "own fault" I was "riding in the middle of the road" I "do it on purpose" and she see's me "every morning" - then calls me a stupid cow.

I say "really? you did it as a punishment?" - she then repeats that I shouldn't be in the middle of the road.

No point arguing with stupid so I remind her that it's a good idea to read the Highway Code - she tells me I need to read it and then calls me a cunt.

I feel this all the time on the bike that all the comments that "all cyclists" do red light jumping and pavement cycling etc means that there is just such a HATE for cyclists - wherever and however they ride.

Imagine what this is like for me - this woman has told me she sees me all the time and she did it on purpose - so she's bound to do it again - it's really frightening.

I'm not sure what I'm trying to achieve by posting this - just think carefully before spreading the sort of venom for cyclists that I see on here and other sites?

Yes, the HC does apply to cyclists.

This doesn't excuse your ignorance of it.

I was on a course with 14 others recently. At the start, we went around the room and had to do the ‘tell me a little bit about yourself’ routine. It was all going fine, the usual dreary, innocuous stuff until it got to the person who said they like long -distance cycling at the weekends.

Cue sharp intake of breath from 14 people (including me), followed by a series of sharp looks, disparaging comments and wisecracks, which set the tone for the rest of the course. I can’t imagine it would have been a worse reaction than if they’d claimed to be a member of the National Front.

On the bright side, at least the course tutor knew who to pick whenever there was a difficult question to answer; it’s the first time I’ve ever been grateful to share space with a cyclist.

She should have given you a cars width so it doesn’t matter where in your lane you were positioned. You need to remain safe. I live where I cycle down a lot of country lanes and always cycle in the middle of too narrow because otherwise cars assume they can squeeze past and I’ve been clipped a couple of timeS.

I highly recommend a bullet cam for back and/or front of the bike. Any dangerous driving can be reported with sufficient evidence then.

hope you are ok

There are a lot of inpatient aggressive drivers who can’t cope with other cars let alone cyclists. But… there are some very dangerous cyclists around. I’d in particular like to see some regulation cracking down on racing packs of cyclists. It’s not uncommon to see groups of 20 plus near me which often causes carnage.

Are we at house yet?

To leave my road we have traffic lights as the sight lines are poor as there's a blind bend. In nine years I have NEVER seen a cyclist stop at the red lights on the main road. They just whizz through. The speed limit is 20mph and the speed watch crew have clicked speeds well over this.

Agree with this.

I will admit that I have been known to swear whilst stuck behind a cyclist on country roads. However, I always wait to pass until it's clear and I can see what's coming (no blind bends etc) Numerous times I have have had irate drivers behind me and have faced oncoming cars in the middle of the road who have overtaken a bike coming the other way on a bend.
No way would I cycle on country roads round here, you take your life in your hands!

The police already have the powers to fine and arrest people for breaking the law when cycling or for cycling dangerously. If a race team is cycling more than two abreast, that’s already prohibited in the HC. Whenever I see large groups of cyclists out together the carnage seems to be caused not by the cyclists but by impatient drivers getting too close to the tail of the pack or overtaking where there isn’t room. That’s not the fault of the cyclists and shouldn’t be addressed by “regulating” cycling. It’s an attitudinal problem of the drivers and shouldn’t be seen as any more acceptable than aggressively beeping at, tailgating or trying to overtake learner drivers, not giving horse riders adequate space, or pretending not to see pedestrians beginning to cross at zebra crossings.

It is easier to overtake a cyclist if they are at the side of the road and would appreciate them moving over when approached by a car to make it easier, but that doesn't excuse dangerous driving. If it is safer in the middle safety comes first. If driver gets stuck behind and has to go slow it's annoying but tough. I wish more roads has cycle lanes so everyone could be accommodated

I am all for cycling as it is better for the environment and generally a positive thing. However I’m really wary of pedestrian crossings now as it seem most cyclists in London jump the lights. It’s so dangerous and infuriates me. One of my acquaintances was recently hit by a cyclist when he was out for a run. He was pretty banged up. The cyclist tried to cycle off but was stopped by witnesses. Bad behaviour on both sides is completely unacceptable. However it seems as though, at least in London, dangerous cycling that could hurt pedestrians is somehow normalised.

