Do you 'engage' with cyclists?
Discussion
No point engaging with cyclists, some (not all) seem to not understand we all have to share the road. A case in point was me waiting at a junction, pulled out slowly, spotted a cylist coming and so waited before pulling into traffic so he could get past, as he was unsure of why I had stopped (I think) halfway he slowed down and rode around me. This is exactly why i had stopped. He shouted out 'fkING wkER' as he rode around.
So I see him, wait for him, he slows down through some confusion - totally understandable, but being considerate of him makes me a fking wker?
So I see him, wait for him, he slows down through some confusion - totally understandable, but being considerate of him makes me a fking wker?
I cycle but will engage with cyclists when in the car or on my bike, the key is not to let your perceived superiority translate into some of the neanderthal runtings I have heard from car drivers, I got told I was an Effing C and should stay on the effing cycle path but politely pointed out that I was not going in the direction the cycle path went, all I got back was "oh" and a Vectra screwing it off at high speed.
I have politely suggested to a ninja cyclist that he should get some lights and got some abuse back, I suggested he stop and discuss the matter further but he declined
Basically if you are going to engage, don't go in all guns blazing, people don't respond well to confrontation, they dont hear the advice, just the fact you called them a , if they respond negatively despite that, then you can give it back.
And dont store up all your anti cyclist rage until you "get one", the one you get is not responsible for all the others.
I have politely suggested to a ninja cyclist that he should get some lights and got some abuse back, I suggested he stop and discuss the matter further but he declined
Basically if you are going to engage, don't go in all guns blazing, people don't respond well to confrontation, they dont hear the advice, just the fact you called them a , if they respond negatively despite that, then you can give it back.
And dont store up all your anti cyclist rage until you "get one", the one you get is not responsible for all the others.
zedstar said:
No point engaging with cyclists, some (not all) seem to not understand we all have to share the road.
It would appear as though the OP rather spectacularly failed to understand this point. I wonder if he'd have been as agitated had it been a learner nervously pottering along at 18-20mph, or a tractor, or lorry, or anything else that wasn't doing the exact speed that he wanted to go.Antony Moxey said:
zedstar said:
No point engaging with cyclists, some (not all) seem to not understand we all have to share the road.
It would appear as though the OP rather spectacularly failed to understand this point. I wonder if he'd have been as agitated had it been a learner nervously pottering along at 18-20mph, or a tractor, or lorry, or anything else that wasn't doing the exact speed that he wanted to go.9mm said:
Similar issues from my own experience in the not too distant past:
1) Two runners in dark clothing running in the road at night and ignoring the 8' pavement
2) Blackberry pickers picking fruit from the road on a blind bend with no pavements
3) Families with dogs off leads and unrestrained toddlers having a stroll in the middle of the same road
3) often tell drivers to slow down.
What can you do? It's Darwin.
Well, if you drive regularly in an area with roads with no pavements (which is about 90% of everywhere outside of major cities) you will meet with walkers, cyclists, tractors, people trimming hedges, parked trailers, dogs, cows, sheep, horses (with and without riders) and a whole lot more.1) Two runners in dark clothing running in the road at night and ignoring the 8' pavement
2) Blackberry pickers picking fruit from the road on a blind bend with no pavements
3) Families with dogs off leads and unrestrained toddlers having a stroll in the middle of the same road
3) often tell drivers to slow down.
What can you do? It's Darwin.
So try slowing down, then you won't get the aggro from them for driving too fast for comfort (theirs, not yours)
Only ever engaged with one - he leaned on the bonnet of my car so he didn't have to take his feet of the pedals while stationary in traffic! I gave the horn a blast and that was it.
I tend to leave them well alone and give them lots of room - as annoying as they may be they have every right to use the road and they are much more vulnerable than drivers. No point in getting angry at them.
I tend to leave them well alone and give them lots of room - as annoying as they may be they have every right to use the road and they are much more vulnerable than drivers. No point in getting angry at them.
I don't tend to 'engage' with cyclists, because the ones that ride in an obstructive way tend to be the ones that go batst mental if you try and engage with them.
The only one I recall speaking to was the one that cycled straight into a single-car-width section as me and two cars in front were already heading up it in the opposite direction.
He ended up coming to a halt leaning on the bank as all three of us edged gingerly past him. As my window was open I asked him exactly where he had expected us all to go. Obviously I just got a mouthful of abuse.
The only one I recall speaking to was the one that cycled straight into a single-car-width section as me and two cars in front were already heading up it in the opposite direction.
He ended up coming to a halt leaning on the bank as all three of us edged gingerly past him. As my window was open I asked him exactly where he had expected us all to go. Obviously I just got a mouthful of abuse.
boyse7en said:
9mm said:
Similar issues from my own experience in the not too distant past:
1) Two runners in dark clothing running in the road at night and ignoring the 8' pavement
2) Blackberry pickers picking fruit from the road on a blind bend with no pavements
3) Families with dogs off leads and unrestrained toddlers having a stroll in the middle of the same road
3) often tell drivers to slow down.
What can you do? It's Darwin.
Well, if you drive regularly in an area with roads with no pavements (which is about 90% of everywhere outside of major cities) you will meet with walkers, cyclists, tractors, people trimming hedges, parked trailers, dogs, cows, sheep, horses (with and without riders) and a whole lot more.1) Two runners in dark clothing running in the road at night and ignoring the 8' pavement
2) Blackberry pickers picking fruit from the road on a blind bend with no pavements
3) Families with dogs off leads and unrestrained toddlers having a stroll in the middle of the same road
3) often tell drivers to slow down.
What can you do? It's Darwin.
So try slowing down, then you won't get the aggro from them for driving too fast for comfort (theirs, not yours)
I am not talking about people who, when using roads as footpaths, act accordingly. I am talking about morons.
I ride to work about once a week (12 miles each way).
The other 4 days i drive, and have to overtake cyclists. Somehow i manage to do it without causing them risk, annoying them, or causing any delay to my journey.
Maybe im just a fking brilliant driver?
The other 4 days i drive, and have to overtake cyclists. Somehow i manage to do it without causing them risk, annoying them, or causing any delay to my journey.
Maybe im just a fking brilliant driver?
Edited by daddy cool on Wednesday 25th February 13:14
Potatoes said:
PistonHeads wold not be complete without 1 or 2 active threads on cyclists vs motorists.
I recognise some of the comments made so far, pretty sure some are just copied and pasted from the last time we did this.
I have saved mine in a word doc now so that I can trot it out every time I see one of these threads and feel like responding.I recognise some of the comments made so far, pretty sure some are just copied and pasted from the last time we did this.
I think we need to challenge those that are wound up by such things to make a thread that relates to
The neighbour’s cat stting in their garden, cyclists, front fog light usage and MLM's.
Yazar said:
Get you, you waited 40 mins before exposing your hilarious joke.The fact that cyclist don't pay road tax doesn't make them any less entitled to us the road than anyone else. There are many cars that pay less road tax than you some don't pay anything. Do you have more of a claim to the road than they do in your generic (probably diesel) saloon?
One of the cars i'm looking at (335i) means i'll have to pay £480 a year to tax. Will that put me above you? Will I have to ask if I "engage" with lesser tax payers?
Sometimes cyclist piss me off. When they knowingly get in the way and hold traffic up. I don feel a need to start lecturing them on why they're doing wrong. The same way I don't bother myself when another car is being driven poorly.
We're all road users. sometimes a cyclist will add a few seconds to your journey. Get over it.
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