Cyclist rant

[Gwilo]

Now, before the pro-lycra clad Hoy/Wiggins wannabe's condemn me, I generally don't have a problem with sharing roadspace with cyclists.  I give them plenty of room, even when this is doubly needed as they'r riding 3 and four abreast in rush hour traffic.

They're soft and squishy, I'm sat in a big metal safety cage.

 

However, the sheer "to hell with everyone" attitude of some really boggles my mind.

Last night, I went to a car dealership to see about a trade-in.  As it's on a busy dual carriageway, there's a cycle track running out front, and cars park on the inside, when the customer car park is inaccessible, as it was last night with other customer cars and two customer collections taking place.

http://goo.gl/maps/DmxhQ

I pulled off the carriageway and parked well in, as hard up to the hedgerow as possible, along with two other cars. (customer car park blocked with car collections taking place). Going to the vehicle with the mechanic for assessing the car, we're nearly mown down by two dumbass's hurtling along against the traffic flow like they're leading the tour de france peloton., narrowly missing a parent and toddler that were stood looking at a vehicle.

One clips the drivers wing mirror of my car, followed by a quick screech......cue a thick scratch running almost the entire length of the car, with 2 inch impressions/dents (gouges is to strong a word) on the metal work to boot. Must have been from the ridiculously oversized panniers hanging off the back.

Car value subsequently "adjusted" downward.

Given the width of the path, it was just plain annoying and topped off my day quite nicely.

rant over.

[Coops]

I presume said "lycra warrior" didn't stop to apologise or review the damage they had caused? Agreed they can be a PITA sometimes (and I am a cyclist).

 

 

Nice that the google car was passing to take your picture though!!!

[JamesVRSmk3]

I had one ride into the back of my car and land on my roof about 10 years back. I approached a roundabout slowly and had to brake for a car coming from my right and the next thing I know I hear a huge bang and a cyclists head is appearing infront of me with the rest of his body on my roof. I got out and asked if he was ok and he said yes, quickly grabbed his bike and cycled off. I shouted what about the damage and he stuck his middle finger up and carried on. Left a nice big dent in the boot. Tried chasing after him in the car but he just cut through the traffic and was gone and unfortunately didn't cycle that route again that week.

I find 9 cyclists out of 10 around where I live use the cycle lanes where they are provided and ride single file. However every once in a while you get two riding side by side on a 50mph road (which also has a cycle lane) not allowing anyone to pass safely which really winds me up. I never tar them all with the same brush though as I'm sure (actually I know) more than 1 out of 10 motorists I come across on a daily basis really wind me up. I don't think I've ever had a journey into work (only 8 miles) where I haven't shouted at someone.

[DanHam]

I followed a couple of blokes last week approaching a junction they were looking to turn right. Instead of giving way they cut across on the other side of the road and just swung out without looking left! The second rider didn't anticipate the car coming and nearly got hit! Some of them must think they are invincible.

[Chorlton]

It's awful that your car was damaged.

 

Lots of cars on that streetview aren't parked legally.  The footway or cyclelane is not for parking in it's for pedestrians or cyclists.  Nor was it constructed for the purpose of facilitating the garage to run their business.  If they can't run their business without parking on the footway/cyclelane then they should review their procedures or get a bigger premises.

 

The footway/cyclelane is not uni-directional so the cyclists were not going against the flow of traffic (as far as the cycle lane is concerned).

 

There is no excuse for intentionally damaging someone elses property.  If it was an accident they should have stopped and apologised.

Edited 24 July, 2014 by Chorlton

[oilburninnut]

I especially like the cyclists who try and mow you down on pedestrian crossings, they make my day.

[vindaloo]

It's awful that your car was damaged.

 

Lots of cars on that streetview aren't parked legally.  The footway or cyclelane is not for parking in it's for pedestrians or cyclists.  Nor was it constructed for the purpose of facilitating the garage to run their business.  If they can't run their business without parking on the footway/cyclelane then they should review their procedures or get a bigger premises.

 

The footway/cyclelane is not uni-directional so the cyclists were not going against the flow of traffic (as far as the cycle lane is concerned).

 

There is no excuse for intentionally damaging someone elses property.  If it was an accident they should have stopped and apologised.

 

Cyclists would be able to see and deduce that people are there - as well as the parked cars. They have a duty to proceed responsibly and not endanger other path users. Generally that would equate to no more than 10-12 MPH whilst passing obvious pedestrians. Given the nature of the place, possibly distracted pedestrians at that.

