Ffs. Today I had to move for a male cyclist!!!

[MattCauthon]

This takes patriarchy chicken to a whole new level! Walking in the park. Wide path (2-3m wide). I am walking along just off the centre. Admittedly, typing a message to.ds on my phone. Bike rider rings his bell at me. I look up. He's coming straight at me, requiring me to take a couple of steps to the left to get out of his way. There was space for about 3 bicycles to the right of me.

It makes me so angry. He was on a bloody bike- it's a gentle curve and he's past me. Middle aged white guy. Who, in my experience, are the worst for this.

Every time I am in London j am constantly having to move for men. I am so so tired of it. Sometimes I try not to. But I am a small middle aged woman who knows.perfectly well I will just be sent flying.

Not cycling but swimming. I swim 3 mornings a week at 6.30 am, in the slow lane with a few others in their 60’s and 70’s. Every time, the same -twat- bloke gets moves from the medium lane after his 10 lengths, to do 2 fast lengths in the slow lane, powering through us all. I’ve suggested we plan a rolling lane block….
its pure entitlement and showing off.

The worst people are those with noise cancelling headphones in the middle of more narrow paths (but still enough space for pedestrian + bike). They can't hear any bells or calls or shouting

It's up to cyclists, as the fastest thing on the shared path, to be aware of the behaviour of pedestrians and take evasive action if needed - and remember, that pedestrian may have a hearing impairment. If I'm driving and I see a cyclist I will slow right down and only pass if I can move onto the other side of the road and give them plenty of space (even more so if they're wearing headphones or looking at their phone - both of which I've seen on multiple occasions) - cyclists need to do the equivalent on shared paths but so many don't. I wouldn't beep my car horn to warn them I'm there and get them to move in while I sail past without adjusting my speed downwards.

This reminds me of that horrible man who shoved a woman off the pavement into the path of a bus in London.

DH and I were walking along the pavement the other day - country-ish road on the outskirts of our small town, no pavement at all on the other side - when we heard a bike bell ringing behind us. Ignored it, it rang again. Turned round and there was a bloke, maybe 20, on his bike on the pavement gesturing for us to get out of his way.
I said 'you should be on the road'. He said 'I haven’t got a helmet?' as though that was a valid excuse. I suggested he get one, then, if he was going to ride a bike. He zoomed past us calling out various obscenities.

Twat.

Of his gender for that matter. Surely the only relevant descriptor is 'cyclist'.

It's true, the cyclist aspect probably adds to this. But the point, and the reason I put this in feminism, is that at the end of the day, as a woman, I am EXHAUSTED from constantly having to get out of the way of men. It's relentless and exhausing and today, being basically chased off a perfectly wide patth by a cyclist was just yet another example.

Ask around, men pedestrians experience the same. Ime the cyclist part is the most relevant.

You know just because society has told you that you have permission to be racist, it doesn't mean that you HAVE to be.

Inspired by this thread I’ve just played pedestrian chicken with men in pedestrianised part of where I live. Encountered three. Two moved incredibly last minute, one literally walked into me. I said “excuse me?!” loudly and he shot off.

They really do expect us to move out of their way don’t they?!

Men are like this in cars too. I was always taught that if there are parked cars on either side of the road and you and an oncoming vehicle are approaching a gap, one slows down or speeds up so that you can both pass easily.
Men however invariably speed up so that they’re covering the space and no one can move.

I find that it's cyclists in general, rather than men in particular. But I do take your point. I just stand still and don't make eye contact (this is key), and let them/oblige them to go round me.

I do the same with pairs of people, each with a large buggy, walking side by side and chatting, on the narrow pavements in my neighbourhood. I think they genuinely expect me to step into the road so they don't have to interrupt their conversation for three seconds.

But you might have walked slightly to the side and crashed?
I'm literally typing and walking now I am stupid. I hope someone dings me instead of me getting hit.

Admittedly, typing a message to.ds on my phone. Bike rider rings his bell at me. I look up. He's coming straight at me, requiring me to take a couple of steps to the left to get out of his way.

Sounds like you knew he was there because he rang his bell

I used to live in a city with lots of cyclists and paths through parks. I resolutely refused to move for cyclists even when they were coming right at me. I'd just pretend they weren't there. I never got hit. Their arrogance just wound me up.

But the point, and the reason I put this in feminism, is that at the end of the day, as a woman, I am EXHAUSTED from constantly having to get out of the way of men. It's relentless and exhausing and today, being basically chased off a perfectly wide patth by a cyclist was just yet another example.

We have as many asshole women cyclists around here, there’s a giant cycling club nearby and it’s like they genuinely don’t care about anyone else

I was walking alongside the canal on my way to Victoria Park in London. The path can be a bit narrow so I made sure I was walking as close to the wall as possible too give plenty of space to runners and cyclists.

A male cyclist chose to aim straight at me, although there was plenty of space for him to just go on my right, and as I stopped rather than moving out of the way, I got a mouthful of abuse from him.

Small dick energy as Greta would say.

The lycra wearing thug would never have done that if I was a 6ft male...

I commute on my bike everyday. I have bear misses all the time with pedestrians stepping out in front of me / suddenly changing course on the shared paths / paths where it’s clearly bikes on one side and footpath on the other / stepping into the road without looking. That’s on top of all the drivers that seem to want to kill me.
i have a lovely scar on my face from having to serve to avoid hitting a woman who just randomly stepped sideways into the cycle lane without looking. A lot of these things happen when the people are staring at their phone and not at what is in front of them.

So if I was cycling towards you and I are you looking at your phone I would ring my bell and probably say loudly “excuse me”. Because unless I was sure you’d seen me then I would be worried you’d veer off to one side or the other and into my path.
I’m female.

This reminds me of the horrible woman who shoved a woman cyclist into the path of a vehicle, which killed her.

This is far too much like common sense. The OP wants to feel got at and ignore the fact that she wasn’t paying attention. Don’t let your sensible words get in the way!

What? Even when you’re not looking!

I ring my bell when I'm about 10m away from people on a shared pathway, just to let them know that I'm there. I'm getting the impression that I shouldn't, or someone will put an umbrella through my spokes? I'm an older lady just trying to keep fit!

It's astonishing how little understanding there is about this. I don't mind that he rang the bell - as people.have said. Making sure i didn't move INTO his way. But the point isnthat he rang the bell to make sure that I moved. He rang and, if I had not.koved, he would have hit me, or come.very close to.it. he was cycling dead down the middle of the very wide path. There was no reason why HE couldn't move over to the other side, but sure, still ring to make sure i didn't leap into his way.

Yep. Middle aged invisibility is real. I’m really starting to notice it. Twice on Sunday men pushed in front of me in queues 😡

Sorry, wasn't wearing my glasses! The point is that he rang the bell to MAKE me move. Not to warn me.

I was over half way across a single width bridge when a white van came speeding onto it. I stopped, expecting him to reverse, nope he sat there waving at me to move.
I got out of my car went over to the van and explained to him that I had no where to be, so I was happy to wait all day, and if he needs to get somewhere anytime soon, he should back up.
I went back to my car, after about a minute, he reversed so I could get off the bridge
Tosser!