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

[DataColour]

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.

I don't mind cyclist, I do cycling myself. But one category of cyclist i can't stand us entitled middle-aged men who think the road belongs to them, most of them are Fred, they are more money than brain!!!

I do think it was better when cyclists were single rather than 2 abreast even though it is the new regulation

I think it’s the sheer increase in cyclists that’s causing the issue, and our transport network isn’t set up to cope. The roads around here (semi rural) are full of groups of middle aged men in Lycra every weekend. Obviously we drive considerately but I will confess I sometimes think ‘for goodness sake’ when I round a corner and come across ANOTHER group of them. However- they are entitled to be there, car drivers have a responsibility towards them and fundamentally they are human beings, not a homogenous mass of annoyances and we all deserve to get home safely at the end of the day.

What I did find fascinating was being told that DC and I were in the ‘wrong’ place on a cycle path by a ‘man in Lyra on a bike’ the other day. My 7yo is just as entitled to be in that cycle lane, even if they aren’t going at speeds that daft bloke was used to… 🙄

As someone who walks on shared paths around an hour a day, you are a rare breed.

All the behaviour cyclists accuse drivers of - impatience at bring slowed down, passing too close, abuse, having no care for the more vulnerable user- is exactly what the majority of cyclists show to pedestrians on shared paths.

That is why I dislike cyclists.

And let's not forget:

"Drivers are fat lazy marshmallows"

and

"Most cyclists are drivers too!"

Which exactly what you should do. No matter where a cyclist is, they should be overtaken the same way as a car, IE by crossing the centre line.

It's not better to cycle in single file. Single file is more dangerous for the cyclist. Plus it's actually harder to overtake a line of cyclists correctly.

I would have thought it would give the driver more room to overtake if it's single file

@albapunk

everyone should be using the road inline with the law and highway code

Totally agree. The issue here is that where motorists are required to pass a theory test, no such regulation exists for cyclists. Where I am sure that most are sensible enough to be clued up, I can imagine there are so many who aren't.

You should treat a bike as if they were a car when you overtake them. How many abreast/their road position is irrelevant. If you couldn't overtake a car, you shouldn't overtake a bike.

Plus it takes longer to overtake if the bikes are in single file. That's hugely dangerous for the cyclist.

Before I learnt this, and still cycled single file, I got knocked off by a driver who didn't have enough time to overtake us all, so pulled back into me, to avoid him hitting the oncoming car.

Yes, to avoid him hitting the car coming towards him, he drove his ton of metal into me.

@GeraltsBathtub @sylvandweller

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

Not where I live they don't. They fly past really close. It was a nightmare in lockdown. For some bizarre reason despite the roads being almost empty they were using the cycle path that was a shared. My mother in law was almost knocked over 🤷🏻‍♀️

My husband was deliberately knocked off his bike whilst cycling normally and within the rules by a car full of laughing men. He broke his elbow and it took months for him to get back the confidence to get back on his bike

Agreed - if you swap out the word cyclists for drivers.

I’m both and think car drivers are without doubt the most dangerous people on the roads. They aren’t aware or professionally experienced in the way say truck drivers are, and aren’t aware or scared/vigilant enough like cyclists are because 1 ton of metal might hit you because they perceive they’ve lost 30 seconds of their day so will choose to overtake dangerously.

@TooBored1

Yes fair enough 😀 makes sense

I would always take care around cyclists as a driver anyway

Sorry you got hurt

Thank you.

Did you really just write “sheer increase in cyclists that the transport network is not set up to cope with”.

😂

Are you getting confused with cars?

This drives me mad too. Groups of them en masse on a Sunday morning yelling their conversations at each other loudly to make their presence felt. Always men too, groups of females dont seem to feel the need to impose in the same way.

I just spat my tea out! 😂

@Owchy cheers for that 🙄

It’s indisputable. We don’t have enough cycle lanes and provision is generally crap. Cars and bikes meet often in situations where it’s not safe. Other European counties have far far better setups.

I am a cyclist and a driver so I have skin on both sides of this game. There has been a massive increase in ‘hobby’ distance cycling in recent years. The roads (and out driving culture) are not set up to respond properly.

If you want to have a sensible discussion about this rather than poking fun, I’m more than happy to do so ✌️

And a lot of cyclists do this. I did it twice today, not immediately as I had to wait until there was a flatter bit of verge but when I could I pulled off the road. Both drivers waved thanks/tooted so they seemed happy enough.

Anyone who did have to wait a while behind me got a wave of thanks from me for waiting when they did overtake.

I have slowed down for every single walker on the shared use path I was on for a bit, called out to make sure they knew I was there, thanked everyone I passed. Asked every horse rider I passed if it was ok to pass.

I do consider myself a considerate cyclist. That doesn’t mean jumping off the road immediately for every single car, but I certainly would not want a car to have to stay behind me for more than a couple of mins max. But if it’s something like a busy A road then I can’t keep stopping, it’s not safe.

Most drivers are patient and considerate. There’s some fucking entitled idiots who can’t drive.

The roads aren't set up to cope with this volume of cars either, every where is clogged with motor vehicles, either parked or moving and yet its bicycles causing the issue?!

Marchintospring - 'we don't drive in velodromes' - sorry that has to be one of the most ridiculous anti bike rants I have ever heard, are pedestrians allowed to walk down the road?

My view is because they are on roads that they can't keep up with the speed on.
A 50mph single lane round here with pavements on either side which in my 40 years of living here have probably since less than 10 people use why don't they use the pavement? Baffles me that cyclists are happy to be on the road with cars whizzing past at 50mph yet to move onto the pavement with no pedestrians would be safer for everyone.
Let's not forget the ones that use the road instead of the cycle lane running adjacent to it 🙄
Things like that make me feel cyclists are just taking the piss and trying to get hit by a car just so they can bleat about nasty car drivers.