Road Cyclists - Rant!

[Pistuphead]

Horses are worse, they ride along at a snails pace with their silly hats on, 3 abreast, talking and in a world of their own then don't acknowledge when you crawl past so as not to spook their horse.

[FQ110]

I respect cyclists, I couldn't be arsed riding a bike.

[heebeegeetee]

scz4 said:

However, I can understand why he risked it and had they were riding in single file it wouldn't have been a problem.

That's where you're going wrong, you shouldn't be able to understand why he risked it and yes the bloke would still have done what he did regardless of however many cyclists were there. He would have done it if there were horses there instead of bikes.

There are a vast number of people out there who just can't overtake, they really can't, and that number is high - i would put it at 1 in 3 absolute minimum; one person in every three cannot overtake properly if his or her life depended on it, and possibly only 1 in 3 can overtake properly and well. 2 in 3 object to being overtaken.

Not condoning the bikes or making any comment on them, but if a driver is on the wrong side of the road approaching a bend, don't let him off the hook. He's a dangerous tt.

[heebeegeetee]

19890 said:

when they are fully aware that there is a (band M or whatever the highest is) ROAD TAX payer, with an INSURANCE GROUP 20 car trying to get past. Being held up by a load of freeloading lycra clad idiots is not good for the blood pressure. Screw what the archaic highway code says this is the 21st century.

oh yes, should have added, there'll be a 'cyclists don't pay tax' herbert along any minute. Jeez, wouldn't it be nice if you could avoid tax by throwing a leg over a treader. It'd be worse that China out there if it was that easy.

For info, when i was a cyclist i was paying £3,000 a year in VED, and when i was cycling not one of my vehicles would have been on the road.

[HowMuchLonger]

19890 said:

...when they are fully aware that there is a (band M or whatever the highest is) ROAD TAX payer, with an INSURANCE GROUP 20 car trying to get past. Being held up by a load of freeloading .....

Edited by 19890 on Sunday 22 March 15:32

Does this mean I should always pull over when I see an Impreza (or other group20 car) in my rear view mirror to let them past. Maybe we should do it by value of car instead. That way the lucky Zonda owners can continue unimpeeded around the twisties that my box struggles around. (They obviously pay much more tax than I do).


off to raid piggy bank!

[ewenm]

Replace "cyclists" with "tractor and trailer" and how does the scenario change? It's interesting that cyclists come in for a lot of stick on here but had it been a car making a foolish overtake of a tractor and trailer (about the same road space as a group of cyclists) all the vitriol would have been directed at the overtaker, not the farmer.

[scz4]

ewenm said:

Replace "cyclists" with "tractor and trailer" and how does the scenario change? It's interesting that cyclists come in for a lot of stick on here but had it been a car making a foolish overtake of a tractor and trailer (about the same road space as a group of cyclists) all the vitriol would have been directed at the overtaker, not the farmer.

I hear what you're saying. But when did a group of cyclists last pull over to let cars past, never! Tractors round this way are pretty good if i am honest, or they'll wave you past. My point is cyclists can ride single file and should when a car approaches. It reduces the time a car on the other side of the road is vulnerable.

[scz4]

heebeegeetee said:

That's where you're going wrong, you shouldn't be able to understand why he risked it and yes the bloke would still have done what he did regardless of however many cyclists were there.

I don't condone what the other car driver did, not at all, he put my life at risk. I know it's wrong and I'd never do that myself. However, frustration causes risks, it's a fact. Never seen the electronic signs warning you of just that on the motorway?

[ewenm]

scz4 said:

ewenm said:

Replace "cyclists" with "tractor and trailer" and how does the scenario change? It's interesting that cyclists come in for a lot of stick on here but had it been a car making a foolish overtake of a tractor and trailer (about the same road space as a group of cyclists) all the vitriol would have been directed at the overtaker, not the farmer.

I hear what you're saying. But when did a group of cyclists last pull over to let cars past, never! Tractors round this way are pretty good if i am honest, or they'll wave you past. My point is cyclists can ride single file and should when a car approaches. It reduces the time a car on the other side of the road is vulnerable.

I see it a lot with the cyclists round here, never see a caravan do the same, so maybe that would be a better example.

If someone gets frustrated enough to attempt a risky overtake after only 3-4 minutes, they need to look at their driving.

Edited by ewenm on Sunday 22 March 17:23

[zakelwe]

Cyclists should do single file at all times so allowing the road tax paying motorist through. No UK road was ever built for cyclists as far as I am aware and also they pay no road tax, so the least they should do is be in single file so not holding up other road users. Also, single file it the most efficient for the cyclist aerodynamically so this is best for them and for the car driver.

Have I mentioned road tax? How much do cyclists pay? Nothing, so they are there "as a favour".

