Abuse

[Slow But Determined]

As the conversation seems to have departed it's original theme and gone to a male v female black v white who is the worst driver young lad or non attentive female I just thought I would bring it back on track with an incident that happened to me.

A few months ago I was happily cycling along, bearing in mind this is in the UK, wearing my Euskadi Euskatel top (Basque obviously) when a car passed me real slow and I received a load of abuse in Spanish!!!

 

[slowmotion]

Apart from the pee shooter, I was abused another time. Waiting at a railway crossing in Barnes, somebody behind me with an Ian Dury voice rasped "You've got a nice arse". I told him to f#ck off and get an eye test.

 

[User16625]

Oh the irony of your racist and sexist response. Disgrace. I'd delete your message to avoid any further embarassment.

I'm a white male and I didn't find that offensive to be honest. It's just a knee jerk response not meant to be taken too literally. I will say that some stereotypes do have some valid basis to them. I'd be dammed to get specific tho.

I haven't had too much hassle overall. I was once pushed off my bike by a scumsuckin (make that drug snortin) youth once, I went to punch the pillock but other lads with him prevented me from doing so. Cant remember the details but it ended with me riding off unharmed.

What generally grips my schitt is dawdlers, be it on foot or while driving. So it surprises me not that some people go doolally when stuck behind someone that is considerably slower. I try to mitigate the risk of being on the receiving end of the same sort of feelings I often suffer by letting traffic past before pulling out to pass parked cars.

 

[Arjimlad]

2018 has been by far my worst year for cycling from an abuse point of view.

I have had things thrown at me twice, one time when I gestured back almost ended in a nasty confrontation.

Every other ride I’m getting abuse and shouting at me, I honestly don’t know what I’m doing wrong, if I ride any closer to the curb I may as well ride in the pavement so it’s not as if I’m impending people.

I have been very careful in setting my lights up so dazzling people is unlikely.

Maybe I just need to be more thick skinned but it’s really starting to wear a little thin.

What sort of riding do you do, chiefly ? Commuting ? Leisure ?

Certain types of individual seem to me to have become emboldened to express their prejudices, possibly including against cyclists, by political developments.

 

[bladesman73]

I'm a white male and I didn't find that offensive to be honest. It's just a knee jerk response not meant to be taken too literally. I will say that some stereotypes do have some valid basis to them. I'd be dammed to get specific tho.

I haven't had too much hassle overall. I was once pushed off my bike by a scumsuckin (make that drug snortin) youth once, I went to punch the pillock but other lads with him prevented me from doing so. Cant remember the details but it ended with me riding off unharmed.

What generally grips my schitt is dawdlers, be it on foot or while driving. So it surprises me not that some people go doolally when stuck behind someone that is considerably slower. I try to mitigate the risk of being on the receiving end of the same sort of feelings I often suffer by letting traffic past before pulling out to pass parked cars.

Replace 'white' with 'black', 'male'with 'female' and ask yourself if you would be happy with the post. I would be just as disgusted.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Had my worst experience so far this year after challenging a mobile phone wielding white van driver after a seriously close pass at 50mph on a narrow bend with oncoming traffic. Normally I left this stuff go, but it was just too much. This particular thug then threatened to smack me if I didn't 'f..k off'. I didn't back down, he tried to get out of the drivers seat, I just held the door closed, then he called me a fat bar-steward (lean, 6,2 guy, seriously?) spat on me and bravely sped off. I caught up 100 yards down the road and called him out on his low IQ and crippling impotence and left him to stew in congested traffic.

Had I known how it might have gone, I might not have challenge this loon, and as ever this is good advice for all to follow. Get a cam, remember to turn it on just let it go, and report to police if it's worth the grief.

Putting that seriously unpleasant experience aside, it's not been any worse than any other year. In my first year, I had a small rocket launched at me near bonfire night which was upsetting, that could have been nasty, but it missed. There was also a time when a presumably unloved 10 year old with dirty clothes was shining a laser pen into the eyes of drivers and me. Some people are proper awful human beings. 99% just get on with their lives and leave cyclists to themselves, despite being slowed down for a few moments on their way elsewhere, most people aren't peanuts and don't care. Don't let the odd idiots ruin your day.

