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AIBU?

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Original poster

Cyclists who act like they own the road should pay towards it

744 replies

dreamingofsun · 10/08/2023 10:18

So cyclists get priority on the roads, and are happy to ride two abreast so they hold all the car traffic up. Shouldnt they at least pay towards the upkeep of the road?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
18
Cramlington567 · 13/08/2023 10:38

Owlet64 · 13/08/2023 09:48

@Bingbangbongbash

Not everyone has the luxury of factoring in cyclists into their daily journeys. Once again, a "one size fits all" response to someone daring to point out the frustrations often faced by drivers. No thought or consideration given from some cyclists to the possible needs of others as they and their time are far more important. (Not all cyclists I hasten to add!) Think delivery drivers who work to a schedule determined by opening hours, any employee who drives as part of their job who has to work within their work hours (e.g. site visits), GPs on call, care assistants, district nurses....the list goes on. But of course, any of the above are being completely unreasonable in their frustration at being held up just as the cyclists who regularly ding at me to move out of the way on shared paths or woodland tracks etc. ,must feel at being stuck behind a mere pedestrian. I have every right to be there just as they have every right to be on the road but I have to step aside to allow them on their way.

On the shared cycleway a bell is the right thing to use. The bell has only one sound so your interpretation of that is about you. It's not rude or entitled to use the bell on a shared cycle path.

MikeRafone · 13/08/2023 10:44

Not everyone has the luxury of factoring in cyclists into their daily journeys. Once again, a "one size fits all" response to someone daring to point out the frustrations often faced by drivers. No thought or consideration given from some cyclists to the possible needs of others as they and their time are far more important. (Not all cyclists I hasten to add!)

not everyone has the luxury of factoring in having a car to transport themselves for their daily journeys. Once again, a One Size fits all from people daring to point out the danger face by cyclists. No thought or consideration given from some drivers to the possible needs of others as they and their time are far more important (not all drivers I hasten to add)

DatumTarum · 13/08/2023 10:49

From rule 63 of the Highway Code:

Slow down when necessary and let them know you are there; for example, by ringing your bell (it is recommended that a bell is fitted to your bike), or by calling out politely.

OneTC · 13/08/2023 11:06

I rode my usual commute at a different time last night and it took me 10 minutes less with no cars on the road. I'm not even on a road for about quarter of the journey.

It is the presence of others that causes you not to be able to move as you wish. They could be bikes, horses, pedestrians. they are far more likely to be cars though.

Like I said earlier there are many good considerate drivers, I'm one myself Halo but there are also a real minority who just don't understand how traffic and cooperative road use actually works. This is evidenced by the people that overtake you so they can sit in a queue, or the people that pass you and get repassed 6 times on one stretch of road. Funnily enough these are the same people it's shit to drive around, never mind cycle

MikeRafone · 13/08/2023 11:09

I rode my usual commute at a different time last night and it took me 10 minutes less with no cars on the road. I'm not even on a road for about quarter of the journey.

I have found the same on numerous route, leave at 6am and the route takes me 20 minutes, leave at 9.30 and the same route takes me 30 minutes.

KingOfTheRoad123 · 13/08/2023 11:19

This reply has been deleted

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

Lonelycrab · 13/08/2023 11:20

Blimey😳

Frabbits · 13/08/2023 11:27

This reply has been deleted

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ooooh edgy.

DatumTarum · 13/08/2023 11:38

@KingOfTheRoad123

Lost your licence? 😁

TheaBrandt · 13/08/2023 11:45

An elderly man in an open top Mercedes did actually drive at Dh to drive him off the road. He got a home visit from the police for that one which I’m sure got the neighbours net curtains twitching. Old bastard Should have gone to prison imo but at least the police took some action.

Owlet64 · 13/08/2023 12:34

@MikeRafone

🥱

ProudToBeANorthener · 13/08/2023 13:41

Just shows how little you know, I had seen them coming and knew the road so I was stopped because I knew from butter experience that they would be abusive. The cycling club they belonged to was reported to the police on more than one occasion for poor behaviour and at times the police “policed” the road in question

Flickersy · 13/08/2023 13:55

Not everyone has the luxury of factoring in cyclists into their daily journeys

Tough shit. Factor it in. Its not a luxury, it's just reality.

I'm a driver, not a cyclist. But I am not so silly as to think that any journey I do will be unimpeded. By cyclists, slow drivers, tractors, lorries overtaking each other (A1 yesterday...), broken down vehicles, road works, road traffic accidents, bad weather, water on the road, branches on the road, people parking on the side of the road, horse riders, combine harvesters, road closures...

Its not your damn road. Others use it.

DatumTarum · 13/08/2023 13:56

ProudToBeANorthener · 13/08/2023 13:41

Just shows how little you know, I had seen them coming and knew the road so I was stopped because I knew from butter experience that they would be abusive. The cycling club they belonged to was reported to the police on more than one occasion for poor behaviour and at times the police “policed” the road in question

What makes me suspect that you've got NIP on its way to you

ProudToBeANorthener · 13/08/2023 14:30

For what exactly? Unfortunately, resorting to flinging personal insults at me simply proves that you have no idea what it’s like to be on the receiving end of their inconsiderate, at best, and abusive at worst, behaviour. I hoped for better than this but will bow out now that the mud slinging has begun.

DatumTarum · 13/08/2023 14:40

ProudToBeANorthener · 13/08/2023 14:30

For what exactly? Unfortunately, resorting to flinging personal insults at me simply proves that you have no idea what it’s like to be on the receiving end of their inconsiderate, at best, and abusive at worst, behaviour. I hoped for better than this but will bow out now that the mud slinging has begun.

