Do You Find That Most People Hate Cyclists?

[Dogtrousers]

I'd say there is a very widespread antipathy towards cyclists. Whether that translates into "most people hate". I'm not really sure. Maybe ... maybe not quite ... at least not yet. But cyclists are certainly extremely unpopular.

 

[Phil Fouracre]

In answer to the OP - No! An attitude promoted by some of our ‘wonderful’ news media outlets. Also guessing that it might be worse ‘across the pond’, sadly….

 

[MontyVeda]

mention any group and someone will turn around and say "I hate..." ...then some others will agree.

it doesn't matter if it's cyclists, taxi drivers, students, Coldplay... people love a good rant

 

[Phil Fouracre]

Oh no! Not Coldplay!😂😂😂

 

[Fourelms]

Good and bad cyclist's and drivers, its just people being people.

I was run off the road into a farm ditch by a HGV this week, was amazed how helpful the car drivers were.....either that or curiosity value to see if I'd croaked.

The guy who first helped was more shocked than me, when I got up he jumped out of his skin thinking I was unconscious or worse, turned white as a sheet.

Few bruises etc and ok, the annoying bit was no one took the trucks number

 

[Big T]

90% of drivers are absolutely fine, it’s the other 10%, usually driving a huge 4x4 or a big German car, seem to think they own the road and everyone else, particularly cyclists, should just get out of their way. There is widespread mis-understanding of the Highway Code. Many drivers think you have to stay in single file all the time. They think “Never cycle MORE THAN 2 abreast“ is actually “Never cycle 2 abreast“. I’ve also been accused of riding 4 abreast on a club ride, more than once, because the 2 abreast pairs weren’t directly behind the ones in front. It’s rare that a group ride goes by without at least being hooted at by an angry motorist. We tend to get less hassle when my wife and I ride together but we still get close passed, or failure to give way to us on a narrow lane, where they are encroaching onto our side of the road.

 

[sheddy]

Possibly off topic, but what is your bike club protocol for group riding with 30+ riders ?
I love riding with my club, but when we're busy nattering to each other, awareness of vehicles behind often gets forgotten.

 

[Big T]

We wouldn’t have a group of that size. If the group is more than 15 riders, then we will split it into 2 or more groups. We usually have multiple groups anyway, of differing speeds, to cope with differing abilities.

We will drop into single file to enable cars to get past on narrow roads, but get abuse even on roads plenty wide enough for cars to pass a doubled up group.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Possibly off topic, but what is your bike club protocol for group riding with 30+ riders ?
I love riding with my club, but when we're busy nattering to each other, awareness of vehicles behind often gets forgotten.

Break it down into groups of 8 or so. Leave a few minutes (at least) between groups. Try and use different routes for each group but with the same stops etc.

 

[icowden]

We have a Nextdoor chat group, but every time I post something about cycling safety, there comes these sly, sarcastic and underhanded comments that always escalate into insults, ridicule and ultimately complete post removal.

I think that one is a bit easier to understand. Most of the people who post on NextDoor who aren't looking for tradespeople or product advice are on there to have a good old moan about something. They tend to desist a bit when you challenge them to actually engage their brain, but generally want to have a moan. Many of them tend to be an older demographic who don't like change and do like a good moan.

For example we had some new cycling infrastructure put in at Hampton Court (just down from the palace) which included a "floating" bus stop. I have had to explain numerous times that making the road thinner doesn't cause more traffic (one lane into one lane = same amount of traffic) and that although the Bus does indeed "stop" it also "starts" very shortly afterwards!

 

[Dayvo]

That would only be fair!

I hate most people!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I'd say there is a very widespread antipathy towards cyclists. Whether that translates into "most people hate". I'm not really sure. Maybe ... maybe not quite ... at least not yet. But cyclists are certainly extremely unpopular.

The marketers still sell this myth of empty roads in your car whilst listening to top tunes. When the reality is somewhat different. The rags like to blame cycling for the traffic jams. Instead of pointing out the obvious. Nope the traffic is you, and because you see the car as the default rather than exception for short local trips.

 

[Faratid]

Some people hate cyclists.
In Dorset, Mallorca, France, Spain, & Italy, where I ride regularly there in no problem.

Some people are racist, misogyinistic, sexist, intolerant bigots.
They are the minority.
And yet forums like this seem to focus on the danger, the risk, and misery of cycling, rather than the joy and benefits, which outweigh the negatives.

Good to see that at least one previous poster has mentioned the myth of 'road tax'. There is no such thing as road tax. There's something called vehicle tax, VED, which doesn't confer any right on vehicle users to dominate the roads.
Roads are funded from council tax and are for all of us to use. Tell that to motorists who bleat "you don't pay road tax".

Things aren't perfect, and from time to time we need to defend our rights, and address injustice.

Meanwhile, let us celebrate our joy and love of cycling in our wonderful country, and be grateful we're spared* wildfires, flooding, heatwave, terrorism, drought, war and other catastrophies.

*so far.

 

[swee'pea99]

To quote the great Malcolm Tucker, "Everybody hates farkin' cyclists. Even farkin' cyclists hate farkin' cyclists!"

 

[Scotty55]

90% of drivers are absolutely fine, it’s the other 10%, usually driving a huge 4x4 or a big German car, seem to think they own the road and everyone else, particularly cyclists, should just get out of their way. There is widespread mis-understanding of the Highway Code. Many drivers think you have to stay in single file all the time. They think “Never cycle MORE THAN 2 abreast“ is actually “Never cycle 2 abreast“. I’ve also been accused of riding 4 abreast on a club ride, more than once, because the 2 abreast pairs weren’t directly behind the ones in front. It’s rare that a group ride goes by without at least being hooted at by an angry motorist.

I use my huge 4x4 to sit well back from cyclists and piss off the Beamer drivers behind by refusing to do a close pass. Few drivers argue with a Land Rover. Next best thing to riding in the middle of the lane.