Do cyclists have a date with death?

[Firegod]

Rant time again. Normally I see only a few cyclists on my journey to work and back, but the last week or so has been a bit crazy. To the point where I've arrived at my destination annoyed by some of their antics.

I don't mind saying, I don't agree with them being on the road. They don't pay tax and they don't have insurance. Stick them on the pavement, they're wide enough and even though there are pedestrians it's a lot safer than cycling on the road.

So what's annoyed me lately, some cyclists just seem to have no care. Or, it could be a mixture of smugness (intentionally holding cars up). They know they are holding you up, but don't care. We all know the type, the one's that seem to wiggle around like a fatty on a pogo stick. No where near the curb and by wiggling so badly, it makes overtaking safely a nightmare. I ended up following one tonight at a speed barely comfortable in 2nd gear with no safe gap to overtake on the other side of the road. Footpath = empty!

Second one was I flashed a car out of a junction only to have 4 cyclists suited and booted like it was bloody Tour de France! I never let them out, but they just shot out as well. And no, not in single file, but side by side! No one could pass them as it was rush hour traffic (moving, but heavy in both directions).

The final one the other day, going down a two lane stretch of road on quite a quick downwards hill with a slight curve. I say two lane, it also has a bus lane on the inside. This bloke comes up behind me so I move over to the left of my lane as much as I can so that I can see him in my right hand mirror (he's not near the curb, but cycling down the middle of the lanes).
He comes past me, then cuts very close to the car in front's back end, swings into the other lane then at the very bottom, cuts back across all three lanes behind a bus. Bus has no way to see him at all.

I was thinking, it'll just take one car to move across without looking and he's off! He was just weaving back and forth. Totally irresponsible.

So yeah, getting pretty fed up with them now. Also, at lights, it really annoys me. They hold you up all that way and stop at some lights, only to then go on to the footpath for the rest of their journy. Either stay on the road or not at all!!

Sigh. Anyone else feel the same? It's hard enough trying to negotiate busy traffic, not having to worry about if some Lycra clad pansy is going to clatter in to me.

 

[thepeteh]

I think cyclists that dont drive can be a pain as they dont have enough understanding of road awareness etc. I think your right that if they ride on the road (which i dont have a problem with) they should stay on the road - i.e. not duck onto the pavment for a red light etc then jump back on the road. When im on my road bike Downhill i can keep pace and even overtake traffic but im well aware that in a crash im brown bread and always going to end up worse off.

In summary, cyclists on the road are ok im my book, but they should obey road laws and be considerate to other road users - ditto for motors also

 

[Busa]

As a cyclist all I can say is....oh well..never mind.

 

[iaind]

Cyclists do my head in around here, the main annoyance is when you struggle to pass them, then at the next set of lights they squeeze down the inside (even if there's only one car there and the lights are red for 10 seconds) so I have to struggle to pass them safely again.

The time they save by skipping ahead 10 meters is a damn sight less than they delay me by having to follow them at 10 for the next mile, no consideration whatsoever.

I occasionally cycle around here, mainly for pleasure but when I do have to use the road I do it with much more consideration than the average cyclist around here - as a driver I know whats going to pee them off or cause a problem. Using the roads is about attention and consideration for all other road users, no matter what they're on - I go by this theory when I'm in my car or the times I'm on my bike, I just wish others would do the same

 

[Snax]

every road user class has bad apples.

one thing to note is that generally, a person on a bike is less space than a car and is making your progress easier....

 

[Firegod]

As a cyclist all I can say is....oh well..never mind.

Hmmm, if I've interpreted that the way it was meant, then you've just proven my point about the attitude some cyclists have. If I've misunderstood... oh well, never mind.

 

[Firegod]

every road user class has bad apples.

Very true, I agree.

It just seems this past week I've had all the bad apples.

 

[iaind]

every road user class has bad apples.

one thing to note is that generally, a person on a bike is less space than a car and is making your progress easier....

Well...no, not at all. That would only work if they were hugging the kerb and I was bruising butt cheeks with my wing mirrors on the way past

 

[danza]

I always ride on the path if a car wants to pass me. It's not safe just riding up a kerb though, waiting for a dropped kerb is what I usually do. Dismounting in the road is retarded aswell.

I usually pedal like billy-o if I can't get on the pavement to let a car pass.