Horses should just be shot. I really don't think a road tax paying motorcyclist should have a pile of ste just on that corner to get around.

Have I mentioned road tax?

Regards

Andy

Edited by zakelwe on Sunday 22 March 17:34

[Vipers]

scz4 said:

behind them for the last 3 or 4 minutes doing 15mph,

Dear oh dear, suppose it was a low loader doing 15 mph, does 3 or 4 minutes upset drivers so much they take chances to overtake?.

Get a grip on life, if you can't hack a little time driving behind either cyclists, or slow moving vehicles, stay at home.

[Patrick1964]

scz4 said:

I know Mountain Biking is classed as an "extreme" motorsport, but I think road cyclists are putting themselves in a much more vulnerable situation.

How long has mountain biking been motorsport ? I've been doing it wrongly, it seems. No wonder I get so tired......

[RedAlfa]

A small number of cyclists are well behaved and responsible, but a large number of them are arrogant and careless. They don't bother indicating, and jump on and off the pavement without warning ... or even looking . They go straight through red lights. dheads!

Edited by RedAlfa on Sunday 22 March 17:50

[zakelwe]

Vipers said:

scz4 said:

behind them for the last 3 or 4 minutes doing 15mph,

Dear oh dear, suppose it was a low loader doing 15 mph, does 3 or 4 minutes upset drivers so much they take chances to overtake?.

Get a grip on life, if you can't hack a little time driving behind either cyclists, or slow moving vehicles, stay at home.

But how wide is a low loader and how wide is a bicycle? In single file there would be no trouble but they go 2, 3 or 4 abreast so occupying the whole lane when they don't need to. All it seems so they can have a chat.

Chatting is for at home or the pub, not swanning around blocking the whole lane having your jollies.

The ironic thing is that there are miles of purpose built offroad cycle paths they could go on, but do they bother? Nah,

Regards

Andy

[Dracoro]

zakelwe said:

Have I mentioned road tax? How much do cyclists pay? Nothing, so they are there "as a favour".

Horses should just be shot. I really don't think a road tax paying motorcyclist should have a pile of ste just on that corner to get around.

Have I mentioned road tax?

Have you actually read ANY of this thread?

Tell me how many cyclists you know who do NOT have a car? I know none (other than kids).

[AnotherClarkey]

zakelwe said:

Cyclists should do single file at all times so allowing the road tax paying motorist through. No UK road was ever built for cyclists as far as I am aware and also they pay no road tax, so the least they should do is be in single file so not holding up other road users. Also, single file it the most efficient for the cyclist aerodynamically so this is best for them and for the car driver.

Have I mentioned road tax? How much do cyclists pay? Nothing, so they are there "as a favour".

Horses should just be shot. I really don't think a road tax paying motorcyclist should have a pile of ste just on that corner to get around.

Have I mentioned road tax?

Regards

Andy

Edited by zakelwe on Sunday 22 March 17:34

Keep on trolling! You must be pretty old to remember paying Road Tax - it was phased out in about 1936.

[HowMuchLonger]

If I remember correctly road (cycle) racing was banned for a while because the motoring genrty were annoyed that the speeding cyclists were a menace. This was at a time when the cyclist was faster than a car.

[Dupont666]

I dont mind cyclists..... its when the fkers run red lights that get me... i have almost been knocked over a few times in london when they have done that and once a cyclist ran into me and i got the abuse even though they ran the light and i was going across on a green man and still have the scar on my shin were they hit me....

normal cyclists are not an issue its when they think rules dont apply to them they i hate.

These people give them a bad name....

[spyder dryver]

zakelwe said:

Cyclists should do single file at all times so allowing the road tax paying motorist through. No UK road was ever built for cyclists as far as I am aware.....

And not that many were built for cars either. The majority ( in terms of mileage) were built whilst the horse and cart were still in use I would have thought. So maybe you should be giving way to horses and not having them shot.

[Alfanatic]

scz4 said:

ewenm said:

Replace "cyclists" with "tractor and trailer" and how does the scenario change? It's interesting that cyclists come in for a lot of stick on here but had it been a car making a foolish overtake of a tractor and trailer (about the same road space as a group of cyclists) all the vitriol would have been directed at the overtaker, not the farmer.

I hear what you're saying. But when did a group of cyclists last pull over to let cars past, never! Tractors round this way are pretty good if i am honest, or they'll wave you past. My point is cyclists can ride single file and should when a car approaches. It reduces the time a car on the other side of the road is vulnerable.

They're doing, what, 15mph? Even if they're taking up the whole lane, how difficult can they be to pass compared to any other vehicle that's holding you up? A car could be doing more than twice that and still holding you up. Compared to the car, though, you're past the bikes in no time. Unless they're riding in single file of course, in which case you're on the wrong side of the road (or should be anyway) for longer...