Is the UK the worst place in the world to cycle?

[frisbee]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

It's not the "being held up for 30 seconds" that's the problem. It's the middle aged, middle management types with their lycra and wrap around sunglasses that take delight in filling the whole lane to prevent a quick and safe overtake. It's almost like they take perverse pleasure in how long a queue they can get to form.

AKA - A slow squeeze past, too lazy to change gear or rotate the steering wheel a little.

[LRDefender]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

It's not the "being held up for 30 seconds" that's the problem. It's the middle aged, middle management types with their lycra and wrap around sunglasses that take delight in filling the whole lane to prevent a quick and safe overtake. It's almost like they take perverse pleasure in how long a queue they can get to form.

I’m with you brother….

I was out for a spirited drive earlier and the roads were full of middle management types just pootling along without a care in the world…..

Do they do this on purpose? Is there some kind of perverse pleasure in holding me up? It’s almost like they’re taking delight in the actions!!

They could easily pull over and let me past but not one did…..

And the way they dress!! I mean why do they have to drive with their fancy chinos and white shirts on display? And why are they always chatting on their flipping smartphones?????

Sheesh, people eh..!!

[Jordie Barretts sock]

frisbee said:

Jordie Barretts sock said:

It's not the "being held up for 30 seconds" that's the problem. It's the middle aged, middle management types with their lycra and wrap around sunglasses that take delight in filling the whole lane to prevent a quick and safe overtake. It's almost like they take perverse pleasure in how long a queue they can get to form.

AKA - A slow squeeze past, too lazy to change gear or rotate the steering wheel a little.

For you, perhaps. Not me. I prefer to get past as quickly and as safely as possible.

[otolith]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

It's not the "being held up for 30 seconds" that's the problem. It's the middle aged, middle management types with their lycra and wrap around sunglasses that take delight in filling the whole lane to prevent a quick and safe overtake. It's almost like they take perverse pleasure in how long a queue they can get to form.

The overtake you would otherwise have done may have been quick, but if you can't do it when they are riding in primary position it would likely have been unsafe had they been in the gutter.

[nickfrog]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

It's not the "being held up for 30 seconds" that's the problem. It's the middle aged, middle management types with their lycra and wrap around sunglasses that take delight in filling the whole lane to prevent a quick and safe overtake. It's almost like they take perverse pleasure in how long a queue they can get to form.

This says more about you than them.

And I think it illustrates the main reasons for the anti cyclist sentiment.

Cyclists are perceived wrongly or rightly as:

- caring about their fitness
- being more affluent than the average
- dressed to annoy you rather than for functional reasons (that is super weird in itself)
- daring to dedicate a lot of time to leisure rather than work

I can see why someone would think like that is they are not fit, don't have much spare time or still not retired, have to commute to work by car etc...

As ever, it's envy.

[mikeswagon]

I'm just back from supporting my amazing Daughter run the Stockholm marathon on Saturday.

Over there cars, buses, trams, cyclists, e-scooters and pedestrians all co-exist in harmony. I did sit and observe this at some length over a beer, and car drivers seem to be the biggest difference, observation and patience aplenty. Probably heard about 5 horns beeped in the week we were there.

[CellarDoor]

otolith said:

CellarDoor said:

But when cyclists do ride two abreast and ignore traffic behind them on a country lane, what is the correct response from the motorist? Is a toot of the horn appropriate or too aggressive? Is there another approach?

Overtake them where you would have overtaken a single file cyclist, your road position will be the same either way.

Apologies for not being clear, I was referring to instances on roads such as the following:

alock said:

ChocolateFrog said:

kambites said:

I prefer to encounter two cyclists abreast of each other than two cycling in line because I only have to perform one overtake.

And it halves the distance and reduces the time exposed to danger as already highlighted in this thread.

The people who that doesn't apply to are the types who overtake without crossing the white line. The ones who want cyclists to ride within 3 inches of the cracked edge of the tarmac.

For context. I cycle a lot. Currently averaging over 100 miles per week this year, so I'm not anti-cyclist.

The issue with the two-abreast issue is that it's often quoted or applied as an absolute rule with no allowance for the actual conditions. A trunk road with full lanes in either direction is very different from the unclassified country roads many cyclists spend more time riding on.

I regularly come across pairs of cyclists riding two-abreast on roads like this, which makes overtaking impossible while leaving the required 1.5m.

[768]

nickfrog said:

Cyclists are perceived wrongly or rightly as:

- caring about their fitness
- being more affluent than the average
- dressed to annoy you rather than for functional reasons (that is super weird in itself)
- daring to dedicate a lot of time to leisure rather than work

You mean as broke perverts who can't afford a car or a gym membership?

[Baroque attacks]

I thought people had grown out of pretending to be Jeremy Clarkson a while back.

