Are cyclists generally worse right now?

[Aussie Rider in London]

Worst I have seen was on a farm track, I had kids with me, I saw the guy behind, I asked my kids to move over which they started doing, I also signaled for the guy to slow down, which he didn’t.
He went to cut between myself and child and ended up on a grass verge where instead of putting his foot down he dramatically fell over and threw his bike at me.

His rear wheel almost hit my kid.

His Dad and sister rocked and and told us to move along, I saw the Dad a few days later asking me to fork out for a replacement shifter....

I have footage from my cyclic6 shown the Dad and said tough the damage is from the throw.

I did offer him my spare one for £120...

Glad you told him to do one. Sorry that happened to you!

 

[wafter]

Tbh in the 15-20 rides I've undertaken since the lockdown started I can only recall being disgusted by the actions of a fellow cyclist once; this being because some absolute muppet was casually riding up the wrong side of the road as a reached the bottom of a hill at speed and needed to make a quick decision as to whether to take evasive action or expect him to get out of the way since he was clearly in the wrong.

I've also witnessed a few knobheads cycling on pavements too, but that's situation normal. I've seen a lot of inexperienced cyclists out but they've all been well-behaved IIRC.. so no - I don't think the standard of cycling has fallen recently

 

[Johnno260]

Glad you told him to do one. Sorry that happened to you!

The Cyclic was just my eldest daughter asking for it so she could watch her ride, since that incident I even use it on the youngest ones balance bike in case it's needed.

In general all this cycle incidents I have seen have been on graveled surfaces so I think it's either in-experience or not cycling to the conditions, the incident I mentioned was by far the worst and probably a case of both cases and a little douchery.

I still see far more idiotic things from motorists, 2 I have reported for racing in my area, if the muppets grease themselves on a tree fine, but usually some poor unfortunate is caught up in accidents.

 

[vickster]

The Cyclic was just my eldest daughter asking for it so she could watch her ride, since that incident I even use it on the youngest ones balance bike in case it's needed.

In general all this cycle incidents I have seen have been on graveled surfaces so I think it's either in-experience or not cycling to the conditions, the incident I mentioned was by far the worst and probably a case of both cases and a little douchery.

I still see far more idiotic things from motorists, 2 I have reported for racing in my area, if the muppets grease themselves on a tree fine, but usually some poor unfortunate is caught up in accidents.

Not least the emergency services

 

[Chris S]

Yesterday I heard a cyclist scream, "Get out of the way" at a young woman as he hurtled down a canal towpath. She was just walking along facing forwards, perfectly normally. I suppose if you take peanuts out of cars and put them on bikes then they still remain peanuts.

 

[JPBoothy]

Yesterday I heard a cyclist scream, "Get out of the way" at a young woman as he hurtled down a canal towpath. She was just walking along facing forwards, perfectly normally. I suppose if you take peanuts out of cars and put them on bikes then they still remain peanuts.

I doubt he would have been so vocal if he had come across an angry fisherman with his very expensive roach pole across the tow path..

 

[pjd57]

There's definitely an increase in the amount of adults cycling on pavements for no obvious reasons in Glasgow.

 

[Slick]

There's definitely an increase in the amount of adults cycling on pavements for no obvious reasons in Glasgow.

To be fair there is a fair few on the roads as well. I know my mate was taking advantage of the lack of traffic on Edinburgh road with his daughter.

 

[slowmotion]

Fundamentally, is there any difference between somebody who whinges about learner drivers on a petrol-head form, and cyclists dissing novices on CC?

 

[HMS_Dave]

I often ride on a canal towpath. No one has yet shouted at me to get out of the way. I always prioritise pedestrians but then on both accounts im a 20 stone cyclist on a steel fat bike!

 

[derrick]

I mean, you're in the UK...

Aussie beer is great. Our craft beer scene is ahead of the UK by years.

But still so far from Belgium beer.

 

[classic33]

Either I have got an invisible bicycle, which leads to some practical issues (hmm now where did I park the bloody thing?) or:-
It's the difference between being clad as a Person-on-a-Bike in ordinary looking clothes which seems to be less threatening or challenging to a certain type of road user, which may lead to less close passes and more recognition of you as a human being, compared with appearing as a colourful lycra clad super hero who to that certain type of road user is "other" and somehow less entitled to consideration. It is comparable to what has been found in helmet wearers vs non helmet wearers -helmet wearers for whatever reason tend to get more close passes.
Of course you could wear anything, and some F***wits would just object to you being on the road and show their displeasure anyway.
Just to show that you don't need all the gear to enjoy bicycling that the magazines would like you to think you need.

You could be wearing nowt and someone will find reason to have a go at you.

 

[screenman]

Yesterday I heard a cyclist scream, "Get out of the way" at a young woman as he hurtled down a canal towpath. She was just walking along facing forwards, perfectly normally. I suppose if you take peanuts out of cars an
d put them on bikes then they still remain peanuts.

How do you know he was a car owner, I have known of plenty of so called experienced cyclist who are complete peanuts with no regard for others.

 

[Aussie Rider in London]

But still so far from Belgium beer.

100% with you there. Belgian stuff is the best in the world.

 

[Aussie Rider in London]

Fundamentally, is there any difference between somebody who whinges about learner drivers on a petrol-head form, and cyclists dissing novices on CC?

Context and nuance make a big difference. I'm not talking about 15 or 16 year olds on the road for the very first time (as per your learner driver scenario), and in fact every single kid/family that I've seen cycling has been great. Very impressed by how parents are helping them along.

My main issue is adults who are either knowingly, or unknowingly, being reckless or unsafe.

Ignorance of road safety isn't an excuse.