Today has left me utterly depressed....

[Sara_H]

Considering I only ride about 4 miles to work, it's depressing.

Got beeped at a first time, by a driver who couldn't pass me due to oncomng traffic. Traffic cleared so he took his chance to deliver a punishment pass with another beep thrown in for good measure.

Two minutes later, similar situation, heading down hill, no room for following car to pass so driver leaned on the horn, all the way for about 30 seconds until we got to the next set of lights. Of course light is at red, she proceeds to give me a gobful, her behaviour is justified because I wasn't in the painted on cycle path which I'm required to do by law according to her.

Five minutes later, once again, riding along towards a junction, traffic oncoming on oppisite side. White van behind me. Oncoming traffic clears, white van man floors it, close passes, then cuts me up to slot in front of me and slams brakes on for junction.

Next, my colleague, a perfectly normal sensible woman asks me why I'm so quiet. I told her I'd had a bad ride into work, I'd been bullied by terrible drivers and nearly knocked off at least once. She then proceeded to rant about the really annoying cyclist riding on the 40mph dualled road, making really difficult for all the drivers to get past, when there's a perfectly good cycle path on the pavement along side. The cycle path she's referring to is notoriously crap, I tried to explain to her, she just couldn't get it and continued to rant on.

It's all left me feeling quite down in the dumps.

 

[Markymark]

It's changing. I know so many people getting into cycling. The numbers are unprecedented. It's all over the news and everyone is talking about it.

There will at some point be a critical mass (no reference to organisation). It will take time but I am convinced the tide will turn.

 

[ScotiaLass]

I don't really use the roads and don't commute but the few experiences I've had have been similar.
I really feel for you - it's like an uphill battle which it seems, non-cyclists, will never understand

 

[Spinney]

Don't let the bastards grind you down.

Unlike driver 1, stupid tart 2 and WVM, you're getting exercise, you're fitter and you've got around 28000 friends*

And unlike dim bimbo in the office, you have a brain that works.



*OK, so counting ALL members of CycleChat may be overdoing it a bit!

What you need is:

and

 

[Brandane]

 

[Pale Rider]

The insensitivity of your colleague - anti-cyclist rant to a cyclist who has just had a difficult ride in - borders on the comical.

Perhaps she was inspired by the news of the Monty Python reunion.

 

[Sara_H]

The thing about my colleague that depressed me most is, that she had absolutely no concept of what was wrong about what she was saying. She's generally a lovely woman, very intelligent, sensitive and caring - but demonstrated to me that drivers have got no idea about why cyclists behave in the way they do, and rather tahn wondering why, just gets angry.
Same with the woman at the lights, as far as she was concerned I was the devil for slowing her progress to the red traffic light, and I was completely illegal for not being in the cycle lane that would have allowed her to pass me, albeit far too close to be safe.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Sara!
Same here: got some lovely colleagues, when they hear "cyclists" it's like they've been insulted.
One young boy, who used to cycle to work until he got a girlfriend with a car, marveled at how did I dare cycle so all the cars had to change lane to pass me, inconveniencing them.
He was in a car behind me, told me at work, implying I should really cycle in the gutter, even though the road is a double carriageway.

 

[fossyant]

I very nearly joined a couple in their car tonight, via the rear window. Driver just pulled into my lane right in front. They geard my foul language ad the windows were down. Very sheepish after that.

Crap happens sometimes. Ignore the idiots

 

[Banjo]

The thing about my colleague that depressed me most is, that she had absolutely no concept of what was wrong about what she was saying. She's generally a lovely woman, very intelligent, sensitive and caring - but demonstrated to me that drivers have got no idea about why cyclists behave in the way they do, and rather tahn wondering why, just gets angry.
Same with the woman at the lights, as far as she was concerned I was the devil for slowing her progress to the red traffic light, and I was completely illegal for not being in the cycle lane that would have allowed her to pass me, albeit far too close to be safe.

I would have pointed out to her that the only illegal act was her misusing her car horn.

 

[Matt1243]

Starting to have more and more incidents as the winter rolls in. I'vebeen commuting for about 3 years and the winter is always worse.

At least everyone at work has been converted (at least in front of me) to understand why cyclists take the lane etc.

Had a man in his car beep at me today, whilst going round a round-a-bout, whilst he was sat on his phone. Get home to see the One Show talking about cyclists with experts such as Gary Barlow and Miranda (who said she jumps red lights) Turn on facebook to see the Labour Party have a new plan for cyclists and all of the comments are bigoted statements about jumping red lights, not paying Road Tax.

Getting fed up with people making out like cyclists are the problem.

Ban cars.

 

[Maverick Goose]

That's the spirit!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Considering I only ride about 4 miles to work, it's depressing.

Got beeped at a first time, by a driver who couldn't pass me due to oncomng traffic. Traffic cleared so he took his chance to deliver a punishment pass with another beep thrown in for good measure.

Two minutes later, similar situation, heading down hill, no room for following car to pass so driver leaned on the horn, all the way for about 30 seconds until we got to the next set of lights. Of course light is at red, she proceeds to give me a gobful, her behaviour is justified because I wasn't in the painted on cycle path which I'm required to do by law according to her.

Five minutes later, once again, riding along towards a junction, traffic oncoming on oppisite side. White van behind me. Oncoming traffic clears, white van man floors it, close passes, then cuts me up to slot in front of me and slams brakes on for junction.

Next, my colleague, a perfectly normal sensible woman asks me why I'm so quiet. I told her I'd had a bad ride into work, I'd been bullied by terrible drivers and nearly knocked off at least once. She then proceeded to rant about the really annoying cyclist riding on the 40mph dualled road, making really difficult for all the drivers to get past, when there's a perfectly good cycle path on the pavement along side. The cycle path she's referring to is notoriously crap, I tried to explain to her, she just couldn't get it and continued to rant on.

It's all left me feeling quite down in the dumps.

I must be doing something different to rest of you, I rarely have incidents and it unusual for me to get beeped and I can't remember the last time I got abuse, Sara H don't let the buggers grind you down, just keep pedalling.

 

[Sara_H]

I would have pointed out to her that the only illegal act was her misusing her car horn.

I tried,but she was ranting on and on. She was really angry, and yet I had done absolutely nothing wrong. That's what's upsetting me, the terrible anger, for no reason at all.

 

[Sara_H]

I must be doing something different to rest of you, I rarely have incidents and it unusual for me to get beeped and I can't remember the last time I got abuse, Sara H don't let the buggers grind you down, just keep pedalling.

I think part of my problem is that I've spent most of my working life commuting at unsocial hours, but now I work office hours I'm exposed to rush hour commuting.
I usually get a hand full of close passes every day, but today was just outstanding with the horn blowing and punishment passes.