Why do so many people hate cyclists?

[oldstrath]

It woz the cats wot dun it guv. My approach to car ownership changed radically once I stopped being a cat owner. I think we know the answer.

Unfair! I have cats, dogs, but no car.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Seems some cyclist hate cyclist, wear Rapha and according to some you are all the gear no idea, ride a shopper, hybrid, chopper, road, mtb, bmx or a fat wheel and you need your brains inspecting according to others. Use a HRM, Strava, Ritmo or a jet wash and god forbid you should breath the same oxygen as a cyclist who does not.

It seems a fact that the Brits just cannot all get on together all of the time.

The fecktard that tried to undertake me on a tarmac downhill in the Surrey Hills in September and who then swerved into me trying to avoid the very pothole field that had me riding in an extreme primary in the first place, and who had us both off as a result, and him only narrowly missed by the oncoming Evoque was wearing Rapha and riding a carbon framed top o'the range trek, badly.

All the gear and very little idea perhaps then.....?

 

[Freds Dad]

So we're back to fear again. Shame our police force can't be bothered to enforce the law, and a bigger shame that almost everyone who gets into a car feels it is acceptable to break the law.

I'm new to the cycling game but have always given cyclists plenty of room when passing. However when I see what happened yesterday makes me think that not all cyclists are angels.

I was stopped at a red light at a large crossroads when someone on a road bike, no helmet but that's his choice decided to come up the inside of the line of traffic and carry on through the red without slowing.
It was on the quick reaction of the driver coming through the green light that prevented an accident.
Things like this unfortunately means that some drivers will treat cyclists badly.

 

[Big Nick]

More tosh. You are afraid of the bullies. As to buses; look up the power-to-weight ratio of, say an Insignia or A4, vs a single decker bus and do the maths.


You prefer to be ruled by fear.

I can't work out whether you're trolling or are actually serious??

You're amazing being able to work out power to weight ratios of everything behind you, what about a vintage car or a tractor?? I thought it was the classification of it being a public service but apparently now its the power to weight ratio that constitutes 'your' road manners formula?

How is being cautious about being hurt being ruled by fear? Anyway when you're in the hospital you'll be able to feel warm all over knowing how brave you've been and the fact you were in the right (in your world anyway)

In my line of work if you're not cautious and assess threat and risk you're reckless and a liability to yourself and those around you relying on you for backup, very different from being 'afraid'.

I apply the same logic to my cycling

 

[oldstrath]

I'm new to the cycling game but have always given cyclists plenty of room when passing. However when I see what happened yesterday makes me think that not all cyclists are angels.

I was stopped at a red light at a large crossroads when someone on a road bike, no helmet but that's his choice decided to come up the inside of the line of traffic and carry on through the red without slowing.
It was on the quick reaction of the driver coming through the green light that prevented an accident.
Things like this unfortunately means that some drivers will treat cyclists badly.

This morning a woman in a Fiesta passed close enough for me to have reached out and touched her car, at about 60 mph. Clear road, nothing coming the other way, so no obvious reason except stupidity. Do you think this might justify my going around punching all the drivers I can find?

 

[Dave Davenport]

Let's face it, there are nobbers on bikes as well as in cars. The difference being that the nobber in the car has far greater potential for harm than the one on the bike.

 

[oldstrath]

Let's face it, there are nobbers on bikes as well as in cars. The difference being that the nobber in the car has far greater potential for harm than the one on the bike.

Of course there are. The other difference though is that generally people don't go around saying 'I saw a car speeding this morning, so all drivers are anti-social hooligans in weird getups and deserve nothing from anyone except a good kicking'

 

[Big Nick]

This morning a woman in a Fiesta passed close enough for me to have reached out and touched her car, at about 60 mph. Clear road, nothing coming the other way, so no obvious reason except stupidity. Do you think this might justify my going around punching all the drivers I can find?

Most definately!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I can't work out whether you're trolling or are actually serious??

You're amazing being able to work out power to weight ratios of everything behind you, what about a vintage car or a tractor?? I thought it was the classification of it being a public service but apparently now its the power to weight ratio that constitutes 'your' road manners formula?

How is being cautious about being hurt being ruled by fear? Anyway when you're in the hospital you'll be able to feel warm all over knowing how brave you've been and the fact you were in the right (in your world anyway)

In my line of work if you're not cautious and assess threat and risk you're reckless and a liability to yourself and those around you relying on you for backup, very different from being 'afraid'.

