Cyclists In London (and possibly else where)

[Woogie]

Does anyone else get incredibly frustrated with some cyclists In London?

I had one this morning undertake me and squeeze into a gap between 2 cars that I was about to enter who then proceeded to start mouthing off at me for nearly hitting him as he undertook me and cut in front of me. He then proceeded to do this to another car because he was not paying enough attention due to him mouthing off at me. I shook my head and got on with it as it wasn't worth the argument but about 2 minutes later he did a similar thing to me and nearly forced me into the side of a car or to hit him. At which point I shouted some expletives at him and we ended up close to each other at a set of traffic lights where he proceeded to use some rather choice words to describe me.

I will admit at this point I lost my temper and put the side stand down, he then flipped me off and rode through a red light and turned off down a side street.

This isn't the norm at all so I am not blaming all cyclists but I am getting increasingly frustrated by them for several reasons. The above is an extreme case but they frequently just overtake another cyclist without looking causing me to swerve or break. I try to give them enough room but there is only so much room I can give them. At times I have found myself stuck behind those I like to call the Sunday cyclist who are cycling like it is a slow Sunday afternoon ride in rush hour traffic, Oblivious to the tail back they are causing and swerving all over the shop. It scares me for both my own safety and for there safety.

Oh and them skipping through red lights.... ARGH!!!!!!!!!

Or the cycle boxes, If you are sat at the front of the queue of traffic then a cyclists pushes his way through and parks himself/herself right infront of you.... Well done, you have now caused me to have to pull away incredibly slow and potentially have to swerve around you.

Anyone else get frustrated by them? or is it just me?

 

[233]

the problem is a small minority of cyclists. but in my eyes the problem is that they are not identifiable. if you as a rider were to act like this or jump a red light you can rest assured someone would note your VRM down and you would most likely get a chap at the door from the police.

perhaps its time that any cyclist wishing to use the roads must display a unique identifier and hold valid insurance to cover against third party liability.

its the same argument as when a cyclist scrapes down the side of a car and buggers off no identifier = no care from the cyclist

 

[Sagalout]

I commute equally by cycle and motorbike. Running red lights is a real hate of mine as it gives us all a bad name. The boxes at the front are for cyclists to filter through and pull into though, so you can't blame them for that.

Insurance and unique identifiers are a ridiculous proposition - we should be encouraging more people to cycle, especially kids to and from school, which is where a lot of the morning traffic comes from.

I live in Harrogate and obviously this weekend we had the Tour De France and lots of closed roads. Seeing kids on balance bikes in the middle of the main roads dodging around pedestrians etc was pretty awesome and should be encouraged. Its cars that are the problem, not cyclists and motorbikes.

 

[Judgeneo]

There are some cyclists like that, they're annoying even to other cyclists like me.

Racing people on motorbikes through traffic is good fun though

 

[Woogie]

Dont get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for cyclists, especially in busy traffic within London at peak time but some of them are just ridiculous. I have been mightily impressed when I was happily cruising along at 30mph, looked to my left and a cyclist was passing me, he just looked at me, smiled and winked lol.

 

[DanF]

Yeah I think you just need tough skin to ride anything in London, just expect others to act a bit crazy then you'll get less annoyed when it happens. I've commuted for years on both cycles and motorbikes, cycling has definitely helped me to predict how they are going to react and what I should look out for.

What annoys me is motorbikes always thinking they should be allowed to get to the front or always going for gaps they can't make then causing a tail back of cycles that could have gone through. It all works both ways

 

[Dogbreath]

the problem is a small minority of cyclists.

It is not a small minority, in London at least. There was a survey done a while back and the majority (i.e. over 50%) of cyclists admit to riding through red lights etc.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ed-lights-riding-pavements-just-one-year.html

 

[Dogbreath]

What annoys me is motorbikes always thinking they should be allowed to get to the front or always going for gaps they can't make then causing a tail back of cycles that could have gone through. It all works both ways

And when cyclists get the front of the queue what happens next? They hold up traffic until the next set of lights. Motorbikes don't tend to do that.

 

[londonbairn]

I am a cyclist and always personally respect other road users in London, as I am sure many other cyclists do.

This argument is almost pointless as I can easily say motorcyclists in London frustrate me as a cyclist because they insist on taking up the ASLs on busy junctions, and as a cyclist I feel I need to be at the front for my own safety, or the scooters who don't bother looking behind them when they weave in and out, though of course it's not representative of all, and I have had many jovial exchanges with motorcyclists on many mutual topics.

Or pedestrians can moan about cyclists who break red lights etc...or motorists about cyclists who pull out without indicating etc

And by the way (unless I misread your account), if he is already in that "gap" following the flow of traffic and you were trying to get in, wouldn't it be his right of way and not yours?

 

[d_brennen]

It is not a small minority, in London at least. There was a survey done a while back and the majority (i.e. over 50%) of cyclists admit to riding through red lights etc.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ed-lights-riding-pavements-just-one-year.html

How many pedestrians will cross when before the green man? It's simple, if in a car you are likely to be fined. On foot or cycle, you are 99.9% to get away with it (until you push your luck too far)

I see some crazy **** from all road users almost every day

 

[londonbairn]

And when cyclists get the front of the queue what happens next? They hold up traffic until the next set of lights. Motorbikes don't tend to do that.

