Is it just me or
Discussion
do you find that the better/faster a cyclist you get, the more crap you get from car drivers?
When I start cycling a while ago and I was slow and fat I rarely got any grief. Now I have a lost some weight and am a bit faster I seem to get more and more. Yesterdays ride, I had someone do that thing here the pass you close and then weave it a bit to try and s
t you up. Some fat, bald in a ranger rover shouted at me, no idea what, and some yoofs if a chaved up clio beeped repeatedly as they passed me, at a junction someone behind me kept revving their engine at me (when the were cars coming and even if I were driving my S6 which can accelerate very fast I wouldn't have tried to make those gaps) and then stared at me shaking his head as he passed. That was all in one 2.5 hour ride
I ride alone so not riding two abreast. I don't hog the road but don't hug the kerb either.
Doesn't really mater, I just ignore them and get on with it but just found it odd to suddenly start getting more.
When I start cycling a while ago and I was slow and fat I rarely got any grief. Now I have a lost some weight and am a bit faster I seem to get more and more. Yesterdays ride, I had someone do that thing here the pass you close and then weave it a bit to try and s
t you up. Some fat, bald in a ranger rover shouted at me, no idea what, and some yoofs if a chaved up clio beeped repeatedly as they passed me, at a junction someone behind me kept revving their engine at me (when the were cars coming and even if I were driving my S6 which can accelerate very fast I wouldn't have tried to make those gaps) and then stared at me shaking his head as he passed. That was all in one 2.5 hour rideI ride alone so not riding two abreast. I don't hog the road but don't hug the kerb either.
Doesn't really mater, I just ignore them and get on with it but just found it odd to suddenly start getting more.
There have been numerous studies showing that the more you look like a roadie, the more hostile drivers are towards you.
I think it's mainly to do with perceived vulnerability. Cyclists get treated better the more vulnerable they look, an old woman on an upright bike gets treated better than the OP. When the OP started cycling, he looked like he might have an accident, drivers felt sorry for him. Now he looks like a pro, drivers have no empathy for him anymore. In fact they hate you.
Also if a cyclist is dressed like a driver, wearing a suit or normal clothes but on a bike, they humanise them more - That guy looks like me, but on a bike. They can relate to you and again, empathise with you. If you're dressed like a roadie drivers think you're a different species and don't give a toss about you anymore.
This is also influenced by whether you look like you are using your bike for transport or for sport. Using one for transport means drivers are more courteous, sport means they hate you and think you're a wker.
I think it's mainly to do with perceived vulnerability. Cyclists get treated better the more vulnerable they look, an old woman on an upright bike gets treated better than the OP. When the OP started cycling, he looked like he might have an accident, drivers felt sorry for him. Now he looks like a pro, drivers have no empathy for him anymore. In fact they hate you.
Also if a cyclist is dressed like a driver, wearing a suit or normal clothes but on a bike, they humanise them more - That guy looks like me, but on a bike. They can relate to you and again, empathise with you. If you're dressed like a roadie drivers think you're a different species and don't give a toss about you anymore.
This is also influenced by whether you look like you are using your bike for transport or for sport. Using one for transport means drivers are more courteous, sport means they hate you and think you're a w
ker. Edited by el stovey on Monday 18th April 10:24
The ones that do my head in are:
• Cyclists that ride 2 up and are happy to let a long queue of cars build up behind them as they're too wide to be overtaken safely
• Can't keep it in a straight line as they're pedalling and their bike is swerving all over the road
• Don't seem to understand that giving way to vehicles on their side of the road also applies for cyclists and not just car drivers.
• Stop on the side of the road and become an obstruction
You don't sound like you're doing any of those things so I don't see why you'd be getting extra hassle. Not from me anyway.
I'd never deliberately rev or swear at or cut up a cyclist - I value your life too much. If you're being safe and sensible then it's cool. I just think some people paint all cyclists with the 'idiot' brush so it doesn't matter how you ride.
Also, I've noticed over the last few years the amount of cyclists has greatly increased, especially on a Sunday.
• Cyclists that ride 2 up and are happy to let a long queue of cars build up behind them as they're too wide to be overtaken safely
• Can't keep it in a straight line as they're pedalling and their bike is swerving all over the road
• Don't seem to understand that giving way to vehicles on their side of the road also applies for cyclists and not just car drivers.
• Stop on the side of the road and become an obstruction
You don't sound like you're doing any of those things so I don't see why you'd be getting extra hassle. Not from me anyway.
I'd never deliberately rev or swear at or cut up a cyclist - I value your life too much. If you're being safe and sensible then it's cool. I just think some people paint all cyclists with the 'idiot' brush so it doesn't matter how you ride.
