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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Fucking Cyclists

624 replies

SpanielSprint · 03/04/2023 16:17

I live in a very rural area that is super popular with cyclists. All of the roads around me are narrow, bendy, single track lanes - no white lines. Wherever I go I get stuck behind cyclists. I accept this, always leave extra time for my journeys and never drive aggressively.

The issue is that the cyclists always seem to try and wave me past when I don’t feel it is safe to overtake. Either into blind corners, or when the road is too narrow so would necessitate going onto the verges which are rutted and full of hidden rocks and pot holes - I’m not willing to risk my tyres driving at pace along them. Obviously I just ignore them but this seems to infuriate them.

I’ve just returned from yet another journey where I was behind a pair of cyclists for several miles. The cyclist at the rear kept waving me on and when I didn’t go past she seemed to get increasingly angry about it, gesticulating etc. when I finally did pass, she screamed fucking twat at me and gave me the Vs.

Nice. So basically that’s my ‘thanks’ for trailing patiently behind them for 10 minutes and almost doubling the duration of my journey.

disclaimer: I realise that not all cyclists do this, but there seems to be a significant enough number of them around here to make this sort of thing a weekly occurrence.

AIBU to overtake cyclists when I’m good and ready, and think that some of them need to learn a few lessons about manners and road safety before they go out on their bikes?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
vivainsomnia · 06/04/2023 12:32

Then you are a bunch of extremely inconsiderate cyclists and part of the problem
How is that any different to being stuck behind a large caravan? Are they also inconsiderate to dare use the road and being an inconvenience to you? Is that how you define having an attitude?

I get frustrated when stuck behind slow traffic. I've learnt though not to turn it into a blame attitude because I need to designated someone to drive my frustration onto. I just accept that it's part of life and take deep breaths. It's amazing what a better experience it makes not to think the world is against you.

vivainsomnia · 06/04/2023 12:37

Cyclist are twats, we were towing a caravan in Yorkshire overtook him and stopped at a junction to turn left, there was about a foot between the caravan and the kerb. The moron tried to pass on the inside and fell off, unbelievable
If the turn was right after you passed them, which must have been if you didn't then put distance between you and them, then YOU were the moron to pass them just before instead of just waiting behind patiently before turning. I see this a lot happening as in an act of revenge. Pathetic!

LimitIsUp · 06/04/2023 12:37

lljkk · 06/04/2023 12:00

People who are daft enough to overtake on brow of a hill really weren't waiting for a cyclists cue to do so.

That's a really poor disappointing response. You do you and carry on putting other road users at risk 😡

Crazykatie · 06/04/2023 12:38

Bikers are unpredictable I want them in front where I can see them so I leave extra space. Last year on the M5 there were 3 Hells Angels riding 3 abreast in the fast lane at 100 mph everyone politely moved over for them, we did tag on behind for a while then OH got bored, and behaved himself.

Crazykatie · 06/04/2023 12:43

vivainsomnia · 06/04/2023 12:37

Cyclist are twats, we were towing a caravan in Yorkshire overtook him and stopped at a junction to turn left, there was about a foot between the caravan and the kerb. The moron tried to pass on the inside and fell off, unbelievable
If the turn was right after you passed them, which must have been if you didn't then put distance between you and them, then YOU were the moron to pass them just before instead of just waiting behind patiently before turning. I see this a lot happening as in an act of revenge. Pathetic!

No because he was turning left too it was a twisty road and I would have had to follow for miles with a caravan. Even with a caravan I’m going to be faster than him, to fall off was just crazy only a twat would try to say he was right.

Original poster
SpanielSprint · 06/04/2023 13:23

lljkk · 06/04/2023 08:44

fwiw, as a cyclist, if I wave on, I view that as a statement of "I'm ready for you to overtake when you're ready & I think you might decide that's about to happen" not anything else. If you don't overtake then I just stay vigilant until you are ready to overtake. I have never encountered angry impatience from anyone I overtook in any vehicle, like OP reported from the cyclists whom she followed for 15-20 minutes before she could overtake.

