Why do drivers hate cyclists?

[rowan 46]

The answer quite simply is they don't. Occasionally a motorist makes a mistake through being inattentive no malice intended just a momentary lapse in concentration. Quite human quite understandable we've all done it. Those occasions when a motorist bullies and abuses us when its not our fault that's because they are bullies, they are like that with every road user and its nothing to do with us being cyclists. Its to do with us getting in the way of what they want to do. To those who say we should behave in a way so as not to antagonise these people I say nuts. Some drivers will always hate. Anything we do is only an excuse for them but they don't need one. I am not advocating a disregard of the rules of the road most of them keep us safe I am saying to stand meekly so as not to antagonise doesn't work. In short be as assertive as you can be without putting yourself in danger. Cycling is a risky business but it's not dangerous.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

The answer quite simply is they don't. Occasionally a motorist makes a mistake through being inattentive no malice intended just a momentary lapse in concentration. Quite human quite understandable we've all done it. Those occasions when a motorist bullies and abuses us when its not our fault that's because they are bullies, they are like that with every road user and its nothing to do with us being cyclists. Its to do with us getting in the way of what they want to do. To those who say we should behave in a way so as not to antagonise these people I say nuts. Some drivers will always hate. Anything we do is only an excuse for them but they don't need one. I am not advocating a disregard of the rules of the road most of them keep us safe I am saying to stand meekly so as not to antagonise doesn't work. In short be as assertive as you can be without putting yourself in danger. Cycling is a risky business but it's not dangerous.

I quote verbatum "I don't believe that riding legally would make inconsiderate drivers like cyclists more. they have no reason to hate they just do."

 

[rowan 46]

I quote verbatum "I don't believe that riding legally would make inconsiderate drivers like cyclists more. they have no reason to hate they just do."

your point?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

your point

My point is that you state in this post "The answer quite simply is they don't." Excuse me for being confused.

 

[Adasta]

When people are in a car there seems to be an inability to reason properly. We've all seen people overtake cyclists only to speed to a red light and then be passes themselves. That's not rational.

I don't think the majority of drivers are making conscious decisions regarding cyclists; therin lies the problem, but I'm at a loss to explain why this happens.

 

[rowan 46]

My point is that you state in this post "The answer quite simply is they don't." Excuse me for being confused.

That's right drivers do not hate us. Inconsiderate selfish drivers hate everyone not just us it's nothing personal.

 

[Hip Priest]

Drivers don't hate cyclists. If they did then I'd hate myself 'cause I'm both. I think people in general are just becoming more self-centred and impatient. Many people get outraged if someone holds them up for 2 seconds, whether it's someone on a bike, someone driving slowly, or someone being slow putting their things away at the till. Many people don't see themselves as part of society anymore, it's just me, me, me.

 

[rowan 46]

Drivers don't hate cyclists. If they did then I'd hate myself 'cause I'm both. I think people in general are just becoming more self-centred and impatient. Many people get outraged if someone holds them up for 2 seconds, whether it's someone on a bike, someone driving slowly, or someone being slow putting their things away at the till. Many people don't see themselves as part of society anymore, it's just me, me, me.

I think that's pretty much it. The increasing hostility to cyclists is just a symptom of a society that's less polite than it used to be. perhaps this thread should be moved to the pub

 

[gaz]

Some people genuinely raise hate because they nearly or did get knocked over by a cyclist because they did xyz.
I've meat them outside of cycling abd they express that opinion to me without a prompt.

 

[fossyant]

Cycling is perfectly safe I always tell people. It's the idiots in cars you have to watch out for.

 

[al78]

Drivers don't hate cyclists. If they did then I'd hate myself 'cause I'm both. I think people in general are just becoming more self-centred and impatient. Many people get outraged if someone holds them up for 2 seconds, whether it's someone on a bike, someone driving slowly, or someone being slow putting their things away at the till. Many people don't see themselves as part of society anymore, it's just me, me, me.

That is unfortunately an inevitable consequence of modern life and trying to (or being forced to) squeeze more and more things into the day. Time is valuable and so when someone gets held up, it can feel to them like a theft of their limited time.

BTW I don't think the till example you gave was the best, as that is often a situation where people are thoughtless. Is it really so difficult to hand your card over to the cashier BEFORE packing your stuff so you can do the card scanning and packing in parallel? The cyclist, on the other hand, mostly can't help being slower than the traffic flow.

 

[HLaB]

Some folk hate anything which is different, a cyclist appears different fron a driver.

 

[rowan 46]

Some people genuinely raise hate because they nearly or did get knocked over by a cyclist because they did xyz.
I've meat them outside of cycling abd they express that opinion to me without a prompt.

I grant that some people have (for them) good reason we are all shaped by experience to some extent but most of the hostility practiced is by bullies who just see other people as an impediment to that which they wish to do.

 

[Tinuts]

Surely that should be "Why do British drivers hate cyclists?". Go to France and it's an entirely different attitude.

 

[rowan 46]

Surely that should be "Why do British drivers hate cyclists?". Go to France and it's an entirely different attitude.

fair point