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

On my way to work this morning I saw 3 different cyclists going straight through red lights without even slowing down. 2 of them narrowly missed pedestrians crossing the road. I saw more weaving through traffic, again oblivious to pedestrians or cars turning off or onto the main road. I saw several without helmets or lights, and some speeding right in front of cars turning onto a roundabout.
It’s as if the rules of the road don’t apply to them.
I know 3 people who’ve been severely injured while cycling: one now with brain damage, one now missing a foot, and a third who spent best part of a year in hospital being pinned back together. I think you’d have to be crazy to cycle on the main roads in London. We have bus/ cycle lanes near us; it was cyclists using these today that I saw going straight through red lights.

A friend of a friend was killed by a cyclist in London. Her name was Kim Briggs. It is completely dangerous and out of control.

Yes we could use drivers credit cards for the same reasons

Mm dunno. I’ve never had to pull my child out of the way of a cyclist (and we walk round london daily). I have however had to yank them out of the way of drivers barrelling through crossings multiple times. Yesterday I watched an SUV driver zoom round a corner and nearly flatten my 9yo while the driver was texting.

Sure, some cyclists drive through red lights, and it’s annoying and occasionally dangerous. So do many drivers in london, and I’m genuinely terrified by the danger they pose daily to myself and my kids.

Am I the only Londoner not noticing this as a pedestrian? I notice it a bit as a driver but I seem to float fine through London regarding cyclists, by and large.

What an unpleasant post. Is this really who you want to be? Gloating and gleeful at the thought of someone suffering a life-changing injury?

They insane near us too..

giving PROPET cyclist's a Bad name i' m a driver and no of times ive scene ARSEHOLES on bikes in my opion i would confiscate their bikes!!! and make them help cyclists who have been GENUINELY injured by people/drivers😂

In the space of two minutes this morning in Central London I've seen a cyclist cycle the wrong down the middle of a road into oncoming traffic because it was more convenient than following the right direction and one weaving about all over the road because only one hand was on the handlebars, the other was holding his phone which he was head down and reading.

And those were the two who stood out from the many that were cycling through red lights and across zebra crossings with pedestrians on because that doesn't surprise me anymore.

But of course if they were to get knocked over it would be everyone else's fault.

Not just London. When we visited Amsterdam, we were amazed at the way the cyclists ignored red lights, cycled fast through pedestrian areas and pavements, etc. It was very frightening, especially on traffic light controlled pedestrian crossings which ALL cyclists ignored. And they go at some speed too!

Same last year when we went to Oxford. Loads of middle aged cyclists ignoring red traffic lights at pedestrian crossings, cycling through the pedestrianised areas, cycling on the pavements, etc.

There's a massive sense of entitlement among cyclists that is getting worse.

And I say that as a cyclist myself (and walker, and car driver). Never seen it so bad.

On the canal footpath I walk on every day to get to/from work, the cyclists are insane, going full speed and just shouting at walkers to get out of their way.

We definitely need to start having registration plates to identify them and prosecute the worst offenders, and make insurance compulsory too.

Yes, their arrogance gets me too! And the double standards. They expect cars to wait behind them at slow speeds when they take up the entire lane so cars can't pass them on roads. Yet, when on footpaths etc they yell at walkers to get out of their way as they don't want to cycle slowly behind a walker or get off and walk to pass them. As I say, double standards!!

Cyclists can’t have it both ways. Of course they are right that cars should drive safely and be bike aware because bikes are more vulnerable. But the same goes for bikes and pedestrians. Pedestrians are more vulnerable so bikes should cycle with due care around them. It isn’t difficult.

sometimes u just can't win!! i was on a cycle path recently it was v/busy i was taking my time enjoying the winter ☉ there was a couple infront i rang my bell as i was passing he yells don't aggressively bell ring at us the guy was obviously an arsehole did'nt even respond how do you quanitfy aggresive bell ringing!!!!!!

I have a single "ping" bell and just "ping" it quietly 2 or 3 times when approaching walkers when I cycle, along with changing down gears and braking, which also creates a bit of noise. 9 times out of 10, the walkers just walk to the side or stop to let me past with no drama at all. Occasionally, someone doesn't hear, so I'll "ping" again 2 or 3 pings, and stay behind them at their speed until they finally hear me or the path widens so I can pass. If they're very slow (i.e. elderly), I'll often hop off and pass them walking and then re-mount. In 40+ years of cycling, I've never had a walker shout or be abusive to me when I've alerted them to my presence.

But as a walker, I've been subjected to "harrassing" bell ringing, air horns, shouts etc., TELLING me to get out of their way.

It's all a matter of "how" you make others aware of you and your own actions. A bit of mutual respect works wonders!

For anyone wondering why cyclists are so angry...

