....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?

@Alexandra2001
There is absolutely no reason why cyclists would prefer the road.
If anything, there's a nasty junction , partway along this road that cycling on the cycling path would avoid . They'd just need to wait at a pedestrian crossing.

It's been a problem for a number of years. Most cyclists use the cycle path but there's a determined number of cyclists that seem determined to make this busy road their own.

Yes there are too many cars and there has been a campaign for nearly 30 years for a relief road. This road is choc a block with articulated lorries and building site vehicles.

These road cyclists just don't care.

So much of this thread has entirely proved OPs point.
I am a cyclist (daily commute) as well as driver. I never jump red lights or cycle on pavements. Why all the 'every cyclist does...'? Its just not true and utterly bewildering that people think they're right in saying these things.
It's the only way that me, DH and 3 of my DC get to the places we need to daily and every day in my head I'm muttering 'please don't kill me' to someone or other. It's outrageous. If I had any options I wouldn't do it.
Not to mention all the fumes we cycle through. And all the hate piled onto to the clean air zones, cycle paths etc.
Give some people a car and they think they own the world and are never wrong. It's terrifying and exhausting reading this at the end of another busy commuting day with another tomorrow.

@wherearebeefandonioncrisps I do not know the road you are talking about but what is causing the constant traffic congestion and the calls for a relief road?

Is it too many cars and lorries or the handful of cyclists who use the road?

We have Embankment road in Plymouth, most cyclists use the well maintained cycle paths and i am always amazed at the few who don't, however, in reality, they really don't cause congestion, its the volume of traffic that does that....
e.g when the road is jammed, cyclists are going far faster, when its not, easy to get past them.

Many fail to understand this. So many cycle paths are woefully inadequate and don't get maintained, swept and a lot of the debris off the road ends up in them. Then they spit you out into a dangerous place.

By the way, OP was not being unreasonable in taking the lane. Thats the advice in those situations. Driver should use oncoming lane to overtake safely and if that is not clear wait until it is. The bike is traffic too.

Some of the comments prove thread title perfectly.

Shouldn't be necessary but I would get a camera if you can OP. Be interesting to see if people behave differently to you when they spot that on your helmet too.

It can be 10-15mins where I live. Busy single-lane roads, with lots of corners so safe overtaking is almost impossible.

Plus they cycle in groups of 5-20, 2 to 3 abreast, making it even harder. You almost have to give up trying to drive anywhere at the weekend.

Perhaps you should read the highway code? The new updated passage says that you should only be in the middle of the lane in certain circumstances and should move aside as soon as it is safe to do so to allow others to pass. Many cyclists have interpreted that as meaning you should stay in the middle of the lane regardless of circumstances and not move aside at all to let anyone pass, ever. And then be baffled when people call you a cunt.

Maybe you should read her initial post @TheTartfulLodger - she took primary because that was the only place she could be due to the narrowness of the road and the risk of being doored by a parked car. That was her “certain circumstance” as you put it. Her carrying on in the middle of the road is nothing but a figment of your imagination. On my 9 mile commute I take the lane in four places, all pinch points, partly because of previous instances that have left me concerned for my safety. As soon as possible I pull back in, as do most cyclists. Does anybody seriously think that we actually enjoy riding in the middle of the road? We really don’t.

I don’t think some posters realise how serious being doored can be, and don’t understand why we don’t hug the line of parked cars as we ride past. We have to ride at least a metre away. At best, it can be painful, and we end up on the floor with cuts and bruises. At worst, it can kill you. I remember an accident on Holloway Road where a poor lad was doored, fell into the road and was killed by a bus behind him - he was only 25. www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/21244722.sam-harding-cyclist-death-holloway-man-charged-manslaughter/

A friend of mine was doored by a child opening the back door of his mum’s low slung sports car. The corner of the door ripped his arm open from the inside of his wrist to the crook of his elbow, meaning microsurgery to repair tendons, six months off work, and a change of role - he was an engineer and never recovered full use of his hand. He was insured and had legal cover (as do around half a million cyclists who are members of British Cycling, Cycling Uk, and the LCC), and got around 50 grand compensation.

