Looks Like I struck A Nerve Or Two.

[Dwn]

I cycle most days, and drive far less frequently. In order to cycle more and drive less, even bought an elephant bike for going to the supermarket - it’s a very useful bike for bulky and heavy items. I cycle because I enjoy it, and it’s good exercise that I can fit around doing other tasks.

I’m very glad to see, for selfish reasons largely, improved cycling infrastructure, although we have a long way to go yet. Despite this, I do have a good deal of sympathy for drivers frustrated with cyclists and cycle lanes. They (we) have been sold these expensive machines, which promise freedom and practicality. The freedom is usually illusory, especially in cities and seeing this reduced further in some places for the benefit of cyclists isn’t easy to accept.

An example: In Glasgow, there is a junction which has been modified to accommodate a very nice cycle lane (one of the few really good ones). I cycled that way the other night to see why it has generated such negative feedback from drivers, and it does create large traffic queues where only small ones previously existed. So, of course they are angry - not helped by a significant minority of cyclists jumping through the red light at the same junction.

The Labour Party has discovered that if your activists imply that your core vote are racists and homophobes, then they aren’t going to vote for you. Cyclists suggesting that drivers are selfish tubs of lard is hardly likely to help get people on bikes.

 

[Lovacott]

Cyclists suggesting that drivers are selfish tubs of lard is hardly likely to help get people on bikes.

The vast majority of cyclists drive cars for the majority of the time.

I'm a committed cycle commuter but I still do more miles in the car than on the bike.

The people who attack cyclists in the mail online comments section, are not drivers. They are losers with nothing to do apart from log onto a free news source where everybody dislikes Meghan and Harry and they totally hate people on two wheels.

Riding a bike in 2021 is akin to being a terrorist in the eyes of the average daily mail reader.

 

[Drago]

An example: In Glasgow, there is a junction which has been modified to accommodate a very nice cycle lane (one of the few really good ones). I cycled that way the other night to see why it has generated such negative feedback from drivers, and it does create large traffic queues where only small ones previously existed. So, of course they are angry - not helped by a significant minority of cyclists jumping through the red light at the same junction.

I must respectfully disagree.

Cars create traffic queues. That most of those cas have 4 empty seats, and most are being used for unnecessary journeys, most are on local journeys thar could very realistically be done by other means, and one can quickly see that it is not the architecture inflicting this malaise upon motorists - it is the motorists inflicting it upon themselves and one another.

 

[Dwn]

I must respectfully disagree.

Cars create traffic queues. That most of those cas have 4 empty seats, and most are being used for unnecessary journeys, most are on local journeys thar could very realistically be done by other means, and one can quickly see that it is not the architecture inflicting this malaise upon motorists - it is the motorists inflicting it upon themselves and one another.

I’m not sure we are really disagreeing. I completely get that there are too many single occupancy cars, often doing very short journeys, and I also think that you won’t get more people cycling without a combination of carrot and stick. The carrot is better cycling infrastructure and the stick is making driving less pleasant.

My point though is that drivers perceive themselves as losing convenience (in this case) that they previously had - and for the benefit of cyclists. Change is hard for people and particularly where they don’t feel in control of that change. It might be good for them and all of us in the medium to long term but it isn’t easy to adapt in the term.

I’m very much in favour of carrots and sticks (or a carrot shaped stick) when it comes to things like this, but I don’t think excoriation of the affected group (not by you, but by the OP) is helpful in any way.

 

[Dwn]

The vast majority of cyclists drive cars for the majority of the time.

I'm a committed cycle commuter but I still do more miles in the car than on the bike.

The people who attack cyclists in the mail online comments section, are not drivers. They are losers with nothing to do apart from log onto a free news source where everybody dislikes Meghan and Harry and they totally hate people on two wheels.

Riding a bike in 2021 is akin to being a terrorist in the eyes of the average daily mail reader.

As far as I can see, you logged on to said free news source for losers and deliberately made a provocative comment, and then logged on to this forum to boast about it. If that floats your boat, then good for you.

 

[Lovacott]

As far as I can see, you logged on to said free news source for losers and deliberately made a provocative comment, and then logged on to this forum to boast about it. If that floats your boat, then good for you.

I read all of the articles I can find about about cycle commuting. It amazes me how wound up people get about having to slow down for a few seconds because there's a bike in front of them.

Over the last week, I've driven 120 miles and I had to slow down for a bike once. I sat a safe distance behind for about 20 seconds and then overtook on the other side of the road when it was clear.

No big deal, it didn't make me late for anything and I didn't get angry.

But for some people, seeing someone riding a pushbike on a road is an act of war. All of these myths surface about cyclists causing road crashes by breaking all of the rules everyone else has to follow. We are told we shouldn't be on the roads because we don't pay road tax?

 

[Drago]

As far as I can see, you logged on to said free news source for losers and deliberately made a provocative comment...

So much like a visit to the News and Current Affairs forum then.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Saw this headline in the Mail Online

Mistake #1

and thought I'd make a comment.

Mistake #2

 

[HMS_Dave]

Keep off the pavements? Sounds like a bloody brilliant idea...

 

[Dave Davenport]

Can I clarify a something please, are you the poster Jim north Devon? If so, as you've chosen to share it on here I assume you think it a reasonable thing to say and if that is the case you need to have a bit of a look at yourself IMO.