The hatred towards cyclists/horse riders etc

[RH1234]

Following on from a conversation on another thread; AIBU to think that the hatred towards all cyclists/other road users I.e. horses is completely atrocious and unjustified.

Lots of people will make comments about “I bet they were in Lycra”, “I dislike road cyclists”, “they don’t even pay road tax”.

My question is not; do you hate cyclists. My question is why do you hate me someone you have not met) as a cyclist?

For perspective:

1. I pay VED (Road tax doesn’t exist) on 3 vehicles.
2. I have insurance for my bikes - which includes public liability etc. My cycle insurance is genuinely more expensive than my car, I also have free insurance through British Cycling.
3. I don’t run red lights (for transparency, I have been through one red light, floor sensors don’t pick up carbon fibre, it was 5am, after waiting a few minutes, with no cars I went through)
4. I cycle an average of 19-23mph, I can overtake tractors near me, I’m smaller than a tractor surely you can pass me.
5. I do ride two abreast if in a group, but if passing is difficult, as per the Highway Code we ensure you can pass when safe.
6. When riding on my own, I wave cars past so they can often go before they can see.
7. Yes I wear Lycra - but you try cycling 100 miles without decent chamois in place. I won’t mention leg hair as that’s a whole different subject for you.
8. My wife use to love cycling, but won’t ride on the road now due to the drivers attitudes.

AIBU to be annoyed that I don’t do any of the things people moan about, yet people will hate me, some people will hurl abuse, some people will literally try and drive me off the road (luckily not that often for the last one)

All I want is, to enjoy the sport I’m love, get fit and then spend the time with my family. Yet my wife has said to me, she is anxious when I’m out and follows me on find my iPhone, because she’s terrified someone will one day leave me for dead in a ditch.

Surely a two minute delay is not unreasonable? I don’t judge based on hobbies or backgrounds, why am I judged?

AIBU in thinking that those who state they hate cyclists clearly are either media influenced or just plain horrible people.

Apologies, this has turned into more of a rant than a AIBU, but I’m sure you get the gist.

I live in an area where cycle clubs come out from London every weekend, ride 2 abreast, in groups of 20, everyone here utterly, utterly, loathes them

Thankfully, Ride ‘London’ which went through the town and all the local villages, paralysing the whole area for a weekend, has been successfully stopped.

No beef with horse riders whatsoever.

I'm not sure i know what you mean, but basically some cyclists have slowed you down sometimes?

And traffic jams dont paralyse areas?

For those doubting the hate we endure…..

I was out riding on Sunday, minding my own business, not causing any kind of hold up or hazard.

Random man in a car came alongside me, slowed, put down his window and shouted a mouthful of abuse at me.

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident and at least a 1/2 - 1/3 occurrence when I ride on my own.

So yeah…… cyclists are the problem and not car drivers who can’t control their emotions.

I'm not sure why you have put horse riders in with cyclists.
They are the only group that are not an issue.

Second to that is motorbikers that have been riding for 5 - 10 yrs and they are easy to spot and are in the main excellent on the roads because they have survived, so their awareness is second to none.

As for the rest I hate those that are stupid on the road.
Today I had a car come towards me and move into my lane to overtake a cyclist, not the cyclists fault all the danger was caused by the car driver. Idiot
Got stuck behind a family on a country road, no bother, no rush to overtake but they clearly hadn't thought out the route as the father (at the back) was holding onto the 3/4 yr old's handle bars (WTF) and pretty much dragging him down the road as the poor little tyke was knackered. So idiot and dangerous already, then add the frantic waving me past on a blind hump back bridge with another blind bend after it. Also stupid. I decide when I overtake.

Link in the dangerous riding of delivery riders on mopeds/scooters and electric bikes, no signaling, poor road positioning and fuck knows what they are doing at roundabouts.

But no @RH1234 I don't hate you, I hate stupid, dangerous and not taking responsibility for being such. But you are a hazard, anything on the road is a hazard if you don't think so you probably shouldn't be on the road.

He's not mine, he's a school horse but yeah he's kind of a dick.

Though if a car drives so close to him as to be in kicking distance, I'd argue that they deserve it.

I've never met anyone who dislikes horse riders as a group.

Nor farmers with slow tractors.

There is something of a general dislike of a certain kind of cyclist. And more recently, I've seen people express dislike for people on electric scooters in the city.

It's because of the (generalised) differences in behaviour between these groups of peopel.

The electric scooters are illegal unless they are rented and part of the current trial scheme.

But cars don’t go out in big groups to compete and block the roads for everyone else. Cycling clubs do.