Arseholes travel around in different ways. Some drive motor vehicles, some cycle, some walk.

Impatience is dangerous be it on a bike or in a motor vehicle. A motor vehicle has the greatest potential for damage. Training, tax, insurance and licences don't mean that all drivers control their vehicles safely if indeed they abide by the law anyway.

The motorist OP encountered has a dangerous attitude and lack of knowledge of the Highway Code.

Sorry this happened to you - what a crap start to the day

You knocked on her window? You scared that woman. Regardless of what she did before, your behavior was aggressive and threatening. Whatever she said was said in a state of fight or flight.

the driver isn’t the only one who comes off poorly in this exchange.

I find that some cyclists love slowing down motorists. Where I live they do this for many miles, creating huge queues and long journey times. They don't live here, they come down from London etc

I love cycling, but would never dream of doing it on a busy road. It's just dangerous and disrespectful to proper road users. There are loads of offroad tracks designed purely for cycling.

disrespectful to proper road users

cyclists are proper road users

And does that slowing down happen to coincide with a hill or you driving too closely so they're guarding themselves a bit more I wonder?
Most adult cyclists are drivers too. I only wish everyone who drives a car would also go out on a bike just to experience the reality of cycling.

The car diver is clearly in the wrong, maybe a helmet with a camera? That said, as a pedestrian I find some cyclists do as they wish. I’ve lost count of the times cyclists have failed to stop at red lights and zebra crossings. One guy didn’t even slow down and I had to stop half way across the crossing because he would have otherwise hit me. I think all users need to be a bit more respectful to each other.

I do honestly think that part of learning to drive should include how to properly behave around vulnerable road users. I know that it was only when I started commuting via bike I properly understood how frequently and easily cyclists, horse riders, bikers etc are put in danger by thoughtless drivers.

No, it's a hobby.

If I went jogging down a busy single-lane A road, people would rightly be annoyed.

Just cycle where you're not causing massive tailbacks. Simple.

I'm a pedestrian, a cyclist and a car driver. When I'm cycling to work, I'm not in my car, so that on its own makes the driver behind me's journey quicker - one less car on the road, and I'm paying car tax on the car that's parked at home. I don't run red lights. I do cycle away from the edge of the road to avoid the gutter and the generally rougher part of the tarmac on the road. I do cycle more towards the middle of the road on the side streets where we live when cars are rat-running and kids are on their way to school. It helps to slow down the traffic, and they'd only have to just about squeeze past me anyway. Some one way streets do permit cyclists to travel against the flow of car traffic and some pavements are dual cycle lanes/footpaths. It's all about mutual respect on the road.

However it seems as though, at least in London, dangerous cycling that could hurt pedestrians is somehow normalised

Yes, exactly this. And as others have said, I sometimes get the impression that these guys would be driving an Audi dangerously when they aren't on a bike. Then some tourists on the loaned bikes are a bit of a menace and the way junctions have been designed pedestrians don't have enough priority. The other day I looked right, looked left, stepped out into a big gap in traffic on a major road only to see someone on a Santander bike coming straight at me in the gloom, straight across the road and traffic island I was heading for, likely to go the wrong way down the one way street I was exiting. Obviously cars and larger vehicles are generally more dangerous but in London generally they get stopped quite a bit and the danger comes from cyclists whistling up one side or the other of traffic regardless of pedestrian crossing facilties.

That said, the woman who passed you dangerously has no excuse, OP. I'll continue to give more vulnerable road users lots of space whatever vehicle or conveyance I'm in/on.

Some people are inconsiderate idiots. They carry on being so no matter what form of transport they use.

Surely if you didn't get in your car then there could be no tailback

It’s not a hobby, it’s how I get to work.