|
Post by malcolm4000 on Mar 11, 2015 9:25:01 GMT
..to be shouted at?
I consider myself a motorist and a cyclist, and to be reasonably courteous at both. I let cars past on country lanes so they aren't held up - I commute by bike 80% of the time and try to be considerate of other road users. In the last two trips to work, I've been shouted at and hooted, simply because I was cycling up a hill and a van couldn't get past, and then this morning was called a dickhead because I was turning right (uphill), and signalling early to do so, and the car was "already coming past you..." which he wasn't.
I sort of question myself about whether I have been in the wrong, but I really don't think I was, but I also really don't like getting shouted at...is it just our lot?
|
|
willys
Peloton Rider
Posts: 17
|
Post by willys on Mar 11, 2015 9:33:07 GMT
It's a simple lack of patience and bad manners on the part of the motorists. A cyclist for a motorist means a short delay, while bad driving for a cyclist can be fatal. Motorists have no idea how vulnerable people on bikes are. They also have a very poor grasp of the Highway Code.
|
|
|
Post by Paulinblack on Mar 11, 2015 9:43:11 GMT
Personally, I cycle for stress relief (excercise, fitness, weight loss, enjoyment, escapism and a whole lot of other reasons that don't fit my current argument). If people want to get stressy around me then so be it. They are the ones suffering, not me. Every now and again I can't help but get angry with someone who has upset me and I half heartedly chase after them. Normally I can't catch them and even if I do, I've calmed down so much that all I do is smile. A very wise woman once said: 'And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake. I shake it off, I shake it off. Woo-hoo-hoo!'
|
|
|
Post by Radchenister on Mar 11, 2015 9:44:05 GMT
They? Us? Them? Shouldn't we perhaps add in words like 'some people' (be they on car or bike )? I try not to whinge about it too much on here, it's something of a fact of life at times yes and feel free to air your views but let's remember that it's not everyone that's 'bad', IME it's minorities who are probably a pain in all areas of life, whatever they happen to be driving / riding. Polarising the argument with the 'us and them' thing is half the problem IMO ... prevalent in the media / internet, across the Daily Mail, right through to the BBC etc. - why can't we just aim to get along? ---- Edit: parallel post! Nice one Paul - no YouTube link though?
|
|
|
Post by joby on Mar 11, 2015 9:48:45 GMT
Lack of patience and bad manners yes, and also a sense of entitlement to the road (see "you don't pay road tax"). For the most part I find drivers absolutely fine (some are a bit clueless about how to deal with cyclists, but without any malice) but you're always going to get the odd nasty piece of work, just as you would in any situation.
What makes me laugh about drivers that are impatient with cyclists is that it's not really the cyclists causing them delays, but other cars. Nothing finer than being passed by an MGIF (Must Get In Front) only for them to be immediately halted by a queue of traffic that you can happily sail down the outside of. You get the abuse because it's easy for them to single you out, but if every other one of those cars were a bike instead, the driver would be on his way without delay.
|
|
|
Post by Paulinblack on Mar 11, 2015 10:01:48 GMT
They? Us? Them? Shouldn't we perhaps add in words like 'some people' (be they on car or bike )? I try not to whinge about it too much on here, it's something of a fact of life at times yes and feel free to air your views but let's remember that it's not everyone that's 'bad', IME it's minorities who are probably a pain in all areas of life, whatever they happen to be driving / riding. Polarising the argument with the 'us and them' thing is half the problem IMO ... prevalent in the media / internet, across the Daily Mail, right through to the BBC etc. - why can't we just aim to get along? ---- Edit: parallel post! Nice one Paul - no YouTube link though? Check it out, check it out, check it out ! Reminds me, I must cut my hair! (Yes, I look like Dougie Trendle!!)
|
|
|
Post by zoltansocrates on Mar 11, 2015 10:02:31 GMT
People who are threatened by the sight of men in Lycra
There's a fruedean question in there
These shouties are most likely rushing to get home to their ladyboy website
Convinced of that
|
|
|
Post by malcolm4000 on Mar 11, 2015 10:09:27 GMT
I agree. I definitely don't want to consider 'us' or 'them' perspectives...its just that I don't enjoy getting shouted or pooted, when I really don't think I did anything wrong. When I was on a test ride for my new bike a few months ago, I simply raised my arm in frustration (in a "what are you doing style?" and the large, angry and tattooed (just a statement that he had tattoos, NOT a prejorative at all, however...) driver, pulled over, accused me of giving him the v's (I definitely didn't) and physically threatened me, and *then* swerved towards me as he then drove away.
Since then, even if I feel I'm in the right, I don't want to be 'dead right', so generally I do nothing - it just slightly upsets me when I get shouted at, and I wish I didn't...
Shame, cos the rest of the rides re astonishing this lovely sunny morning
|
|
|
Post by Radchenister on Mar 11, 2015 10:18:39 GMT
I don't often get any flack but then I may give off a vibe that I'd do equal amounts of damage as received lol - I always feel worse with myself for getting angry than anything else, usually just hand bags from lady boys as Zolt's puts it .
|
|
|
Post by r0b1et on Mar 11, 2015 10:47:00 GMT
Always get the odd hoot, sometimes I genuinely think they think it helps, but of course it makes things worse, my first reaction to a hoot behind me is flick head and move to primary, they have clearly demonstrated they have no idea how to pass safely and I shall make it as easy as possible for them to give me enough space to be safe.
I have found over the last 18 months I am getting LESS of the strange hooty shouty types, no idea why really, I go faster, so perhaps I'm marginally less frustrating, but it won't be more than 2mph, so I don't get that. Maybe I ride more "aggressively defensive" - i.e. things like riding primary a lot more? I think that may help a lot of cyclists, remember you have as much right to be there as the cars do, even the nutters aren't genuinely trying to kill you, if they were, we'd all be gone already, there'd be no need for horns or shouting.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2015 12:08:36 GMT
On the plus side, Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended That's cyclist karma right there
|
|
|
Post by zoltansocrates on Mar 11, 2015 12:19:11 GMT
Clarkson is a comedic genius, the producer only had to put boiling water in the pot noodle cup for gods sake
Mountain and molehill, they are desperate to axe the beebs best asset while continuing to cover up the '....fix it' legacy, priorities are shot with that organisation
|
|
|
Post by erictherat on Mar 11, 2015 15:26:14 GMT
i live in the country, and feel that is partly why i get more encouraging cheers than ugly shouts.
eg - once when coming home from work at midnight along the busy woodhead A road in torrential rain. A beat up hothatch passes, then slows down and the passenger side windows open to let out a massive cloud of cannabis smoke. abuse? - no - big cheers, "respect" "go on fella" etc. - made me very smile.
I have been abused, but cheers for my effort and thanks for me pulling over are much much more common.
i believe people are generally polite, when they aint it is because they are stressed. me included.
|
|
|
Post by ChrisD on Mar 11, 2015 15:38:01 GMT
I really understand how this can get you down malcolm4000. I suspect part of it, especially with your high commute rate (huge respect there), is that you are out more than the average, and at the busiest times when other road users feel they have to get somewhere by a certain time. It's disconcerting when the abusive episodes, like buses, seem to be lined up in quick succession. I suspect these same drivers hurl the same sort of abuse at other drivers but we are usually blissfully unaware of the verbal abuse when inside our metal cocoons.
|
|
|
Post by Rocket on Mar 11, 2015 15:52:28 GMT
malcolm4000 do you find you get proportionately more grief off Mr Important in his German metal or is this an urban legend?
|
|