[frisbee]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

frisbee said:

Jordie Barretts sock said:

It's not the "being held up for 30 seconds" that's the problem. It's the middle aged, middle management types with their lycra and wrap around sunglasses that take delight in filling the whole lane to prevent a quick and safe overtake. It's almost like they take perverse pleasure in how long a queue they can get to form.

AKA - A slow squeeze past, too lazy to change gear or rotate the steering wheel a little.

For you, perhaps. Not me. I prefer to get past as quickly and as safely as possible.

You've stated in your post that you are incapable of a basic driving manoeuvre.

Sounds like you would benefit from some additional training.

[Tindersticks]

768 said:

You mean as broke perverts who can't afford a car or a gym membership?

Yes. That’s exactly it. There are precisely zero cyclists with very expensive cars and houses, and none of them are on bikes costing well upwards of £10k. None. They’re all dressing up to try and turn you on as you drive past.

[horsemeatscandal]

There's some proper fat turnips in this thread.

[thepritch]

768 said:

You mean as broke perverts who can't afford a car or a gym membership?

I see why your username is just numbers. When you use words it comes across as very odd.

[Castrol for a knave]

Example.

4 of us, side by side on an empty A road. Nothing in the opposite direction

Some dickwad in his Mazda close passed us deliberately (we watchedcthe clip later on the rear cam).

I could pretty much turn his radio on as he passed me

He just felt he was entitled to punish pass us.

Most drivers are fine. If one waits behind us, we single out, swing in to the left if we can and acknowledge the courtesy

Then you have the complete spacktard road captains who feel they need to do a punish pass.

[hidetheelephants]

Remarkable how many posters either didn't read the article linked to in the OP or worse think the driver's behaviour not outrageous.

[nickfrog]

Tindersticks said:

768 said:

You mean as broke perverts who can't afford a car or a gym membership?

Yes. That’s exactly it. There are precisely zero cyclists with very expensive cars and houses, and none of them are on bikes costing well upwards of £10k. None. They’re all dressing up to try and turn you on as you drive past.

[otolith]

CellarDoor said:

Apologies for not being clear, I was referring to instances on roads such as the following:

Ah, yeah, that’s a bit of a dick move. Though even cycling alone on that I would probably look to explicitly let people past

[georgefreeman918]

Highly doubt its the worst place in the world, but I do think that road cyclists ask for abuse by cycling in large groups (and hold on, let me explain).

Firstly, I am an avid road cyclist, so I am putting myself in this group. I even started the local cycling club.

However, I have only ever experienced abuse and near misses when riding out in large groups. Said cycle club got out of hand, and we would regularly have weekly rides of 12+ riders riding two abreast on rural country lanes. Subsequently, the club is no more.

The second occasion that I have witnessed abuse is during sportives, where large number of cyclists are released on to the public roads. Cyclists are spread out and at differing paces (usually at the start) so drivers find it difficult to overtake safely. I have also witnessed some terrible riding at these events too!

I have never received any abuse of near misses, when riding alone. I am easy to pass, riding safely and will pull over if safe to do so along a single stretch track of road when a car is behind. This isnt possible in a large group.

As a result, I no longer ride with more than one other rider, and I will only do closed road sportives.

The best safety device I have pushed is the Garmin rear radar, which links to the head unit and warns of approaching traffic, very useful when riding in wind, or chatting to a mate whilst riding, as it detects car way before you can hear them. A worthy investment to improve safety on the road.

[Rusty Old-Banger]

georgefreeman918 said:

Highly doubt its the worst place in the world, but I do think that road cyclists ask for abuse by cycling in large groups (and hold on, let me explain).

Firstly, I am an avid road cyclist, so I am putting myself in this group. I even started the local cycling club.

However, I have only ever experienced abuse and near misses when riding out in large groups. Said cycle club got out of hand, and we would regularly have weekly rides of 12+ riders riding two abreast on rural country lanes. Subsequently, the club is no more.

The second occasion that I have witnessed abuse is during sportives, where large number of cyclists are released on to the public roads. Cyclists are spread out and at differing paces (usually at the start) so drivers find it difficult to overtake safely. I have also witnessed some terrible riding at these events too!

I have never received any abuse of near misses, when riding alone. I am easy to pass, riding safely and will pull over if safe to do so along a single stretch track of road when a car is behind. This isnt possible in a large group.

As a result, I no longer ride with more than one other rider, and I will only do closed road sportives.

The best safety device I have pushed is the Garmin rear radar, which links to the head unit and warns of approaching traffic, very useful when riding in wind, or chatting to a mate whilst riding, as it detects car way before you can hear them. A worthy investment to improve safety on the road.

Get out of here with your sense and reasoning.

[gazza285]

I have never had a day where I have been held up by a cyclist for longer than I have sat in traffic, waiting to get through the gaps between double parked cars.

CheesecakeRunner said:

You stealing my job?