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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:
Thread gallery
10
sylvandweller · 30/04/2023 19:59

@TaLooLaBell

Cyclists live longer, healthier lives, are generally fitter. Cycling is cheaper and, in urban areas is often faster than a car.

sylvandweller · 30/04/2023 20:00

ImAvingOops · 30/04/2023 19:31

Cyclists cause accidents in which people die. Just as car drivers do. Fewer accidents are caused by cyclists because fewer people are cyclists, compared to car drivers. But since both bikes and cars are operated by people, it stands to reason there will be a mix of considerate and cunty in control of both! Sometimes the car driver is just a dick and sometimes the cyclist is! Although imo cyclists are often reluctant to acknowledge this because of their huge sense of smug self importance

The OP asked why people dislike cyclists - cyclists can argue those reasons are unfair, but they aren't going to change just because you think they should.

Can we have some data to back this up please?

Whichnumbers · 30/04/2023 20:03

Why would you hate someone you don’t know? Purely based on what legal transport they use some of the time.

do people hate bus passengers? People on trains?

Devoutspoken · 30/04/2023 20:04

Not a big fan of drivers of some makes of vehicles

Whichnumbers · 30/04/2023 20:06

BUT....I have found that some cyclists suddenly seem less bothered by this safe distance when they come from behind and shoehorn themselves alongside you at traffic lights.
Where is the accountability for cyclists?

its physics, it’s called filtering & legally allowed

Kazzyhoward · 30/04/2023 20:07

I think all the cycle lane nonsense by councils causes a lot of anger and resentment. You know, the cycle lanes that go nowhere, those that cyclists don't use (often for good reason etc), but which cause congestion etc.

I know it's not the cyclist's fault that lots of local councils are run by incompetent morons, and it's not an excuse to be aggressive/insulting towards cyclists (as most cyclists also agree the cycle lanes are often useless), but it's a contributory factor to some ignorant motorists regarding cyclists as the enemy!

8810F · 30/04/2023 20:07

@sylvandweller

Yes I could show camera footage of cyclists behaving dangerously but back to my question, where is their accountability? Cyclists are not required to display registration plates, they are not required to have insurance so identifying the culprits is impossible, unless they have some decency and stop and take responsibility. Who is made to pay for expensive damage?
Sadly, it is attitudes such as your's that perpetuates this antagonism between motorists and cyclists. Just for the record, I don't actually have a problem with cyclists, just the rude, arrogant ones!

TaLooLaBell · 30/04/2023 20:09

sylvandweller · 30/04/2023 19:59

@TaLooLaBell

Cyclists live longer, healthier lives, are generally fitter. Cycling is cheaper and, in urban areas is often faster than a car.

That doesn't mean that people who don't cycle are "fat"

Kazzyhoward · 30/04/2023 20:09

Freshfoods · 30/04/2023 19:18

It's what drivers are supposed to do, but why should they put themselves and others in danger just because 'it's what they're supposed to do.'

Show quote history

Well, they'd have to do it if it was a parked car, or a broken down vehicle, or a very slow moving vehicle, wouldn't they?

sylvandweller · 30/04/2023 20:10

8810F · 30/04/2023 20:07

@sylvandweller

Yes I could show camera footage of cyclists behaving dangerously but back to my question, where is their accountability? Cyclists are not required to display registration plates, they are not required to have insurance so identifying the culprits is impossible, unless they have some decency and stop and take responsibility. Who is made to pay for expensive damage?
Sadly, it is attitudes such as your's that perpetuates this antagonism between motorists and cyclists. Just for the record, I don't actually have a problem with cyclists, just the rude, arrogant ones!

Plenty of crimes are committed by people without visible registration plates. We still catch them.

Cars kill around five people a day.

Cyclist have killed about 3 in the last couple of years.

It is not worth the expense and the disadvantages, to register cyclists.

Devoutspoken · 30/04/2023 20:10

Imavingoops- So bikes - that are smaller, lighter, slower than cars, cause just as much damage? Is that car brain muddled thinking?

sylvandweller · 30/04/2023 20:12

@TaLooLaBell

No, but they're more likely to be

Frabbits · 30/04/2023 20:15

StarDolphins · 30/04/2023 19:50

I’m so fed up of them doubling, trebling up & holding up the traffic really arrogantly. Get in single file. I have no issues if they’re single file in a line.

I do hope your car doesn't have a passenger seat.

Marchintospring · 30/04/2023 20:20

Lockheart · 30/04/2023 17:49

Yes, but only one group of those twats kills, disables or injures tens of thousands of people a year.

Show quote history

This is the problem though. It’s always the drivers fault. Despite most of the roads in the U.K. not being designed for cyclists. In the very busy SE at weekends it’s largely people in bikes using the roads for recreation alongside agricultural vehicles and people using the roads for work. It causes tensions. We don’t drive in velodromes or cycle lanes.

8810F · 30/04/2023 20:21

@sylvandweller

"Cars kill around five people a day"

Also @sylvandweller

"Cyclists live longer"

Interesting claim re the last statement. Where on earth does that particular statistic come from?