Also, I've noticed over the last few years the amount of cyclists has greatly increased, especially on a Sunday.
England is filled with a lot of very angry, thick, and underachieving people, a lot of hate for people on doing something under their own steam.
I don't think you get more hassle as you get quicker, but perhaps you'll get it more often as you'll be out cycling more. I generally ride 6 out of 7 days a week and there is always something that happens which is totally uncalled for.
I don't think you get more hassle as you get quicker, but perhaps you'll get it more often as you'll be out cycling more. I generally ride 6 out of 7 days a week and there is always something that happens which is totally uncalled for.
el stovey said:
I know how to overtake!! Around Surrey and Box Hill they ride 2 up about two feet from the curb on roads that are only just wide enough for 2 cars. I personally wouldn't feel safe overtaking them on the roads round here whilst giving them some personal space to make them feel safe. Purely down to bends, bumps and road surface being a bit bad. ashleyman said:
I know how to overtake!! Around Surrey and Box Hill they ride 2 up about two feet from the curb on roads that are only just wide enough for 2 cars. I personally wouldn't feel safe overtaking them on the roads round here whilst giving them some personal space to make them feel safe. Purely down to bends, bumps and road surface being a bit bad.
The reason people ride two abreast is to make idiots in cars think twice before attempting a risky overtake. As you allude to, riding two wide forces you to overtake in a safe place and not squeeze riders into the gutter (they don't ride in the gutter as its full of st/drain covers and whatever else).Of course some riders are a bit oblivious to things, more experienced riders tend to line out when its a bit more narrow to allow cars to pass by without incident. But for every cyclist displaying a lack of roadcraft there are just as many drivers, and the driver of the 1.5 tonne metal box is potentially going to (and do) cause a lot more damage than the bike.
okgo said:
The reason people ride two abreast is to make idiots in cars think twice before attempting a risky overtake. As you allude to, riding two wide forces you to overtake in a safe place and not squeeze riders into the gutter (they don't ride in the gutter as its full of st/drain covers and whatever else).
Of course some riders are a bit oblivious to things, more experienced riders tend to line out when its a bit more narrow to allow cars to pass by without incident. But for every cyclist displaying a lack of roadcraft there are just as many drivers, and the driver of the 1.5 tonne metal box is potentially going to (and do) cause a lot more damage than the bike.
I think you've missed the point I was trying to make. What I was attempting to say was that in my local area, the riders ride so wide that making a safe overtake is almost impossible for miles on end if they ride 2 up. I'm not encouraging riders to ride in the gutter, I wouldn't want too and I don't. But I ride on my own and never in a pack or pair. t/drain covers and whatever else).Of course some riders are a bit oblivious to things, more experienced riders tend to line out when its a bit more narrow to allow cars to pass by without incident. But for every cyclist displaying a lack of roadcraft there are just as many drivers, and the driver of the 1.5 tonne metal box is potentially going to (and do) cause a lot more damage than the bike.
The roads are simply not wide enough to allow for a gap between hedge and left cyclist, left cyclists & right cyclist, right cyclist and overtaking car. Whereas if they were riding single file then a clean, safe overtake would be perfectly fine.
I see people all the time, go for a risky overtake on 2 up cyclists - sometimes theres of 8 of them in 4 lines of 2 - only to either come face to face with oncoming traffic OR pass way too close on the inside for the cyclists comfort. This is all because the cyclists who are riding at 20, 30 MPH in 40, 50 and 60 zones are holding up traffic and causing tailbacks which in turn leads to risky overtakes by impatient drivers. I am not impatient and would never risk my car or the cyclists life just to make an overtake but people do it all the time.
I'm not going to get into the for every bad cyclist theres a bad driver argument. We all know this is the case so let it go.
ashleyman said:
I think you've missed the point I was trying to make. What I was attempting to say was that in my local area, the riders ride so wide that making a safe overtake is almost impossible for miles on end if they ride 2 up. I'm not encouraging riders to ride in the gutter, I wouldn't want too and I don't. But I ride on my own and never in a pack or pair.
The roads are simply not wide enough to allow for a gap between hedge and left cyclist, left cyclists & right cyclist, right cyclist and overtaking car. Whereas if they were riding single file then a clean, safe overtake would be perfectly fine.
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I'm not sure what you are describing, are you saying you overtake without going into the opposite lane? You overtake when there is oncoming traffic but remain in your lane? The roads are simply not wide enough to allow for a gap between hedge and left cyclist, left cyclists & right cyclist, right cyclist and overtaking car. Whereas if they were riding single file then a clean, safe overtake would be perfectly fine.
