Cycling idiots.

Tonymufc

Ok I agree with everyone else that James Martin is a pr1ck. But ask yourself why do a lot of people share the same views as him. We are probably the most vunerable road users out there, so why do I see cyclist take un-neccesary risks. Jumping red lights, overtaking a line of queueing traffic, on the wrong side of the road, jumping on to pavements to avoid a long line of queueing traffic. I get this all day in work. "you cyclists" this and "you cyclists" that. When drivers see this they presumeably tar us all with the same brush. I was driving my truck last week around a tight left hand bend when a cyclist came around the outside of me. Now my truck weighs 32 tonnes and if I'd not seen him and hit him, trust me he would of been dead. I gave him a toot of my horn to which he responded with a middle finger. There are of course plenty of censored drivers out there as well. However, they're not nearly put in the same amount of danger as we are. So to all those riders out there that take silly risks, think on. Your next risk might just be your last.

Rant over.

Matt the Tester

good man, i completely agree it's the silly ones that will tarnish our reputation and get us hated more.

volvicspar

I agree mostly but there is nothing wrong with overtaking stationary traffic on the wrong side of the road so long as it is clear ?

Stellite

I think so. I do it now after being knocked off my bike by a van turning left.

Better than riding in the gutter.

Or even better, take up the space of a car in the line of taffic

Tonymufc

I can see where you're coming from, but what if its clear when you start to overtake only to get half way down the line of traffic when you then get cars coming towards you. Some drivers are only too happy to make life difficult for us.

Porgy

Some people just hate cyclists. Even the good, skillful, law-abiding ones. Probably especially the good ones actually. The ones that ride defensively and not in the gutter. The ones that try to be in the correct lane, that use the roundabout and not pootle around the outside, the ones that know when they have right of way, the ones that ride on the road not on the pavement. And all of us because we don;t pay our "road tax" and insist in getting "in their way".

You can't win with tossers like that - and it's no good waiting for the great mythical day when all cyclists are law-abiding and coform to what non-cycling motorists think is a great cyclist becasue it will never happen, nor would I ever want it to happen.

It's time we went on the offensive and pointed out how many motorists break the law, how many are killed by motorists, and what a drain and a burden on society the motoring lobby really is. So many people shackled to their cars - having to work longer hours to pay for them even if they don;t want one they have to have one ayway - they think.

I got rid of mine a year ago and I feel great about it. I can understand why some people hate cyclists - it's becasue they are frustrated and bitter and need an easy scapegoat - this should be challenged by us.

Tonymufc

I sort of agree with you. I do lose my temper with drivers when I'm on my bike, but should they challenge me to a duel on the road me thinks me is gonna lose. My point was that we're a minority road user and when we do things wrong it sticks in peoples' memory, and when they see the next cyclist, I suppose they're in for some revenge from that motorist. It always makes my blood boil when I see people talking and texting on the phone, putting make-up on etc. I've asked the CTC for some sidewinder missiles but was refused.

fuelex

Riding up Lombard Street this morning and saw a strange thing.

A bloke with elbow and knee pads on and lit up like a xmas tree shouting and swearing at everybody wether on the road, path or nowhere near him.

And I mean full on loud "you f**king c*nts!, wake up! ,Oi! out of my way!, open your eyes you f**king idiots!" etc..

To be honest I was a bit embarrassed to be on my bike, felt I should apologise on his behalf.

When he got closer to me, still in full expletive mode, I quietly called him a censored .

He mumbled and then turned off the road.

What the hell must people think. Can't think it made Londoners any more fond of cyclists.

Can't decide wether he's got some sort of cycling tourettes or he's just a nutter.

deptfordmarmoset

I can understand why some people hate cyclists - it's becasue they are frustrated and bitter and need an easy scapegoat - this should be challenged by us.

Wot Porgy said. I think driving is a real (and expensive) pain in cities. Cyclists represent the freedom that drivers no longer have, a frustrated driver is only a couple of steps away from being a bully, and cyclists are the most vulnerable road users. That all sounds like a perfect set up for scapegoating. That said, I do my utmost to be a road citizen more than a cyclist, using eye-contact, friendly hand gestures (yes, really, I mean friendly hand gestures), whatever I can to keep the roads human. Because an aggravated driver is angry, shielded and armed. He even has his own getaway vehicle.

gkerr4

deptfordmarmoset wrote:

I can understand why some people hate cyclists - it's becasue they are frustrated and bitter and need an easy scapegoat - this should be challenged by us.

