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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why people are so horrible to cyclists that are not breaking the rules?

491 replies

DataColour · 30/04/2023 17:08

Even I get irate at cyclists who go through red lights, pedestrian crossings etc. But how about those that obey the road rules?

This afternoon, cycling with DS14 and DD12, one car honked us whilst overtaking. No reason, apart from the fact that they were delayed by a few seconds as they couldn't go past me within inches to spare. I was riding in the middle of the rode and DD to my left, which is perfectly within the rules.
Minutes later, a road which I always ride in the middle because, if even half a chance, vehicles will overtake without giving any space. A group of pedestrians, shout at us, saying "you should be riding behind each other, what's wrong with you?"??
WTAF???

Why are some people such twats? Luckily (or unlikely) my DCs are used to this, so weren't bothered. Some driver gave my DD (11 at the time) the finger whilst cycling to school. A grown man trying to get one up on a 11yr old girl.

OP posts:
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8810F · 02/05/2023 11:19

@DdraigGoch

I have insurance. It costs £3.73/month, such is the low risk my insurer deems me to pose.

Or it could (I say could as I obviously don't know how much your bike is worth) be that your premiums are low due to the cost of repairing/replacing a bike against the cost of the same for a car. I only pay £13.22 a month for my car insurance.

Oblomov23 · 02/05/2023 11:47

Ideally everyone would be respectful and considerate to all other road users.

Cooknook · 02/05/2023 11:52

vivainsomnia · 02/05/2023 11:17

It's not that deep really, cyclists are markedly slower than cars on roads, not really relevant what anyone- cyclist or driver is travelling about for
It's most commonly the cheer number of cars that slows traffic rather than cyclist except for the middle of the country.

Not at all, city centres of the like then sure, but certainly not on the vast majority of roads I use.

SinnerBoy · 02/05/2023 12:13

dizzydizzydizzy · Yesterday 20:23

While cycling, I've had drivers deliberately try to knock me down. I don't remember that happening 15-20 years ago.

I was 13, so 1983, when I first had someone drive at me deliberately. After that, it was one long litany of punishment passing, turning left across me, verbal abuse and missiles.

I rarely cycle now and after a bad motorbike accident, simply wasn't capable. I got back to it after about five years and was surprised that I'd forgotten just how bad some drivers are.

The old rust heap is fixed up to use this year (I'm working away).

That said, there does seem to be a bigger proportion of dickhead cyclists. As others have said, both sides should probably cool their jets.

DdraigGoch · 02/05/2023 12:15

Whichnumbers · 01/05/2023 12:02

I am glad that you seem to approve of their existence though (at least I hope that you do) as good cycle lanes must surely alleviate a lot of the issues raised on here.

cycling on decent cycle lanes in Nederlands is wonderful, a 10 year old can use them. But the other big difference is the drivers attitude to the cycle lanes - where they cross a rd the drivers automatically stop - it’s a bit weird the placid nature of the Dutch drivers towards cyclists, opposed to the tense nature of many British drivers

This is what we should see in the UK. Where cycle paths cross the road, there should be "give way" markings (or perhaps zebra stripes) such that cars are obliged to give way to users of the cycle track. That would solve the issue of cycle tracks having to stop at every side road.

If it's busier, maybe the cars should stop and press a button in order to be allowed to cross the cycle lane.

This might cause a few petrolheads (including @Reality25 ) to burst blood vessels though.

OneTC · 02/05/2023 12:26

DdraigGoch · 02/05/2023 12:15

This is what we should see in the UK. Where cycle paths cross the road, there should be "give way" markings (or perhaps zebra stripes) such that cars are obliged to give way to users of the cycle track. That would solve the issue of cycle tracks having to stop at every side road.

If it's busier, maybe the cars should stop and press a button in order to be allowed to cross the cycle lane.

This might cause a few petrolheads (including @Reality25 ) to burst blood vessels though.

Show quote history

This is how most of the off road ones are set up where I live but many people coming from side roads just ignore the first set of lines and pull up to the road edge still, in much the same way many people overhang the on-road ones

QuintanaRoo · 02/05/2023 12:44

8810F · 02/05/2023 11:19

@DdraigGoch

I have insurance. It costs £3.73/month, such is the low risk my insurer deems me to pose.

Or it could (I say could as I obviously don't know how much your bike is worth) be that your premiums are low due to the cost of repairing/replacing a bike against the cost of the same for a car. I only pay £13.22 a month for my car insurance.

It’s probably more to do with the fact that if you cause an accident on a bike you are less likely to cause damage to another vehicle or person which is going to cost the insurance company £thousands possibly h7ndreds of thousands in compensation.

