I Do Not Like Sharing The Road With Cyclists!

[Lazy Cow]

Hi, the Grinch here, just thought I would vent!

 

Whilst many cyclists are thoughtful road users, and I am sure everyone on here falls safely within that catagory, some use the roads in the manner of annoying, selfish, arrogant idiots who apparently have a death wish!

 

I was driving home last night and was swinging onto it - there was no one to my right, obv. - when a cyclist on my left simply raced onto the roundie causing me to apply my brakes. Very grr baby. Totally impervious to my presence.

If this was a one-off I would shrug it off as one bad cyclist just as there are bad drivers (I'm not one - the blue smilie looks a BIT like an angel lol!). Unfortunately there do seem to be a few.

 

At lights, for example. Why do some cyclists think it appropriate to slump against our wagon?

 

Or on roads with cycle paths. Here's an idea, use them! Why stay just outside of them?

 

Cyclists riding two, or frequently more (and I'm not including the Tour in this one!) abreast. Legally, two is ok unless there is a cycle lane in which case the cyclists are supposed to stay within the lane. If they can't stay in there whilst two-abreast, then they have to ride single file.

 

I am not allowed to pick and choose which road laws I comply with so why should they?

 

Ooh, I feel better now, thank you!

 

And as a PS whilst this is may be a bit contentious it is not a personal attack. If you choose to reply, please have the courtesy to ensure you have fun without resorting to anything personal!

 

Thanks,

LC

[scooterdan]

Completely agree......All road cyclists should be shot at!

[Guest Guest75]

They do give you something to aim at. Relieves the boredom.:biglaugh::biglaugh: (that was in jest)

 

 

 

Some of the trouble may be due to you being a crap driver???:arghh: <I'm automatically ducking>

[snifter]

Deleted by me.

Edited January 4, 2014 by snifter

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

Hey LC ......happy new year btw! xxx

 

Yep we live on a one way street and have learnt that when pulling out of the garage although traffic should only be coming from the left, one way streets do not apply to cyclists as they often appear from the right!

 

Terry is always threatning that at a red traffic light he is not going to wait for green but instread follow a cyclist onto the pavement, cross the pedestrian crossing and rejoin the road on the other side of the junction!

[Guest Guest75]

Twice now when towing the boat I have had cyclist pull into the gap between the car and boat........... big mistake as if I hit the brakes the system on the boat trailer "squeezes" to gap down.

[Toni]

Hey I like that saying "Grr baby" LC...I learn a lot by coming on here.....

 

I used to be a cyclist....is that like being an ex-smoker? Hmmm.... I see the other side to the cyclist issue being someone who had doors swing open and other general "misdemeanors" that are life threatening to cyclists. I hated it when they introduced the helmets because I used to love the wind in my hair.....the fun went out of it then. Anyway it was good exercise and got you from A to B sometimes quicker than a car. So generally see why people do it.

 

But....I've always been a car driver. These days I take leisurely drives in the hills and truly they are not designed for cyclists at all. I am usually a careful driver and just hang behind people until it is well and truly clear....but that could be 20 minutes away when you drive in the hills....cyclists can't go as fast as a car and then the cars that pile up behind me get annoyed.....so I take the plunge and I get the "finger" by a cyclist. I hate it when they have a camera on their head and I am thinking of getting a camera on my mirror so you can prove what they are doing. There should definitely not be two astride in the hills. One alone is difficult.

 

Grrrrr.....

[Blossom]

I learned to drive in Cambridge so I think the cyclists here are great. :-D

 

The only thing I've ever had negative with cyclists here is them riding two abreast, but they are allowed to here.

If I had one lean on my vehicle I'd me moving it! That is rude!

 

I have however seen lots of instances of car drivers doing stupid things with bikes. The worst one was a car over taking a bike, while signalling left, then straight after getting round the bike, cutting right across them to turn left. The bike had to slam it's breaks on and still went into the side of the car. Luckily just lightly, but still. They actually pulled out to go round the bike, so they knew it was there. Total idiot.

[Anne B]

I get annoyed with some cyclists who ride along the esplanade (e.g. at Henley/Grange/West Beach). Whoever thought it was a sensible idea to mix bikes and pedestrians obviously had rocks in their head. You see a family, say Mum, Dad, Granny, toddlers, baby in pushchair etc having a nice stroll along the seafront and then almost getting run over by idiots on bikes going way too fast, especially the 'captain cinzano' variety on a Sunday morning (when there is often a road parallel to the path that the cyclists could easily ride on).

