Why do so many people hate cyclists?

[Linford]

I gather you haven't seen the kind of parking we get over here. Streets double-lined with parked cars leaving space for only one vehicle to travel in one direction at a time. They pose a significant hazard to cyclists, reduced visibility for everyone (the UK is particularly good at KSI-ing children) and, to top it all, bollards, parking meters and most road signage all litter the pavements.

Err, I live in a road like that. It actually helps to slow the average speed of the vehicles when one or the other have to wait to get along them. I would suggest that anyone moving at cycling speeds who would collide with a stationary object should seriously question whether they are fit to be mixing it up in this environment.

 

[benb]

And I would question why it's acceptable to leave one's private property in such a position that it obstructs public spaces and poses a hazard to other people.

 

[Linford]

Why not? It's a valid point.

Parking a vehicle at the end of a journey is as important as actually makingthat journey...or else it is a bit pointless making it...cos you effectively have no real destination.

 

[Linford]

And I would question why it's acceptable to leave one's private property in such a position that it obstructs public spaces and poses a hazard to other people.

If they were completely blocking the carriageway, then I'd agree 100%

 

[Glow worm]

If they were completely blocking the carriageway, then I'd agree 100%

Linf, I'm not being funny, but do you ever feel you might just be on the wrong forum?

 

[Brandane]

Linf, I'm not being funny, but do you ever feel you might just be on the wrong forum?

He's making a perfectly valid point. Some people on here are complaining about cars being left parked on public roads. So where do cyclists leave their bikes when visiting pubs, cafes etc.?
You can't have your cake and eat it too.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

Err, I live in a road like that. It actually helps to slow the average speed of the vehicles when one or the other have to wait to get along them. I would suggest that anyone moving at cycling speeds who would collide with a stationary object should seriously question whether they are fit to be mixing it up in this environment.

I cycle home down a road that, on both sides, has parked cars and leaves slightly more than one cars width of room on the road. So, I have the choice of sitting in the door zone and letting cars whizz by me, or sitting in the middle of the lane, risking a stupid overtake when there's one car gap on one side.

Who gets the horns and abuse for "holding up" the car drivers? Not the people who have parked their cars on the highway, but me, trying to get home. I'm sure they mean it in jest, just like Clarkson on Top Gear.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

He's making a perfectly valid point. Some people on here are complaining about cars being left parked on public roads. So where do cyclists leave their bikes when visiting pubs, cafes etc.?
You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Is bike parking a significant safety hazard? Meanwhile, I wonder just how far I'd have to travel to find a tricycle blocking the footway.

 

[Glow worm]

He's making a perfectly valid point. Some people on here are complaining about cars being left parked on public roads. So where do cyclists leave their bikes when visiting pubs, cafes etc.?
You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Yes you are quite correct. All that pesky cycle parking blocking streets. We should all drive to pubs and cafes instead to alleviate the problem.

 

[Brandane]

Really? How much public space does one car occupy? Ditto a bicycle?

That's not the point. So is it ok to park a Smart car, but not a Range Rover?
As demonstrated by Linford's photo, a bike or trike in that case, can fill a public footpath.

 

[Brandane]

Is bike parking a significant safety hazard? Meanwhile, I wonder just how far I'd have to travel to find a tricycle blocking the footway.

Is car parking a significant safety hazard? You can see them can't you? So move out and go round them, just in the same way that the vast majority of car drivers manage to do for cyclists.

Back on topic..... Why do so many people hate cyclists? Read through this thread, and some of the attitudes on display give the answer.

 

[Linford]

Is bike parking a significant safety hazard? Meanwhile, I wonder just how far I'd have to travel to find a tricycle blocking the footway.

Cheltenham town centre, I took that picture outside Charles Chippy in the Royal well the day before yesterday.

 

[Linford]

Linf, I'm not being funny, but do you ever feel you might just be on the wrong forum?

Imagine the response if I posted that pic on a Disability access forum. The point I'm attempting to make is there are good and bad in all modes....all I see is car hating vitriol posted on a forum which has the tag line a fun and friendly cycling community. People bang on about how much hatred JC has for anything other than car users...but I see just as much prejudice from a few in this thread....this will of course fall on deaf ears...Pot and Kettle spring to mind !

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Parking a vehicle at the end of a journey is as important as actually makingthat journey...or else it is a bit pointless making it...cos you effectively have no real destination.

And it would be better if it weren't dumped in everybody's way, where you have to negotiate narrow roads with abandoned vehicles on both sides and wankpanzers playing 'might is right'.

 

[Linford]

And it would be better if it weren't dumped in everybody's way, where you have to negotiate narrow roads with abandoned vehicles on both sides and wankpanzers playing 'might is right'.

Jeez man, you are having a laugh. When you say 'in everybody's way...you mean so 'nobody' can get past ? I've yet to see any obstacle in the road which a cyclist can't get around...The worst culprit for creating obstructions for vehicles and diverting them a mile out of their way on every journey are the councils in their pursuit in making towns and cities much less car friendly to negotiate....as well as removing most of the on street parking.
I can and do get across town much more quicker by cycle for precisely this reason...stop sounding so hard done by. Cyclists lot in infrastucture is much better now than it was 10 years ago.