Cyclists in London are insane

[Newmum288]

Currently visiting from up north and all I can think is WTF??? Every time I try to cross the road with the pram, after diligently waiting for the green man, continually cyclists are ramming their way through pedestrians, even though the pedestrians are on green!
AIBU to think cyclists in London are insane?! So dangerous! Nearly been hit so many times

Yea theyre arseholes mostly

Yes, the situation has become crazy, and dangerous. My dh was commenting on this recently.

Yes - insanely dangerous.

The police do nothing about it, so they know they can do whatever they want.

I think there’s a particular newer type of dangerous cyclist (not the clueless tourist or impatient MAMIL in financial services racing home) - but the thousands of courier / delivery type drivers on bikes who don’t seem to have any understanding of traffic rules in the UK at all.

Driving up the pavement on electric bikes, scooters driving through pedestrianised areas etc.

I live in London and quite regularly face up to cyclists on the pavement (I just stop dead and let them find their way round me; I'm not stepping into the road for them), shout at them after they've whizzed over a zebra crossing or green man when I'm crossing on foot, and have altercations with the special kind of cycling cunt who thinks the 'no cycling' signs in pedestrian zones with those 'go-slow' barriers don't apply to them (and/or are 'just a suggestion, not the law' as one said to me when I pointed out the sign).
They're not all delivery drivers, by any means, and women do it as well as men, although I'd say men are more heavily represented.

Driving through Clapham a few weeks ago, we spotted one young, very-well dressed, woman on a Lime go through five separate sets of red lights. We were counting them. So it wasn't just a one-off mistake.

The past year in London has seen a terrifying decline in bike behaviour.

And e-bikes, a few killings of pedestrians already.

It's terrible, so many people in london are being injured and killed by cyclists - oh no, got that wrong, i meant cars

Yep, they are unbelievably selfish, dangerous and just utter bastards. Hate 99.9% of them

They’re an absolute menace and suffer no consequences for putting pedestrians in danger. And they’re usually the most sanctimonious bastards.

So unless people are being killed or injured, it doesn’t matter?

99% of deaths on uk roads are caused by motor vehicles, pedestrian deaths in london have risen, again due to motor vehicles

They are an absolute menace.

Don't stop at red lights. Don't stick to cycle paths. Drive on the pavement. Park their Lime Bikes in the middle of the pavement or middle of an underpass or Kensington against someone's car. Don't wear helmets or any safety gear. Ride two to a bike. Bikes altered so they can go faster than is legal.

I fear being knocked down by a bike more than a car now.

The absolute worst are the ones on the electric bikes that are basically mopeds.

I was responding to claims that they're dangerous

Also there have been a number of social media posts by disabled influencers documenting lime and forrest bikes just thrown haphazardly making it difficult for them to move about freely. They tag Sadiq Khan and the companies but nothing serious has been done. London is not a pedestrian friendly city anymore, especially the busy parts.

I don’t think the entry point for dangerous behaviour from cyclists starts at ‘did you kill or seriously injured anyone’.

Pedestrians should be able to walk down the pavement or cross the road on a red light, without cyclists careering towards them. It’s against the law, why are they exempt from following the rules of the road?

Also for those of us with small children and dogs - it’s VERY dangerous having bikes suddenly speeding at you (often with pedal assist so basically motorised)

These vehicles have rules on where they are used for a reason.

Pedestrians save the planet more than cyclists. With every step.

Just cos a pedestrian isn’t killed on the spot she deserves to be menaced, frightened and delayed?

By junk on a lime who thinks he’s better than the law and the eco-friendly?

The Cyclist’s Rulebook, Pt.1.

London pedestrians are a menace. Wandering out in to the road from between parked cars without looking up from their phones. Staggering into bike lanes. Dropping cans and glass into the bike lanes. Dashing across the road when it's on red for them. Stepping out right in front of bikes. Wearing black at night so they're invisible.
Not giving a stuff that a cyclist taking evasive action due to a pedestrian's poor behaviour could put them under a truck.

Anyone can be selfish and inconsiderate. They can be cyclists, pedestrians or motorists.

How about dog walkers with 3 metre extendable invisible (black) leads wafting along shared use paths without a care in the world for the hazard to any passing cyclist they're creating. Dog walkers think they're above the law don't they, I mean who cares if a cyclist gets knocked off a bike and injured because a dog walker wants to take up the entire path.

"it went under a lorry"

How thoroughly unpleasant for you to gloat about this.

You do know that both drivers and bike riders can both take some responsibility for their own actions. It doesn't have to be a competition. Have you considered that under some circumstances cyclists are getting hurt because they don't follow the rules of the road.

The roads would be a lot safer if cyclists didn't see drivers as the enemy and vice versa. Everyone following the rules would help that relationship.

(Speaking as a cyclist, car driver and motorcycle rider)

The problem with cyclists is that they do not look out for themselves because they expect car drivers to look after their safety instead.

The deliveroo ones are on their phone the whole time and ignore all red lights and don't know the difference between a pavement and a road. The lime bikers are tourists wobbling all over the place, drunk people or road men out to steal phones. The office workers all think they are in the Tour de France and have rage issues against all other road users and pedestrians. It is a jungle out there.

A while ago, I floated the idea on a thread about whether adult cyclists on public roads and pavements should have to have a reg plate/licence. Really was just thinking aloud and interested to hear arguments on both sides.

I barely made it out of there alive. 😂

I’ve noticed this too, it’s especially dangerous as a non-Londoner as I just assumed cyclists would stop for red lights like they do in my home town. Clearly that was a mistake!