Biggest Threats to Cyclists?

Enterprise_1701C

The attitude of drivers who do not want us on the road, and that of pedestrians that think they own the cycle path as well as the pedestrian path. And immigrants who do not speak the language and do not understand how things work here, so then proceed to try to grab cyclists legitimately using toucan crossings (yes, I had this happen, I won't say what country he was from but he literally moved across and stood in front of me on the crossing, shouted no bikes and tried to grab my handlebars).

geerex

Cyclists are a pain in the !!!!. Their holier -than - thou attitudes and their flagrant disregard for the highway code are just two of many reasons most non - cyclists hate them.

duggan1

geerex wrote: »

Cyclists are a pain in the !!!!. Their holier -than - thou attitudes and their flagrant disregard for the highway code are just two of many reasons most non - cyclists hate them.

You should get your computer looked at. It is entering 'cyclists' where you have typed 'motorists'.

brat

geerex wrote: »

Cyclists are a pain in the !!!!. Their holier -than - thou attitudes and their flagrant disregard for the highway code are just two of many reasons most non - cyclists hate them.

I've yet to see someone cycle with a "holier than thou attitude". What on earth do you mean?

But I do see a goodly proportion of motorists exceed the speed limit, drive too close behind cyclists, overtake cyclists inconsiderately closely, drive through the stop lines at red traffic lights etc. I've even experienced some motorists taking out their pent up frustrations on cyclists, usually because their ignorance of the safety needs of cyclists causes them to build up a hatred of cyclists. Shocking really, especially as the motorist is the one carrying the killing momentum.

I'm also intrigued to know the "many" other reasons why cyclists are 'hated'. Can you oblige?

Cycrow

I had a lecture from a women a few days about at how bad cyclists are, because i "deliberately" rode into the back of her car.

on the way home, i was travelling about 25-30mph downhill, when she pulled out of a side road right infront one me. I did my best stop in time, but its difficult when you only have about 2 meters to stop in while going downhill. Luckily the touch was only minor

It was the atitude of her that really annoyed me, saying she gave me plenty of room and that it was all my fault and how cyclists do this all the time and should be banned. She even said she knew exactly what would happen when she pulled out

Norman_Castle

geerex wrote: »

Cyclists are a pain in the !!!!. Their holier -than - thou attitudes and their flagrant disregard for the highway code are just two of many reasons most non - cyclists hate them.

Most non cyclists don't hate cyclists. There is a miserable, ignorant, bigoted minority who hate them.

aleph_0

Cycrow wrote: »

I had a lecture from a women a few days about at how bad cyclists are, because i "deliberately" rode into the back of her car.

on the way home, i was travelling about 25-30mph downhill, when she pulled out of a side road right infront one me. I did my best stop in time, but its difficult when you only have about 2 meters to stop in while going downhill. Luckily the touch was only minor

It was the atitude of her that really annoyed me, saying she gave me plenty of room and that it was all my fault and how cyclists do this all the time and should be banned. She even said she knew exactly what would happen when she pulled out

Oh, wow. It does highlight the real-world effect of this us-vs-them narrative that's out there. It sounds like she didn't see you as another vehicle of equal importance, or if she did, she failed at judging speed (it's possible, but unlikely imo, that she considers herself more important than everyone, not just cyclists, of course!).

The truth is that a person who gets in a car is the same person who gets on a bike, and there's nothing fundamentally different about their moral fibre or attitude to the rules/other road users. Of course, the rules people break might be different, based on risk/what is feasible/one can get away with. That's why drivers are more likely to speed, or run red lights a few seconds after/before they've changed (I saw a nasty accident resulting from such behaviour the other day). Many drivers consider it acceptable to drive on the pavement to park (often making the width of the pavement too narrow for wheelchairs). Some cyclists cycle on the pavement, through fear of traffic.

We also keep seeing people wrongly get annoyed because they're incorrectly judging certain behaviour they don't understand, or because they're driving incorrectly themselves. The use of Primary/Secondary position, the non-use of poor quality infrastructure, are all good-practice things, but aren't obvious to a non-cyclist.

Enterprise_1701C

Cycrow wrote: »

I had a lecture from a women a few days about at how bad cyclists are, because i "deliberately" rode into the back of her car.

on the way home, i was travelling about 25-30mph downhill, when she pulled out of a side road right infront one me. I did my best stop in time, but its difficult when you only have about 2 meters to stop in while going downhill. Luckily the touch was only minor

It was the atitude of her that really annoyed me, saying she gave me plenty of room and that it was all my fault and how cyclists do this all the time and should be banned. She even said she knew exactly what would happen when she pulled out

OMG, why does she think it happens all the time :eek::eek: The problem is a lot of motorists seem to think we can stop on a sixpence. All it would have taken would have been for one of the idiots that like tooting at cyclists to make them jump to be going by and you would not have stopped.

I broke a brake cable once stopping about 2cm from someone who pulled out in front of me. She just hadn't seen me and braked like crazy when she finally did, it was actually comical seeing the colour drain from her face!

Cycrow

Yeha i was thinking that, if it happens alot to her, then its more likely down to her driving than the cyclists she meets.

she even admitted she would have never pulled out if i was a car, which just goes to show the attitude of some drivers.

i as kind of shocked that she seriously believed cyclists would ride into the back of cars on purpose

geerex

duggan1 wrote: »

You should get your computer looked at. It is entering 'cyclists' where you have typed 'motorists'.

I agree, my spellcheck needs looked at, I've been typing "****holes" but "cyclists" keeps appearing.

Anyhoo, I'm a charitable kinda guy, here's what would make people respect cyclists:

1. Obeying the rules of the road. No going through red lights etc.
2. No cycling on the pavement. Seriously. The next person to have a near miss with me will regret it.
3. Get the hell off public transport. Don't clog up buses and trains with your dirty rusty pieces of !!!!. Can't cycle the distance? Don't take your bike.


I'll stand by my comments. Motorists hate you because you're too slow and ignore the rules. Commuters hate you because you take up room on transport that could be used for seats. Pedestrians hate you because you cycle on pavements and/or do the "dismount at lights dance".

Until there is a sea change in your attitudes, I won't be shedding any tears when bad things happen to you.

Still, you're great for transplants. Second only to motorcyclists, so well done! :T