Wot Porgy said. I think driving is a real (and expensive) pain in cities. Cyclists represent the freedom that drivers no longer have, a frustrated driver is only a couple of steps away from being a bully, and cyclists are the most vulnerable road users. That all sounds like a perfect set up for scapegoating. That said, I do my utmost to be a road citizen more than a cyclist, using eye-contact, friendly hand gestures (yes, really, I mean friendly hand gestures), whatever I can to keep the roads human. Because an aggravated driver is angry, shielded and armed. He even has his own getaway vehicle.

agreed - a lot!

I;ve said it before - it's all very well arguing about "right of way" or priorities - but if you are doing it from a hospital bed or a wheelchair then it doesn't really matter much does it.

we all have to look after each other out there - it's bloody dangerous.

ExeterSimon

I had to take evasive action this morning due to a motorist pulling out in front of me...it was mount the pavement or pile into his side.

My quick reactions meant I 'jumped' in front of him to which he called me every name under the sun. Once he'd had his rant his drove off. I bit my tongue and rode off only.....to meet him at the lights a few hundred yards later.

He was about to start his rant again through the passenger window...at this point I decided to respond. I leant down to his window and politely informed him that I was only cycling this way to work as.I'd heard his wife liked to flash the norks to all an sundry.

By the time he'd undone his seatbelt the lights had changed and I'd made a quick escape down a cyclepath laughing loudly.

I'm taking my full susser on the commute tomorrow with totally different helmet and clothing.

But on a serious note both cyclists and motorists need to be more aware.....we're never going to have the respect for cycling that's found in Amsterdam or other cycling cities but just a slight change in attitude will reap real rewards. And save lives.

bompington

I think the attitude that drivers have to cyclists is mainly jealousy: especially in heavy urban traffic, we are perceived as having advantages that they are denied - we go faster, it's easier to bend the law, we're fitter, bolder, non-conformist, they probably suspect we have more sex.
Plus, of course, on a bike you can often delay a car by up to 3 seconds before it overtakes you and sits behind the car in front. Just as the driver is coming to terms with the horrendous delay, and congratulating himself for burning you off, what happens? You come cruising past at the lights. Now that is offensive to the average motorist.

bobpzero

Tonymufc quite true. last time i met a road cyclist (which has been awhile) was on a cycle path, i wasnt much for conversation as he was trying to spark up a conversation about the headwind tho i was nearing the end of my ride and as i usually sit wait for the traffic lights so i get a clear run up a hill, the guy goes off the cycle path onto the wrong side of the road over to the far left side slowing up a bit for cars to pass by then blasting off. his bike was probably 4x more expensive than mine but i was "huh?!!" tho they are just the minority not caring much for the rest of us.

anyways yep maybe motorist purists are jealous tho ive never taken the time to ask any of them as they just drive away off into the far distance.
remember this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9_mED99cdk

timb64

bompington wrote:

I think the attitude that drivers have to cyclists is mainly jealousy: especially in heavy urban traffic, we are perceived as having advantages that they are denied - we go faster, it's easier to bend the law, we're fitter, bolder, non-conformist, they probably suspect we have more sex.
Plus, of course, on a bike you can often delay a car by up to 3 seconds before it overtakes you and sits behind the car in front. Just as the driver is coming to terms with the horrendous delay, and congratulating himself for burning you off, what happens? You come cruising past at the lights. Now that is offensive to the average motorist.

I'm guessing you're a "mind care "professional from that analysis!? Or maybe just a trick cyclist?

graeme_s-2

Tonymufc wrote:

I can see where you're coming from, but what if its clear when you start to overtake only to get half way down the line of traffic when you then get cars coming towards you. Some drivers are only too happy to make life difficult for us.

If there's still room then you can continue safely between the two lines of traffic, and if there isn't (when the road is narrow, or there are two wide vehicles heading in opposite directions) then you can pull back into the queue of traffic. I wouldn't say it's always safe to filter on the right of a queue of traffic, but in my experience it's normally safer than filtering on the left.

If I've got nothing to gain by filtering (like I know I'll get through when the lights next change anyway), then I'll just take the primary position and wait in the queue.