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I just treat the cyclist like a slow moving car and overtake when there is no oncoming traffic by going into the opposite lane. That way it doesn't matter if they are riding two abreast or not, as the picture shows, if they are riding two abreast, I'm in the opposite lane for less time so it's safer isn't it?
el stovey said:
I'm not sure what you are describing, are you saying you overtake without going into the opposite lane? You overtake when there is oncoming traffic but remain in your lane?
I just treat the cyclist like a slow moving car and overtake when there is no oncoming traffic by going into the opposite lane. That way it doesn't matter if they are riding two abreast or not, as the picture shows, if they are riding two abreast, I'm in the opposite lane for less time so it's safer isn't it?
I'm saying that round here they ride so wide on roads so thin that it's impossible to overtake in the OTHER lane whilst leaving enough gap between your car and them. If you do overtake then you're side by side less than 1m between you which cyclists hate.I just treat the cyclist like a slow moving car and overtake when there is no oncoming traffic by going into the opposite lane. That way it doesn't matter if they are riding two abreast or not, as the picture shows, if they are riding two abreast, I'm in the opposite lane for less time so it's safer isn't it?
Round here they also ride in packs so instead of having to pass 2 cyclists riding next to each other, you're looking at passing 8 cyclists riding in 4 lines of 2 taking up as much space as about 3 or 4 cars. Again, impossible to overtake safely therefore causing traffic.
ashleyman said:
Round here they also ride in packs so instead of having to pass 2 cyclists riding next to each other, you're looking at passing 8 cyclists riding in 4 lines of 2 taking up as much space as about 3 or 4 cars. Again, impossible to overtake safely therefore causing traffic.
Once again.
my tuppence..
As you get fitter you ride further, so the chances of meeting an idiot increases.
Your confidence on the bike increases so you have more time or thought process to be aware of idiots around and also more likely to be riding narrower roads or busy roundabouts.
Being all lycra'd up is likely to drive this as well, you will stand out more and draw a little more attention which is not always a good thing.
As you get fitter you ride further, so the chances of meeting an idiot increases.
Your confidence on the bike increases so you have more time or thought process to be aware of idiots around and also more likely to be riding narrower roads or busy roundabouts.
Being all lycra'd up is likely to drive this as well, you will stand out more and draw a little more attention which is not always a good thing.
el stovey said:
Seriously?
Yes seriously, like I have said in my earlier replies. You'll get the odd one on his own = fine. the odd pair = fine. All where road space and conditions allow. Then you get the riding clubs or packs where theres 8 - 16 riders all 2 up like in that picture.
Those are the ones I do not like and they're the ones who are probably causing all the hassle for the rest of Surrey's cyclists.
Yes perhaps it is just because I am out more there is more chance of bellends to voice their opinion.
As it was a nice day yesterday there were also a lot more cyclists out. Previously I was lucky to see 1 or 2 , yesterday I saw about 10, including the 3 I passed at speed in a little Zone 3 effort.
As it was a nice day yesterday there were also a lot more cyclists out. Previously I was lucky to see 1 or 2 , yesterday I saw about 10, including the 3 I passed at speed in a little Zone 3 effort.
Had a classic yesterday. Just climbed Barhatch, made the sharp right turn on to Houndhouse Rd where there is a slight climb before the top of Pitch Hill. I was going up hill, slowly, solo, I could hear the cars behind so I was in pretty close to the kerb. Two cars pass, both very close, so I shout at them and gesticulate. There was nothing coming in the other direction and the brow of the hill was far enough away so they could have given me at least 2m clearance. The second car, a blue Mazda 5 estate stops so I overtake and shout at the driver about giving me a bit of room and how st his driving is. They then come alongside and the passenger has his window down and the driver is leaning across and they come into towards the kerb so I have to stop and we are all shouting at each other. They drive off, but then stop on the right, possibly where the mountain bike place is or the Windmill pub, and they're both standing there, shouting at me still.
t his driving is. They then come alongside and the passenger has his window down and the driver is leaning across and they come into towards the kerb so I have to stop and we are all shouting at each other. They drive off, but then stop on the right, possibly where the mountain bike place is or the Windmill pub, and they're both standing there, shouting at me still. okgo said:
England is filled with a lot of very angry, thick, and underachieving people, a lot of hate for people on doing something under their own steam.
I don't think you get more hassle as you get quicker, but perhaps you'll get it more often as you'll be out cycling more. I generally ride 6 out of 7 days a week and there is always something that happens which is totally uncalled for.
This!I don't think you get more hassle as you get quicker, but perhaps you'll get it more often as you'll be out cycling more. I generally ride 6 out of 7 days a week and there is always something that happens which is totally uncalled for.
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