Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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
6namechang3 · 03/04/2023 17:06

I never wave people past when I am cycling as its their judgement as to when they choose to pass. I also don't take any notice of people waving me past when I am driving. My car is slow and old and only I know when it is safe to overtake !

KillingLoneliness · 03/04/2023 17:07

Same in the SW, very narrow roads with lots of hills and bends meaning sometimes you are stuck behind something for a good 10/15 minutes! I never overtake unless I’m 100% sure I can safely do so, especially as my little old car is not the most powerful thing in the world compared to more modern ones!

Americano75 · 03/04/2023 17:07

MorrisZapp · 03/04/2023 16:52

If they're that bothered by a car behind them why don't they pull off the road and let the car go past?

This was my first thought. I would love to go out cycling but don't like the thought of holding up an angry line of drivers. The only way round that would be to let people pass then carry on surely?

Anotherspacecowboy · 03/04/2023 17:07

@OneTC exactly, which is why I sympathise with the OP. I won't speed up dramatically to dangerously overtake a cyclist on a rural road - having lived in the country for many years I know how to drive them safely. I certainly don't speed (unlikely to come across pedestrians here but there are sheep in the road frequently). But that said, I also don't crawl along as slowly as a cyclist!!! (unless I'm stuck behind one, haha)

AlbertaAnnie · 03/04/2023 17:08

We live next to a country park. The paths are for use by all but I don’t even like going with my children / dog as the Lycra clad cyclists fly around with no care for other users of the path. I’m sure not all cyclists are twats but iv never seen one who isn’t! Must be in their handbook!

TitterYeeNot · 03/04/2023 17:09

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Lockheart · 03/04/2023 17:10

Americano75 · 03/04/2023 17:07

This was my first thought. I would love to go out cycling but don't like the thought of holding up an angry line of drivers. The only way round that would be to let people pass then carry on surely?

Show quote history

You absolutely should be able to go out cycling without drivers getting angry. That fact you can't is a horrible indictment about our entitled attitude in the UK.

Threads like this don't help the general narrative in much of the British public's mindset that cyclists are an inconvenience and not deserving of space on the roads.

Imashamediknowthis · 03/04/2023 17:10

Funny how every other slow road user (tractors, horses, my mum) know that they should pull in every now and again and let the trailing traffic go past. It's basic rural road manners but apparently completely incomprehensible to cycle twats with padded pants and a copy of the highway code.

Gilmorehill · 03/04/2023 17:10

SpanielSprint · 03/04/2023 16:23

I do make a conscious effort not to drive too closely behind them as I know this can be intimidating. Although obviously I don’t want get too far left behind or I’ll never get past them. I always leave loads of room when I overtake, this is part of them problem I think because they don’t seem to think I need so much!

I live in a rural area and have to drive down a country lane popular with cyclists. It’s very bendy and it’s rarely safe to overtake.
I’d rather wait patiently behind a cyclist than risk an accident and I try to keep my distance. I STILL have had several instances like you, Op. I feel some cyclists are spoiling for a fight. I see some repeat offenders who happily hold up the traffic to yell at a driver. It was very telling that when one turned around and approached my car that he sped off when he saw
my 6ft son in the passenger seat. There should be a way of identifying cyclists so they don’t feel they can behave anyway they like.

rampagingrobot · 03/04/2023 17:10

And elsewhere on the internet a cyclist is complaining about how she was aggressively tailed by a motorist who refused many opportunities to overtake.

I think your thread title says it all really.

And why do people get so angry about cyclists wearing lycra, it's just bizzare. Do people complain about tennis players wearing shorts rather than playing in jeans....?!

givemushypeasachance · 03/04/2023 17:10

I don't cycle on little country roads, only in a city, and I agree it does feel very stressful to have cars sticking right behind you trailing along even just down town/suburban roads. I know I'm not fast, I'm not even hitting the 20mph limits round here, and most drivers usually want to go faster than that. So I know I'm slowing them down and they're probably getting annoyed. Where I can, I pull in to gaps to encourage drivers to pass me because I hate it and it makes me anxious. Now and then I do that or it's just clearly wide enough to pass anyway and drivers still don't - maybe they're nervous of passing cyclists too, who knows! But I try to tell myself that's a them problem and it's not my fault, I did what I could. I don't get angry about it, but perhaps anxiousness gets twisted into frustrated shouting for some people.

I do hate being waved on by drivers when e.g. I want to turn right, I'm stopped in the road for a single car to go by on the other side, and the driver slows down and waves me over in front of them. If they just drove on past I could turn after them quicker than the whole slowing down exchange! If they used their mirrors they would know there was no point in their 'kind gesture' as they are the only one coming and should just hurry up and get on out of the way. For some reason that really winds me up and I do mutter to myself about it being pointless...

begoneday · 03/04/2023 17:12

I have a theory that it is a similar demographic of white middle aged men who drive German cars , who cycle aggressively. They will be twats in their cars , and also in their too tight Lycra suits so it’s wise to get a dash cam.