Some drivers are more cautious which is fine, just as long as they don't go from very cautious to rather reckless impatience in an instant. You never know if unusually cautious comes with fearful/bad judgement so the wariness is just me being cautious. Although You can tell usually from engine noises how impatient someone is, usually. Impatience is the primary way of identifying the hazardous drivers.

This seems like a pretty risky strategy! I’m not sure that making up your meaning for hand signals is the right way to go. What if a driver behind you thinks you mean it’s safe to go past and are reckless enough to do so without checking for themselves?!

OP posts:
Original poster
SpanielSprint · 06/04/2023 13:29

lljkk · 06/04/2023 12:00

People who are daft enough to overtake on brow of a hill really weren't waiting for a cyclists cue to do so.

I think the replies on this thread go to show that, sadly, there are plenty of people out there willing to blindly follow the cyclist’s ‘instruction’ and see no problem with it

OP posts:
Original poster
SpanielSprint · 06/04/2023 13:43

vivainsomnia · 06/04/2023 12:32

Then you are a bunch of extremely inconsiderate cyclists and part of the problem
How is that any different to being stuck behind a large caravan? Are they also inconsiderate to dare use the road and being an inconvenience to you? Is that how you define having an attitude?

I get frustrated when stuck behind slow traffic. I've learnt though not to turn it into a blame attitude because I need to designated someone to drive my frustration onto. I just accept that it's part of life and take deep breaths. It's amazing what a better experience it makes not to think the world is against you.

Firstly, 12 cyclists are going to take up a lot more space/length than a large caravan. Groups never ride that close together around here and seem to concertina then spread out as they all change speed and continually swap positions.

Secondly, a caravan will usually be travelling much faster than a group of bikes. I rarely feel the need to overtake a caravan on a single carriageway road as they are usually only travelling a few MPH less than I would be anyway.

Thirdly, the caravan can’t help it’s dimensions but the cyclists could change their behaviour and split up into 3 smaller groups for example.

OP posts:
QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 13:53

Cyclists actually have more right to be on the road than motorists. Hence why motorists are only allowed on the road with a license which can be removed. Cyclists have that right automatically. Btw I do have full insurance as a cyclist btw. Am a member of British cycling

ifIwerenotanandroid · 06/04/2023 13:56

SpanielSprint · 06/04/2023 13:23

This seems like a pretty risky strategy! I’m not sure that making up your meaning for hand signals is the right way to go. What if a driver behind you thinks you mean it’s safe to go past and are reckless enough to do so without checking for themselves?!

Show quote history

Exactly. What difference does it make whether a cyclist is 'ready for you to overtake when you're ready'? That's a ludicrous interpretation of the situation. When would a cyclist NOT be ready to be overtaken? Serious question: what consitutes an event in which a cyclist (irrespective of anything else on the road) cannot be overtaken, in the cyclist's mind?

A motorist who's following a cyclist & staying aware of road/traffic conditions will know when to overtake the cyclist. Whether the cyclist feels ready to be overtaken is immaterial.

Ktime · 06/04/2023 13:56

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 13:53

Cyclists actually have more right to be on the road than motorists. Hence why motorists are only allowed on the road with a license which can be removed. Cyclists have that right automatically. Btw I do have full insurance as a cyclist btw. Am a member of British cycling

You are really scraping the barrel now. No one has more of a right to the roads. That shows a very entitled attitude on your part.

Autumnalblooms · 06/04/2023 14:11

Lockheart · 03/04/2023 16:29

It sounds like - rightly or wrongly - you'd made her nervous and intimidated by sitting behind them for so long. If you're confident you're leaving enough room and not tailgating then you're doing the right thing by waiting until it's safe to overtake before doing so, but 10 mins / a few miles with absolutely no opportunity to overtake safely sounds unlikely.