 

@OP:  If the guy in question is "an idiot", might be worth checking social media/youtube for any CAM footage.

[vindaloo]

I especially like the cyclists who try and mow you down on pedestrian crossings, they make my day.

 

Lead with the umbrella/walking stick/brief case....

[loskie]

Whilst annoying and I sympathise you may be in the wrong. See point 140 although the broken white line bit leaves it open to argument.

 

https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all-drivers-riders-103-to-158/multilane-carriageways-133-to-143

[grr666]

Cyclists would be able to see and deduce that people are there - as well as the parked cars. They have a duty to proceed responsibly and not endanger other path users.

 

No Vindaloo... It's everybody elses duty to make way for them, and if you are in their way 

then you are fair game for being shouted at, insulted or your property being damaged

(that's what many militant types seem to think anyway) If they come off worse from said issue, even if they instigated or caused the problem

then prepare yourself for a lengthy journey through a legal system that is toothless when it comes to 

appointing blame to anyone other than a motorist. (We're endorsable. imprisonable and fineable you see) 

[Toxicvrs]

No Vindaloo... It's everybody elses duty to make way for them, and if you are in their way

then you are fair game for being shouted at, insulted or your property being damaged

(that's what many militant types seem to think anyway) If they come off worse from said issue, even if they instigated or caused the problem

then prepare yourself for a lengthy journey through a legal system that is toothless when it comes to

appointing blame to anyone other than a motorist. (We're endorsable. imprisonable and fineable you see)

When I first started driving I had one knock into my mirror! He then started mouthing off about why I hadn't left enough space when he wasn't even in sight before! He wasn't so big when confronted and I was given £20 for a new mirror by him shortly after!

[slider]

90% of cyclists are no problem (and same goes for car drivers) but the evangalistic 10% - the Monster Raving Lycra party.  We have a SusTrans path (on old railway bed) in our area but as the rail bed was build on when our village was build 15 years ago all users need to take to the, quiet, village streets and right past my door - no problem there.....except adults that choose to ride on the pavements! does my head in......

[GentleGiant]

The one biker that really annoys me when she rides through the red light at a pedestrian crossing is a Primary school teacher - and the crossing is directly OUTSIDE another Primary school.

 

If I am on or near a busy crossing (on foot), and I see a cyclist trying to bully their way through, I will sometimes deliberately step into them - having a pram or childs buggy handy reduces the exposure to injury (for me).

[grr666]

90% of cyclists are no problem (and same goes for car drivers) but the evangalistic 10% - the Monster Raving Lycra party.  

I agree, most are quite inoffensive but the 10% seem fully charged with a delightful combination

of bile, antagonism and victim status enough for the other 90%. 

[cheezemonkhai]

I have to say, I think cyclists on the road should be mandated to have an identifier on the bike and insurance (Household will often cover it anyway).

 

Had one years ago go into a brand new car my parents had purchased.

At dusk, no lights, black cloths, black sunglasses and no working brakes. He went straight onto a roundabout without looking and into the side of the new car.

 

Was a right gobby so and so, until the police who had been called turned up. Admittedly mobiles were not common back then, but he was in full on blame the car mode.

 

As mentioned above, they can do a lot of damage and break the law by failing to stop and exchange details.

 

New group buy on front/rear view blackviews anyone?

Edited 24 July, 2014 by cheezemonkhai

[Toxicvrs]

Shame BossFox doesn't do them anymore

[Paul007]

I work with a guy who at best is described as militant. He's argued with plod this week about the standard of his driving and how it affected his control and balance whilst on his bike. Had to laugh. I'm sure plod could have nicked him for something if he'd thought hard and long enough. 

[Sittingbull]

My wife refers to cyclists as the fascists of the road. We have a single carriageway nearby that joins the villages of Lesmahagow and Kirkmuirhill, unfortunately there have been too many accidents on this stretch of road in recent time, involving most kinds of vehicle as well as pedestrians and cyclists. In an attempt to provide a solution the local council provided a cycle lane that is actually wide enough it is the cycling equivalent of a single carriageway. It would have cost a small fortune to create the lane, no doubt paid for by all council tax payers including cyclists.