[Lazy Cow]

Some of the trouble may be due to you being a crap driver???:arghh: <I'm automatically ducking>

 

A) I quite specifically said NO personal comments, young man!

B) Actually, in all the k's and years I have been driving I have only had three accidents - none of which was my fault. (Seen heaps in my rear view lol! Not really btw.)

 

Sorry, gorgeous Toni but I cannot take credit for the 'grr, baby' as it is from Austin Powers haha! I guess that means you learned more than one thing on this thread then!

 

LC

Edited January 5, 2014 by Lazy Cow
'Grr baby' comment!

[Lazy Cow]

You see a family, say Mum, Dad, Granny, toddlers, baby in pushchair etc having a nice stroll along the seafront and then almost getting run over by idiots on bikes going way too fast, especially the 'captain cinzano' variety

 

Hahaha! Good point - and love the description, thank you!

 

LC

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

in all the k's and years I have been driving I have only had three accidents - none of which was my fault.LC

 

I've only ever had one but i reacon if you are going to do something you should fully commit to the plan and do it good and proppa!

[Lazy Cow]

I car drivers doing stupid things with bikes.

 

Very true and there can be no excuse for putting someone's life at risk.

 

That said, I do wonder whether allowing cyclists to ride two abreast (except where there's a cycle path in which case they are expected to stay within the cycle path, single file if necessary) is particularly sensible. There aren't many cyclists that are going to go as fast as a car and, given we all want to get to our destination as quickly as poss, it does seem to lead to frustrated drivers making potentially dangerous attempts to swing round the cyclist.

 

As a parent, I hate the idea of my kids cycling on the road...and I used to think that cycling is environmentally superior to driving as well as healthier for the individual but now I'm more concerned about the potential dangers and breathing in car fumes!

 

I guess it comes down to experience, ability to chill behind the wheel (or handlebars!) and common sense of the road user, whether bike or car.

 

I stand by my original statement though!

 

LC

[Lazy Cow]

I've only ever had one but i reacon if you are going to do something you should fully commit to the plan and do it good and proppa!

 

You goofball!

 

Must be why I love you!

 

HNY to you both, btw.

 

LC

[xzibit]

Completely agree......All road cyclists should be shot at!

 

Nice... Thanks for wishing me dead.

[scooterdan]

No probs.......

[Lazy Cow]

Nice... Thanks for wishing me dead.

In fairness to Scooterdan, he only said "shot at" not killed lol! Which was very fair of him!

 

Seriously, you can find idiots driving cars and idiots riding bikes; I was venting is all.

 

Whatever your preferred mode of transport, I wish you all safe journeys with everyone adhering to the road rules.

 

LC

[xzibit]

I know what he means lol.

 

He'd like to see me and every other cyclist in a morgue.

Edited January 5, 2014 by xzibit

[Guest Guest75]

I've only ever had one but i reacon if you are going to do something you should fully commit to the plan and do it good and proppa!

 

 

Ouch!

 

 

Just realized what this refers to.........................

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

Ouch!

 

 

Just realized what this refers to.........................

 

He He!.....Ah shut up or i'll start posting photos!

[Guest ColinOz]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/david-valente-the-more-who-cycle-the-better-it-gets-for-drivers/story-fni6unxq-1226802600850

[Guest BradClark]

Most times I have zero problems with cyclists, but there is that one occasion where you get a right idiot that thinks just because he is riding a bike, he is the king of the road.

[Lazy Cow]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/david-valente-the-more-who-cycle-the-better-it-gets-for-drivers/story-fni6unxq-1226802600850

 

"All road users have the responsibility to show respect and consideration towards ALL other road users."

 

I think David Valente sums it up rather well, thank you Colinoz.

 

I don't have a problem with cyclists that adhere to the road rules, just the ones that don't.

 

LC

[Diane]

I know what he means lol.

 

He'd like to see me and every other cyclist in a morgue.

 

My OH cycles into work most days and some of the things he sees motorists doing are astounding ... like the car that goes past a cyclist then immediately turns left without checking their mirrors, or the car that pulls into the side of the road to drop a passenger off without checking their mirror or indicating, throws open the passenger door and nearly takes the cyclist out that was riding in the bike lane, or the parked car that suddenly throws open their driver's door without checking their mirror and takes out the cyclist that has pulled out to go round them (one of my OH's work colleagues lost the tips of all his fingers due to this one)...

 

We are very lucky where we live that OH can cycle on cycle paths through the park pretty much all the way into work - if he was on the roads I'd be taking out a much larger life insurance policy on him!