I object to being bullied by motorists

[harlechjoe]

Many motorists are ignorant of the debt owed to cyclists for the roads that many claim to be overlords of. When the railways replaced stage and mail coaches, roads fell into disrepair. It was the Cyclists Touring Club who helped form a Road Improvement Group then as motoring gained in popularity the CTC Gazette (July 1896) asked members whether motorists should be admitted to membership. This was declined but cyclists were later instrumental in the foundation of the Automobile Association, an organisation created to foil police speed traps. And what thanks do cyclists get? Blasts from car horns, close passing, bad language, rude hand gestures and much worse. RANT OVER 😠.


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[mustang1]

And then fast forward to the 21st century!....

Yes, you are quite right. I learned all that stuff in Carlton Reid's book. But anyway, that was back in those days.

 

[harlechjoe]

And then fast forward to the 21st century!....

Yes, you are quite right. I learned all that stuff in Carlton Reid's book. But anyway, that was back in those days.

Same here !

 

[slowmotion]

Some people drive very badly and are utterly inconsiderate towards cyclists.......but most motorists are pretty good, not least because they don't want the major inconvenience of hurting a cyclist. I've been put on the tarmac a few times in London and fortunately I have just bounced. Each time the driver was extremely apologetic. One even asked if I wanted a pint in the pub on the corner where he left-hooked me.. We parted with a smile and a handshake.

Getting into "Them and Us" stuff doesn't do any good, so I gave up trying to be angry..

 

[tyred]

It can seem that everyone is out to get you at times but I honestly think that outside of a small subsection of nutters, most drivers are perfectly reasonable people and mean no harm. They possibly don't even realise some of the things they do are dangerous. It's a failure of the driving test system.

There is also a complete absence of road policing so even well intentioned people will start being careless over time as nobody will stop them from doing so.

 

[Arrowfoot]

I personally think the tide is turning in cyclists' favour despite the incidents we have seen or seeing. The increase in the number of cyclists that are clearly evident compared to the past, awareness of cycling gears including appropriate clothes, number commuting to work, workplace facilities and mostly importantly cycling infrastructure.

I also sense that except for some dinosaurs from both side that cannot tolerate each other, it becoming much better.

I am also impressed particularly by pensioners and retirees turning to drop bars and appropriate gear at such a late stage in life and getting with it.

There is a cafe I tend to patronise on weekend mornings and I noticed a regular retiree gym rat that turned to cycling. She was clearly in her 60s. Encouraging signs.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I personally think the tide is turning in cyclists' favour despite the incidents we have seen or seeing. The increase in the number of cyclists that are clearly evident compared to the past, awareness of cycling gears including appropriate clothes, number commuting to work, workplace facilities and mostly importantly cycling infrastructure.

This could be part of the problem. On the rare occasions I'm travelling in a car I'm often surprised how incredibly lavish the road system is: roads are joined up, complete, and direct, even when that means demolishing houses or building bridges. This has taught two or three generations that driving a car means every obstacle is removed from your path, almost by right.

This means that on the rare occasions when they are inconvenienced, many motorists see this as an affront or even a direct attack on their "right" to drove anywhere quickly, on demand. They may decide to be aggressive, especially if they see more cyclists and more infrastructure being built in "their" space; it can feel like their rights are being threatened by another group.

 

[GilesM]

This could be part of the problem. On the rare occasions I'm travelling in a car I'm often surprised how incredibly lavish the road system is: roads are joined up, complete, and direct, even when that means demolishing houses or building bridges. This has taught two or three generations that driving a car means every obstacle is removed from your path, almost by right.

This means that on the rare occasions when they are inconvenienced, many motorists see this as an affront or even a direct attack on their "right" to drove anywhere quickly, on demand. They may decide to be aggressive, especially if they see more cyclists and more infrastructure being built in "their" space; it can feel like their rights are being threatened by another group.

I think you're over thinking things, in reality most drivers are okay towards cyclists, some make some bad mistakes, a few are just a bit incompetent, and there are a very small number of nutters, bit like most walks of life.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I think you're over thinking things, in reality most drivers are okay towards cyclists, some make some bad mistakes, a few are just a bit incompetent, and there are a very small number of nutters, bit like most walks of life.

Yes, those are probably the ones I described as deciding to be aggressive.

The rest is a cultural idea: we all have cultural ideas which we are uncinsciously socialised to accept as "normal". What I describe is observable in many people who have grown up in a culture where cars are seen as "normal" transport.

 

[GilesM]

The rest is a cultural idea: we all have cultural ideas which we are uncinsciously socialised to accept as "normal". What I describe is observable in many people who have grown up in a culture where cars are seen as "normal" transport.

You obviously think on a higher level to me (not hard I am sure), I would describe what you observe is just different degrees of impatience, something we see in anything involving human beings.

 

[CharleyFarley]

This means that on the rare occasions when they are inconvenienced, many motorists see this as an affront or even a direct attack on their "right" to drove anywhere quickly, on demand. They may decide to be aggressive, especially if they see more cyclists and more infrastructure being built in "their" space; it can feel like their rights are being threatened by another group.

Some cyclists are like car drivers who think nobody else should be where they want to be. A couple of years ago a cyclist ran an older woman down and killed her. He told the cops he didn't want to have to slow down or stop. I'd bet he's a hateful driver, too.

 

[tom73]

Yes, those are probably the ones I described as deciding to be aggressive.

The rest is a cultural idea: we all have cultural ideas which we are uncinsciously socialised to accept as "normal". What I describe is observable in many people who have grown up in a culture where cars are seen as "normal" transport.

You are right Social norms have a lot to play in this and are quite deep leading to wider issue of highway planning. Feeding on even bigger problem of town and city planning and how society see's and believes public space to be. As with any social norms until challenged they won't change. The process of how is an area of social science for another day.

 

[All uphill]

Social norms slapped me in the face today (metaphorically).

An apparently lovely lady in a cafe complimented me on wearing a bright red cycling jacket on a grey day.
"When I drive to work at 7am with only one eye half open I need cyclists to be brightly dressed and have bright lights!"

Things for us will improve when there are enough people cycling to make it expected and accepted. I often feel the town I live in is just about there - even on these winter days there seems to be a person on a bike on every street

 

[Jameshow]

Interesting that those who are solely cyclists often have a different let tolerant view than those who are hybrid uses i.e. cyclists and motorists?

I'm both and see things from both perspectives and bad cycling annoys me as much or more so than bad driving. Jumping red lights, riding on pavements, riding without lights, all annoy me, just as a speed car, mobile phone user or drink driver.

 

[All uphill]

Interesting that those who are solely cyclists often have a different let tolerant view than those who are hybrid uses i.e. cyclists and motorists?

I'm both and see things from both perspectives and bad cycling annoys me as much or more so than bad driving. Jumping red lights, riding on pavements, riding without lights, all annoy me, just as a speed car, mobile phone user or drink driver.

I agree and both annoy me; the key difference is that the risks posed by the former group are minor and those posed by the second group are life threatening.