My carbon road bike is worth thousands, as much as the Skoda fabia I bought for Dd recently. The insurance for the fabia is £650 a year and my annual bike public liability and accident insurance is about £40 a year (I have a separate theft policy). Doesn’t matter how fast I hit someone on my 7kg bike, I might dent a panel, I’m not going to write a car off. Statistically I’m unlikely to kill someone,

Thesharkradar · 02/05/2023 12:49

DdraigGoch · 02/05/2023 12:15

This is what we should see in the UK. Where cycle paths cross the road, there should be "give way" markings (or perhaps zebra stripes) such that cars are obliged to give way to users of the cycle track. That would solve the issue of cycle tracks having to stop at every side road.

If it's busier, maybe the cars should stop and press a button in order to be allowed to cross the cycle lane.

This might cause a few petrolheads (including @Reality25 ) to burst blood vessels though.

Show quote history

The petrol heads should take up cycling.... it might bring their blood pressure down a bit 🚴‍♀️

Thesharkradar · 02/05/2023 12:55

That said, there does seem to be a bigger proportion of dickhead cyclists. As others have said, both sides should probably cool their jets
I don't want to defend the dickhead cyclists, but given the level of opposition and aggression from the drivers of motor vehicles I can see how we have a situation where it tends to be only the arrogant and aggressive cyclists who feel up to taking them on.
The situation in the Netherlands is hard to believe 😍 how lovely, how very lovely it would be if we had that here.

DdraigGoch · 02/05/2023 14:54

8810F · 02/05/2023 11:19

@DdraigGoch

I have insurance. It costs £3.73/month, such is the low risk my insurer deems me to pose.

Or it could (I say could as I obviously don't know how much your bike is worth) be that your premiums are low due to the cost of repairing/replacing a bike against the cost of the same for a car. I only pay £13.22 a month for my car insurance.

Insurance premiums reflect the extent and probability of the damage you could do to others as well as yourself. This is why car insurance premiums can often exceed the value of the car (as it did when I was a twentysomething driver in a secondhand Fiesta just a few years ago). I could have written the car off several times per year with what I was paying to insure it.

sylvandweller · 02/05/2023 15:21

Telling cyclists to be "courteous" to drivers is like telling women to be courteous to strange men.

TaLooLaBell · 02/05/2023 16:33

FrenchandSaunders · 02/05/2023 07:20

It might be legal but I think it’s a bit selfish to cycle 2 or 3 abreast across the whole lane with no awareness of the 30 cars behind you 🤷🏼‍♀️

I'm a driver not a cyclist, drivers should be overtaking using the other lane so it doesn't matter if there are two riding side by side , in fact it makes it easier for drivers as we have less length to overtake

Whichnumbers · 02/05/2023 17:06

It might be legal but I think it’s a bit selfish to cycle 2 or 3 abreast across the whole lane with no awareness of the 30 cars behind you

it’s how cyclists are asked & taught to cycle, so it’s why a large majority of cyclists do this. Drafting also keep up speed & a faster pace so as not slowing motorists as much, whilst they wait to over take safely

Original poster
DataColour · 02/05/2023 18:37

I don't think most cyclists are "hobby cyclists". We all cycle to and from work and school. Lots of non-cyclists think that bikes should be only used in parks (even in some parks it's not allowed) and it's for recreation only and that it's a toy, which I think is part of the problem, with the lack of respect for cyclists.
Perhaps I fell strongly about this , but it really warms my heart when I see groups of secondary school children cycling to and from school, even with the rubbish infrastructure. These kids should be encouraged not put off by bad, impatient drivers. We need more people cycling in the future and more kids that are indepandant and not dependant on cars. Of course I realise that in more rural areas this is more difficult to achieve,

OP posts:
TooBored1 · 02/05/2023 19:28

FrenchandSaunders · 02/05/2023 07:20

It might be legal but I think it’s a bit selfish to cycle 2 or 3 abreast across the whole lane with no awareness of the 30 cars behind you 🤷🏼‍♀️

It's legal because it saves lives- hopefully you don't think it's selfish to protect yourself or, as in the case of the OP, your child?

