Cyclist'a lack of manners

[Pedantic]

Starting to get pissed off with this business of we horse riders are "expected" to wave all smiling friendly to drivers who pass us wide and slow, when all they are doing is complying with the Highway Code, of which they sign up to the second they get behind the wheel of their car, and yet when I am the motorist and driving my vehicle and can't get safely past, either a single cyclist, or a whole group taking all the road up, I hang back sometimes for quite a while, then as passing as per Highway Code, nothing, no wave thanks, no smile sod all, getting a bit fed up of this, and starting to wave and shout thanks (sarcastically) at them as I pass, what is the problem, we the Horse riders are supposed to be the ignorant stuck up one's, who go along like we have a turd on our top lip, cyclist's, is the Lycra stuff too tight up their crevice, does the friction coming off their pants whilst pedaling create a chemical gas which affects the manner/consideration part of the brain, summat not right with this double standards caper.

 

[Overread]

To be fair I'd rather a cyclist kept both hands on the handlebars than raise a hand to wave - esp since I might start to think that its a signal for them turning. The only time I'd see them wave is as I come alongside to pass so that is the last time I want them to suddenly raise a handsignal as I'm going to think "DARN They are going to turn and somehow haven't seen me!"

I'd also sympathise with many as, whilst horse riding is not an activity without exercise, cycling down the road seems to be to be more tiring unless they are really going along casually - so again I'd rather they kept themselves focused on what they are doing.


Heck what really annoys me is if they start trying to help and wave me round when I can't see round the road myself.


Although what annoys me more is cyclists who refused to use the cycle lane - its there for a reason and makes everything safer for both them and me and everyone else.

 

[lizziebell]

It seems there are more and more "groups" of cyclists on the road these days, and the majority I come across have very little concern for other road users. The bigger the group, the ruder I find them. I too recently got caught up on a busy "A" main road where around 50 cyclists, riding in bunched groups, and 4 to 5 abreast were taking up the whole road, not bothering to move over to single file (or even 2 a breast which would have helped) and this does encourage drivers to take risks in overtaking them. It wasn't a marshalled event, just a large cycling club out on a jaunt.

The Highway Code States cyclists should never ride more than 2 abreast and should single file on busy or narrow roads and where going around ends/corners. I doubt any of the cyclist I come across have read it !!

It's put me off hacking at weekends as there are so many of them.

 

[Sprat]

Starting to get pissed off with this business of we horse riders are "expected" to wave all smiling friendly to drivers who pass us wide and slow, when all they are doing is complying with the Highway Code, of which they sign up to the second they get behind the wheel of their car, and yet when I am the motorist and driving my vehicle and can't get safely past, either a single cyclist, or a whole group taking all the road up, I hang back sometimes for quite a while, then as passing as per Highway Code, nothing, no wave thanks, no smile sod all, getting a bit fed up of this, and starting to wave and shout thanks (sarcastically) at them as I pass, what is the problem, we the Horse riders are supposed to be the ignorant stuck up one's, who go along like we have a turd on our top lip, cyclist's, is the Lycra stuff too tight up their crevice, does the friction coming off their pants whilst pedaling create a chemical gas which affects the manner/consideration part of the brain, summat not right with this double standards caper.

I absolutely agree. There seems to be hundreds of them round our area, they take up the whole of the road (usually country lanes) by cycling 3 abreast, and don't say thanks when you do slow for them!

 

[Pedantic]

If a horse rider can raise a hand at trot, or even nod an smile and a thanks whist watching out for the next horse eating plastic bag/drain cover/puddle etc, then so can a cyclist, the cycle lane not being used right at the side of them may be down to chaffing of the brain on the saddle.

 

[Deltaflyer]

As a car driver, horserider and pedestrian I'm completely fed up with the arrogance and smugness of cyclists.

This summer I was driving my little lorry to a show near Henley. The road leading to the show ground was a twisty road and of course there were many trailers and lorries all heading to this show. There was also some kind of cycling event going on. Needless to say there was a convoy of lorries and trailers being held up but we were all patient and very careful as to how we passed the cyclists. Trouble was that whilst lorries were crawling past them they were also passing each other! Morons.

As a pedestrian I've been almost run over by cyclists going the wrong way down one way roads because obviously, the rules don't apply to them. Similarly they swoop around mini roundabouts without signalling which way they're going almost hitting people crossing the road.

As a car driver I'm sick to death of their total lack of respect for the rules of the road. They weave in and out queues of traffic, swerve across the roads in front of cars at junctions, swoop around roundabouts without signalling, expect everyone on the road (and pavements) to kowtow to them.

Like another poster it irks me when they don't use cycle lanes. They whinge and whine to get the local authorities to spend money to create them and then ride where they feel like anyway.

They also seem to think that the private riding tracks on the farm land where I keep my horse are there purely for their pleasure.