Show quote history

Not where i live and work .I live and work in a rural area and it is plain to see i am wearing a uniform and my car is higher up so even less likely you would not see .The amount of times cyclist's have held me up because they could easily pull over to let me past is very high .Worse at the weekend .I was even parked legally one day and a male cyclist probably late 60 ish had a go has he went past that i was parked up having the audacity to eat my lunch in my gap .

ifIwerenotanandroid · 06/04/2023 14:14

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 13:53

Cyclists actually have more right to be on the road than motorists. Hence why motorists are only allowed on the road with a license which can be removed. Cyclists have that right automatically. Btw I do have full insurance as a cyclist btw. Am a member of British cycling

Why are the same irrelevant arguments trotted out every time cycling is discussed on Mumsnet, on the internet, in newspaper comments etc? Nobody cares (except some cyclists, apparently). What's under discussion here is the bad behaviour & dangerous signalling of SOME cyclists. If this thread increases driver awareness that there are cyclists out there waving people to overtake them in potentially lethal situations, then lives may be saved. It might also make bad/thoughtless cyclists aware that they should not wave drivers round them.

I don't understand why the cycling community can't accept that some cyclists are dreadful road users & some cyclists cause or contribute to fatal incidents (I was astonished to learn recently that pedestrians have been killed by cyclists). Nobody's saying all cyclists are like that. As a driver I can accept that some drivers are selfish, unobservant, dangerous, easily distracted or whatever. I'd prefer them not to be that way when on the road. Knowing & acknowledging that doesn't threaten my self-image as a driver, or my image of drivers as a social group. Why do some cyclists take criticism of one cyclist's behaviour as an attack on all cyclists?

I don't see the world as drivers versus cyclists. I want good road design, sensible rules of the road & considerate road users of all types.

Autumnalblooms · 06/04/2023 14:20

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 13:53

Cyclists actually have more right to be on the road than motorists. Hence why motorists are only allowed on the road with a license which can be removed. Cyclists have that right automatically. Btw I do have full insurance as a cyclist btw. Am a member of British cycling

Since when and where is that stated in law and honestly that is a genuine question .The ones i mainly meet ,Lcyra clad men cycling at the weekend are rude and obnoxious .Anyone i work with would say the same .The bit that really did it for me was being had a go at for eating my lunch .Parked legally ,no restrictions in a village , no where near a junction a bus could easily get past and i get a cyclist giving his non legal opinion as he cycles past .When i do a long day caring for people i am entitled to eat my lunch without being harassed by a cyclist completely in the wrong .So nope they are not all angels on the road .

Ktime · 06/04/2023 14:24

@lljkk

fwiw, as a cyclist, if I wave on, I view that as a statement of "I'm ready for you to overtake when you're ready & I think you might decide that's about to happen" not anything else.

How you wave it may differ to how the receiver views. The latest HC rules:

----------

Rule 163 previously said: “Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so. You should not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake.” The revised rules go into more detail about what ‘too close’ means.

The following advice has been added:

  • When overtaking a cyclist: Drivers should leave 1.5 metres distance when overtaking at speeds of up to 30mph. Drivers should leave at least 2 metres’ of space at higher speeds.

Where it is safe to do so, cyclists should allow vehicles moving faster than them to overtake, while keeping at least 0.5 metres - or further - from the kerb themselves.

Ktime · 06/04/2023 14:25

^How you view it, that should say

Dreamysaurus · 06/04/2023 14:28

I just had a job interview with a highways safety department at the LA and this thread was SO useful. Thanks OP. 😆

I had a lot to say. It went down well

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 14:34

ifIwerenotanandroid · 06/04/2023 14:14

Why are the same irrelevant arguments trotted out every time cycling is discussed on Mumsnet, on the internet, in newspaper comments etc? Nobody cares (except some cyclists, apparently). What's under discussion here is the bad behaviour & dangerous signalling of SOME cyclists. If this thread increases driver awareness that there are cyclists out there waving people to overtake them in potentially lethal situations, then lives may be saved. It might also make bad/thoughtless cyclists aware that they should not wave drivers round them.

I don't understand why the cycling community can't accept that some cyclists are dreadful road users & some cyclists cause or contribute to fatal incidents (I was astonished to learn recently that pedestrians have been killed by cyclists). Nobody's saying all cyclists are like that. As a driver I can accept that some drivers are selfish, unobservant, dangerous, easily distracted or whatever. I'd prefer them not to be that way when on the road. Knowing & acknowledging that doesn't threaten my self-image as a driver, or my image of drivers as a social group. Why do some cyclists take criticism of one cyclist's behaviour as an attack on all cyclists?

