Why we don't like cyclists...

[Spinney]

Reasonable discussion from an Aussie radio station:
http://blogs.abc.net.au/victoria/2014/03/psychology-why-we-dont-like-cyclists-.html

 

[summerdays]

I listened to that too! Some interesting research and backs up some of what we know/feel.

 

[Crackle]

It turns into an apologist piece to car drivers. I don't know the culture and rules in Australia but over here I'm not too concerned with pandering to motorists views about how I should be behaving on the roads. I'm a cyclist not a car driver and my needs are different and this is the message they need to learn.

 

[summerdays]

I did prefer the first half of it and didn't agree about some bits. For example I think on the whole cyclists do make better drivers, and will get annoyed at some cyclists but the same ones they would get annoyed at if they were on a bike too (the no lights, RLJ'ers, reckless pavement cyclists etc), because we all get labelled with their behaviour. But I think the motorist who is a cyclist tends to give a wider passing distance, understands why cyclists might weave (potholes, glass etc), and notices the cyclist far sooner.

 

[classic33]

They now have a party to help back them up. Maybe the motorist is actually feeling under threat on the road?
@victor might be able to give the Austrailian cyclists viewpoint! From what I've read, we have it easy by comparision.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Gawd, he just had to mention the old "if cyclists make a bigger effort to follow the road rules, motorists will respect them more", didn't he? Well, that worked really well for all other minority groups in the last few thousand years, didn't it? We can be absolute angels on the road, and follow all rules all the time, and we'll still get harassed by some motorists.

On my part, I promise to at least try to flip the bird less frequently at motorists who wilfully put me at risk. It'll be tough going cold-turkey, though: my "bird" finger is getting lots of exercise lately .