Why motorists dislike cyclists...

[freddofrog]

Putting on my philosophical hat on, I think cyclists characterise universally disliked things which causes them to be similarly universally disliked.

1. We believe all are equal, regardless of religion, wealth bla bla. However there is no mechanism to enforce accountability for cyclists, so they ride with almost total immunity.

2. In the same vein as being equal, cyclists face the same if not more risks than motorcyclists, they should at least have the same safety requirements, bike is road worthy, Demonstrated level of competence, drivers/riders licence etc.

3. We don’t like slow, it’s human nature. Whether it’s in a queue to buy movie tickets or the guy riding in front of us. Cyclists are slow. They can’t keep up with traffic. Everyone dislikes learner drivers too.

IMHO these are the fundamental reasons behind the angst. I'm sure there are more but I'm not clever enough to think of them.

S Freud

 

[Shredden]

Regardless of what the law says, when you see a cyclist on a busy 100kmh back country highway with a 40cm shoulder and they are riding 30cm into the lane at 30kmh, you can hardly blame the motorist for getting pissed at the cyclists behaviour.

 

[moorey]

No, it's that the majority ride roadies, fixies and 29ers. No wonder we are hated.

 

[dcrofty]

However there is no mechanism to enforce accountability for cyclists,

I can't agree with this comment. Road rules apply to cyclists too. Just because we don't have number plates doesn't mean we aren't accountable. I've been cautioned by a cop whilst riding my bike. I agree that it doesn't happen often but it can and does happen.

 

[pharmaboy]

I can't agree with this comment. Road rules apply to cyclists too. Just because we don't have number plates doesn't mean we aren't accountable. I've been cautioned by a cop whilst riding my bike. I agree that it doesn't happen often but it can and does happen.

I was sitting behind an unmarked highway patrol yesterday . It was a 4 way stop sign, and the car in front had stopped ( extra carefully to avoid not stopping ticket). A cyclist came down the hill from the right and went straight through the intersection at a solid 20kmh.

Nothin from the highway patrol. About 4 minutes later he had pulled over a different car, not 600m up the road ( no idea why).

I guarantee that if that was a car going through that stop sign, he would have acted.

So the reality is, bikes can and do act with impunity.

 

[dcrofty]

All I said was that there are mechanisms to enforce accountability for cyclists. Agree its rare but it does happen.

 

[thecat]

Putting on my philosophical hat on, I think cyclists characterise universally disliked things which causes them to be similarly universally disliked.

1. We believe all are equal, regardless of religion, wealth bla bla. However there is no mechanism to enforce accountability for cyclists, so they ride with almost total immunity.

2. In the same vein as being equal, cyclists face the same if not more risks than motorcyclists, they should at least have the same safety requirements, bike is road worthy, Demonstrated level of competence, drivers/riders licence etc.

3. We don’t like slow, it’s human nature. Whether it’s in a queue to buy movie tickets or the guy riding in front of us. Cyclists are slow. They can’t keep up with traffic. Everyone dislikes learner drivers too.

IMHO these are the fundamental reasons behind the angst. I'm sure there are more but I'm not clever enough to think of them.

S Freud

What a load of shit.

There is something in the genetic make up of Aussies that turn us from the most laid back, easy going people around to aggressive, ranting, borderline homicidal maniacs as soon as we get behind the wheel of a car.
We can't stand that something might hold us up. We need to get there as fast as possible so we have an extra 2 seconds to stand around complaining of how board we are.

Thought that some one else is out on the road enjoying their trip on a bike drives us stark raving mad.

Drive around the UK on the narrow back streets. More cars on main rds that wouldn't be counted wide enough for a back lane here yet frigg all of the angst (out side of london and discounting recent twitter t and run morons).

Someones riding a bike in front of you. Well you just slow down and follow them for a bit till you get a safe place to pass then give them a big friendly wave as you do so. Pull up at a busy intersection dreading the thought of try to find a gap to merge, before you know it someone slows to a stop, flashes their lights and waves you in. and somehow the people behind them refrain from blasting horns and shaking fists.
Those poms are a strange breed!

 

[driftking]

The only thing id debate was the equality argument.
I think equality is too situational.

For instance some people only tend to want equality when things are not going their way. When they are earning six figures a year and sit in a chair all day and watch the money role in they probably are much more inclined to feel superior to everyone else and less likely to want everything equal by giving away bigger bonuses. Many people want equality only when it benefits them or disadvantages someone else. Any business is a perfect example those who tend to be bottom or middle are the ones who do most work and get paid little.

Of course these people may be the minority but I think everyone is pretty happy to take special treatment that makes their life easier rather than deny it because of equality.

As society we tend to expect things to be equal when it makes us feel better. Otherwise we want to win lotto, we want to have the better house and car, we want to have famous qualities, the basis of competition is to win and I don't think that changes from how most people live their lives.

Unfortunately some people take the cheating and pulling other down route, while others will focus on building themselves up.

 

[thecat]

As for accountability....

Pretty sure I saw a study somewhere that monitored red light runners and showed it was about 6% of cylcists who didn't stop as opposed to about 6% of drivers who didn't stop.... I take that to mean 6% of people just don't give a shit. YOLO or OOLY as Yoda would say

 

[PLUGGA]

Personally I couldn't give a shit if you rode a segway on the road....as long as you make way for the faster vehicles! Around my area they run road races on a back road. More often than not, they are 3 to 4 wide.....EVERY TIME. I sit behind, they don't move over. It's not about getting where I'm going on time, it's about using your fu@ken brain and letting faster moving vehicles past. What's the issue with single file? I don't care if you wanna ride roadies, be gay and wear lycra. Just move over, share the road and everyone wins.

