Why do we hate cycling in this country?

[FishFluff]

First off, despite posting this in GD I’m hoping we can have some grown up discussion in this thread. I could have posted it in SC but that place is pretty dead.

Secondly, before I get started can I just remind people that ‘road tax’ isn’t a thing and doesn’t pay for roads. Roads are funded from general taxation and the ‘tax’ you (possibly) pay on your car is based on emissions. Finally, I am at various times a pedestrian, a cyclist and a car driver (and enjoy driving!).

Right, here’s the problem. Britain’s roads are too full , our cities are massively polluted and our population’s obesity levels are dangerously high. Why then, are we not promoting an obvious solution to all 3 of those problems – the bicycle! For years now I’ve been looking enviously at places like the Netherlands where in the ‘70s the government decided to pour money into building really high quality, largely segregated cycle infrastructure. As a result of that investment, they don’t have anything like the problems our country does. Cycling is just something you do to get from A-B instead solely a leisure pursuit. Children cycle to school, older people cycle to do their shopping, people cycle to work. Sounds great, but what about those who don’t want to cycle? They’re free to drive and have an easier time doing so than they would over here as the roads are quieter.

Why then are we not doing similar over here? As a nation we seem to have nothing but pure hatred for anyone who decides to travel by bike and I’m curious as to why that is. Is it just that people cycling hold up motor traffic? Building proper infrastructure that people will actually use would mostly solve that issue. Yet whenever something like that is proposed the opposition is fierce. Look at how long it took to get a couple of segregated lanes in London!

 

[Jamesyboyjim]

The Gov. don't want to spend money.

You are right as to why people get annoyed with cyclists, because they hold up the traffic and create potentially dangerous situations where drivers have to be careful in regards to overtaking.

I think cycling is great fun and I enjoy it, I hate riding on the roads though it makes me very stressed, I would also never go out for a 'pleasure ride' during rush hours.

The same time when I approach a cyclist in my car I groan, but at least as I have experience of both I understand how they feel when I pass them, a car is intimidating and stressful so I try and give them plenty of room. The roads are very narrow here which doesn't help. Not everyone understands this and just whizzes by.

 

[remy87]

I'm a regular bike commuter I'm not sure what you are seeing while out, I haven't come across a lot of hate towards cyclists yet.

Hmm, segregated paths not sure what I think of that might be a totally waste of space. Maybe somehow train or inform cyclist to coexist on the road is a better way.

I never ride unto paths as they are so slow and got useless stops after a couple of yards etc.

Riding in traffic takes time to get used to but I even purposely seek out jammed places to give me a rush while filtering. One of the fun parts of riding for me.

Need a trip to Netherlands!

 

[Yaayuh!]

I think a lot of the problem is the lack of infrastructure. We're an old country with a lot of old road layouts that can barely handle the amount of cars let alone a decent cycle network. Though i have to say, in some places (Cambridge and parts of London) there's a very good start.

This in combination with the bad attitudes of some drivers and indeed some cyclists, just fuels aggression on both sides. It's hard for the two to coexist for obvious reasons.

We're also a rather fat country, which may of course add to it.

 

[Kuros]

The main problem I have with /some/ cyclists is that they at times do silly things.

The number of times I've seen people cycling at night without lights or any bright clothing, had someone cut across me in the winter in full black clothing, almost knocking him off his bike. (He went straight over a junction)

 

[Avenged7Fold]

snip

Agree, though i fear the areas where it would be most vital would probably be areas of London that cant easily support it without considerable redevelopment.

Maybe we should make use of the river and fund public novelty pedalo (swans, double decker buses, Westminster tower shape) hire in but market it as alternative commuter transport. Will ease traffic around the Thames areas and we can claim all the cash back by charging tourists money to watch a bloopers reel from all the suits going for a morning swim.

 

[asim18]

Is it just that people cycling hold up motor traffic?

This pretty much.

They think they're stopping congestion by cycling on our roads but all they do is create ****loads of congestion and hazard for absolutely every other road user. Cyclists are also the root cause of a considerable amount of reckless manoeuvres on roads, the amount of times people have come dangerously into my side of the road to overtake a cyclist is ridiculous.

Especially the ones who squeeze to the front of a traffic light queue and then stop. This particular cyclist is the scum of the earth and that's why every single cyclist is a **** because every single cyclist does it. Like it was impossible to stop 2 metres earlier so I didn't have to do 5mph until I can overtake you safely, again.