GeraltsBathtub · 30/04/2023 20:22

Marchintospring · 30/04/2023 20:20

This is the problem though. It’s always the drivers fault. Despite most of the roads in the U.K. not being designed for cyclists. In the very busy SE at weekends it’s largely people in bikes using the roads for recreation alongside agricultural vehicles and people using the roads for work. It causes tensions. We don’t drive in velodromes or cycle lanes.

Show quote history

At the weekend people are largely driving their cars for recreation too.

sylvandweller · 30/04/2023 20:24

8810F · 30/04/2023 20:21

@sylvandweller

"Cars kill around five people a day"

Also @sylvandweller

"Cyclists live longer"

Interesting claim re the last statement. Where on earth does that particular statistic come from?

www.menshealth.com/uk/health/a39726399/cyclists-live-longer-study/

The actual study is behind a paywall as I remember. This is a reasonable report of the study in an accessible magazine

8810F · 30/04/2023 20:24

@Whichnumbers

Filtering may well be legal although I'm fairly sure that the recommendation is to filter to the right but I could be wrong there. What isn't legal is causing damage to a driver's car in the process and then doing off.

converseandjeans · 30/04/2023 20:29

Agree with @saltinesandcoffeecups

Because cars and bicycles really shouldn’t be sharing the road. Yes, it’s perfectly legal and cyclists have every right to be there but there are just too many difference between the capabilities of the two

I always slow down & give space & overtake safely.

However I wonder how cyclists would feel if the rule was that pedestrians could walk two abreast on a shared path thus slowing them down considerably? Or toddler on scooter, child on bike, Mum pushing a buggy etc Would a few cyclists happily sit back behind these people going lots slower? Would they start to get irritated and complain about being held up?

8810F · 30/04/2023 20:29

@sylvandweller

An interesting read. I guess any form of exercise has to be more beneficial than none at all for those able to.

sylvandweller · 30/04/2023 20:30

8810F · 30/04/2023 20:29

@sylvandweller

An interesting read. I guess any form of exercise has to be more beneficial than none at all for those able to.

And another one, this time in the BMJ

www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1456

sylvandweller · 30/04/2023 20:33

converseandjeans · 30/04/2023 20:29

Agree with @saltinesandcoffeecups

Because cars and bicycles really shouldn’t be sharing the road. Yes, it’s perfectly legal and cyclists have every right to be there but there are just too many difference between the capabilities of the two

I always slow down & give space & overtake safely.

However I wonder how cyclists would feel if the rule was that pedestrians could walk two abreast on a shared path thus slowing them down considerably? Or toddler on scooter, child on bike, Mum pushing a buggy etc Would a few cyclists happily sit back behind these people going lots slower? Would they start to get irritated and complain about being held up?

They can and do, do this on shared paths.

I'll hang back, particularly for the elderly, obviously disabled or young children.

Because they have priority over me and I'm not an utter twat

GeraltsBathtub · 30/04/2023 20:33

converseandjeans · 30/04/2023 20:29

Agree with @saltinesandcoffeecups

Because cars and bicycles really shouldn’t be sharing the road. Yes, it’s perfectly legal and cyclists have every right to be there but there are just too many difference between the capabilities of the two

I always slow down & give space & overtake safely.

However I wonder how cyclists would feel if the rule was that pedestrians could walk two abreast on a shared path thus slowing them down considerably? Or toddler on scooter, child on bike, Mum pushing a buggy etc Would a few cyclists happily sit back behind these people going lots slower? Would they start to get irritated and complain about being held up?

Um, that is allowed on shared paths already. And yes the majority of cyclists will slow down and overtake when safe.

WhiteFire · 30/04/2023 20:36

Frabbits · 30/04/2023 19:24

For as long as it takes, which, to be honest, in about 99.99% of cases is about 30 seconds. Cyclists have as much right to be on the road and to not, y'know, be put in danger as anyone else.

Show quote history

https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/news/warwickshire/news/2023/april/cyclists-and-drivers-are-asked-to-be-considerate-of-each-other-on-the-roads/

Cyclists are expected to stop and allow cars to pass if necessary and safe to do so. Anyway that seems a good article for posters to read.

albapunk · 30/04/2023 20:42

Cyclist and driver here.

Genuinely concerned that someone on here admits they dont overtake properly because it's unsafe. My brain cannot compute...

Also, as a driver you come across LOTS of slow road users, that aren't cyclists. Broken down cars, learner drivers, wide loads, tractors...everyone seems to be able to overtake these fine, but a cylist who takes up far less room and should be easier to overtake as you have better visibility around them, are so irritating to some.

I have no doubt there is dangerous cyclists out there but at the end of the day, everyone should be using the road inline with the law and highway code.

I wonder how drivers veiw me when I'm on my bike. Do they realise I'm someone's partner, daughter, friend, sister...that I am loved by my family and friends? Because often I feel I am seen simply as a twat on a bike, not a person simply going about their day.