Giving a bad name...

[AckaDappa]

I am a coach driver... I drive through both Cambridge and Oxford daily.. I see the worse and best of cyclists and drivers and have seen some shocking maneuvers from both.
I have been cut up by fully kitted out cyclists numerous times already this week. (By that I mean expensive bike, full Lyra etc...)
I also see some car/bus drivers have absolutely no regard for pedestrians and cyclists.
I am very new to cycling and it winds me up seeing cyclists give a bad name to the 99% of them who are safe and carefully.
And also the other way round bus drivers getting a bad name because a small few of them not respecting cyclists.
Rant over...
I'm sure this has come up plenty of times on here but just wanted to give my view as a cyclists (new but still a cyclist) and bus/coach driver.

 

[AckaDappa]

It certainly has, unfortunately. No one gives anyone else a bad name. Some people do bad things and give themselves a bad name.

Yeah true.
But I hear other drivers talking about how all cyclists in oxford or Cambridge are terrible bla bla bla.. But its only a small minority.

 

[John the Monkey]

Cutting you up!
And they're to blame!
They give bikes, a bad name!

In Cambridge! or O-oxford!
They give bikes, a bad name!

/guitar solo

 

[martint235]

Yeah true.
But I hear other drivers talking about how all cyclists in oxford or Cambridge are terrible bla bla bla.. But its only a small minority.

Unfortunately there is a sizable minority of nobbers out there on bikes that results in me having to have the same conversation at parties etc.

It's just a shame that we aren't allowed to use tactical nuclear weapons on the bikes that shoal to the front at lights or worse jump the light. It would solve many things.

In that absence of proper weapons I have found an exaggerated yawn with accompanying stretch out of arms can have amusing consequences.

 

[benb]

Why is it only bad cyclists that give all cyclists a bad name?
My life is put in danger by a minority of bad drivers, which by any measure is worse than the worst possible behaviour from a cyclist, but I don't extrapolate that to say that they are giving all drivers a bad name, because I'm not a moron (not saying the OP is BTW)

Why is it that only cyclists are held collectively responsible for the bad behaviour of a minority who simply happen to use the same mode of transport? It's idiotic.

 

[AckaDappa]

It's just a shame that we aren't allowed to use tactical nuclear weapons on the bikes that shoal to the front at lights or worse jump the light. It would solve many things.

This really does my head in...

 

[martint235]

Why is it only bad cyclists that give all cyclists a bad name?
My life is put in danger by a minority of bad drivers, which by any measure is worse than the worst possible behaviour from a cyclist, but I don't extrapolate that to say that they are giving all drivers a bad name, because I'm not a moron (not saying the OP is BTW)

Why is it that only cyclists are held collectively responsible for the bad behaviour of a minority who simply happen to use the same mode of transport? It's idiotic.

You'd have to ask the people. In a very closed, unscientific sample, there is a higher percentage of people who think cyclists are bad than cyclists who are bad.

Perception is a funny thing

 

[benb]

on the bikes that shoal to the front at lights

What do you mean? Obviously I don't condone jumping reds, but what is the problem with filtering past a queue of cars to get to the front at the lights?

 

[martint235]

What do you mean? Obviously I don't condone jumping reds, but what is the problem with filtering past a queue of cars to get to the front at the lights?

Nope I mean the slower riders who ease past the quicker riders at a red light and then form up in front of them.

 

[Markymark]

How bad the name is depends on the consequences of how bad they are.

A bad cyclist tends only to possibly hurt them self and if anyone else, it's minor.

A bad coach driver is unlikely to hurt them self but can easily seriously injure or kill someone else as has happened in the past.

Guess which one I give a fudge about and should be smacked around the head until they stop?

 

[Racing roadkill]

 

[vickster]

What do you mean? Obviously I don't condone jumping reds, but what is the problem with filtering past a queue of cars to get to the front at the lights?

Nothing, buses and taxis do it in bus lanes

 

[jefmcg]

Can we have a single giving-cyclists-a-bad-name thread, ala the helmet thread?

https://www.cyclechat.net/search/8765703/?q=Bad+name&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1

 

[martint235]

Can we have a single giving-cyclists-a-bad-name thread, ala the helmet thread?

https://www.cyclechat.net/search/8765703/?q=Bad+name&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1

Spoilsport

 

[Lonestar]

Trouble is I get this all the time in the messroom at work and it's got so bad im now ignoring the brain dead ones who take some pleasure of ganging up on a lone cyclist and going through the same old bullshit again.

I wont discuss or defend as we are just going round in circles again and again.Road Tax/Insurance/Helmets/Too dangerous and all the other bullshit...well done.Halfwits.

Oh did I miss out red light jumpers whilst the motorist behind is happily playing with his/her phone.