There are some right morons out there though, I aggree that much.

 

[degen]

Try driving a bus with them around... you finally manage to overtake them after being stuck behind them for 5mins, with every car driver thinking its you holding them up.
Then to top it off you stop at bus stop, look in your O/S mirror and theres that annoying cyclist riding past you again at 5mph. O JOY.

 

[Rybo89]

i cannot stand cyclists at all, im always temping me self to just knock them off!

especially the ones who stay in middle of the lane like they own the place!

"do you pay road tax on that thing? well **** off!*

 

[Busa]

Hmmm, if I've interpreted that the way it was meant, then you've just proven my point about the attitude some cyclists have. If I've misunderstood... oh well, never mind.

Well we both don't mind then...problem solved

 

[Jonny ///M]

So we should ride illegally to keep you happy? I cycle 9 miles to work and as a driver I believe I can navigate the roads pretty well. I can average about 18-20mph on flats easily which I don't think is too bad a speed? I tend to think people cycling on the road on bikes not fit for that purpose are quite annoying. You see them pedalling away struggling to get up a slight hill,in the wrong gear usually,which leads to them weaving around like idiots. Try cycling on a pavement and see the abuse you get from pedestrians,it's pretty shocking sometimes.

I do filter down the left at red lights but I tend to see them red and gently roll towards them as I'm clipped in so if I can just roll up,see it change to green I can be up to speed in seconds Vs getting clipped in and going through the gears.

Oh lovely,the road tax argument. Most 'proper' cyclist I know who use the roads own cars and pay road tax....

Cycling on footways (a pavement at the side of a carriageway) is prohibited by Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835, amended by Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1888. This is punishable by a fixed penalty notice of £30 under Section 51 and Schedule 3 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.
Cyclists have no right to cycle on a footpath away from the road but only commit an offence where local by-laws or traffic regulation orders create such an offence

 

[SDK^]

I see no point in doing a risky cycle overtake when you have to stop x miles further up the road and they catch you up again.

"do you pay road tax on that thing? well **** off!*

Most 'proper' cyclist I know who use the roads own cars and pay road tax....

^^

 

[Firegod]

Try cycling on a pavement and see the abuse you get from pedestrians,it's pretty shocking sometimes.

See that's really bad that. I don't mind cyclists on the pavement at all, they come past, all is good. I don't see why people have to give you grief for it.

It's like when I go jogging, there are loads of cyclists out on the pavement using the same route along the river front. No one says a bad word to either and everyone one is considerate and moves over to let either a group of joggers past or a cyclist.

There's just not enough space (or should that be "safe" space?) on the roads for cyclists and vehicles imo. And the bad cyclists just make it worse.

 

[Firegod]

Cycling on footways (a pavement at the side of a carriageway) is prohibited by Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835, amended by Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1888. This is punishable by a fixed penalty notice of £30 under Section 51 and Schedule 3 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.
Cyclists have no right to cycle on a footpath away from the road but only commit an offence where local by-laws or traffic regulation orders create such an offence

Now that I disagree with. It should be fine to be on the footpath, fine to be on the road as long as you have some sort of tax or insurance for the bike. And finally, illegal on the road if you don't have this.

 

[Firegod]

Oh lovely,the road tax argument. Most 'proper' cyclist I know who use the roads own cars and pay road tax....

That's road tax for the car. Just like if I owned a bike and a car, both need tax. I can't say "oh but I own a car so I don't need to tax my motorbike". Same should be if you cycle on the road.

 

[PhillyDee]

I see more arrogant/dangerous car drivers than bad cyclists. I do both. You even get swore at for riding on the cycle lanes on the pavements. Damned if you do . . .

 

[Firegod]

I see more arrogant/dangerous car drivers than bad cyclists. I do both. You even get swore at for riding on the cycle lanes on the pavements. Damned if you do . . .

I think this proves 'Snax's' point about each group having it's own "bad apples". I'm not dangerous when I finally pass a cyclist. I wait until the road is clear, straight (i.e. not on a bend) and give plenty of space. I feel that some cyclists just take the pee out on the roads.

 

[Mr-White]

Cyclists should pass a test before being allowed on the roads and they should not be allowed on the paths. I work in Cambridge and cyclists cause havoc every where, they're a bloody nuisance.

MW