 

[Johnno260]

What sort of riding do you do, chiefly ? Commuting ? Leisure ?

Certain types of individual seem to me to have become emboldened to express their prejudices, possibly including against cyclists, by political developments.

Mainly for fitness so leisure, if I have time I try to commute whenever possible.

I don’t cycle recklessly, I don’t even filter in traffic, the days I do commute I change my route to avoid certain roads for example Groombridge hill I avoid as it’s very steep and thin, so no room to pass me, even though I like the hill for its challenge.

Edit: I would also consider my self considerate of other road users, if there are cars behind me I go close to the curb, if there is a small lay-by I go into it to allow others to pass, and at temporary traffic lights I will go inside the cones to not impede others.

 

[Bad Company]

The other day I managed to finally use my excellent one liner (that I learned right here on cc). The driver told/asked me why don't I use the bike.lame so I told him I would use the bike lane when he uses the motorway. That was wonderful!

Really, why was it wonderful?

 

[Shut Up Legs]

if there are cars behind me I go close to the curb

You're not improving your own safety by doing that.

 

[Johnno260]

You're not improving your own safety by doing that.

I know, but I’m just trying to avoid any further incidents, the wet iron work is like ice at the moment when it’s wet, and there is a risk of catching a pedal on a high curb.

It’s that or drive to the cuckoo trail and cycle up and down there, which is something I’m actually considering

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Mainly for fitness so leisure, if I have time I try to commute whenever possible.

I don’t cycle recklessly, I don’t even filter in traffic, the days I do commute I change my route to avoid certain roads for example Groombridge hill I avoid as it’s very steep and thin, so no room to pass me, even though I like the hill for its challenge.

Edit: I would also consider my self considerate of other road users, if there are cars behind me I go close to the curb, if there is a small lay-by I go into it to allow others to pass, and at temporary traffic lights I will go inside the cones to not impede others.

I also consider myself a considerate rider, but from years of experience and three collisions with cars I would NEVER go close to the curb. Take primary.

I do agree about pulling into lay-bys though. You’ll get loads of thank-you-toots, smiles and waves for doing this.

 

[Randombiker9]

2018 has been by far my worst year for cycling from an abuse point of view.

I have had things thrown at me twice, one time when I gestured back almost ended in a nasty confrontation.

Every other ride I’m getting abuse and shouting at me, I honestly don’t know what I’m doing wrong, if I ride any closer to the curb I may as well ride in the pavement so it’s not as if I’m impending people.

I have been very careful in setting my lights up so dazzling people is unlikely.

Maybe I just need to be more thick skinned but it’s really starting to wear a little thin.

Do you confront them because if so don't because that will make things worse. Just ignore it and if it gets too much just too report them to the police.

 

[Johnno260]

Do you confront them because if so don't because that will make things worse. Just ignore it and if it gets too much just too report them to the police.

I shouted back and one instance of an item being thrown become a confrontation, it almost turned nasty but other motorists pulled over and told the kids to get lost as they had seen something being thrown.

I promised my wife I wouldn't help escalate an issue like this again, it's hard not to throw back a retort though.

 

[Arjimlad]

Would camera-ing up provide you with a bit more peace of mind?

If anything happens you are then more likely to be able to hold the perpetrator accountable.

I got sick of close passes. Having a camera on the commute enabled me to report the worst ones and also realise that they don't happen as often as I thought.

 

[Johnno260]

Would camera-ing up provide you with a bit more peace of mind?

If anything happens you are then more likely to be able to hold the perpetrator accountable.

I got sick of close passes. Having a camera on the commute enabled me to report the worst ones and also realise that they don't happen as often as I thought.

That's certainly possible, and something I will consider, but I would use it every ride I think.