Why...
1. Ride in the road when there's cycle lane
2. Go the wrong way up a one way street
3. Bob on and off the pavement regardless of pedestrians
4. Jump red lights
5. Turn across the road without signalling
6. Weave in and out of semi-stationery traffic
7. Ride on the pavement and in pedestrian areas
8. Allow huge queues of traffic to build up behind you and not pull over.
...and when some poor driver has nearly killed you because of your stupidity (bloke who crossed in front of me on red today) why do you think it's OK to shout and swear, make rude gestures and generally act like an idiot? Have you never considered that you'd get a little more respect and consideration if you didn't behave as if the rules of the road were invented for others.
Keep on cycling but for god sake stop trying to pretend you're better than those of us in cars. You're not.
4 comments:
I think, Simon, that this is a universal set of reasons that drivers and pedestrians both hate us cyclists.
The few idiots who think the rules don't apply to them spoil it for those of us who do.
Highway code rules 61 & 63 will help you with point 1. It is often safer and faster to stay in the flow of traffic rather than get boxed into cycle lanes.
Highway code rule 163 will help you with point 8, although rule 169 supports your point. Cyclists do not have to squeeze themselves up the the kerb to let cars past, they should be passed as if a slow small car (ie if there's traffic coming the other way, don't overtake), but if they are going slow and causing a long queue they should pull over where safe to do so.
Oh, and near death experiences with cars are rarely met calmly by cyclists because it's their physical well being, not just their paint work, at risk. Even if it is the cyclist's fault, you wouldn't expect them to stay calm when they've just glimpsed their own fragility and mortality yet again on the roads. It's dangerous out there for cyclists, really dangerous.
On point 4 there seems to be quite a bit of evidence that the reason male cyclists survive and female cyclists don't is that the males do 4.
Being a rural female cyclist I rarely see a traffic light to test the theory.
Your post suggests an attitude of, "roads are primarily for cars, cycles will be tolerated reluctantly provided they don't get in my way as a car driver".
The reason cyclists do your points 1-8 is because there has been almost no consideration of their needs when planning road layouts in our cities over the last 40 years. During this time our European neighbours have been building segregated cycling lanes which make the roads a much safer place for the urban cyclist.
Congestion and the environment are key problems for our age. Cycling in cities is part of the solution and we should be doing everything we can to encourage more of it. So many drivers cite safety fears as a reason not to venture out on a bike and for sticking to their cars for their short commute.
As a cyclist I don't crave respect or consideration from car drivers. I just want them to show due care and attention given they are in control of a ton of metal. When they put my safety or life at risk through selfish inattention I naturally find it upsetting.
On the other hand, the worst an inconsiderate cyclist can do to you is put a scratch on your paintwork.
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