What insult?

If cyclists are being mean to you, there's a reason.

Nobody decides to argue with several tons of steel and combustion engine (that's you) for fun.

Owlet64 · 13/08/2023 15:20

@Cramlington567

On the shared cycleway a bell is the right thing to use. The bell has only one sound so your interpretation of that is about you. It's not rude or entitled to use the bell on a shared cycle path.

I didn't say that it was rude or entitled. That is your interpretation! I am well aware that the Highway Code states that a bell should be rung to alert a pedestrian to a cyclist's presence so that the cyclist can overtake safely. Hopefully, both cyclist and pedestrian are then safe.
Are you suggesting that on very narrow tracks (where it would require a pedestrian to move aside to avoid sending the cyclist into a ditch, grass verge, debris, tree roots, debris etc) that the cyclist just rings a bell to inform the pedestrian they are there but will then happily (and without frustration) cycle very slowly behind the pedestrian for as long as it takes? Yeah right! 😂BTW, I always move aside for cyclists to pass as that is the considerate thing to do; a concept clearly very unfamiliar to some on this thread. The cyclists in question are mostly appreciative, offer their thanks, smiles all round, everybody happy. A bit of give and take and possibly a bit of "pay it forward" prevents so much unnecessary rudeness and animosity.

DatumTarum · 13/08/2023 15:26

Cyclists: stop killing us!

Motorists: don't be so rude!

DdraigGoch · 13/08/2023 15:29

ProudToBeANorthener · 13/08/2023 09:45

I am sure that it is excellent advice but where’s the equivalent for the cyclists? Do
motorists deliberately set out to drive cyclists off the road?

A twat in a white BMW with a personalised registration certainly tried his best today.

DdraigGoch · 13/08/2023 15:33

Cramlington567 · 13/08/2023 10:38

On the shared cycleway a bell is the right thing to use. The bell has only one sound so your interpretation of that is about you. It's not rude or entitled to use the bell on a shared cycle path.

Show quote history

Quite, sometimes I use it to mean "carry on as you are, I'm just alerting you to my presence so that you don't make any sudden changes of direction"

Ideally more paths would be properly segregated, with a small kerb between cycle and footpaths (and another kerb down to the road) so that pedestrians aren't bimbling all over.

DdraigGoch · 13/08/2023 15:43

TheaBrandt · 13/08/2023 11:45

An elderly man in an open top Mercedes did actually drive at Dh to drive him off the road. He got a home visit from the police for that one which I’m sure got the neighbours net curtains twitching. Old bastard Should have gone to prison imo but at least the police took some action.

Locally a man rammed a cyclist shouting "I'm going to f*&%ing kill you" before driving off, later going back down the road with his wife driving so that he could rubberneck.

All caught on camera, audio and all. Should have been attempted murder, yet all that he got done for was driving without due care and attention - for which he got a slap on the wrist.

This video (by a Canadian who has lived in multiple countries and now resides in the Netherlands) talks well about societal attitudes:

Anyway, after the aforementioned BMW driver, can anyone recommend a good helmet camera?

Owlet64 · 13/08/2023 15:54

@DdraigGoch

Quite, sometimes I use it to mean "carry on as you are, I'm just alerting you to my presence so that you don't make any sudden changes of direction"

Genuine question, what do you mean the other times and how is a pedestrian supposed to know what your intentions are when a bell makes just one sound? As I stated, I would always step aside anyway. 🤷

DdraigGoch · 13/08/2023 16:01

TeresaCrowd · 12/08/2023 23:04

@DdraigGoch the ones near me the council went out and painted give way markings on loads of the cycle lanes recently where they meet side roads. I reckoned it was linked to the new Highway Code guidance as road markings still have to be followed. They also turn the path away from the main road towards the side road at crossings and then hide it with trees so cars turning in can no longer see the cycle path and bikes can’t see cars turning in until they have turned. I know this means you should go at a speed where you can stop but so many still take the corners fast in a car. If you can see it you can avoid it doesn’t seem to have been heeded here.

I note in Belgium/The Netherlands visibility at junctions is nigh on always an awful lot better so cars can stop short of the cycle lane and still see the road clearly to pull out. Here we like sticking shit in the way… it’s either trees, buildings/walls or street furniture that makes visibility harder for drivers hence the creep into on road cycle lanes in London (not where I’m from but where I’ve also done plenty of cycling) so whilst they are in the wrong here I do sympathise with the drivers a bit too.

Going down a Youtube rabbit hole I've stumbled across this. Interestingly the Dutch no longer install dropped kerbs to bring the pavement down to road height. Instead they put a ramp in to bring the road up to the height of the pavement, forcing drivers to slow down. It also makes life much easier for wheelchair users.

The relevant but is 20 minutes in:

DdraigGoch · 13/08/2023 16:04

Owlet64 · 13/08/2023 15:54

@DdraigGoch

Quite, sometimes I use it to mean "carry on as you are, I'm just alerting you to my presence so that you don't make any sudden changes of direction"

Genuine question, what do you mean the other times and how is a pedestrian supposed to know what your intentions are when a bell makes just one sound? As I stated, I would always step aside anyway. 🤷

On other occasions it might mean "excuse me, please", just the same as anyone else would if someone's walking three-abreast and hasn't noticed someone wishing to pass.

People can establish what message I am trying to convey by looking over their shoulder to see where the noise is coming from, and hence decide whether or not they need to move or carry on.

Owlet64 · 13/08/2023 16:16

@DdraigGoch

Thank you. It's nice to see a reply that is polite.