Stupid Cyclist!!!!

[XmisterIS]

Hi all,

I am a regular rider, I commute, do off-road, cycle for fun, etc, I've been riding for about 20 years. And today I would like to have a little RANT!!! I know this is only my second post on the forum, but please forgive me for jumping in with a rant - I feel I have a very important point to make here.

One thing that makes my blood boil is when I see selfish cyclists giving the rest of us a bad name

Anyway, I was driving along a country road the other day, came to a little village with one of those traffic-calming chicane things that gives right-of way to traffic in one direction, and then the other.

So, I slowed right down to about 25 mph, came up to the first chicane and prepared to go through it. Bear in mind that (a) I was driving a car and ( I had right of way.

Suddenly, a guy on a race bike came flying round the corner, totally ignored the great big "give way" sign on his side of the chicane and comes hurtling towards me, on my side of the road. I had just enough time to slam on the brakes and hold my hand on the horn .... and as he went past me, he shouted at me to f**k off, and gave me the finger!

I was incredibly pissed off for three reasons:

a) That guy has probably single-handedly created scores of bike-hating drivers, just because he rides like an arrogant, selfish a**hole. Therefor, when I am out on my bike, riding courteously, they hate me too.

It was my right of way - the highway code applies to bicycles too!

c) I was driving one-and-a-half tonnes of Ford Mondeo - if I had hit him I would have probably killed him, his family would have been distraught and I would have to live the rest of my life with the memory of his death.

So ... if you ride a bike and you don't drive, go and get a copy of the highway code and READ IT!!!!!

It might just save your life.

 

[MartinC]

Yes, inconsiderate road behaviour is very annoying.

Several points to consider:

There is no such thing as "right of way" in the Highway Code. In some situations some road users will have priority. In the situation you describe you had priority. You still have a responsibility to drive safely and avoid your ton and a half of metal injuring anyone.

Cyclists aren't a homogenous group that are corporately responsible for the way they behave. He doesn't represent me any more than you do as a driver or as a cyclist.

You can't change other peoples behaviour only your own. He annoyed you, you responded by sounding your horn (contravening the Highway Code instruction that you should only use it to warn others of your approach), he then responded by being rude to you.

The most important part of driving (and cycling) is attitude.

 

[CotterPin]

Not wishing to make this a driver vs cyclist debate but equally I was once leading a group of cyclists through a similar situation although this time we had the right of way and the approaching car did not. The driver behaved in exactly the same way as your cyclist except that he stopped when he realised that there was no way he could get through without actually hitting one of us.

The moral of this is that there are idiots in or on all types of vehicles on the road.

It is interesting, however, to note that the poor behaviour of one cyclist is often extrapolated to all cyclists, whereas this is not the case for drivers.

 

[adds21]

It is interesting, however, to note that the poor behaviour of one cyclist is often extrapolated to all cyclists, whereas this is not the case for drivers.

Oh yes it is. I've lost count of the times I've read statements like "Bloody car/BMW/Lorry/Tipper/Bus/Moped drivers" used here. That's not necessary a criticism, it's simply pointing out that some people generalise. Whether or not they mean it is a different question (I suspect, and hope not).

I include myself in the above by the way. I rode my motorbike to work this morning (too hot to cycle for me), and I found myself mumbling something about "bloody car drivers" under my breath. I know they're not all bad... After all, I'm one myself sometimes.

 

[Pip]

Hmmm. I can understand your frustration, I feel a similar thing when I see people RLJing.

As someone has already pointed out, no one on the roads has 'right' of way according to the 'Code, merely priority. You are ALWAYS responsible for ensuring you don't hit anything (whether this is right or wrong in the cases of people stepping off the pavement etc is a different debate), so it's very much in your interests to ensure (as it would appear you did) you can always stop if the unexpected happens.

I dissagree with your use of the horn - it's there to warn people of your approach not to rebuke people when you get peeved. The cyclist was clearly aware of you so no need to use it really - unless the use of the horn is going to help avoid an accident then best to prioritise braking/ avoiding action rather than 'Holding your [my] hand on the horn.'

The cyclist in this case does sound like a bit of a t**t - unfortunately these people are in charge of all forms of vehicle these days, I find deep calming breaths help ;-) . one thing I tend to bear in mind when I'm driving is that it's a LOT more effort for someone cycling to regain their speed if they're forced to stop, so in that situation, if, and only IF, it's safe to do so I'd waive may priority and let the bike through.

 

[dodgy]

It is interesting, however, to note that the poor behaviour of one cyclist is often extrapolated to all cyclists, whereas this is not the case for drivers.

Nicely put, cyclists are always having to defend against this irrational thought process!

 

[CotterPin]

Oh yes it is. I've lost count of the times I've read statements like "Bloody car/BMW/Lorry/Tipper/Bus/Moped drivers" used here. That's not necessary a criticism, it's simply pointing out that some people generalise. Whether or not they mean it is a different question (I suspect, and hope not).

