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.

" 80 per cent of all cyclists by the age of 50 need hip and knee replacements"

No they don't. That's patently made-up nonsense.

Collflower and cheese

The fatalities are mainly due to motor vehicles, shall we not allow women out to lower the rape numbers?

Supermarkets deliver, some tradespeople use cargo bikes, car share schemes can be used for trips to tips etc, humans can adapt

Do you have a link to those stats

The "cyclists in particular" in my post referenced the original title of this thread. I have found that horse riders are generally more considerate of other road users than cyclists.

Inconsiderate (not to say crap) drivers are of course two a penny......

If you aren’t looking out for cyclists and pedestrians you are a dangerous driver and shouldn’t be on the road .

What utter nonsense

@mintydoggyv
I’m sure will come back with all their made up statistics to suit their agenda….

You clearly don’t understand living rurally and having no shop, school, doctors etc in our village. The only way to access any services is to drive. The single road through our village truly is a lifeline to the outside World, much more than to people who can walk to a shop or have multiple routes to choose from.

As for the delay caused by cyclists - I do cope, I have to. Doesn’t mean I don’t get frustrated. The OP asked why people might dislike them as a cyclist, and I explained why.

Why do you think you’re more important than them because you’re driving?

They find having to think about cars all the time inconvenient. You are just equal road users.

I live rural, you don’t make any sense.

Anyone hating on anyone for something someone else did is just purely moronic, I have zero respect for people who make huge generalisations based on bad experiences with individuals.

I live in an area full of woodlands, farms, narrow roads... Busy, working full-time, juggling school drop-offs and pick-ups with the car, every day. So, do I get annoyed when I see that I will be stuck behind a cyclist for a few minutes? I will definitely sigh, I usually have somewhere to be, but will not switch to reckless mode or start swearing at the cyclist for just existing. He/she would have nothing to do with my trip, just like I don't have anything to do with theirs.
Do I hate cyclists - and you, purely for being one? Of course not. Do I hate the cyclists who are inconsiderate and go side-by-side on these narrow roads so going past them becomes impossible? You bet. I hate inconsiderate people. I am sorry, just like how I don't own the road, neither do they, and knowingly holding people up, while you have the option to make the situation different is just being self-entitled. I could not with good conscience cycle away next to my buddy, chatting about the weather while people behind us are queuing up, when and all it would take is for us to form a single file to let others go...

I'll bite. I live in an area beloved by cyclists. 20 mph on winding roads with few passing places is a pain. Cyclists travelling 2 abreast are legal but again, slow the traffic from 40 to 20 mph. We can't get past you, the roads are winding.
Don't wave me on, I know the roads better than visiting cyclists and it's rarely safe.
Cyclists going to work or school, fair enough, out for your Sunday jolly? Don't expect to be popular. Cars stuck behind a peloton of cyclists won't be fans.
Horses? No problem at all.
I'm sure you're lovely in real life.

Not sure what you don't understand. Cyclist slow the traffic on the only available road.

They can't be airlifted to the bridleway?

I wish there were more cycle lanes.
But, since you asked…

I work in a small city, which has quite narrow roads leading into the town centre. Only one lane in each direction, and always delays due to lights or roadworks.
Often I’ll be waiting in traffic, and a cyclist will squeeze past on my left.
When traffic gets moving, it’s really difficult to pass them because the road is so narrow and there’s oncoming traffic . There ends up being longer lines of traffic with a cyclist at the front, holding everyone up.

I hate that they can do this. OP, wouldn’t that irritate you?

Because people don't like being delayed by other people playing their hobby on a public road . . .

Neither cyclists or horses bother me (unless I really need a wee and am stuck behind!), cars driving up my arse and flashing me to overtake the bike or revving do wind me up. I'll pass when it's safe for everyone!

I always leave a good distance between me and the cyclist so they don't panic and overtake on the other side of the road, it would be really nice if cyclists has the courtesy to pull into driveways or onto the (empty) pavement for 10 seconds to let people past though, rather than being too focused on their strava time! Especially on roads where there's plenty of opportunity to pull in and very few (if any) to safely overtake.

Tractors, horses, slower vans and cyclists with kids have all pulled in to let me past before, even I as a fairly fast driver have done it for cars clearly faster! But never has a lycra clad road bike rider done the same, it's good road manners

Really steep hill no cycle lane no footpath on one side riding two abreast struggling because you know its a dang heatwave blind hill ahead so no-one will overtake them just in case they all die thats why cyclists are not liked its a piss poor road for cars and they decided to cycle it

If it's not safe to overtake the two cyclists riding two abreast, it's not safe to overtake the cyclists riding in single file/ solo either.
So it makes absolutely no difference to your journey, and is completely within the law/ Highway Code.
If the cyclists were taking up more than one lane of the road, that would be a different matter. But it doesn't sound like that's the case.
Lots of winding rural roads would be much safer if people drove at lower speeds on them, so perhaps we should be applauding the cyclists and horse-riders for helping to calm the traffic?

I ride a bike pretty much every day, it's my main form of transport, not a 'jolly' at all. Unfortunately I live in an area beloved by car-drivers (most of whom do not live in the immediate vicinity themselves but drive through from wealthier suburbs), of the kind who park inconsiderately and illegally (I see cars and vans double-parked, parked on pavements, blocking cycle lanes and zig zags around pedestrian crossings every single day). I'm not sure they're lovely people at all. In my experience inconsiderate/ selfish road users are like that, no matter what vehicle they're using.

I know it’s not safe to overtake thanks so I don’t. You are entitled to your opinion and I am to mine.

I cycle my son to school and also drive so have nothing against cyclists. Bikes serve a purpose for commuting, nobody is commuting on a horse are they! I've been stuck behind a horse drove up slowly wide berth to have its owner screaming at my while it danced about on the fucking road. Horses are a liability.

I thought we hadn't had one of these 'BUT WHAT ABOUT ME!, MY CAR IS MORE IMPORTANT!' threads for a while

At least it's an old zombie thread that's been resurrected a year later so we don't have to repeat half the arguments!

Today I took my horse out in a 3.5 T horsebox. Obviously have to go through some rural lanes because that's where our stables are.

We also have to drive a bit slower, brake a bit more carefully & take corners a bit wider & more gently (ie drive a bit more carefully & with more attention like everyone else should be doing)

The amount of drivers that get cross & frustrated at having to go below the speed limit or pull right in to a passing place or reverse so I can get the box through.

Probably the same ones that say 'horses shouldn't be on roads that's what horse boxes are for'

We can't win!!

While they are driving to theirs or going out for lunch 🤣