Plus, you shouldn't overtake a cyclist unless there is enough space to overtake a car, IE you are able to safely cross the center line. That means it really doesn't matter where to cycles are or how many they are abreast.

pfftt · 02/05/2023 19:50

@TooBored1 Plus, you shouldn't overtake a cyclist unless there is enough space to overtake a car, IE you are able to safely cross the center line. That means it really doesn't matter where to cycles are or how many they are abreast.
And when there isn't a centre line? When it's a country lane with a width that allows 2 cars to creep past each other almost touching wing mirrors. I can get past safely if they cyclists are single file. I can't if they ride 2 abreast

Frabbits · 02/05/2023 20:05

pfftt · 02/05/2023 19:50

@TooBored1 Plus, you shouldn't overtake a cyclist unless there is enough space to overtake a car, IE you are able to safely cross the center line. That means it really doesn't matter where to cycles are or how many they are abreast.
And when there isn't a centre line? When it's a country lane with a width that allows 2 cars to creep past each other almost touching wing mirrors. I can get past safely if they cyclists are single file. I can't if they ride 2 abreast

If the road is not wide enough for you to overtake a car - so not creeping carefully past, but overtaking at speed - it's not wide enough to overtake a cyclist, single file or not.

Leave as much space as you would for a car. Y'know, as per the highway code.

pfftt · 02/05/2023 20:28

@Frabbits If the road is not wide enough for you to overtake a car - so not creeping carefully past, but overtaking at speed - it's not wide enough to overtake a cyclist, single file or not.
Nope. The road is wide enough to overtake a single file cycle. Not 2 a breast whilst leaving the required space. Obviously. A single cyclist is not as wide as 2. The roads around me are as I describe

pfftt · 02/05/2023 20:32

@Frabbits and in the case of a road as you describe, the Highway Code states:

Be aware of drivers behind you and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping)

It seems many cyclists only like parts of the Highway Code and I say this a a cyclist and car user.

pfftt · 02/05/2023 20:36

DataColour · 02/05/2023 18:37

I don't think most cyclists are "hobby cyclists". We all cycle to and from work and school. Lots of non-cyclists think that bikes should be only used in parks (even in some parks it's not allowed) and it's for recreation only and that it's a toy, which I think is part of the problem, with the lack of respect for cyclists.
Perhaps I fell strongly about this , but it really warms my heart when I see groups of secondary school children cycling to and from school, even with the rubbish infrastructure. These kids should be encouraged not put off by bad, impatient drivers. We need more people cycling in the future and more kids that are indepandant and not dependant on cars. Of course I realise that in more rural areas this is more difficult to achieve,

Commuting cyclists are as a whole very different around me than hobby cyclists. It's obvious who is who. Commuters don't tend to be cycling in swarms wearing identikit Lycra on a weekend

curious79 · 02/05/2023 20:39

As a cyclist, a pedestrian, and a driver, I am horrified and disgusted how people treat cyclists. My daughter and I were cycling to school, but I’ve stopped now because we just had too many close shaves. Usually mums in cars and in a hurry for the school drop-off while texting. Or mini cab drivers. We walk and use the bus now. And we see cyclists get caught up and nearly knocked off all the time even though ultimately it is the cars that end up stuck in traffic 50m ahead

thelionthewitchtheaudacityofTHISbitch · 02/05/2023 21:08

Thesharkradar · 30/04/2023 22:12

that happened to me, on a shared path I got a mouthful from a woman for calling out 'excuse me' instead of using the bell, I think she was just startled.
I always slow down, I never hurtle past people.
We do need better provision for outdoor pursuits though.

Your final sentence is the crux of this issue. Other European countries have wonderful outside spaces for all. And they genuinely seem respectful of other's choices. We are so over-crowded and the set up here is not suitable for much of this. We have become or perhaps always were a very selfish society.

Original poster
DataColour · 02/05/2023 21:27

pfftt · 02/05/2023 20:36

Commuting cyclists are as a whole very different around me than hobby cyclists. It's obvious who is who. Commuters don't tend to be cycling in swarms wearing identikit Lycra on a weekend

Show quote history

But it's not just the hobby cyclists that get the aggro is it? It's all cyclists.

OP posts:
potatohead1 · 02/05/2023 21:35

Along with cycling and driving I also ride a horse...... that's a whole other thread.

SinnerBoy · 02/05/2023 21:45

Thesharkradar

I don't want to defend the dickhead cyclists, but given the level of opposition and aggression from...

In the Northeast, that's not very noticeable. I'm on about the cyclists who think that pedestrians should move over. We have undemarcated shared foot-cycle paths.

Most are OK, but especially at weekends, the path hogs are out. During warmer weather, large groups are a familiar sight and they refuse to stop at zebra and pedestrian crossings, for example.

I'm not sure that the Netherlands is really comparable to the UK. Mass cycling has been there since after the War, it's pretty flat and the roads have long been established to accommodate cyclists.

A couple of years ago, I was driven from Schiphol to Den Helder, to join a ship. The driver was pretty, bad tailgating in wet weather, doing 160 kph, but when we were in Den Helder, he changed to Mr. Meek, talking quietly:

"Yes lady, I see you, I wait!" and the like.