Well worth a read, some data based studies on the Driver/ Cyclist vibes, yup it's official in some drivers the hate exists...cyclists it seems offend the moral order of the car based hierarchy, 'they get in the way'' their presence on the hallowed roads of the motor vehicle enthusiasts is transgressive causing some motorists to give them ''altruistic punishments''
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlton...en-overtaking/
More here,
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...clists-so-much
Last edited by Passenger; 14th April 2024 at 09:32.
Cyclists are hated because they are an easy target. But like everything it’s a few that give the majority a bad name. Lorry drivers hate car drivers who hold us up, everyone has a hate group but the thing that I’ve never understood is that everyone thinks they are invincible.Originally Posted by Passenger
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And it´s easy to hate a minority group, they´re visible, they even wear special, fancy lycra clothing!!! How very dare they, deviants, no respect for the hierarchy, don´t pay road tax either, cheapskates, having their fun cycling about just enjoying themselves, not a care in the world. GRRRR barstewards.
I suppose in the hierarchy the lorry drivers are fairly invincible, then the white vans, the large off roader type vehicles, mid size cars, motorbikes, cyclists the tiddlers, bottom of the food chain. Agree it´s the few but there´s a natural tendency to generalise the misbehaviour within a minority group and apply it to all.
I don't hate cyclists or have any prejudice, thats a drum the likes of Monty likes to bang.And it´s easy to hate a minority group, they´re visible, they even wear special, fancy lycra clothing!!! How very dare they, deviants, no respect for the hierarchy, don´t pay road tax either, cheapskates, having their fun cycling about just enjoying themselves, not a care in the world. GRRRR barstewards.
I suppose in the hierarchy the lorry drivers are fairly invincible, then the white vans, the large off roader type vehicles, mid size cars, motorbikes, cyclists the tiddlers, bottom of the food chain. Agree it´s the few but there´s a natural tendency to generalise the misbehaviour within a minority group and apply it to all.
I have always given cyclists a wide berth, slowed down and do whats right when coming up on one but what i dislike is the way that large groups feel they don't need to pull over and yield to faster moving traffic. It’s a concept that horse riders, tractor drivers and even some car drivers subscribe to when they don't know where they’re going. The argument for this of course is to expect the driver(s) of the cars to simply sit back and take a chill pill. In my years of driving i have never once seen a cyclist pull to one side and let faster traffic through. There needs to be consideration yet it appears to only applicable to one side which is what i find rather infuriating about some cyclists.
Really never, from personal experience I cycle, though never in groups, but always try to consider my road position as regards the motor vehicle coming up behind me, though I´ve cycled my whole life, we never had a car growing up so I-we biked everywhere, had it, safety, drilled into us...when I drive I´d say it´s considerably better than 50 percent of cyclists who´re fairly, to very mindful...now the folks on those electric scooters, well, taking their life in their hands...Last week there was a horse rider coming through the village, tbh I and it seemed other motor vehicle users happily gave them both all the time- space reasonably required, it´s a nice thing, a bonus to see them...mind you the manana attitude I believe takes some of the sting out of the busyness- rage of the modern world...in nearly 14 years here I can hand on heart say I´ve only witnessed 1 road rage incident, though that was a doozy in fairness...London and Philly were very different, even tootling about in Lincolnshire a few weeks back it´s a different ball game...mind you there´s also the shocking state of the roads, multitude of speed cameras and the high proportion of large cars, struck me as not conducive in themselves, to a relaxing drive.
Last edited by Passenger; 14th April 2024 at 11:29.
Agree with that. Also I've lost count of the amount of times cyclists have weaved in and out of cars when they're at traffic lights only to go through the red light as well! And they often cycle up the inside of traffic with no thought for the distance from the cars they're undertaking or overtaking, and expect car drivers to always spot they're there. Seems the 'car width for safety' doesn't apply when they're the ones doing it.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
I’m delighted to read that, apologies if I have mis understood your position.
I find that incredible to read, I have been out this morning and ridden 60 miles with a friend, we probably pulled over 5 or 6 times to let cars past. I know a lot of cyclists and everyone does that. It’s not much fun having a car up your chuff chomping at the bit to get past so everyone I know pulls over to let people pass. You must have just been very unlucky with the cyclists you encounter. Please don’t assume we are all like that.
One thing I am curious about is why you chose to share your delayed anecdote here if you are a lover, it had no direct relevance to red light jumping and you must see how it could just fuel the anti cycling brigade, of which you are not a member ��
Last edited by Montello; 14th April 2024 at 14:46.
All this hand wringing, angst and vitriol towards cyclists but no mention of the 40 people killed by motorists since this thread was started.
That’s motonormativity for you.
Indeed but probably as a result of a cyclist jumping off the pavement through a red light and not ringing his bell distracting the driver causing the crash …
About 1,800 deaths a year on the road. Average 3 pedestrians killed by cyclists… the numbers are so low it’s hard to quote an average.
I think we can see the problem.
I think that the 'imagine that it is your son or daughter on that bike' thought invokes a powerful image....
From the Guardian article that you quoted.....'When he became Greater Manchester’s walking and cycling commissioner in 2017, former Olympic champion Chris Boardman decided he was not going to allow himself to be photographed in Lycra any more. Nor would he wear a helmet if just pootling around town, even when filming segments on his bike for ITV4’s Tour de France coverage.
“A lot of people in this country – not other countries – see cyclists as middle-aged men in Lycra. I want it to be my daughter going to the park, and just moving around without having to drive. That’s an image that I think we need to prioritise,” says Boardman, recently appointed by Boris Johnson to be England’s active travel commissioner.
He also decided to stop using the word cyclist, preferring “person on a bike” because it is a reminder there is a human in the saddle. “Cycling is just lazy walking,” says Boardman. “That’s how we need to see it. That’s what it is in the Netherlands, where 60% of kids ride to school every day. They don’t do it because they’re cyclists. They don’t think of themselves as disciples. They just go to school and cycling is the easiest way to do it.”
Boardman will not be drawn on whether he thinks the culture war on cyclists is leading to more aggression on the road, saying he deals in statistics, not anecdotes, and that there is “statistically proven 70% support for active travel, even if it takes some space away from driving”.
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