 

[driftking]

Personally I couldn't give a shit if you rode a segway on the road....as long as you make way for the faster vehicles! Around my area they run road races on a back road. More often than not, they are 3 to 4 wide.....EVERY TIME. I sit behind, they don't move over. It's not about getting where I'm going on time, it's about using your fu@ken brain and letting faster moving vehicles past. What's the issue with single file? I don't care if you wanna ride roadies, be gay and wear lycra. Just move over, share the road and everyone wins.

Or the along guy who has to ride in the center of the lane, or the blokes who where there are bike lanes still have to ride right on the line of the road side so its still dodgy passing them...

Oh wait its ok I forgot roadies don't like off road so even uneven tar is too scary for them.

move over for a few seconds and suck it up. Iv seen road races were they had to ride on pebbled roads, Im sure the not so smooth bike lane wont kill you for 10 seconds.

 

[PLUGGA]

Or the along guy who has to ride in the center of the lane, or the blokes who where there are bike lanes still have to ride right on the line of the road side so its still dodgy passing them...

Oh wait its ok I forgot roadies don't like off road so even uneven tar is too scary for them.

move over for a few seconds and suck it up. Iv seen road races were they had to ride on pebbled roads, Im sure the not so smooth bike lane wont kill you for 10 seconds.

Yep, I'm sure these creeps are ruining it for the roadies that do the right thing. Can't see it changing anytime soon though.

 

[shakes]

My biggest gripe is too many cyclists assume the right to ride on the road.

This isn't to say they shouldn't be there, but that they don't respect other road user's in the same way they expect(demand) to be respected... In an argument with a car, the cyclist will come off second best. When we as a collective ride in that defensive manner we will gain much more respect.

That means giving way on busy road's. or riding single file.
Hook turns, not sitting in the centre of the road.
No filtering at traffic.
And so on....

It's why society in general is falling apart. People in general assume everything is their 'right'

 

[Quintin]

i ride a road bike, not as much as the mtb but still a bit. i also drive a car.

i would like to think i have very little or no bias based on the above.

i think the problem lies with the roadies most of the time. they seem to have an incredible chip on their shoulder about what they are entitled to without any thought to common sense.

its almost as if they think that just because they can have a whole lane by law, that some bogan isnt going to get angry and aggressive. all you have to do is read some of the aggressive comments on online news websites when they run a cyclist article to know the kinds of rough bevans that you could meet during your ride.

i also occasionally cruise around on a 50cc scooter that struggles up hills and can barely do 60 with a tailwind. when i first started i was upset to find that people would drive up behind me very closely as if to try and speed me up. at first i would stand my ground and stay there because i paid my rego and was entitled to my bit of road but it was so dangerous. i used to come home very angry and ruffled.

after a bit of time i learnt to just move over to the shoulder when i saw cars behind me and you know what? i never got angry, upset or ruffled again.

its not worth it.

 

[flyingdog]

I mostly ride MTB but also a bit of road. When I ride road I usually ride with a mate of mine and we will generally ride side by side coz we don't take this shit too seriously and we'll have a bit of a chat as we ride. As soon as a car comes up behind us we simply drop into single file, the car goes past and then we resume our side by side position. Its not that #$^*ing hard is it???

Seeing road riders riding side by side and not giving a toss for anyone else on the road shits me to tears. All it takes is a bit of consideration for other road users. Roadies are, by law, entitled to take up as much of a road lane as they like. When I see this, its not the fact that I'm being held up or slowed down by a cyclist that pisses me off - It's the simple fact that the rude inconsiderate prick holding up the traffic clearly has the attitude of Screw you, I'll ride like this coz I can.

 

[spurr]

Knobbish behaviour like this wouldn't help win motorists over...

 

[MudRhino]

By no means do I think road riders are completely blameless, but there are a few things I picked up along the way when I commute in Melbourne:

- Legally road riders can ride two abreast;
- Some road riders ride across he entire lane just to piss off drivers;
- Some road riders ride across the entire lane to stop vehicles from sharing that same lane - this use to happen to me when I rode a motorbike (cars trying to overtake you in the same lane);
- Some people in vehicles are downright assholes;
- Some people in vehicles are stupid;
- Some people in vehicles are too busy on their phones;
- Police here in Vic (namely around the city) have road worthy stops for bikes, where the police cycling team stop people for no lights, helmet etc.;
- Some cyclists are drop kicks by riding on 80km/h packed roads with trucks and alike, when there is a perfectly great bike track offroad only 3 metres away.

I think there are good and bad riders, as there are good and bad pedestrians and motor vehicle users.

Why can't we all just be friends?

 

[johnny]

Most cyclists are also motorists.





- Unruffled.

 

[MudRhino]

Most cyclists are also motorists.

Sadly, only some motorists are cyclists - thus the issue at hand.

Here is an idea, change the driver learner's permit to require at least 60 hours on a bicycle before they can apply for a auto-mobile licence. That way they get to see the shit cyclists have to put up with, and be mindful of it when they are behind the wheel.

 

[pink poodle]

accountability on the road

I ride a pretty long committee to work each day of about 4km each way. I don't drive so am regularly riding to the shops, cafe, friends, beach, etc...I have countless stories about how the cops around here like to keep on top of cyclists. I had to unpack a back pack full of groceries many times to prove I wasn't running drugs, had the contents of my wallet thrown across the street by a cop who was upset I had done nothing wrong after I facilitated a brief chase, been tackle from my bike by an undercover cop (drug suspicions again), and plenty more suspicions all stemming from my riding a bike. I am sure the area command has many notations.

I have also received fines for riding on the footpath, running red lights (same cop 2 lights in a row!), and so on. You have to pay them just like everybody else. I keep to my plan - I'll follow the street rules when I am respected by drivers.