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

[Julian Scott]

Siao said:

Julian Scott said:

Siao said:

Julian Scott said:

I ride, and lead, weekly group rides of between 4 and 20+ riders. We get less abuse and near-misses than when I'm riding alone or with just one other, and I have probably had one or two this year despite riding several thousand KM. I choose the routes carefully and we average over 20mph, both of which will help I'm sure, but I'll still say riding in a larger, experienced group is safer.

It is bizarre, but could it be because maybe drivers are a bit more cautious to confront a large group of cyclists? It is probably easier to intimidate a single person than 20 of them if there's a confrontation.

I don't actually think much is a pre-meditated desire to confront, I think it is usually a flash of red mist, usually caused by driver distraction/poor observation....or a god-given right to get from A-to-B as quick as humanly possible, if not quicker.

I suspect the large group is easier to see and harder to make a daft 'squeeze past' overtake. It's also why it's safer for cyclist and driver alike.

No, not premeditated obviously, I did not claim that, no one is starting their trip with a mission to eradicate cyclists. Red mist is the obvious answer, or more specific, the type of road rage you get whenever you get behind the wheel. I'm sure science will explain this phenomenon one day!!!

But in general, I would imagine that if you wanted to vent to someone, it is easier if it is a single person rather than 20.

I don't pre-mediated in that way, I don't think anyone close passes/near-misses or gives abuse on purpose - it's a reaction or an error.

[Tindersticks]

And then you see things like this



Some people out there are unhinged. And have car keys.

[dudleybloke]

Tindersticks said:

And then you see things like this



Some people out there are unhinged. And have car keys.

Im guessing Laura is too fat to ride a bike!

[nickfrog]

Full article here. She seems to call cyclists "terrorists" too somewhere else.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-145531742

Quite an angry lady. By "lady" I use the term loosely.

[Salted_Peanut]

nickfrog said:

Quite an angry lady. By "lady" I use the term loosely.

Wikipedia said:

Laura Perrins (née McGowan, born 1981) is the Irish co-founder and co-editor of The Conservative Woman. She has written for The Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail, ConservativeHome and The Catholic Herald. In 2013, she was included in the BBC's 100 Women.

Perrins has appeared on Question Time, Any Questions, the Today programme and Woman's Hour, reviews the papers on BBC News, and Sophy Ridge on Sunday and on numerous occasions on Sky News as well as Today with Seán O'Rourke on RTÉ.

[JQ]

nickfrog said:

Full article here. She seems to call cyclists "terrorists" too somewhere else.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-145531742

Quite an angry lady. By "lady" I use the term loosely.

I'm loving the comments section.

The view some people have of cyclists is unhinged.

[Julian Scott]

JQ said:

nickfrog said:

Full article here. She seems to call cyclists "terrorists" too somewhere else.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-145531742

Quite an angry lady. By "lady" I use the term loosely.

I'm loving the comments section.

The view some people have of cyclists is unhinged.

The worrying thing is that she and they will almost certainly frequently get behind the wheel of a 2-tonne weapon.

...and citing France as the country least afflicted by 'lycra cyclists' is laughable.

[Gareth79]

Julian Scott said:

JQ said:

nickfrog said:

Full article here. She seems to call cyclists "terrorists" too somewhere else.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-145531742

Quite an angry lady. By "lady" I use the term loosely.

I'm loving the comments section.

The view some people have of cyclists is unhinged.

The worrying thing is that she and they will almost certainly frequently get behind the wheel of a 2-tonne weapon.

...and citing France as the country least afflicted by 'lycra cyclists' is laughable.

"Very few wore helmets."

I'm 100% she's the type to take a photo of a cyclist while driving with the caption "not even wearing a helmet!!!!"

[Salted_Peanut]

Tindersticks said:

That image is her pinned tweet @LPerrins

This tweet has had over two and a half thousand engagements so far

[Tindersticks]

People like her live for the reaction.

[jesusbuiltmycar]

Agreed - road cycling in the UK is nasty..

I was cycling near Bransgore in the New Forest the other day - happily minding my own business when I hear a motorbike revving and a couple of beeps…

The retard riding it then pulled along side me called me a few names then accelerated off.

If he was struggling to get past then perhaps he should swap is bike for a pogo stick..

