What annoys car drivers most about cyclists?

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simoncc

New Member
Abitrary said:
simoncc, why are you such a whinger??? I tried to read that, with honest intent, and my leg started involintarlily kicking.

Most commuters want to get from a to b without any fuss.

You my friend are going to put people off of cycling forever, if you don't shut up.


I'll think you'll find that by facing down motorists on narrow, car blocked roads you'll get from a to b more quickly. I speak fom experience. If you want to become a cyclist on today's roads then listen to the likes of me. I know what I'm talking about, and I've got the urban miles to prove it.

If, on the other hand, you are a lifestyle cyclist with no particular place to go and with an image to uphold, then do whatever you like.
 

longers

Legendary Member
Simon is right on this. There's a few places on my ride to work where oncoming drivers cross the centre line because of parked cars on their side of the road, they should give way to traffic that is able to proceed on their own side. They don't want to and try not to but they are wrong. I can see how it pees them off having to brake/slow down or move for a mere cyclist.
 

Tynan

Veteran
Location
e4
Why should the bike ever give way to a car if they're not obliged to? if there's not room to pass safely I'd certainly hold primary at least

as to calling others self-gratification artists etc etc, yeah whatever, well done
 

gavintc

Guru
Location
Southsea
Having seen some of Arbitrary's early morning comments. I think alcohol or weed has influenced some of the more bizarre comments.
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
longers said:
Simon is right on this. There's a few places on my ride to work where oncoming drivers cross the centre line because of parked cars on their side of the road, they should give way to traffic that is able to proceed on their own side. They don't want to and try not to but they are wrong. I can see how it pees them off having to brake/slow down or move for a mere cyclist.

Seconded. It can even be downright dangerous on roads with parked cars on both sides. You have to own the space, IMO.
 

yenrod

Guest
SimonCC#s approach is quite correct if you dont risk your life ie state the right to your space..then you wont last long, mortally.
 

tdr1nka

Taking the biscuit
I'm with simoncc, I believe that any vehicle that has to cross to the on coming lane has to give way to traffic on it's own side of the road.

If someone doesn't look like giving way in these circumstances I simply stop dead in primary and wait for them to realise they can't get past and slow down before I then proceed. This usually works.
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
Simon is right. Of course in practice you want to get where you're going, so does the other guy, and you both know that you may have to compromise. If theres a gap in parked vehicles on your side but not his then use it; don't feel in any way obliged to always give way when its your priority though.
 

Big T

Guru
Location
Nottingham
I find what winds drivers up the most is riding on the road, when there's shared use cycle/footway. They seem to think that because there is a cycle path then we should be on it. I even had a guy in a BT van berate me for being on the road. He even said the "bike in a red triangle" sign meant no cycling. I told him he should read the Highway Code as it actually means watch out for cyclists.
 

LLB

Guest
Tynan said:
cars tend to go through lights 'late', bikes tend to go stright through them regardless of timing, there's a difference

the vast majority of rlj by bikes is absolutely safe, that's not the point, when one sort of road users see another sort routinely breaking a rule that they generally observe it's bound to cause resentment


I think this is a fair comment.

I'd add that there is a lot of cycling in the pedestrian areas in my town, and also against the flow on the one way system (not by the 'serious about cycling' bunch though).
 
OP
OP
beanzontoast
Big T said:
I find what winds drivers up the most is riding on the road, when there's shared use cycle/footway. They seem to think that because there is a cycle path then we should be on it. I even had a guy in a BT van berate me for being on the road. He even said the "bike in a red triangle" sign meant no cycling. I told him he should read the Highway Code as it actually means watch out for cyclists.

Irrespective of whether people believe in cyclists being separated from other traffic, the cycle paths on my route to work are, in the main, rendered unusable by broken glass. I've reported them, but they never stay clear for long. I doubt the average car driver gives this a thought. They just see a cyclist on the road.
 

jonesy

Guru
Big T said:
I find what winds drivers up the most is riding on the road, when there's shared use cycle/footway. They seem to think that because there is a cycle path then we should be on it. I even had a guy in a BT van berate me for being on the road. He even said the "bike in a red triangle" sign meant no cycling. I told him he should read the Highway Code as it actually means watch out for cyclists.

Another myth doing the rounds is that a round blue sign with a cycle symbol means that use of the cycle path is mandatory, so you aren't allowed to cycle on the road next to a path with such signs...

IMO the greatly increased use of shared-use pavements in recent years has been a retrograde step for cycling- usually offering an inferior alternative to staying on the road, taking space from pedestrians and undermining our right to use the road in the eyes of motorists. It is particularly depressing that such farcilities are a common feature of the National Cycle Network, which sets a very damaging precedent to those in charge of designing cycling infrastructure. ;)
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
mjones said:
IMO the greatly increased use of shared-use pavements in recent years has been a retrograde step for cycling- usually offering an inferior alternative to staying on the road, taking space from pedestrians and undermining our right to use the road in the eyes of motorists. It is particularly depressing that such farcilities are a common feature of the National Cycle Network, which sets a very damaging precedent to those in charge of designing cycling infrastructure. :angry:

I agree entirely.

Cycling home today, in primary position on Milton Road, doing a decent lick, certainly enough pace such that the limiting factor on how quickly I'd get to my turn off would be traffic rather than my basic speed, I heard a beep behind me. Looked round, another cyclist was maybe 15 yards behind me in primary position, a car honking. I ignored this, other cyclist also clearly ignored it. Very soon afterwards another loud honking, I'm ware at that time that the same car is now right behind me. Overtook (I was also in primary, knowing there was a muppet with a horn behind me made that decision easy!), woman in passenger seat swearing and poinging over at the shared use path by the side of the road, driver gesturing less politely.

Of course, I caught up at the roundabout, and, of course, I waved and smiled as I sailed past them and, of course, at the junction with Arbury Road I was there WAY before they were, I had not affected their journey time in any way. But I hadn't been on the shared use path, and thats wrong you know.
 

LLB

Guest
Cab said:
I agree entirely.

Cycling home today, in primary position on Milton Road, doing a decent lick, certainly enough pace such that the limiting factor on how quickly I'd get to my turn off would be traffic rather than my basic speed, I heard a beep behind me. Looked round, another cyclist was maybe 15 yards behind me in primary position, a car honking. I ignored this, other cyclist also clearly ignored it. Very soon afterwards another loud honking, I'm ware at that time that the same car is now right behind me. Overtook (I was also in primary, knowing there was a muppet with a horn behind me made that decision easy!), woman in passenger seat swearing and poinging over at the shared use path by the side of the road, driver gesturing less politely.

Of course, I caught up at the roundabout, and, of course, I waved and smiled as I sailed past them and, of course, at the junction with Arbury Road I was there WAY before they were, I had not affected their journey time in any way. But I hadn't been on the shared use path, and thats wrong you know.


I used to be all for the shared use, but I think they are doing cycling as a whole a great disservice :angry:

They just reinforce the misguided notion that cycles don't belong on the road
 

jonesy

Guru
I had a new varient of the 'get on the cycle path' abuse today: this time it was 'why don't you ride on the pavement?!

I wasn't sure whether the beetroot-faced company car driver thought the pavement was a cycle path (other drivers make that mistake as there is a shared use cycle path further up the road, though the different signposting ought to provide a clue...), or whether he now assumes that all pavements are for cyclists. From his physical appearance he doesn't walk much either, so probably isn't bothered by the distinction.
 
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