AIBU to find cyclists annoying

[MumOfTheNorth]

This probably is unreasonable but I just find cyclists so annoying. Not saying every cyclist does every one of these things. It just seems to happen a lot. Am I the only one that gets this irrational irritation?

What I find annoying...

• Taking up the whole road so you can't leave enough space to safely over take
• Weaving in and out of traffic
• Walking around cafes or the office in sweaty lycra with their click clacky shoes
• Running red lights when I'm trying to cross on a green man
• Cycling on the pavement
• Not tucking in on small country roads once in a while when there's a massive que of traffic behind them
• Having no lights or helmet on in the dark
• And most of all... talking to me about cycling

Women wear clicky clacky shoes too

thank you for slowing down.

I think both car drivers are cyclists get more idiotic by the day. That being said, I drive to work every day on the outskirts of London and find most cyclists sensible. You're meant to give them plenty of room. It's other drivers that are the scariest and most dangerous.

Sometimes the cycle paths are a wonderful thing that keep you out of traffic and away from cars safely. I use them then.

Sometimes they are full of drains, potholes, on a camber, smashed bottles or occasionally so badly designed and placed in the road that it would be dangerous to use them. Cycle lanes next to footpaths are often used by pedestrians.

I'm happy to give cyclists the space and time they need on the road, however it is the other frustrated drivers that stress me out when I cannot pass a cyclist unless it's safe to do so. It is just so dangerous on busy two way road with cars rushing to overtake cyclists on each side into veering into oncoming traffic, which l have seen leading to a horrific accident. I now just certain roads at weekends now for this very reason as the lycra gang are out in force.

There will be a reason. Reasons I’ve experienced: I’m turning right and there’s no way to make that turn from the bike path; it’s a shared bike path/pavement, and there are too many pedestrians/dogs/children on it for me to cycle down it safely at any speed; it is poorly designed (have to give way at every side road and driveway), or poorly maintained (broken glass, overgrown brambles, etc).

Or best of all, in the case of one in Stevenage, it goes down an underpass and straight through the middle of a traveller settlement (literally between the trailers). Great work Stevenage Council, in a single planning move you’ve pissed off both cyclists and travellers.

I don't cycle.

I will say that even though you are entitled to your opinion OP, this kind of anti cyclist rhetoric emboldens people to behave appallingly towards cyclists.

Close drive bys, yelling at them to try and knock them off, threatening them etc. The horrible people that do these kind of things, think it's okay because 'everyone hates cyclists'. The results of your poll reinforce that.

Yes it can be a little frustrating if you get stuck for a while, or having to look out for cyclists zipping in and out. However a little vigilance and patience makes us all better drivers, and hopefully better people.

I don't have a car so I cycle everywhere and I also fucking hate the cyclist. I live in the city center with excellent cycling paths and those condoms (we call the lycra/latex crews this) on wheels are so fucking annoying. It's a busy city centre cycling path where everyone is going leisurely making sure everyone is safe but then the wanekrs have to go 100 mi/h and yell obscenities to other normal cyclists.

I live in London so pavement cyclists are my number one pet hate! Especially the ones going super fast. Also, cyclists on canal paths who just go past you not slowing down and not saying thank you.

Not exactly cyclists (more like drug runners and juvenile delinquents) but also hate all the idiots on clicking stolen Lime bikes - you see those more than regular Lime bikes, seems like no one is paying for them! They just cycle all over the place, road, pavement, who cares.

Where I live in Northamptonshire there is equal amounts of dickhead drivers to dickhead cyclists so it kind of just balances out. Most cyclists are thoughtful and use the road safely. Most drivers, the same.

I think it depends where you live.

It is annoying that one person can make a bus load of people crawl along.

I wonder if this is a regional thing, because where I live, (affluent town if it's relevant) every single cyclist. Every. Single. One. Is a complete and utter entitled arsehole.
If I can be arsed to online date, any mention of being a cyclist gets an immediate left swipe.

Didn’t take long for Rishi Sunak’s “the war on the motorist is over” bollocks to trickle down!

https://x.com/isabelleclement/status/1710273847641903237?s=46&t=6ReKAbxD2gRFwL---KRV8w

for many people cycling is a viable alternative to travelling by other means. Locally we have a one legged cyclists, you wouldn’t know unless you look carefully. For many people a bike can be a great walking aid, far better than a car in many circumstances.

https://www.lewisreedgroup.co.uk/2023/06/28/bicycles-as-a-mobility-aid/

https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/my-cycle-my-mobility-aid-recognising-cycles-mobility-aid

the fact half of cyclists with disabilities have been asked to dismount even when it’s physically impossible for some just shows the ignorance of others

perhaps more tolerance of people and understanding not everyone can use a car for various reasons

For every annoying cyclist, there’s probably 100 annoying drivers.

what a bizarre comment about the noise of their shoes in cafes. Do you propose they keep a pair of trainers in their back pockets so they can change? If something as minor as that annoys you, I don’t know what to suggest.

My comment was more for flame throwing purposes. Obviously at 4am I am not speaking sense. I just don't like how many road users there are. Worrying about cyclists on the left, scooter people flying out of nowhere, motorbike up my backside. A lady just wants to driver her motor at 20mph in peace!!

My DS cycles his commute and I try not to think about it as it’s so dangerous.

I try to treat cyclists the same as motorists, giving them plenty of space when overtaking etc. However, twice in the past five years I have had cyclists react angrily to me treating them the same as other road users/cars.

First one was a man cycling as fast as he possibly could, head down, and actually tried to undertake me when I was indicating in plenty of time that I was going to turn left. No cycle lane, he was just going hell for leather by the kerb. A car behind me would have to slightly slow down to allow for the left turn, and wouldn’t dream of trying to undertake. Apparently I was a wanker for continuing in my manoeuvre and forcing him to stop.

Second one was recent. I was in middle lane of three lanes of traffic. Cyclist in left hand lane indicated right just as I was a few feet behind them. If that were a car, I would pass them, and leave them to pull out and change lanes when it was safe to do so. At traffic lights further on, the same cyclist berated me. Apparently I should have slammed my brakes on to accommodate them.

So sometimes you feel like you can’t win.

Can't cycle on the pavements round here, they're all full of parked cars.
Particularly love the drivers who park illegally and drive on the pavements TOWARDS my kids on the school run. They could park 100 metres round the corner but no, they all fight over a small patch to be as close to the school gate as possible.

It is not cyclists causing traffic. It is multiple people driving a huge vehicle, Normally with only 1 person inside, taking up vast amounts of space. If we stopped cycling and all drove, you'd be really screwed.

Sounds like you can’t cope with driving, are you actually safe on the road

Yanbu

Why does cyclists not wearing helmets bother you? I think it's that that gives away your true belief - that you as a car driver are superior to the stupid cyclists.

Fyi the evidence is that compulsory helmet use is detrimental to public health. But even if helmet use does confer a benefit to the wearer, it has no effect on you, surely?

I am deaf. Please use your bell when cycling up behind me. I’m far more likely to hear that than “excuse me”

Twice in the past 5 years? I suggest you ask your ds how often in the past 5 years he's experienced dangerous, inconsiderate or abusive behaviour from motorists. It will probably be more like once a week.

Really?! I wouldn't be happy about that cheeky af

They’ll be staying in the middle because there isn’t enough width to leave a decent distance when you overtake. Also, edges of roads tend to be crap, with unevenness and drainage grills of the exact width to trap a cycle wheel.

If they’re really holding up traffic, they should allow you to overtake when it’s safe to do so.