[POIDH]

I live in Scotland and commute daily on a bike and cycle a few thousand miles a year. I feel things are better here, and the further out of cities you get the better it gets. Most drivers are great.

I cycled across London twice this year on a rental bike while there for work. Oh my it is nuts there. Really scary driving, and so much aggression. I won't do it again.

I have noticed that after 15 years of living where I do, the last month has seen the first two aggressive and shouty drivers ever. Real meatheads with phrases like 'pay road tax' and 'get out the way' (on a 200m stretch of road to Tesco!). I feel the press and Tory party have stirred things up in the last couple of months, and some of our fellow road users are happy to be stirred up. I don't like it and feel less safe.

[Siao]

nickfrog said:

Full article here. She seems to call cyclists "terrorists" too somewhere else.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-145531742

Quite an angry lady. By "lady" I use the term loosely.

I mean, she claims cyclists are crossing red lights at 50mph at some point in the article...

She then mentions that the people that wore helmets were most likely tourists or foreign (because the first thing you pack in your luggage is obviously a bike helmet).

And let's not start about the diversity in cycling. How did that, how did she, how? It makes 0 sense.

Also a few digs about the French and the war, sigh...


I think she's having a laugh personally. The comments are the best bit!

[BOR]

nickfrog said:

Full article here. She seems to call cyclists "terrorists" too somewhere else.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-145531742

Quite an angry lady. By "lady" I use the term loosely.

I LOLed at this bit:

"The modern cyclist - always male - stalks his prey"

Sounds like clickbait, but yer never know.

[Castrol for a knave]

It's not satire, because people like her have no sense of humour. They don't know how to build, only divide.

I wouldn't try and adopt the moral high ground if I was a member of the Church of the Latter Day Kiddy Fiddlers either.

[stargazer30]

According to GCN the best safety aid for cyclists is...
A cute little dog in a front basket or harness

Once this safety aid is fitted..
Angry drivers immediately chill out
No-one close passes you as they don't want to hurt the dog
Lady drivers smile and wave
When they can't pass they are cool about driving 15mph behind you to watch the cute dog.

I don't have a dog so I have to rely on my Varia radar for now. Its great as I know what's coming up behind me and how fast so I can GTF out the way if I can or take primary position if I can't.

[Julian Scott]

stargazer30 said:

According to GCN the best safety aid for cyclists is...
A cute little dog in a front basket or harness

Once this safety aid is fitted..
Angry drivers immediately chill out
No-one close passes you as they don't want to hurt the dog
Lady drivers smile and wave
When they can't pass they are cool about driving 15mph behind you to watch the cute dog.

I don't have a dog so I have to rely on my Varia radar for now. Its great as I know what's coming up behind me and how fast so I can GTF out the way if I can or take primary position if I can't.

True story.

A 2kg Chihuahua offers more protection than a Volvo crumple zone.

[thepritch]

Stop press! A cyclist pulled over and let me pass today when I was ‘stuck’ behind him for all of twenty seconds.

30 mins earlier and I was in my rickety old landy, and noted two cars behind me itching to get past. I pulled in at a lay-by and let them past as the road was pretty twisty for a few miles. A flash of hazards (thanks - I hope!) as they went past was a nice gesture.

Cyclist or motorist. It’s not hard to have patience or awareness. But we need to stop generalising and fuelling our own confirmation bias.

[Tindersticks]

Meanwhile, if someone can explain why this fker ever gets behind the wheel again I’d appreciate it.

https://road.cc/content/news/police-appalled-kille...

[Julian Scott]

thepritch said:

Stop press! A cyclist pulled over and let me pass today when I was ‘stuck’ behind him for all of twenty seconds.

30 mins earlier and I was in my rickety old landy, and noted two cars behind me itching to get past. I pulled in at a lay-by and let them past as the road was pretty twisty for a few miles. A flash of hazards (thanks - I hope!) as they went past was a nice gesture.

Cyclist or motorist. It’s not hard to have patience or awareness. But we need to stop generalising and fuelling our own confirmation bias.

If 'pulled over' was just the cyclist giving more space & waving you past, I do that a lot - especially if there its a layby/sliproad/wider bit of road/etc.

If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.