 

[Haggisman]

I think the problem is mainly due to (as you've mentioned in your post) the lack of a dedicated cycle infrastructure.

Cyclists are forced to use the road, meaning:

1. They are a "nuisance" to drivers - They have every right to be there, but many drivers just see them as being in the way and either purposefully drive in an intimidating manner, or simply don't know/care how to drive safely around cyclists.
2. Partly due to point #1, many cyclists ride defensively, e.g. in the middle of the lane, taking up more space than they "need" because that's the only way they can actually get a "safe" amount of space. This unfortunately exacerbates point #1.

A decent cycle network would go a long way to alleviating this, but unfortunately:

a) it would cost a lot of money
and
b) more cyclists = less drivers. Less drivers = less fuel duty & VED.

Also, there is no real education on safe cycling in this country. There's the cycling proficiency test/course, which was half-****ed taught when I was at school, but it's not a requirement, so basically anyone can go to Halfords, grab a cheap (and potentially dangerous) bike, and ride on the road with no clue about the highway code.

Better regulation of this would be a step in the right direction, although I'm not sure how this could realistically be implemented without impacting e.g. on kids being able to play on their bikes :/

 

[Tuppy_Glossop]

The main problem I have with /some/ cyclists is that they at times do silly things.

Everybody everywhere ever does some silly things.

 

[Tuppy_Glossop]

Especially the ones who squeeze to the front of a traffic light queue and then stop. They are the the scum of the earth and that's why every single cyclist is a **** because every single one does it. Like it was impossible to stop 2 metres earlier so I didn't have to do 5mph until I can overtake you safely, again.

Where I live every traffic light junction has a couple of metres reserved at the front for cyclists only (painted brick red).

You'd love it.

 

[DannyDrama]

Because a lot of the idiots I have noticed in my town listen to music whilst riding, thus being unable to hear traffic. Four times I have gone to overtake one, only for them to veer suddenly to the right and nearly hitting the side of the car, or leaving me almost unable to brake in time after speeding up for the overtake.

 

[the_r_sole]

MAMIL's - that's why

 

[XeNoN89]

I have an issue with the fact such a large % of cyclists ride around like idiots ignoring laws.

Prime example yesterday I was crossing the road at lights which were red and when i was half way across two cyclists shot by very close at very fast speed. Complete idiots.

And before people say the roads are full of idiot drivers as well - I know but the percentage of cyclists that think they rule the roads is a joke.

 

[UTmaniac]

Most adults are capable of cycling <5 miles to get from A to B and frequent small journeys like this would improve the nations health.

Car drivers hold up other car drivers, because too many are taking the "lazy option" for these short journeys, such as taking the kids to school. The roads are far clearer around the morning rush hour on weeks when the kids are on holiday. But cyclists are often incorrectly assigned the scapegoat label, because they prevent the drivers from safely driving at the maximum permitted speed when traffic is flowing.

There are relatively few people that need vehicles to travel around, including lorries that replenish shop stock or service trades that cover lots of miles. Most people use their cars as a quick fix convenience, when there are much more eco-friendly options available (bike, public transport) and would then de-congest the roads for people that really do require them.

I do not approve of cyclists that jump red lights or cycle furiously on pedestrian only pavements. I also don't approve of drivers who exceed speed limits, or those that try to overtake other road vehicles by less than 100cm on roads that are not narrow country lanes.

I'd like to see better tax break incentives for those who cycle, rather than drive, for these relatively short trips. Not just the current bike purchasing schemes, but also related to the number of small trips they take instead of using a motor vehicle.

 

[Sankari]

Why then, are we not promoting an obvious solution to all 3 of those problems – the bicycle!

Do you want cyclists? Because that's how you get cyclists.

 

[platypus]

We treat the car as king, and don't fund cycling infrastructure adequately.

We don't seem to have people working in planning departments that know what safe/decent/useable cycling infrastructure actually is.

We have a huge imbalance in spend, but this being London-centric is not unique to cycling of course.

Not enough cyclists know how to cycle safely or defensively.

Not enough motorists appreciate how vulnerable it can feel being on a bicycle.

Not enough road users know the highway code.

We don't treat dangerous behaviour towards cyclists seriously enough.

We don't have strict liability.

There's loads more, I'm sure it'll come up.

Given that London is the most polluted city in Europe, you'd think they'd be taking drastic measures to get more people out of cars, but there seems to be little appetite for it, despite the fact that it is estimated 10,000 people die each year prematurely because of poor air quality.

