to think cyclists on country lanes are selfish gits

[justonemorethen]

Ok not talking about children,people nipping around town or coming back from the pub.IMHO thats who bikes were designed for.
I just hate those people who use country lanes to do their time trials and cycle up and down the same hill to make their calves bigger than their brains.

Roads surely were designed to get people from A to B. They weren't designed to be a fitness track or a playground. I really resent getting stuck behind some lyric clad arse (and they are ususally in packs) at 20 miles an hour. I can't overtake cos it's a country lane you see. I'm not a speed freak, I am happy to slow down for horses or to be behind a tractor.The differnce is they are meant to be there. I don't think townie gits who have nothing better to do should clog up our country lanes when they could use country parks or dual carriageways.I wouldn't mind if they even appreciated the countryside they go through but I don't think I've ever seen one stopping to have a picnic or looking at the wildlife.It;s head down with those stupid glasses and clothes that would scare the animals

There are so many on a Sunday where I live that it's getting dangerous. Still it'll be the poor motorist blamed for going about their business rather than the cyclist won't it.

YANBU. I wonder if they ride 3 or even 4 abreast purely because it's safer from their point of view to have no possibility of being overtaken?

It does drive me nuts here too, most weekends there's some sort of race going on and you can't get jpast the selfish buggers.

They should ride single file so they don't stop everyone else from getting around.

Cycling on a indoor circuit (velodrome) is a totally different discipline to road cycling.

Would you tell Lance Armtrong and his tour de france pals they couldn't train in the french alps and instead they should circuit an indoor velodrome 9000000 times?

I'm not talking about people cycling as a mode of transport, I'm talking about people cycling for a hobby, using public highways, when they could be cycling on the miles of cycle paths we have here in various forests, beaches and country parks.
Do they not understand that cycling 2 abreast, on a blind bend, on a narrow country lane with a 60 limit puts themselves and others in danger?

mumblechum, they do often do it so they won't be overtaken. I've heard them saying "you have to keep right out along here, spread out, they only want to get past you".

Presumably you're only happy to slow down for horses if the riders are commuting, nipping around town or coming back from the pub, not if they are just out for a recreational ride?

Taking exercise is the countryside is very good for managing stress OP....

Oh yes public highways, the ones members of the public can use.......

Forests, beeches and parks are generally for leisure cyclists and off road bikes such as mountain bikes. You seem to be missing the point here that road cycling is a serious sport and needs to be done, on er, well the road........

Seriously?

YABU. I get stuck behind them often, and tractors too, but I live in the country,so it's par for the course.

If they want to negotiate the potholes, best of British to them.

But why don't they let people past?

It's just courtesy.

yes mumblechum they ride in packs because it is far safer. about 3 cyclists a week are killed on the roads in the uk. The attitude to cycling in this country is pretty appalling i think

OP YABVU

I know what the OP means - it's the packs of them, 20 or 30, who take up most of the road. Get stuck behind them on a narrow lane, it's like being behind a herd of sheep. They will not ride single file.

Mind you, the bloody runners are just as bad

yes you are ... extremely unreasonable - why should cyclists not use roads? and what makes your Sunday trip so much more important??

cyclists are perfectly entitled to ride two abreast - cars are supposed to leave as much room to pass cyclists as they would to pass a car - tell that to most of the selfish gits who whizz past me within inches ...

dh's sport is road cycling and he can go bloody fast - so I don't think the average driver on a country lane would be having to wait for long behind him ...

and if cyclists did all leave the roads and use country parks/beaches/forests etc (apart from those surfaces being completely unsuitable for road bikes) can you imagine the fuss you lot would kick up - "our parks are being taken over - why can't they all go on the roads???"

We're just supposed to be courteous to them. They can't slow down/move to the left and be courteous - it'd ruin their 'personal best'.

Oh, YABVVVU. Who died and made you king of the road!? Try cycling yourself, you might enjoy it.

notimetotidy - when I'm on my road bike, I don't use the cycle lanes because I'm going to fast. My speed is closer to that of cars, than that of the pootling cyclists and pedestrians on the pavement/cycle track. Those tracks are designed for slow cycling, not racing speed. I am far less likely to cause or be in an accident on the road. I imagine the same goes for the other cyclists you're taking about.

Why are recreational horse riders OK, but not recreational cyclists? I don't get it.

YABVU.

Well I live close to Yorksire Dales and have never had a problem over taking a cyclist, have never come accross any who ride in any more than single file either. Maybe I approach them in the correct manner, slowly and cautiosly.

I agree with radio blahblah, peoples attitudes to cyclists in the UK is appalling. In France/Spain they are very different.

Dh has actually had people try to push him of his bike as the drove past

I'm not missing the point DrN, just incredulous that you think road safety for everyone, cyclists, drivers and passengers, is comparable with your right to exercise on the road...
Next time I round the blind bend near my house, doing 40 (so a good 20 miles under the speed limit) and have to emergency break to avoid killing sunday pleasure cyclists I'll remember that!

Why can they not keep fit by using suitable roads though?
if you live in the country you have no choice but to use the narrow country lane.

YABU if you think driving in second gear for three miles is either enviromentally friendly or practical.

People who work in the countyside actually work on a Sunday.

ShowofHands I do ride a bike and walk most of the time FYI. However need the car to load up feed,fences not to mention dogs and kids. We are not all the same.

Annie, there are rarely any pedestrians on the pavements here during morning rush hour. It really annoys me that hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent on these areas and they are not used. I'm not saying cyclists shouldn't be on the road, just that it is far safer for them to be in the cycle lanes.

Ingles, you should be slowing down and aware of potential hazards round blind bends anyway...expect the unexpected...if a pedestrian was round that bend would you feel justified in running them over?

We all have the right to use the road ingles, be it to exercise, travel or just take in the surroundings. We all have a duty to keep each other safe.

You asked if you were being unreasonable to think cyclists were selfish, I said yes.

Don't ask if you just want folk to agree with you.

Motorists need to realise that there are other, much more vulnerable road users on the road. If you are driving along a road where there is a blind bend YOU NEED TO SLOW DOWN because you don't know what you could encounter. But no, heaven forfend that you should have to wait!!

I cycle to work and cycle for pleasure at the weekend. Some fucker, probably with a self-important attitude similar to many of the posters here, deliberately tried to knock me off my bike this morning, even though I was in the cycle lane. The roads are there for anyone with a VEHICLE to use, with or without a motor.

I am aware, hence the reason I'm only doing 40! Shame I can't say the same for the bloody oblivious cyclists
and no... definitely no pedestrians. Haven't ever seen a pedestrian in 10 years. this is a single, country lane...no pavements or anything and people who live here are generally bright enough to realise you're taking your life in your hands!

If you're a city cyclist who wants to get a good long ride in, it usually takes a good couple of hours, and covers (I used to do around 75km, which is, um.... calculator....) 50 miles or so. Cities are not 50 miles wide. If you go for a long ride, you will end up in the countryside. There simply isn't anywhere else to go!

Dual carriageways are not safe for cyclists, the hard shoulder is full of debris which will puncture tyres and the lanes are full of cars doing 70mph.

Then there are folk like me who are country cyclists! I could ride to the city for my long rides, I suppose . As it happens I ride to synagogue some Sundays - see, I am actually going somewhere, but clad in lycra and on a road bike! At least there's only one of me though .