I appreciate that there are bad car drivers, bad pedestrians and bad horse riders too but cyclist seem to whinge and whine the loudest and get bent over backwards for more than any other group of road users.

 

[Theocat]

Don't judge all cyclists the same. I acknowledge and say thank you, obey the rules and am generally considerate.

As a group, horse riders get a terrible press because of the behaviour of a few. Pretty unfair for us to tar another group of recreational road users with the same brush.

 

[AmyMay]

I would never expect a cyclist to raise a hand to me in thanks.

 

[majors]

I have never had one even acknowledge me or say thanks even when I wait ages to overtake, so arrogant. Also why o why do they all insist on wearing black wear hi viz for gods sake, almost ever day when I get to work somebody complains about cyclists wearing dark clothes or not using expensive cycle lanes!!!!!

 

[case895]

I would never expect a cyclist to raise a hand to me in thanks.

Ditto.

I prefer to focus on the road ahead, look where I am going and keep both hands on the steering wheel, handlebars, or reins.

 

[Mike007]

Motorcyclists seem to manage to say thanks .

 

[Cinnamontoast]

NOA, to quote someone.

 

[Pedantic]

Ditto.

I prefer to focus on the road ahead, look where I am going and keep both hands on the steering wheel, handlebars, or reins.

Got a vision of little old lady tightly grasping steering wheel with bulging veined hands barely able to see over the steering wheel with tunnel vision wearing milk bottle bottom thick glasses doing 20mph on 40mph road....

 

[case895]

Got a vision of little old lady tightly grasping steering wheel with bulging veined hands barely able to see over the steering wheel with tunnel vision wearing milk bottle bottom thick glasses doing 20mph on 40mph road....

Ehhhh why?

 

[Mike007]

Yep , see your viewpoint pedantic. Tartan saddlebag on the bike of course, possibley even a basket on the handlebars.Car is a split screen Morris minor.Horse however is a thoroughbred mare with the heart of an angel ,gets mum out of all sorts of scrapes.

 

[gunnergundog]

I prefer to focus on the road ahead, look where I am going and keep both hands on the steering wheel, handlebars, or reins.

It used to be part of the Cycling Proficiency Test back in the late 50s that you should be able to maintain your balance, speed and direction whilst looking over your shoulder before removing one hand to signal. Don't see any reason why the lycra clad Wiggins-wannabes shouldn't be capable of doing the same, be it to actually signal their intent to change direction and/or to acknowledge the courtesy of another road user.

 

[minesadouble]

Until very very recently I had never been thanked by a cyclist either - but I have recently been thanked twice - maybe they are taking a leaf out of riders' books - mind you there are very few riders here that bother to acknowledge drivers either!!

FWIW I'd far rather take a hand off the reins than I would from handlebars - mind you I haven't ridden a bike for years and a m probably not terribly proficient!

 

[case895]

It used to be part of the Cycling Proficiency Test back in the late 50s that you should be able to maintain your balance, speed and direction whilst looking over your shoulder before removing one hand to signal. Don't see any reason why the lycra clad Wiggins-wannabes shouldn't be capable of doing the same, be it to actually signal their intent to change direction and/or to acknowledge the courtesy of another road user.

Waving at other road users reduces your control. Just because you have not hit anything whilst doing yet does not make it a good idea.

I regularly see drivers using mobile phones and have not seen one crash yet. It does not make using a phone whilst driving a good idea though.

I make a point of ignoring other road users thanking me and hope I may contribute to this practice dying out.

 

[Deltaflyer]

I don't actually expect cyclists to thank me for slowing down when I pass them. It's something I do as a matter of course.

I do expect them though to give other road users the same courtesies that they expect and I do expect them to indicate their intentions to other road users and I do expect them to allow other road users room to pass and I do expect them to consider other vulnerable road users just as they expect car drivers to do to them.

I do acknowledge that there are nice cyclists and there are nice car drivers, just like I like to think I'm a nice horse rider as I always thank people who slow down or give way and try to pull over in to a layby or driveway at the first opportunity to allow cars to pass me rather than be stuck behind me on a road where they can't pass safely otherwise.

Sadly it's always the rude, bad ones that stick in ones mind.

 

[YorksG]

Those cyclists who believe that they shouldn't take their hands off the handle bars, please tell me how you indicate that you are about to turn, or make any othermaneover, or do you expect all other road users to have some sort of second sight?

 

[Deltaflyer]

Those cyclists who believe that they shouldn't take their hands off the handle bars, please tell me how you indicate that you are about to turn, or make any othermaneover, or do you expect all other road users to have some sort of second sight?

What, you mean you don't telepathically know what cyclist's intentions are !

 

[littletrotter]

I just try to be courteous and kind.

So if i see a horse i tend to hang back until waved on, since the rider is in a better position than me to know if my hanging back is more likely than me passing them (even wide and slow) to cause a problem - ideally all horses on roads are bombproof but in reality sometimes the bombproof ones had to be ridden on the road a lot to get that way.