 

Yet, they do not seem to want to use it. You could probably count on one hand the number of cyclists who have used it in the six months it has been open. They seem to prefer taking their chances on the main road despite all the previous accidents and near misses. The main road has a couple of bad junctions including meeting a motorway exit slip road at one end, and an on ramp at the other, yet the cyclists prefer to take the chance. I can't get my head around it but its not my choice. My wife however uses the road at least 4 or 5 times a day as part of her job and she gets really wound up by the attitudes displayed. When, after she witnessed a bump between a cyclist and a land rover, she asked the cyclist if it wouldn't be safer to use the lane she got told to f off and use another road if she didn't like the cyclists on it. The land rover driver was at fault incidentally, the cyclist apparently swerving out to miss a drain cover and the land rover attempting to pass clipped them, with plod seemingly advising the driver they hadn't left enough room to overtake safely.

 

Its a subject that causes arguments everywhere it seems.

[grr666]

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Cycling-plan-Bristol-bring-new-lanes-city/story-21338735-detail/story.html

 

 

They're at it here as well.... BIG TIME!

Don't get me started....

The comments are by local people who this actually affects. 

Worth a read, just for the comments.

[Phil-E]

I cycle to work almost every day. It's only a couple of miles and there are a lot of cyclists that really annoy me! Jumping red lights, riding on pavements etc. Really give the good cyclists a bad name.

 

I think the problem is then that people get annoyed with these cyclists then take it out on all the cyclists on the road.

 

Phil

[cheezemonkhai]

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Cycling-plan-Bristol-bring-new-lanes-city/story-21338735-detail/story.html

 

 

They're at it here as well.... BIG TIME!

Don't get me started....

The comments are by local people who this actually affects. 

Worth a read, just for the comments.

 

Feeder road will be to get into the temple quarter business park they are setting up, with minimal parking that I can see.

 

It's a shame, because it just means that driving in bristol will be even worse and so less and less people will bother.

 

They have thousands of empty  offices in Bristol and I was considering to moving the company office to one there.

However we were completely put off with the drive into Bristol, the M32 and the local roads around it.

 

Getting in to / out of it at the wrong time, can take well over an hour even without an accident.

 

It's a complete joke and will kill Bristol as a business centre.

 

Sad really, because there is a huge potential there, a good workforce, lots of available offices etc and potentially a very fast fibre network.

Even with all of this, what's the point if your staff can't get in / out until 10/11am, because of the roads and have to leave at 3:30 or 6:30pm to get back out sensibly.

That only makes for poor productivity and unhappy staff.

 

I dread having to go there at anything where I'll be traveling in / out at rushour.

[Sad555]

When I am in the car I may have similar thoughts,but patients is a virtue as they say .get a bike and try it yourself you might get a different insight,I ride occasionally ,my son and grandson a lot more but just think a small error a scratch for you maybe,DEATH or severe injury for the cyclist,the roads are for us all to use/share it's not a war and two sides to every story so next time you have a problem with a cyclist just imagine it's your wife ,mother,son,daughter father etc etc not an enemy,it helps me

[Paul007]

Ever heard of sustainability ? ie cycling, walking and heaven forbid, a bus ? The car isn't the be all and end all.

[Sad555]

Pps I thinks cheesemonkhai has hit the nail on the head,too many cars trying to get in/out of Bristol .solution,more bikes ,use,less cars better roads,more park and rides,motorists might pay for the roads but they don't own or have more rights then others,the reason as stated is LIKE IT OR NOT TOO MANY CARS,I don't like it either but it's a fact.

[grr666]

the roads are for us all to use/share it's not a war and two sides to every story so next time you have a problem with a cyclist just imagine it's your wife ,mother,son,daughter father etc etc not an enemy,it helps me

That's good advice. 

 

Ever heard of sustainability ? ie cycling, walking and heaven forbid, a bus ? The car isn't the be all and end all.

You sell yours and we'll all follow suit... Or are you in standing traffic on the M61 on a cycle???

The red trousered bell end mayor lobbing £35m at cycle lanes here in Bristol sustainable is it?

He should subsidise bus travel with that money, not pander to minority groups.

But he's a lefty spending someone elses money so it's about par for the course, that's what they

think money is for.

It's about 4 quid to catch a bus/train here for a short hop, make it a pound and a sensible timetable

beyond two buses an hour and you might see more commuter uptake and a reduction in traffic. 

We already have the bus lanes, what we don't want is an £8 a day return bus fare. In real terms

it's cheaper for my wife to use her 1.2 60mpg and £30 a year RFL car for her 8 mile commute

AND pay for a private parking space at £90pcm than it is for her to use public transport.

Some people wouldn't know the meaning of sustainable if it hit them

in the face. It's just another buzz word used to justify reckless spending.