It's a bit rich having drivers witter about double standards when you see just who is killing who!

Data Source: Department for Transport (DfT) Reported Road Casualties Great Britain (STATS19 data). Years 2020 and 2021 were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated reductions in traffic.

Notes on Categories:

Pedestrians Killed by Cyclists: This figure is extremely low. Data often shows 0 or 1 per year for collisions where a pedestrian fatality involved a pedal cycle and no other vehicle. The figures above are based on the DfT's total annual pedestrian fatalities, less those not involving a vehicle, and cross-referenced with figures cited by cycling advocacy groups which specifically analyse the DfT data for this rare occurrence.

Pedestrians Killed by Motor Vehicle Drivers: This represents the total number of pedestrian fatalities in collisions where a motor vehicle (Car, Lorry, Bus, Motorcycle, etc.) was involved. This is calculated as total pedestrian fatalities minus the cases involving only a pedal cycle or no other vehicle (e.g., falling over).

Drivers Killed by Cyclists: Fatalities of motor vehicle occupants (drivers or passengers) in collisions where a pedal cycle was the sole other vehicle are zero (0) in the vast majority of years. This confirms the likelihood of a driver/occupant being killed solely by a cyclist is negligible in official statistics.

Cyclists Killed by Motor Vehicle Drivers: This represents Cyclist fatalities in two-vehicle collisions involving a motor vehicle (Car, HGV, LGV, Bus/Coach, Motorcycle). The figures are derived from the DfT's pedal cycle casualty statistics, subtracting fatalities where no other vehicle was involved (e.g., a solo crash). The total Cyclist fatalities (for the same years, including solo crashes) were: 2024 (82), 2023 (87), 2022 (91), 2021 (111), 2020 (141).

Of course more people will be killed by motor vehicles. It's simple mathematics. Far higher numbers of road vehicles, far higher miles driven, far higher number of hours on the road. What the statistics don't show is who was to blame for the cyclist/pedestrian injuries/fatalities - that's probably the most important statistic. How many injuries/deaths were caused by the pedestrian/cyclist themselves doing something stupid or illegal??

I hate the cyclists in London. They are on the pavement, skipping red lights, shouting on their phones as they go. HATE them! It’s crazy.

Yes, simple mathematics says if we actually care about road safety and are not just enjoying our own prejudices we should focus attention on the activities of drivers rather than cyclists.

Glad you agree.

I think we've probably got sufficient capacity to focus our attention on all dangerous behaviour...if we care about road safety. Motor vehicles being more dangerous doesn't make appalling cycling ok. No-one should be a shit on the roads and that includes drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

If we have sufficient capacity to focus our attention on all dangerous behaviour, how come drivers are still killing hundreds and maiming thousands?

I mean, it's not rocket science is it? Deal with the behaviour that kills hundreds and maims thousands a year first, then deal with the behaviour that kills single digits and (maybe) mains tens.

It is so depressing to see so many people would genuinely rather accept hundred of people being killed as just one of those things than consider that drivers might be a bigger issue than cyclists.

It is so depressing to see so many people would genuinely rather accept hundred of people being killed as just one of those things than consider that drivers might be a bigger issue than cyclists.

I don't think this is the case at all.

This thread is about cyclists, that's why it's focussing on cyclists.

If you start a thread about dangerous drivers I very much doubt that everyone will say "I don't mind dangerous drivers and road deaths it's just one of those things". There will be the same response there as there has been here about cyclists.

People want to be safe. From cars. And bikes.

Pointing out bad behaviour from one group doesn't negate bad behaviour from another. Arseholes can drive cars AND bikes. In fact, they probably do! People who have got no regard for anyone else's safety on a bike will be the same in a car and vice versa. The problem is the person behind the wheel/handlebars not the mode of transport.

Motonormativity - the bias in which society accepts risks and harms from motor vehicles that it would not tolerate in other areas of life, because driving is viewed as a social norm.

I had a terrible fright a few months ago - not in London mind - a dad was driving down one of the most used arteries of the city, with a six year old on his own little bike behind him in the bike lane. Because of the metal barries that go down the side of the bike land (apparently to make it a visual barrier) you couldn't see the little guy well until they came to places where the lane opened up so cars could make a turn into the side street.

I'd say I had no idea what this man was thinking letting his child ride his own bike in this situation, except the city is all about promoting about the bike infrastructure being inclusive for all "ages and stages."

No need - cars have registration numbers, and so do drivers for that matter. It's usually possible to match the two up if a car is driving inappropriately.

We could insist on bike licences. Good idea.

Once you've sorted out the drivers obviously. I mean, it would be madness to spend a load of money to save one or two lives when apparently you have everything you need already in place via existing car license plates to save hundreds. Surely no one would suggest that!