If i see a bike i pass, giving plenty of room, when it's safe to do so. I don't expect them to wave me on, i can see where they are and their bike isn't going to do something unpredictable just because i'm there. Equally i don't expect a thanks, we share the road, it's not mine, i'm not doing them a massive favour by not killing them on their way home.

When i am giving way to oncoming traffic with parked cars on both sides (whether or not i have technical right of way) i tend to give a cheery wave. When someone lets me in or out i flash my hazards once and if i am in a position to do so i let people in or out myself. Everyone is trying to get somewhere.

I don't always get a wave.

Horses and cars, generally, continue in the same direction and with the same velocity even if the person steering them momentarily holds the reins/wheel in one hand. A cyclist hitting a pothole/patch of gravel/oily patch with one hand off the handlebars could be under the front wheel of the nearest car behind them. So i never expect, or hope for, a wave from them.

I waved at a cyclist today. I was approaching a roundabout he was navigating and the specific position of my A post obscured him from view for half a second, causing me to stop rather abruptly when i saw him. I waved an apology at him, both hands up, "my fault" and he nodded and smiled.

 

[YorksG]

What, you mean you don't telepathically know what cyclist's intentions are !

I appear to be somewhat lacking in the telepathy with cyclists department

 

[Pedantic]

Yep , see your viewpoint pedantic. Tartan saddlebag on the bike of course, possibley even a basket on the handlebars.Car is a split screen Morris minor.Horse however is a thoroughbred mare with the heart of an angel ,gets mum out of all sorts of scrapes.

LOL

 

[StarcatcherWilliam]

Don't judge all cyclists the same. I acknowledge and say thank you, obey the rules and am generally considerate.

As a group, horse riders get a terrible press because of the behaviour of a few. Pretty unfair for us to tar another group of recreational road users with the same brush.

^^ This!

I always acknowledge and thank courteous drivers when riding and cycling. However it can be very difficult sometimes when cycling if you're negotiating a big hill or on a tricky piece of road. My feet are clipped onto the pedals, and I need to concentrate on what I'm doing so sometimes drivers get a nod and smile rather than an actual wave. But I do think you're being unfair tarnishing all cyclists with the same brush! Expecting cyclists to only use cycle paths is like expecting horse riders to only use bridleways! There sure as hell ain't any cycle paths where I live! And bridleways are few and far between too. As for wearing Lycra - what's your beef lol?!

 

[FfionWinnie]

They can be highly ignorant and also the ones who wear black and think they are visible as they have a little red light are an accident waiting to happen.

I agree if you cannot say thanks to another road user you shouldn't be on it. Just the same as the people who don't slow down and pass carefully for cyclists, pedestrians or horses shouldn't be on the road.

 

[Kat]

I can accept that a wave of thanks may not always be practical but a nod and smile should be possible most of the time and a spoken thanks is always possible when walker and horse riders are involved.

As for the lack of Hi Viz and lights I am really sick of it. My friend that I ride with has started telling cyclists off when we see them with no reflective gear on. She normally gets a rude response.

 

[MagicMelon]

OP, its an annoyance of mine as well and I also sarcastically mouth "thank you" in passing too! I dont expect a wave as such, but just a simple look in my direction as a pass and a smile would be nice but NEVER does that happen. Yet we get slagged off and called snobby when we dont take our hands off the reins to thank them with eye contact, a smile AND a nod usually! Not sure why its safer for us to take our hands off the reins than a cyclist...

I always say thanks if the driver has bothered to slow down (otherwise they get something else) and even thank people with a wave if Im out walking the dog and they slow down for me (on a rural road) so I dont see why cyclists are generally immune from this simple nice gesture.

 

[madlady]

I don't expect cyclists to wave a thank you. I do however expect them to be courteous to other road users and not bunch up in groups of 5 on a steep uphill when they clearly know they are causing a huge backlog of traffic behind them - that is just downright rude when it could be avoided if they rode single file.

I also fume at the lack of high vis or reflective clothing on cyclists - horse riders are irresponsible if we don't make ourselves as visible as possible but cyclists don't seem to think it applies to them?

Do cyclists have to have PL insurance?

 

[spacefaer]

If a tractor is on the public highway and holding up traffic, it will pull over and let the traffic pass. If I'm towing my trailer and holding up traffic, I pull over to let cars pass. Cyclists hog the road and despite holding up traffic, never pull over and let it pass.

In terms of one handed cycling, I saw a cyclist who was on the A49 (one of the most accident prone A roads in rural Britain), holding up a queue of approx 30 assorted cars and lorries. As he was freewheeling downhill, round a switchback of corners, he answered his phone, and then continued to cycle, slowing down as he did so...........

Definite candidate for the Darwin awards