I don't see the world as drivers versus cyclists. I want good road design, sensible rules of the road & considerate road users of all types.

Show quote history

My comment was in response to someone rabbiting on about road tax and how as a motorist they have more rights to be on the road due to that. You’re correct they were completely irrelevant and annoying

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 14:37

Crazykatie · 06/04/2023 12:29

Cyclist are twats, we were towing a caravan in Yorkshire overtook him and stopped at a junction to turn left, there was about a foot between the caravan and the kerb. The moron tried to pass on the inside and fell off, unbelievable.

Why on earth did you overtake just before you needed to turn left? Sounds like a classic left hook

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 14:39

Ktime · 06/04/2023 13:56

You are really scraping the barrel now. No one has more of a right to the roads. That shows a very entitled attitude on your part.

Show quote history

Sorry I forgot to quote but only brought that up in response to someone else’s comments about road tax and motorists having more rights

ifIwerenotanandroid · 06/04/2023 14:40

@QuintanaRoo Yep, that one regularly comes up in these discussions. Sometimes they write themselves.😂Though personally I think the 'I'm the original road user' argument must go to horse riders & pedestrians.

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 14:41

SpanielSprint · 06/04/2023 12:01

Then you are a bunch of extremely inconsiderate cyclists and part of the problem. I’ve no problem with 2 abreast but 12 bikes together in a group (and inevitably trailing in a long line along the road) is going to be extremely difficult if not impossible to overtake. It’s no wonder cyclists have the reputation they do given some of the attitudes I’m seeing on this thread.

Show quote history

So youre Unable to find that part of the Highway Code where you said groups must split up then? Thought so.

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 14:42

ifIwerenotanandroid · 06/04/2023 14:40

@QuintanaRoo Yep, that one regularly comes up in these discussions. Sometimes they write themselves.😂Though personally I think the 'I'm the original road user' argument must go to horse riders & pedestrians.

Absolutely

ifIwerenotanandroid · 06/04/2023 14:46

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 14:41

So youre Unable to find that part of the Highway Code where you said groups must split up then? Thought so.

Show quote history

If it's not in there, it should be. It's an obvious safety hazard/traffic obstruction, especially when combined with the rear cyclist waving following cars round them on blind bends, knowing the driver will have to negotiate the length of a juggernaut or more before being able to safely pull back in.

... which is where this whole thread started.

QuintanaRoo · 06/04/2023 14:56

Autumnalblooms · 06/04/2023 14:20

Since when and where is that stated in law and honestly that is a genuine question .The ones i mainly meet ,Lcyra clad men cycling at the weekend are rude and obnoxious .Anyone i work with would say the same .The bit that really did it for me was being had a go at for eating my lunch .Parked legally ,no restrictions in a village , no where near a junction a bus could easily get past and i get a cyclist giving his non legal opinion as he cycles past .When i do a long day caring for people i am entitled to eat my lunch without being harassed by a cyclist completely in the wrong .So nope they are not all angels on the road .

Show quote history

By virtue of the fact a cyclist doesn’t need a license. They have an inherent right which motorists don’t have as they must pass a test and be issued a license and only then are allowed.

I totally agree not all cyclists are angels. I agreed that the cyclists shouldn’t have waved the op on. Your cyclist shouldn’t have had a go at you.

what I have an issue with is the anti cyclist rhetoric where any transgression is written about and then there’s a pile on.

It always brings out a significant number of posters who have had contact with cyclists where the cyclist has done nothing wrong but the driver is just aggrieved by their presence. Even the language is confrontational, talking about swarms of cyclists, out in force, sniggering about middle aged people in lycra

on what other thread here could people snigger about age and clothing without been pulled up on it?

Even the OPs baseline views on cyclists have been exposed now as she’s spoken about me being the problem when I mentioned about cycling in a group of 12 max. Which is within British cycling recommendations btw so it’s not a problem apart from to inpatient drivers who feel cyclists shouldn’t be there

I could start a thread every single day about inconsiderate and dangerous drivers but I try not to be so negative or boring. What would be the point? That individual driver is unlikely to see my post and think you know what I shouldn’t have passed so close, so fast, got out my car to shout at you for riding in a group of 5.