Original poster
SpanielSprint · 03/04/2023 17:13

Mumski45 · 03/04/2023 16:49

I don't think anyone is suggesting the OP should overtake unsafely. However some people judge speed and distance better than others and what looks unsafe to some might not be to others. The OP is right to make her own judgement on this.

However I can't understand why the cyclist was so rude unless he/she felt under threat as a result of a driver being too close behind for a long time.

I think these cyclists do feel under pressure and a bit conscious of the fact they’ve been holding up a car for ages. But the irony is that I don’t mind (much). I’m never in a rush. I’m a very chilled driver. If they feel pressured it’s not because of anything I’m doing.

OP posts:
Dreamstate · 03/04/2023 17:13

With the new rules on how much space to give when overtaking, the cyclists are most likely waving you to overtake to show they are ok if you have to overtake and cannot give as much space as possible. I do this on windy roads. Or I just stop and pull in as much as possible to let them pass.

rampagingrobot · 03/04/2023 17:13

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

KillingLoneliness · 03/04/2023 17:13

Anotherspacecowboy · 03/04/2023 17:07

@OneTC exactly, which is why I sympathise with the OP. I won't speed up dramatically to dangerously overtake a cyclist on a rural road - having lived in the country for many years I know how to drive them safely. I certainly don't speed (unlikely to come across pedestrians here but there are sheep in the road frequently). But that said, I also don't crawl along as slowly as a cyclist!!! (unless I'm stuck behind one, haha)

I’m the same as you and drive at a sensible speed as you never know what you might encounter on a country road, I had a pedestrian running towards me at a bend the other day, luckily I had plenty of time to slow down and go around them safely but it wasn’t the best spot being on a bend and I was wondering why they didn’t just hop on to the grass verge to let the cars get passed them. I’ve not been driving long either so it was a stressful moment!

Lockheart · 03/04/2023 17:14

SpanielSprint · 03/04/2023 17:13

I think these cyclists do feel under pressure and a bit conscious of the fact they’ve been holding up a car for ages. But the irony is that I don’t mind (much). I’m never in a rush. I’m a very chilled driver. If they feel pressured it’s not because of anything I’m doing.

Show quote history

It won't be because of anything you've done personally OP, but they'll be nervous because the odds are they've been on the receiving end of unsafe passes and dangerous behaviour many times before. So they'll feel pressured with any car.

samsmum2 · 03/04/2023 17:14

Could the cyclists on this thread please explain why they think they have a right to ride 2 or 3 abreast, taking up the whole carriageway, resulting in traffic backing up behind them as they can't overtake safely? I had this last week in the dark, rural roads again, 2 cyclists riding side by side, with those massively powerful rear lights so that when I came up behind them, I assumed initially it was a car's rear lights. They sat in the middle of the road with a good few feet between them, not permitting me to pass, whilst they cracked on at 20-25 mph or whatever it was, round bends etc. Bloody dangerous for them I'd have thought, being mistaken for a car. Surely they'd be better to move over and allow traffic to pass rather than be tailgated for miles? I'm genuinely interested in a cyclists POV here.

Freedomfromguilt · 03/04/2023 17:15

The only person responsible for driving your car is you. If you were to overtake when they wave you by but hit an oncoming car it would be your fault. You are doing the right thing.

SlipSlidinAway · 03/04/2023 17:15

Funny how every other slow road user (tractors, horses, my mum) know that they should pull in every now and again and let the trailing traffic go past. It's basic rural road manners but apparently completely incomprehensible to cycle twats with padded pants and a copy of the highway code.

^^ This! No thought whatsoever for how much of a tailback they're causing.

YANBU op.

Original poster
SpanielSprint · 03/04/2023 17:15

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Who’s that aimed at?!

OP posts:
LordEmsworth · 03/04/2023 17:16

If you know that not all cyclists are like this, why do you keep referring to "cyclists" as if they are a homogenous group?

Obviously in this instance, based on what you've said, you were correct. But had you been driving behind me, I wouldn't have tried to wave you past, and I couldn't be intimidating if I tried. I'd have looked for a spot to pull in, stop and let you past while I was off the road in that situation; because I know you needed to judge for yourself what was safe but I'd feel intimidated having a sodding great metal box behind me. But that doesn't matter, I'm just a "fucking cyclist" who needs to be "taught some manners" on an internet forum, apparently

Mumski45 · 03/04/2023 17:16

@rampagingrobot this baffles me as well. I can understand people get annoyed at having to wait for a long time but why get so animated about what a cyclist is wearing.

I also don't like the way the bad behaviour of some cyclists (and believe me I know there are some bad ones) is suddenly the fault of every cyclist on the road.

Cyclists are individuals and deserve as much respect as anyone else unless their own behaviour warrants a judgement.

I find these views are usually held by people who just need a reason to be angry.

Dreamstate · 03/04/2023 17:16

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Lets hope you never pass your test. I wish I could report you to the DVLA for this so you never get a driving licence because quite frankly no-one should be allowed to drive if this is what they truly believe.

Lockheart · 03/04/2023 17:16

Could the cyclists on this thread please explain why they think they have a right to ride 2 or 3 abreast

Not a cyclist, but I'm confident this is in the highway code....