Infirmary Road Tesco - are drivers targeting cyclists?

[Cyclone]

The sense of "entitlement" that cyclists have, even though they contribute nothing to the upkeep of the roads is annoyance enough to engender murderous thoughts in the average driver.

The idiocy of people who say things like his is enough to drive me into a murderous rage (were I not so balanced and calm).

Roads are paid for out of general taxation. And most cyclists have a car for which they pay VED, by cycling they are reducing the use of that car and reducing the necessary expenditure on roads.

So I contribute more than you do in net terms.

 

And don't start me on the dangerous stuff I see cyclists doing on a daily basis - jumping red lights, shortcutting through queuing traffic with minimal room to do so,

Perfectly legal filtering you mean?

cycling on pavements and yelling at pedestrians to get out of the way... little sympathy I am afraid.

 

Some of that behaviour is wrong, but I'd suggest that you go and learn about what behaviour is legal, ie filtering, and about taxation.

[richkent]

...pedestrians aren't expected to read the highway code ...

 

Who are rules 1-35 for?

[hicksy3]

 

The sense of "entitlement" that cyclists have, even though they contribute nothing to the upkeep of the roads is annoyance enough to engender murderous thoughts in the average driver.

 

And the VED I pay on my car, but choose to reduce my wear and tear on the roads by cycling sometimes?

 

And don't start me on the dangerous stuff I see cyclists doing on a daily basis - jumping red lights, shortcutting through queuing traffic with minimal room to do so, cycling on pavements and yelling at pedestrians to get out of the way... little sympathy I am afraid.

 

 

And the cars I see jumping red lights at the Ripley Street/Langsett Road junction on a daily basis? The Chatanoga delivery driver who always parks on double yellows, blocking the pavement next to tram lines on Holme Lane?

 

You wont see ME doing any of the things you see cyclists doing on a daily basis. Try and contribute some better thought out arguments.

Edited August 23, 2013 by hicksy3
correcting markup

[Squiggs]

You cannot know the mental intentions of a driver - that they "deliberately" aimed at you - that is just supposition on your part. Perhaps you have a ripe persecution complex

 

.....

 

[i was advised to] drive (or cycle) as if all the other people on the road were actively out to kill you - even if they aren't!

 

I love the way you contradict yourself here. One minute it's a persecution complex then the next it's good advice.

 

Which one is it?

 

 

In the interests of self-preservation, cyclists should avoid the rear quarters of vehicles, especially larger one such as vans, 4WD's etc.

 

I don't know what this has to do with the OP's issue, but yes, avoid going down the rear nearside quarters of large vehicles is good general advice, even though the design of cycle lanes actively encourages inexperienced riders to do so. But how does one avoid them for instance when a large vehicle overtakes with no room to do so, then pulls in before they are past? Cyclists should, what, dematerialise when a vehicle is passing?

[monkey69]

I posted this on a thread nearly two weeks ago....

 

Has any other fellow cyclist noticed any (more than usual) aggressive driving today after this announcement?.

I did my usual run from the city centre out towards Rotherham using the A6109, I know this is not the best of roads for cyclists but today i have had more than the usual aggressive attitude of Lorry/ bus drivers.

Especially along Upwell street where a 18 wheeler did their best to force me into the side of the road after pulling in much too close after overtaking.

I ask cyclists because i don't think car drivers would notice, where as cyclist actually feel the presence of this sort of driving due to the fact that it is our lives on the line.

For whatever reason today was worse than usual and i was interested if any one else has noticed this behavior ?

[alchemist]

I posted this on a thread nearly two weeks ago....

 

Has any other fellow cyclist noticed any (more than usual) aggressive driving today after this announcement?.

I did my usual run from the city centre out towards Rotherham using the A6109, I know this is not the best of roads for cyclists but today i have had more than the usual aggressive attitude of Lorry/ bus drivers.

Especially along Upwell street where a 18 wheeler did their best to force me into the side of the road after pulling in much too close after overtaking.

I ask cyclists because i don't think car drivers would notice, where as cyclist actually feel the presence of this sort of driving due to the fact that it is our lives on the line.

