Abuse..

dfriel2

Just wondering how common it is? Only been riding a few months but on the receiving end twice in the last month and its a bit off putting. First time a driver heading in the other direction slammed on the brakes (in a derestricted) and window down then hurled abusive. More recently I've had a bag of rubbish thrown at me from a moving car. Just missed. Too surprised to catch the plate number.. Both on the same road, heading to a prison. Is this "normal" or have I been unlucky??

VTech

I think its normal in that it must happen to more cyclists than not.
I had it on my first road trip but the laughed as the car he drove was worth less than an average pair of wheels of a decent road bike so he had a reason to be angry to be fair.

smidsy

Unlucky. But then again a road to a prison is not exactly representative is it.

Gizmodo

Unfortunately too common, just wave hello and ride on. We had an idiot cut us up and caused the oncoming traffic to stop because of his stupid overtake - only for us to catch up with him 100 yards later as he had to stop for traffic. When asked whether it was worth it he started hurling the usual abuse, starting with the "you shouldn't ride 2 abreast" followed by the classic "where's your road tax?" :roll:

They really aren't worth the reaction. Here's some related reading for you:

Is it just me?
Drivers just too damned quick to beep horns at cyclists
What do you do about idiot drivers?
Motorists incessant disregard for cyclists
Drivers who threaten Cyclists

rolf_f

Maybe it's where you live? Can't say I've had any in 28000 or so miles or riding aside from the occasional mild road rage related incident....

The only real unprovoked incidents have been some lads telling me to get a car. They were waiting at the bus stop....... And this winter I got hit by a slightly heavy, damp snowball. But as the perpetrators got me from about 60 feet away I was prepared to let them off on the grounds of quality of aim

simon_masterson

Unfortunately this stuff just happens; just move on. I prefer to remember the more memorable incidents fondly; eg. I wasn't on a bike, actually, but I had a dessert spoon hurled at me from a moving car.

elderone

Never had any abuse on the road.Although living rural probly helps and staying out of towns.

dfriel2

Think there must be a prison factor... Will avoid visiting times in the future / not take it personally!

ShutUpLegs

Learn to ride assertively

fluff.

Blow them a kiss, they hate that. Worst thing you can do it get all upset, that's the reaction they want.

markos1963

fluff. wrote:

Blow them a kiss, they hate that. Worst thing you can do it get all upset, that's the reaction they want.

+1

Peddle Up!

Stupid driving and a refusal to acknowledge when a driver has made a mistake. "It's not my fault I didn't see you." :roll: but only the occasional verbal insult {fingers crossed}.

junglist_matty

Grow some balls and get on with it

thegreatdivide

There’s nothing better than having abuse thrown at you and a blaring horn only for said driver to get held up at the next junction. I had one recently – fat little ba$trad with his equally fat little wife in the passenger seat (have to say that quite a lot of the abusive drivers are fat – go figure). He got held up at a junction so I pulled up next to him and just started at him. You could see the wife starting to panic. Fuxwits.

zx6man

plenty are all mouth until pulled up level, its quite amusing.

clickrumble

Thumped on the side of an oncoming car that failed to slow down or give me room a few weeks ago in a narrow country lane. Car stops, fat track suit bottomed gentleman got of the passenger side and called me a copulating handle cranium or words to that effect, then threw a large stick at me. I decided to carry on...quickly...moral don't react to bad driving, though I haven't learnt my lesson yet!

zx6man

Clickrumble wrote:

Thumped on the side of an oncoming car that failed to slow down or give me room a few weeks ago in a narrow country lane. Car stops, fat track suit bottomed gentleman got of the passenger side and called me a copulating handle cranium or words to that effect, then threw a large stick at me. I decided to carry on...quickly...moral don't react to bad driving, though I haven't learnt my lesson yet!

Unless you have a stick of your own.

Htron

I had an idiot pass me with an inch to spare when the long straight road we were on was totally clear. I carried on without reacting. I then caught up with said idiot to find him stopped arguing with a white van from the other direction. Seems he did not give way so the white van knocked his wing mirror off.

Karma. Some people are just angry idiots!

danlikesbikes

As per others experiences have had quite a bit. But then if you walk down the street I'm sure you'd find the same yobs beeping their horns & throwing stuff out of the window as as pedestrian.

Just make sure you take up a nice positive road position & keep riding. If someone is going to cut you up, they probably would do it anyway but at least with good road positioning you are giving yourself enough room to take care of yourself.

Bustacapp

Gizmodo wrote:

tarting with the "you shouldn't ride 2 abreast"

I agree with the driver with regards to this. People who ride 2 abreast or more when they know cars are behind are just being cunty.

zx6man

no law against the 2 abreast, said car could overtake 2 just as easily as one on the opposite side of road. If there wasn't enough room to do that then chances are single rider overtake would also be dodgy.

Edit but should get in if they can ofc

danlikesbikes

Bustacapp wrote:

Gizmodo wrote:

tarting with the "you shouldn't ride 2 abreast"

I agree with the driver with regards to this. People who ride 2 abreast or more when they know cars are behind are just being cunty.

Why, if you were on a motorbike you would be entitled to be in the middle of the road & its the car drivers option to overtake, same goes for a learner driver going slowly if your in a car behind & you don't like it either sit it our or overtake.

I don't expect little miss. james from up the road who drives at 20mph to pull over just because I'm behind her and want to be doing 60mph in my car.

Yes road cyclists should consider where its single lane moving over to allow cars to pass, but if your in a car and so stupid that you can't see safely to pass because there are 2 cyclists in front not 1 behind the other then it says more about the car driver. BTW when I say "if your in a car" didn't mean you specifically and didn't mean you specifically when using the word stupid either was a generalised statement.