I include myself in the above by the way. I rode my motorbike to work this morning (too hot to cycle for me), and I found myself mumbling something about "bloody car drivers" under my breath. I know they're not all bad... After all, I'm one myself sometimes.

Yes, on here, a cycling forum. But in the real world I have lost count of the number of times I have heard people talk about "you cyclists" as if we are an homogenous whole.

 

[XmisterIS]

Yep, perhaps I was a little hasty with the horn! The thing that made me angry really was that I was pretty much already in the chicane when he appeared - and he literally came charging straight at me, even though he could see that I had already begun my manoeuvre.

He could easily of regained his speed, it was a slight downhill stretch.

Incidentally, I go through the same chicane on my bike regularly and I always slow down for it if there's oncoming traffic, and I always stop if there's someone coming through the chicane - it takes all of a few seconds to get back up to speed again.

Anyway, this definintely NOT a cars-vs-bikes thread! When I am on my bike, innocently cycling along, minding my own business, I occasionally get the "you shouldn't be on the f**ing road" line from car drivers.

So I'll agree wholeheartedly with an earlier reply saying that it's not the vehicle that's the problem, it's the idiot in control of it! I ride a motorbike too - and you should see the amount of antagonism THAT gets from some car drivers! It is far worse than the amount of crap I get on a pushbike! Some people hate you just because you're on two wheels ...

While I was typing this, I just realised something - when I'm on a pushbike or on my motorbike, I don't react to aggressive road users at all ... but when I'm in a car, I sometimes beep at 'em! That's as far as it goes though - I prefer to rant about it afterwards than to react in the heat of the moment!

 

[jmaccyd]

As a long term London Taxi Driver, ex Driving Instructor, Advanced Driver and cyclist, is there a more miss-understood phrase than 'I have right of way' No,no,no,no! We have proirity on the road, nothing more, nothing less. Still the cyclist is a bit of an a**e and you did the right thing in stopping, just remove the 'right-of-way' tag from your driving thought process and things just flow a lot better on the road and cause far less stress!

 

[02GF74]

While I was typing this, I just realised something - when I'm on a pushbike or on my motorbike, I don't react to aggressive road users at all ... but when I'm in a car, I sometimes beep at 'em!

ofcourse not - it is being surrounded by a metal cage hat gives the sense of invulnerability,

 

[thomas]

Hmm, the honking sounds unnecessary and the cyclist still doesn't have any more respect for the rules, but will probably tell his mates about some idiot motorist who was honking for no reason.

The amount of times I've had cars cut me up on those things (when in a car too)...people just can't wait and my arrogance once meant I nearly clipped a car who did what the cyclist in your situation did.

 

[XmisterIS]

Ah! I think the solution has got to be to really surprise the car drivers in future by bunny-hopping the little island part of the chicane ... provided there isn't a fooking great bollard in the middle of it!

 

[John the Monkey]

Remember Rule 147 folks;

147

Be considerate. Be careful of and considerate towards all types of road users, especially those requiring extra care (see Rule 204). You should

• try to be understanding if other road users cause problems; they may be inexperienced or not know the area well
• be patient; remember that anyone can make a mistake
• not allow yourself to become agitated or involved if someone is behaving badly on the road. This will only make the situation worse. Pull over, calm down and, when you feel relaxed, continue your journey
• slow down and hold back if a road user pulls out into your path at a junction. Allow them to get clear. Do not over-react by driving too close behind to intimidate them

And chill....

 

[Wigsie]

Remember Rule 147 folks;

147

Be considerate. Be careful of and considerate towards all types of road users, especially those requiring extra care (see Rule 204). You should

• try to be understanding if other road users cause problems; they may be inexperienced or not know the area well
• be patient; remember that anyone can make a mistake
• not allow yourself to become agitated or involved if someone is behaving badly on the road. This will only make the situation worse. Pull over, calm down and, when you feel relaxed, continue your journey
• slow down and hold back if a road user pulls out into your path at a junction. Allow them to get clear. Do not over-react by driving too close behind to intimidate them

And chill....

+1 there will always be generalisations assigned to 'groups' of a certain fraternity, its basic human behavior to identify common ground and moan together about something. Cyclists do have a bad name (this maybe be magnified depending on region) but so do Volvo drivers, White vans and BMW drivers (and I particularly hate short women driving big 4x4's ).

The only thing you can do is control your own behaviour and act as if your single handedly trying to change the reputation of the fraternity you fit in oe situation at a time. With me its cycling and being a BMW driver!

 

[Bman]

As a long term London Taxi Driver, ex Driving Instructor, Advanced Driver and cyclist, is there a more miss-understood phrase than 'I have right of way' No,no,no,no! We have proirity on the road, nothing more, nothing less. Still the cyclist is a bit of an a**e and you did the right thing in stopping, just remove the 'right-of-way' tag from your driving thought process and things just flow a lot better on the road and cause far less stress!

So pedestrians dont "always have the right-of-way", just "priority"?

I'll have to remember that one