For whatever reason today was worse than usual and i was interested if any one else has noticed this behavior ?

 

As a matter of interest, how many red lights did you feel the need to jump?

[Jam on it]

You cannot know the mental intentions of a driver - that they "deliberately" aimed at you - that is just supposition on your part. Perhaps you have a ripe persecution complex - I don't know - it is much more likely that they just didn't see you - many vehicles have substantial blind spots to the rear quarters, and it is easy to "lose" a cyclist in these.

 

In the interests of self-preservation, cyclists should avoid the rear quarters of vehicles, especially larger one such as vans, 4WD's etc.

 

The same thing applies as I was advised, many years ago, by a cynical but experienced instructor - drive (or cycle) as if all the other people on the road were actively out to kill you - even if they aren't!

 

The sense of "entitlement" that cyclists have, even though they contribute nothing to the upkeep of the roads is annoyance enough to engender murderous thoughts in the average driver.

 

And don't start me on the dangerous stuff I see cyclists doing on a daily basis - jumping red lights, shortcutting through queuing traffic with minimal room to do so, cycling on pavements and yelling at pedestrians to get out of the way... little sympathy I am afraid.

 

Oh dear, your post was doing quite well up until this bit.

[Squiggs]

I posted this on a thread nearly two weeks ago....

 

Has any other fellow cyclist noticed any (more than usual) aggressive driving today after this announcement?.

I did my usual run from the city centre out towards Rotherham using the A6109, I know this is not the best of roads for cyclists but today i have had more than the usual aggressive attitude of Lorry/ bus drivers.

Especially along Upwell street where a 18 wheeler did their best to force me into the side of the road after pulling in much too close after overtaking.

I ask cyclists because i don't think car drivers would notice, where as cyclist actually feel the presence of this sort of driving due to the fact that it is our lives on the line.

For whatever reason today was worse than usual and i was interested if any one else has noticed this behavior ?

 

For some reason, you just get "those days"

 

Maybe it's to do with the moon, who knows?

 

One day I will be cycling up Tenter Street and up Townhead Steet after a hard day against a headwind, and a top-of-the-range BMW, often stereotyped to be driven aggressively and with scant regard for cyclists will be patiently hanging back, to the extent that having identified him following as a safe driver, decide to move further over than I normally would because I trust him to pass very carefully in close proximity - and to continue waiting patiently even after I've "opened the door".

 

I forgot the reg, but the driver of the 7 series(?) - if you are reading this, thank you, it is a pleasure to share the road with drivers like yourself

 

 

A couple of days later I will be passed by a tatty TM bus where there is hardly space for a Mini (Issigonis version) to fit between me and the traffic ahead, that pulls in before its rear axle is even past me leaving me hammering furiously on the side before I'm sandwiched against the kerb

 

Then the following day I'm passed by a 50-something in a soft top hairdresser mobile who probably thinks he's in the 7-series BM league who can't even get that past because there is slowing traffic a few metres ahead, so decides to get as close as possible to my rear wheel and try to push me into the side approaching parked vehicles.

 

If you are reading this Mr "I do my hair like I think I'm Adam Faith" - showing my cleats seemed to make you back off? Perhaps your wife/daughter would have been cross if you'd scratched her car?

 

Who knows why? Like I say, could be the moon. Maybe a sense of inadequacy driving that particular type of car?

 

But all went back to normal with mainly good driving on the days after those incidents, with just a pillock of a dad and his son riding down the cycle lane towards me against the traffic on Shalesmoor to contend with.

 

Takes all sorts. And some of those all sorts drive, some ride bicycles.

 

It has to be said...the majority of driving is perfectly adequate at worst - and the same for cycling.

 

Perhaps it's due to the urgency of our daily trips (on all forms of transport) that the bad experiences stand out, we get impatient and/or angry

 

I doubt it's to do with any announcements.

[uhuru666]

They are not insured don't obey basic laws and are constantly driving like pricks

Enough said

[mitChez]

They are not insured don't obey basic laws and are constantly driving like pricks

Enough said

 

BMW's yeah? Can't be talking about cyclists as even the most backwards person realises you ride a bike, not drive it.