It seems apparent from this thread that most beef is with big cycling groups blocking roads. And l have beef with this too.

Horses, family and commuting cyclists are no trouble. It’s the MAMILS that cause the ire.

Which tradespeople though?

Joiners, builders, electricians, plumbers, gardeners, window cleaners all have cumbersome equipment. You can’t really carry a pile of bricks on a bike.

I have started cycling the nursery run with my 3 year old DD on a child seat (placed between me and the handlebars), because I got utterly sick of the traffic and the complete inability to park. Much quicker on a bike and she loves it. We are only 1.5 miles away but half of that has no pavement to walk on, and I don’t have a lot of time in the morning either. I was really, really worried about aggressive drivers as we live somewhere with a lot of Lycra clad cycling clubs taking up roads and it’s no secret they’re hated - but the pair of us on our yellow Brompton, her in her little nursery T-shirt and pink unicorn helmet and me in jeans and a T-shirt have had nothing but smiles and “hellos” (bar one white van man who called me a silly bint) so it’s made me wonder whether the hatred of cyclists (and it’s definitely a thing) is a hatred of a certain type of cyclist?

The thing is plenty of cyclists do all the things you mentioned and it is happening more and more often.

Just this last month alone these are incidents I had with cyclists.

1. My child is taught to wait until the green man comes to cross. About a month ago she patiently waited for said green man and walked out when a cyclist nearly ploughed into her. When it told him off he called me a bitch.

1. Whilst driving on a windy but relatively busy country road we got stuck behind 3 cyclists riding abreast. No one moved in at all. When we got to a straight piece of road allowing an overtake they spaced out further making it more difficult and dangerous to overtake.

1. Witnessed a cyclist fly past stopped traffic in a congested road with no concern of why traffic has stopped to nearly collide with an oncoming ambulance.

1. Got off a bus to be nearly knocked over by a cyclist who was speeding down the fucking pavement.

1. Watched a load of cyclists who failed to stop at a zebra crossing for an elderly man who was clearly to scared to attempt to cross a cycle lane as not one of the many assholes made any effort to slow down.

The problem may not be you individually but as a group they are increasingly becoming a law onto themselves and creating dangerous situations for themselves and other people. I don't hate all cyclists, my DH is one, but there needs to be a degree of accountability.

I don’t hate you personally; I don’t know you. I don’t hate cyclists either, it’s too strong of a term. I don’t like sharing the road with cyclists because they are an inconvenience to me and I am impatient.

Most of the cyclists I come across aren’t doing anything wrong at all, they’re just in the way. It’s like being stuck behind a slow walker, or a browser with a trolley in the supermarket. I just want to get a move on.

I understand that cyclists are entitled to be there, that it’s good for the environment, that my car is the real hazard blah blah blah but the simple fact is, cyclists being on the road forces me to slow down/stop/wait which is an inconvenience.

I am very courteous to cyclists because I appreciate that they are just people going about their business too, and I want them all to get home safe to their families. However, in my perfect world, I wouldn’t have to share the road with them.

I don’t feel this way about horse riders at all, but I suppose I would if I came across as many of them as I do cyclists. It’s always a bit of an excitement to come across a horse, especially with the kids in the car.

But they do pay general/council tax (which pays for the roads), many do have insurance through British cycling for example, and most actually will own cars anyway and pay VED if that’s your requirement.

'many do have insurance through British cycling for example'

Many is good but it should be a legal requirement for both cyclists and horse riders to have insurance to use roads as it is for motorists.

Including children?

They tend to go on pavements. I've never never seen five year olds bombing down a country lane, cycling 2 abreast hogging the road causing a hazard for anyone trying to get passed them.

Horse riders are required to have insurance, including for children.

It should also be a legal requirement for drivers to be assessed on how they pass cyclists and horses on public roads. Every year should suffice, seeing as its drivers who are the issue.

It is illegal to ride a horse on a pavement.

I don't think you actually know what you're talking about do you?

Drivers have to pass driving tests including theory. What assessment is there for horse riders?!

I was talking about cyclists. Mind I have seen plenty of horses on pavements round here. you're right I didn't know it was illegal. Thanks for that.

I don't hate all cyclists but get very frustrated with them when they're obviously aware that you need to pass and are riding side by side. Why not move out of the way?
They do create dangerous situations at times.

Pavements are for pedestrians. That's why cyclists and horse riders are classed as vulnerable road users, because they can't use pavements! However it is sometimes safer for them to pull up onto a pavement to let something eg a lorry/truck pass

Ride Safe/Road Rider exams run by the BHS. I've already mentioned these!
Many riders opt to sit these. My 13 Yr old had just done them