Bustacapp

Danlikesbikes wrote:

Why, if you were on a motorbike you would be entitled to be in the middle of the road & its the car drivers option to overtake, same goes for a learner driver going slowly if your in a car behind & you don't like it either sit it our or overtake.

I don't expect little miss. james from up the road who drives at 20mph to pull over just because I'm behind her and want to be doing 60mph in my car.

Yes road cyclists should consider where its single lane moving over to allow cars to pass, but if your in a car and so stupid that you can't see safely to pass because there are 2 cyclists in front not 1 behind the other then it says more about the car driver. BTW when I say "if your in a car" didn't mean you specifically and didn't mean you specifically when using the word stupid either was a generalised statement.

Road cycles are a tad different from actual vehicles. I've fantasised about ramming cyclists who ride abreast (and do nothing when they know a car is behind) off the road many times. Very arrogant and provoking behaviour!!! They do no favours for the image of the cyclist.

charlie_potatoes

Bustacapp wrote:

I've fantasised about ramming cyclists who ride abreast (and do nothing when they know a car is behind) off the road many times.

Each to their own. I fantasise about birds with big knockers

zx6man

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

Bustacapp wrote:

I've fantasised about ramming cyclists who ride abreast (and do nothing when they know a car is behind) off the road many times.

Each to their own. I fantasise about birds with big knockers

Winner.

robertsims

zx6man wrote:

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

Bustacapp wrote:

I've fantasised about ramming cyclists who ride abreast (and do nothing when they know a car is behind) off the road many times.

Each to their own. I fantasise about birds with big knockers

Winner.

+1, made me smile!

I must admit though 2 abreast does annoy me as well, (I'm sure there is a joke combining the bird with big knockers and word abreast though...)

danlikesbikes

Bustacapp wrote:

Road cycles are a tad different from actual vehicles. I've fantasised about ramming cyclists who ride abreast (and do nothing when they know a car is behind) off the road many times. Very arrogant and provoking behaviour!!! They do no favours for the image of the cyclist.

Think that says more about your attitude to other road users than the cyclists I'm afraid. There is no onus on other road users to move out of your way to make way for you & if its not safe for you to over take 1 cyclist then it is not going to be safe for you to overtake 2 abreast. The same goes for tractors, caravans, learner drivers and my little old dear of a neighbour. Whilst it might be frustrating we all share the roads & as long as people are polite i.e not throwing things at each other, actually running each other off the road then we all have to learn to get on a bit better.

I do agree that as a cyclist I do need to be whiter than white to make up for some poor image given by some of the total twunts out there who undertake, RLJ, bash on car roof's etc. But thats me and my attitude but I apply that same attitude if I on my bike, on my motorbike, in my car or in the van.

Bustacapp

Danlikesbikes wrote:

if its not safe for you to over take 1 cyclist then it is not going to be safe for you to overtake 2 abreast.

I disagree completely. Overtaking 2 bikes abreast is completely different. You have to move into the oncoming lane almost 100% for starters.

Why do you feel the need to ride 2 abreast on busy roads? Do you feel lonely or something? Shall we have joggers running down the roads too?

smidsy

Bustacapp wrote:

I disagree completely. Overtaking 2 bikes abreast is completely different. You have to move into the oncoming lane almost 100% for starters.

And THAT is exactly what they should do. Overtaking is the same for all vehicles on the road according to the highway code.

danlikesbikes

Bustacapp wrote:

Danlikesbikes wrote:

if its not safe for you to over take 1 cyclist then it is not going to be safe for you to overtake 2 abreast.

I disagree completely. Overtaking 2 bikes abreast is completely different. You have to move into the oncoming lane almost 100% for starters.

Why do you feel the need to ride 2 abreast on busy roads? Do you feel lonely or something? Shall we have joggers running down the roads too?

Runners I don't have an issue with, though if they are running on the main road as there is no path then it could be a bit dangerous for them, as quite a few runners may also be wearing headphones so potential for them to not hear, plus if not well lit is a danger for them to be hit.

As for cyclists I tend to ride in small groups as whenever you get a large group there are always one or two knobheads who do think its funny to hurl abuse are car drivers and bang on their roofs etc & generally give all cyclists a bad name. Not sure where you live but any type of overtake move in a car a slow moving tractor, learner driver, moped or cyclists requires the driver behind to do so safely. Unless you live in Nevada state where the roads are pretty straight & you can see for miles ahead you are always having to slow down for the slower road user in front irrespective of what that road user type is. So to overtake you need to ensure there is enough room & by your argument as 2 cyclists are as the same as say another slower car say a learner driver the overtake is the same.

If you think that it is safer to overtake 1 cyclist rather than 2 due to the road you require to overtake then again then this also applies to other road users that get in your way that are not cyclists and that is down to your skill as a driver to anticipate and overtake road users safely not the road users in front of you to get out of your way.

slowbike

Bustacapp wrote:

Danlikesbikes wrote:

if its not safe for you to over take 1 cyclist then it is not going to be safe for you to overtake 2 abreast.

I disagree completely. Overtaking 2 bikes abreast is completely different. You have to move into the oncoming lane almost 100% for starters.

Why do you feel the need to ride 2 abreast on busy roads? Do you feel lonely or something? Shall we have joggers running down the roads too?

So how much room do you give a cyclist when overtaking?
Do you cross a double white line or do you try and squeeze past?

Whilst I may not ride 2 abreast on a busy road, usually I am positioning myself further out into the road to protect the less experienced rider ahead of me. Pretty much all of the roads where I ride will require the driver to cross the middle line to get past me, whether I'm riding alone or with someone else - therefore the oncomming carriageway needs to be clear - and if it's clear then why not use all of it and give the cyclist some room?