Drivers break the law SHOCK!

[Shut Up Legs]

There isn't. You are likely feeling more vulnerable at the moment, as you're new to cycling and so your experiences are exagerated.

I've been cycling my whole life, and agree with greekonabike. Anti-cyclist prejudice has been widespread for decades in various 'Western' (and non-European) countries, and it's unlikely to improve significantly in our lifetimes.

 

[snorri]

I liked the news headline below the main article on that page "Chimney fire does not spread to thatched roof".

 

[400bhp]

Other than the close passes I've not had any bad experiences with car drivers....yet. The sad thing is I know it's likely that I will relatively soon.

GOAB

No different than if you are a car driver.

 

[greekonabike]

No different than if you are a car driver.

That's very true but with a car you have a better chance of being able to remove yourself from the situation or at least lock the doors. My only negative experience on my bike so far was when I was cycling through a pedestrian zone when the Saturday market was on. Technically cyclists are allowed to use it but as 3/4 is filled with stalls it's difficult. I was cycling along at walking pace and getting ready to dismount as it was far too congested to cycle further down the road. As I was about to get off the bike and start walking an elderly lady told me I couldn't cycle where I was. I politely told her I could but was choosing not too and she went to hit me with her handbag. It's this kind of random unprovoked (at least to me) action that reinforces my belief that cyclists are generally disliked, but like anything it's a small minority of people who create that opinion.

Just because a couple of motorists have passed me too closely doesn't mean I hate them all. I've been let out of junctions and been given much more courtesy on a bike than I ever have in a car. It's a strange old world we live in but because everyone's rushing around stressed off their nuts we've developed a kind of 'me against the world' mentality and for a lot of motorists I imagine they see cyclists, and to some extent bikers, as some kind of evil delay on their journey.

GOAB

 

[briantrumpet]

I liked the news headline below the main article on that page "Chimney fire does not spread to thatched roof".

We get some pretty exciting headlines and reports in the Express and Echo. Why, only the other day, one unoccupied car rolled gently into another in a multi-storey car park and caused minor delays in that level of the car park.

EDIT - I bet you don't believe the drama. Well, here's the shocking image that proves it:

 

[Shut Up Legs]

We get some pretty exciting headlines and reports in the Express and Echo. Why, only the other day, one unoccupied car rolled gently into another in a multi-storey car park and caused minor delays in that level of the car park.

EDIT - I bet you don't believe the drama. Well, here's the shocking image that proves it:

"Anti-nuclear protestors push empty car into another car, then exit the scene of the crime, leaving behind only their subversive graffiti".

 

[NeilM]

It's a strange old world we live in but because everyone's rushing around stressed off their nuts we've developed a kind of 'me against the world' mentality and for a lot of motorists I imagine they see cyclists, and to some extent bikers, as some kind of evil delay on their journey.

Pretty much this.

I'm a business driver and cover 35,000 miles a year, I am also a cyclists and horse rider, so I see all this from three different perspectives and the 'me against the world' and 'I'm in a hurry and YOU are slowing me down' attitudes are seen everywhere, it is just that we are more vulnerable on our bikes.

I have to say I shrug most of the poor driving off, I know people are not really trying to kill / injure me, they are just being inconsiderate and selfish towards the outside world, and I confess to committing the occasional faux pas myself, although never on purpose.

All of that said, I do have a camera on the front of my training bike and I have reported drivers to the Police, although the results are usually random at best.

 

[mjr]

so I see all this from three different perspectives and the 'me against the world' and 'I'm in a hurry and YOU are slowing me down' attitudes are seen everywhere, it is just that we are more vulnerable on our bikes.

At least we have decent protected spaces where the motorists can't easily crash into us when we're on our bikes. Oh wait - you're in North Somerset

 

[NeilM]

Oh wait - you're in North Somerset

Yup, where we take our chances amongst the impatient old men, school run mum's, impatient old men, white vans aplenty, impatient old men, caravaners and impatient old men.