There are legitimate reasons for a cyclist to do that. For example, I give you Marble Arch junction. If you are coming from Hyde Park place, I always without fail every day go to the front, as a decent chunk of drivers/cyclists/motorcyclists don't even bother following the lanes. I feel way more vulnerable staying behind that I would taking an assertive stance in the middle of the lane at the front making sure I am seen. The same can be said for the roundabout at Shepherds Bush.

This is a massive problem in London on roundabouts as many people just don't give a damn about lane markings, and will often take up position on the far left lane then shoot over to the right immediately to take the last exit on a roundabout.

How many pedestrians will cross when before the green man? It's simple, if in a car you are likely to be fined. On foot or cycle, you are 99.9% to get away with it (until you push your luck too far)

I see some crazy **** from all road users almost every day

It is pretty bad in London amongst cyclists and pedestrians. However I am glad that recently there has been good presence at many key junctions on my way fining cyclists who break them.

 

[Sagalout]

It is not a small minority, in London at least. There was a survey done a while back and the majority (i.e. over 50%) of cyclists admit to riding through red lights etc.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ed-lights-riding-pavements-just-one-year.html

As a cyclist, I'm quite happy for them all to get tickets.

It's not as bad as that in Leeds where I commute, but there are too many to be honest.

 

[Woogie]

And by the way (unless I misread your account), if he is already in that "gap" following the flow of traffic and you were trying to get in, wouldn't it be his right of way and not yours?

You must have misread or I have explained it badly, He could not have undertook me and got into the gap if it was his right of way.

I was following behind a taxi in the centre of the lane, I looked over my right shoulder to check for anyone filtering and there was nothing. I then began to slow down and move over and as I was about to enter the gap had to slam my brakes on as the cyclist under took me and shot into the gap barely missing me and the taxi.

 

[DanF]

There's a fair few junctions with police at them in the mornings now like in the middle of Brixton. It stops motorbikes from doing the usual ride straight up to the front and sit in the cycle area. Net results is it feels way safer for everyone, cycles can get off the lights properly and motorbikes take an extra 10 meters before being able to overtake them. Wish the whole of London was like that really.

 

[londonbairn]

You must have misread or I have explained it badly, He could not have undertook me and got into the gap if it was his right of way.

I was following behind a taxi in the centre of the lane, I looked over my right shoulder to check for anyone filtering and there was nothing. I then began to slow down and move over and as I was about to enter the gap had to slam my brakes on as the cyclist under took me and shot into the gap barely missing me and the taxi.

Ah so came from your left. Definitely bad cycling and a manoeuvre which is I see a lot from irresponsible cyclists (often the couriers in traffic)

 

[Woogie]

Ah so came from your left. Definitely bad cycling and a manoeuvre which is I see a lot from irresponsible cyclists (often the couriers in traffic)

Yeah he came from my left, then had the audacity to have a go at me about it all hence my frustration and the thread

 

[Freefaller]

It's not a small minority in London, they can be quite a significant number, and a lot of them are very aggressive unfortunately. Though on a bike whether with or without a motor there's just not enough space during rush hour for everyone to share the same area. Being stuck between 2 vehicles is not a nice place to be when pulling off from a junction, especially when you have cyclists ahead of you, I'd far rather they filtered and pulled over the left or out of the filtering area.

It's no different to other bikes/mopeds not moving out of the way and not allowing a number of filtering bikes to come through. People just do not think about others when they ride, and do not realise the impact of their actions going on behind them.

As a result I try to filter all the way on the outside if I can as it is usually clearer. But commuting on the road in London is a ball ache, and irrespective of whose fault it is, cyclists are very vulnerable, but the problem is if you have to dodge contact and end up in contact with a car or another bike, they blatantly won't stop and accept liability.

 

[ttaskmaster]

They generally aren't a problem for me around here, as they're usually in a position for me to ride around, even when they're being ****s and riding two abreast.
They are a real pain if you're in a car, though and I often see them doing stupid things like running red lights. Occasionally I see one of them make that mistake for the last time in their lives - HGVs tend to win those tangles, y'see.

When I have to ride through Central London, the biggest problems are usually the busses bullying everyone and the office girlies on their pink scooters who probably never even did a CBT. I've seen numerous YouTube videos of idiot cyclists, but only remember twice ever encountering ones that were a problem... and both occasions were just Yoof, rather than commuters or anything.

 

[jcr]

around here they like to dress in black and ride at night with no lights. great fun in the rain!

 

[SPG]

Well prosecutions need to start happening on cyclist`s or on the the spot fines.

I dont see them paying any road tax either for all these cycling lanes either. So

Compulsory cycling test, paid for by the cyclist. If nicked without one then fine even more.
Tax on new bikes, no purchase of new bike without license etc.
Compulsory helmets.
Compulsory gloves
Compulsory knee, elbow pads
Compulsory bell
Compulsory third party insurance

Without wearing any of the above, if you have a accident no free NHS treatment.

(sorry in a nazi mood after being on bikers forum and some idiot there wanting XYX)