I apply the same logic to my cycling

Ah. Anyone who doesn't agree with you is a troll now is it?

But I'm glad you think I'm amazing.

 

[Big Nick]

Ah. Anyone who doesn't agree with you is a troll now is it?

But I'm glad you think I'm amazing.

I don't

It's not that you don't agree with me it's the fact you're having a pop at my character saying I'm afraid when you don't know the first thing about me?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

It's not that you don't agree with me it's the fact you're having a pop at my character saying I'm afraid when you don't know the first thing about me?

I know you call yourself Nick. Big Nick at that.
I know you are a relative newcomer to this forum and almost 25% of your posts to date are in this thread.
I know you consider yourself to be good at assessing threats and risks.
I know you view fear as a weakness and hugely overreact to the implication that you might possibly be afraid and prefer more, shall we say, 'euphemistic' language.
I know you are happy to have a pop at the character of others via casual accusations of trolling.
I know you advocate deferring to the "needs" of motorists who are quicker than you and whom you might otherwise hold up needlessly.

I'm guessing armed forces, perhaps an NCO, security work of some kind, or a police officer. I'm guessing you drive a fair bit and cycling is a hobby. But that's just all just guesswork.

One more thing I know though.... I know you think "the bottom line is if you don't respect the person driving it you need to respect the potential damage their vehicle can do to you if it hits you." And you know that word respect, as you've used it in that context? Well it doesn't mean what you think it means.

"Respecting" the pain and damage a vehicle can inflict? We call it the "might is right" mindset. Beloved of nobber-drivers, and bullies, everywhere.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Of course there are. The other difference though is that generally people don't go around saying 'I saw a car speeding this morning, so all drivers are anti-social hooligans in weird getups and deserve nothing from anyone except a good kicking'

some would argue that due to pollution, noise, and other negative impacts on others the very use of a private car is inherently anti-social.

 

[oldstrath]

some would argue that due to pollution, noise, and other negative impacts on others the very use of a private car is inherently anti-social.

I would, of ciurse, agree completely. (Two cats, one dog, three bikes, no car)

 

[Big Nick]

I know you call yourself Nick. Big Nick at that.
I know you are a relative newcomer to this forum and almost 25% of your posts to date are in this thread.
I know you consider yourself to be good at assessing threats and risks.
I know you view fear as a weakness and hugely overreact to the implication that you might possibly be afraid and prefer more, shall we say, 'euphemistic' language.
I know you are happy to have a pop at the character of others via casual accusations of trolling.
I know you advocate deferring to the "needs" of motorists who are quicker than you and whom you might otherwise hold up needlessly.

I'm guessing armed forces, perhaps an NCO, security work of some kind, or a police officer. I'm guessing you drive a fair bit and cycling is a hobby. But that's just all just guesswork.

One more thing I know though.... I know you think "the bottom line is if you don't respect the person driving it you need to respect the potential damage their vehicle can do to you if it hits you." And you know that word respect, as you've used in that context? Well it doesn't mean what you think it means.

"Respecting" the pain and damage a vehicle can inflict? We call it the "might is right" mindset. Beloved of nobber-drivers, and bullies, everywhere.

As I said you know nothing about me and your above post says a lot more about you than me......

 

[boydj]

A small minority of cyclists are peanuts, just like a small minority of drivers are. I was coming to work the other day driving along a busy short section of dual carriageway where people speed often in excess of 85mph. It was pitch black and all the cars were moving into the second lane to overtake something moving very slowly. When I got close it was a cyclist obviously touring with panniers and a crap back light where the battery was obviously just about flat. He was about 2 feet out to the right of the verge white line, as though to say I'm a cyclist f*** you. If he or she was from around here they would not ride that way on such a dodgy road where everybody speeds. The other left side of the verge white line has a good 2.5 feet or so of excellent road surface not full of crap either. I always try to avoid that section of road, but if I am on it I will always go to the left of the verge line as it is not a cycle lane but it is perfectly smooth and very little debris on it, plus I value my life. Every other cyclist that I see on this busy road does exactly the same, but there is always 1 tool I guess. Still it is legal I guess the way the cyclist was riding, doesn't make it right.

But the drivers did see this cyclist, did move out to pass and there is no report of blaring horns or close passes, so sounds like the driving was mostly pretty good.

Left of the white line is off the carriageway and simply asking for close passes. If you don't know the road, then you don't know that the verge is going to be cycleable, even if you wanted to use it. Much safer on the road where you belong. Calling the cyclist a 'tool' says more about your lack of judgement than anything.