People who pretend to like cyclists but really don't

[Accy cyclist]

I'll give an example of this. Father in law asking me the other day about my incident with the idiot who knocked me off my bike in April. I see he was in court said father in law. Yes and he got 5 points which means he can't afford insurance anymore, i replied. I could see the cogs going round in his head thinking that's a bit harsh. You have to bear in mind that father in law is an ex wagon driver who thinks we hog the road and don't pay road tax blah blah.Oh poor lad, he'll be off the road for a while, said he. Another example.I was talking to an elderly woman the other day. She's an old friend of my mum's and we've always got on with each other but she peed me off with a comment. We were on about people driving cars round the cemetery when they should/could park up and walk the short distance. Again bear in mind that she knows i'm a keen cyclist. Well it's not as bad as what i saw the other day, she said. I saw a man and his children riding bikes round the cemetery paths. It's so disrespectful! she said. Now i've seen this bloke, he plods on around about 5 mph with his children behind him on those little kiddie bikes with tassels hanging from the handlebars.doing nothing more than teaching his .children how to ride. He must be using the cemetery paths, as he considers it safer than the roads.
What i'm saying is that both these people know that i'm a cyclist and both pretend to have sympathy for cyclists, but deep down they resent us. Do you know of anybody who harbours anti cyclist thoughts but pretends to have sympathy for cyclists?

 

[sidevalve]

You're carrying way too much weight - Remove chip from shoulder

 

[Accy cyclist]

You're carrying way too much weight - Remove chip from shoulder

Wow that's a positive comment(!)

 

[Ian H]

It's down to seeing cycling as 'play', a frivolous activity. Whereas cars are 'serious'. That and reading the Daily Mail.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

It'd not just cyclists who get this believe me and sometimes it's not so mild.

Some folks just don't have a filter and they'll never change. Just avoid them is my advice and yes, this includes family members.

 

[gavroche]

You are describing what is basically a typical British attitude towards cyclists. This attitude is totally different on the continent where cyclists are respected by motorists and people at large. It all boils down to education and the " car is king" ethos in the UK.

 

[Brandane]

I am neither anti cyclist or pro cyclist. I am neither pro or anti car driver. I see idiots on bikes; I see idiots in cars. I see sensible cycling and sensible car driving. What I do see on this forum from certain posters is a denial that cyclists CAN be knobs as much as the next person. Perhaps the knob they saw in their car during the week goes out on his bike at the weekend - and behaves like a knob. A knob is a knob whatever they do.

 

[Brandane]

You are describing what is basically a typical British attitude towards cyclists. This attitude is totally different on the continent where cyclists are respected by motorists and people at large. It all boils down to education and the " car is king" ethos in the UK.

I would take that a step further and miss out the "towards cyclists" bit. It is just the British attitude in general. Selfish, basically.

 

[alicat]

@Accy cyclist, puts me in mind of my favourite quote:

A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.

I had some elderly friends who are like your f-i-l. They thought I shouldn't claim damages against a car driver who entered a roundabout without looking and knocked me off in case he sued me for damage to his car.

 

[Sara_H]

People just don't understand the issues. It's not their fault, they're hard of thinking and can't form an opinion without the Daily Mail et al to help them.

Had several upsetting episodes when conversations at work about my deliberate hit and run turned into fully fledged anti cyclist ranting. Very unpleasant and not good for the soul. Best ignored.

 

[gbb]

I would take that a step further and miss out the "towards cyclists" bit. It is just the British attitude in general. Selfish, basically.

This ties In a little with my late dads observations through his 85 years of life...
We were discussing what I thought was a new phenomenon..the fact we British seemed to have become obsessed with poking our noses into other peoples business, got to have an opinion on something or other, rather than just accept we're all different...
His answer...
The British have ALWAYS been that way, you just weren't looking for it.

 

[jonny jeez]

It's just a lack of empathy or understanding.

Before I took up cycling, I held most if not all of the views that the people around me held. its only though experience and understanding that I am now able to see things from a cyclist perspective.

I am sure we all have similar bias views about other groups that we don't understand.

Cosplay fans
Gamer fans
Death metal fans
Peter Andre fans

Car Drivers
Motorcyclists
Lorry drivers


All a bit beyond me ...but to them, I'm sure it all makes perfect sense.

 

[glenn forger]

It is curiously British. It's strange that if you confront them they sometimes say "oh, I don't mean you!" So it's like a sort of conditioning, they may be bad people but more usually they've just been drip-fed virulent anti-cyclist sentiments so it's a kind of brain-washing. Among young people it's applying hate to an out-group in order to fit in, it's joining in bullying in order to be accepted by your peers so kids' Twitter feeds are full of "I'd like to run cyclists over". It's constant and unrelenting and the circle jerk offers vindication as if they're saying "oh you hate cyclists too, we have common ground!"

 

[Brandane]

Cosplay fans
Gamer fans
Death metal fans
Peter Andre fans

Car Drivers
Motorcyclists
Lorry drivers

3 out of 7 apply to me - and I don't do Cosplay, Gamer, Death Metal, or Peter Andre .

 

[ianrauk]

I love death Metal.... Cosplay are alright in small doses too....