Hands up I give out about cyclists. My pet peeves are cyclists who don’t wear hi-vis gear especially this time of year and the ones who don’t use hand signals when they want to turn right and just pull out in front of you. I also give out about other drivers who do dangerous things on the road. There are certain bends in my locality that I know I have to be prepared to stop because so many drivers come around it on wrong side of road due to speed. I am in a car though so I have some bit of protection unlike a cyclist.
I do wish there was better cycling infrastructure though especially for kids to get to school safely on bikes.

The Highway Code does not now prohibit cycling more than 2 abreast, although it used to. Road users should keep up to date with the rules. Actually, if a group is cycling together, it may be easier and safer for another vehicle to overtake them if they are cycling alongside each other instead of in a single file because the vehicle will be able to pull back into their lane more quickly.

I used drive around 30k per year, often A and B roads and at W/E's as did many other reps... i ve never been held up for more than a minute or so and never heard of other drivers saying anything of the sort either.

Not saying it doesn't happen, an idiot car driver will be an idiot cyclist but i do think its over exaggerated, cycle clubs simply don't want drivers behind them and tend to get off busier roads asap.

However, i ve sat in queues for many hours following car accidents and road works..... been late for meetings due to being stuck behind JCB's that cant do more than 15mph and is a lot wider than 2 a breast cyclists.

I think drivers just want the road to themselves.

What do you suggest then? Dangerous overtakes? They are following the highway code.

Most drivers haven't read the updated Highway Code. We aren't required to cycle in the gutter, being seen and safe is paramount and the drivers journey is not more important than mine, they can't wait 15 seconds to overtake safety?

I always used to pull in and hardly ever got thanked.

Now I just don't, you'll have to wait and be patient.

Op, I'm with you 💯

@TheTartfulLodger I'm in London show me the road with no parked cars where you can do that!

And no, weaving in and out is the worst thing to do for visibility.

Your need to get somewhere quickly NEVER takes precedence over the cyclist's need to be safe,

Cyclists go cycling on the numerous cycleways or mountain-biking trails that are allocated to them.

Don't go and clop up our entire road network for your hobby. You can't overtake safely, hence the delay. Normally there are 30-40 cars backed up (sometimes more). The safe gaps are small. City-dwellers don't understand rural lives.

Fundamentally cars and bikes don't mix, and should be separated.

I would never go close to a cyclist, horse, pedestrian etc as obviously a car can cause damage.

I would however wonder why you are riding in the middle rather than keeping to the left - it's obvious you will be slower than a car & so it's inevitable they will need to overtake. So why make it harder for the cars by riding slap bang in the middle? I know Highway Code says you can - but surely you can see how it can be infuriating?

@converseandjeans usually it’s to prevent ‘close passes’. If there isn’t enough space for a car to overtake safely, cyclists go into the middle of the lane to stop that from
happening.

Cyclists are entitled to use any road they choose for whatever reason they choose.

Don't like it? Maybe you should be the one to stay at home.

@Frabbits - that's not true.

So YOU are allowed to drive your dog to a beauty spot, meet with friends, go to cafe/garden centre etc etc but no one else can use the roads for their leisure activity?

I see another entitled driver...

30 or 40 cars.... another load of bollox

People like you are the problem... you and your needs trump anyone elses... can't you see that?

Ha doesn't stop the dickhead's who do that, a camera does though or at least makes sure they get a visit from the Police.

All constabularies have websites now where footage can be uploads and around 50% of the more serious cyclists you meet will have a camera of some sort.

@starfro I'm not cycling for a hobby I'm just going about life, lots of people do it. If you want to drive without bikes and other pesky road user might I suggest you pay for a track day? 😉

Ok, fine.

I would have thought it were obvious.

Cyclists are entitled to use any road they choose for whatever reason they choose with the exception of a few motorways.

Don't like it? Maybe you should be the one to stay at home.

In an ideal world, no one would mix cyclists and cars. With the same principle pedestrians and cars are separated.

However, you are perfectly entitled to walk down major roads too, and cause chaos and massive tailbacks. People don't tend to though because it's rude.

Cyclists are incredibly rude when pedestrians slow them down, and are quite happy to pass them by centimeters.

Some cyclists are dickheads, jump red lights, pass pedestrians too close, and ignore the rules of the roads.

This unpredictability means that drivers need to take more care around them, not less.

Cyclists rule breaking does not give drivers the excuse to be aggressive towards them, they are very vulnerable road users and drivers need to take care.