I think it's the biggest issue personally. Yes our roads are too congested and too busy, and driving anywhere can be a nightmare, but the pollution is a far more fundamentally dangerous problem. I run or cycle to work and some of the journey is unavoidably past busy congested roads, as the science and business parks are utterly gridlocked in the morning/evenings. I don't want to be breathing in all that ****, and a lot of that traffic is driving into other parts of the city. Ban it. Make it so unaffordable to drive within cities/locations, and boost the funding to hydrogen/electric public transport etc. The guided busway in Cambridge has been a huge success, it only goes north (to Huntingdon I think?). Put one in to Ely (the A10 has to be one of the worst roads in the country), put one south and west. Stick a congestion zone charge in, they are mooting park and cycle schemes which is a great idea.

I think a lot of the problem is the lack of infrastructure. We're an old country with a lot of old road layouts that can barely handle the amount of cars let alone a decent cycle network. Though i have to say, in some places (Cambridge and parts of London) there's a very good start.

The planning for cycling in Cambridge is poor, I don't think it possible that the people who put the cycling infrastructure in ever go near a bicycle, unless it's for a punishment pass in their motor.

 

[Tuppy_Glossop]

Because a lot of the idiots I have noticed in my town listen to music whilst riding, thus being unable to hear traffic. Four times I have gone to overtake one, only for them to veer suddenly to the right and nearly hitting the side of the car, or leaving me almost unable to brake in time after speeding up for the overtake.

I'm a cyclist and this infuriates me too. But I only hate on those that do it, not others by association.

 

[Minstadave]

MAMIL's - that's why

This. If you want to dress up and play that's all fine, why do it on the road? You can't re-enact the battle of Waterloo on the road at rush hour but you're allowed to dress up and play at your hobby on the road if you're a cyclist. Sod off.

 

[wildman]

blame house prices in the actual locations where the work is

e.g I work just inside the M25 not quite in London have to live over 40 miles away from where I work due to house prices. I am not cycling 40 miles into the office to then sit at my desk for another 8 hours before cycling 40 miles back home.

The only option is for me to drive, public transport means 3 changes and an unnececessary jaunt into central london to only come back out again to reach my office

You give me affordable house prices near where I work and i''l move there and cycle maybe 10 miles each way, but 40 is taking the ****

 

[Vern1961]

The Gov. don't want to spend money.

This, essentially. We live in a country where most of our road infrastructure still sits in the 1950's. A Roads which are often little more than a country lane, lacking even a shoulder for vehicles to pull over safely in an emergency, or indeed for relatively safe use by cyclists. Towns are choked with traffic for the same reason, take Swindon as an example there are some dual carriageways approaching the town but it is all funnelled into a narrow approach. So if there's no incentive/money to sort that out then there's little hope of investment in cycling infrastructure.

My experience of cycling may not be typical but perhaps worth relating. Wife and I bought bikes two years ago, both for leisure and for myself to use for work. Started off great, lots of enthusiasm. But then last year our usage sharply declined and this year the wretched things can rust in the garage. Reason? Well the leisure use started off great, helping with weight loss etc. However not keen on using on the road (I've seen too many cyclists mangled under vehicles over the years to risk that happening to me or mine) so largely confined to shared paths or the very few cycle lanes. The problem with shared paths is pedestrians and dog walkers who pay scant regard that there may be bikes about, especially people who let their dogs off the lead or on an extended lead right across the path. This culminated in my wife having a collision with a dog last year riding back down the Old Town railway track which brought her off. Fortunately low speed and neither dog or missus hurt (well the mutt yelped a bit) but a classic example of the hazards of using one of these "shared" paths, despite taking great care. That put her right off and these days we just tend to walk for exercise.

So far as work is concerned, started off with great enthusiasm. However that soon gets dampened (literally) when you ride into town in glorious sunshine but you come out at 2200 and the (unforecast) rain is hammering down. 15 mins on the bike in those conditions even with waterproofs, not my idea of fun. Then there was the evening riding home off Late Turn, when a bunch of chavs had positioned themselves across a bridge over the River Ray and wetland area. As I slowed down one shouted, "Is there someone under the bridge?" Knowing full well if I stopped it would probably be me and the bike over the side of the bridge I grunted, "No idea, mate" and pressed on. One of them tried to make a grab but I was lucky to have enough momentum to get past. Unfortunately being shaken up I then misjudged the line through some bollards a bit further on, clipped the handlebars and ended up on my backside.

I have used the bike a few times since then, but ill favoured youths aside, the cycle path into town is not the best and frankly I feel happier and safer in the car.