They all whinge about riders...

Auslander

Auslander

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But I have decided that cyclists are far worse. At least (most) riders acknowledge courteous drivers, make an effort to pull in and let traffic pass, and are aware of what's going on around them.

We have loads of cyclists round here, both leisure ones and commuters - and they are the most discourteous bunch. It's just taken me 20 minutes to get from the village to my house, because there was a cyclist merrily pedalling away in the middle of the left hand lane, completely oblivious to the traffic building up behind him. He then slammed his brakes on, didn't look over his shoulder or indicate, before turning right onto a side road.

I cycle, occasionally, and make damn sure I look over my shoulder so I know what's going on behind me, pull over and let traffic pass, and indicate when i'm about to do something. i even say thank you as people overtake after sitting behind me. I'm sure this is down to my horsiness - I never see cyclists do the above (apart from the odd one who remembers to indicate).

They also come flying past me far too close when I'm on the horse - often loads of them, going very fast, and with not so much as a shout to alert me/the horse. Even Alf, who isn't fazed by any traffic (we won't mention his terror when it comes to aggressive hedgerow plants and ninja chickens!) gets a fright and jumps when they come hammering past.

AND - a lot of them don't wear hi-viz - just plain daft...

Rant over...
 
I live in a city and the amount of cyclists I see without a helmet, hi viz or lights is ridiculous! Last year I had to call an ambulance for a man that had been hit off his push bike on a roundabout - he didn't indicate, no lights or hi viz, and it was 7pm in the middle of winter.
 
Our yard is next to a national cycle route and I have to say most of them are great and our horses are used to them now. We love that they use the roads because it is just another road user that helps slow the traffic down and stop that particular road being used as a shortcut/racetrack

That said I HATE any tht dont wear hi vis/ have lights and even worse those with no helmet!!!
 
Don't get me wrong - I have NO issue with cyclists using the road, and I completely agree that its great for horses to be exposed to all sorts of different things (including bunches of cyclists flying past!). I'm just grumpy that they are rarely the target of drivers wrath, and we riders are, when we are generally more courteous and aware of our surroundings!
 
My pet hate! Whilst driving I followed a group of about 15-20 cyclists riding two or three abreast down a country lane for over two miles before I turned off. Not once did they acknowledge my existence, move over to let me through or in any way say sorry for road hogging. The road is barely wide enough for two cars, twists and turns so I could not overtake. It took me 20 minutes to cover two miles. I even had time to take a photo! Maybe I should name and shame? :)

I have noticed those on road bikes that travel in large packs are generally much ruder than those on mountain bikes who travel two or three together and are considerate of horses. My horses are much the same as yours and will tolerate well behaved cyclists but not whole packs sneaking up behind and overtaking.
 
Scoutie said:
I have noticed those on road bikes that travel in large packs are generally much ruder than those on mountain bikes who travel two or three together and are considerate of horses. My horses are much the same as yours and will tolerate well behaved cyclists but not whole packs sneaking up behind and overtaking.
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I've noticed this too - is it because the lycra boys (and girls) are obsessed with time/speed?

My favourite one was when I had stopped to let a tractor through on a narrow, single road and looked round to find a cyclist propping himself up with a hand on my lad's hindquarters. If only I'd realised in time we could have done a quick turn on the forehand... That said, was very pleased with my lad for not having a fit at a strange man using him as a leaning post.

The lack of hi vis and lights really bothers me as we are in a very rural area, no street lights and narrow roads etc and I am terrified I won't spot a cyclist when I am driving, especially if someone is coming towards me with bright headlights or it is raining hard. I take it steady but even so...
 
Auslander said:
Don't get me wrong - I have NO issue with cyclists using the road, and I completely agree that its great for horses to be exposed to all sorts of different things (including bunches of cyclists flying past!). I'm just grumpy that they are rarely the target of drivers wrath, and we riders are, when we are generally more courteous and aware of our surroundings!
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I wouldn't say they don't get drivers wrath. My OH cycles and is very aware of hi-viz, signals, positioning, not undertaking etc (all the things cyclists get bad press for). A few months back he was cycling down the lane near our house, not doing anything wrong, and someone wound down their car window and spat at him!
He often has issues with drivers overtaking him, then slamming on their brakes so they can turn left. Or they start overtaking him, then spot the road island ahead of them and cut in early, nearly taking him out in the process.
Probably once a week he mentions to me that he nearly got knocked off that day (due to careless drivers).
I'm thoroughly fed up with all this cyclist bashing - so far I've never met a bad one when I've been out on my horse.
 
I agree OP. Absolutely no issue with them being on the road, of course not. I dont currently hack but generally why are we as riders expected to move over and wave etc. to cars to thank them when cyclists don't? I regularly meet cyclists when out driving and it drives me insane when I follow one for some distance because there's not quite enough room to overtake (since they rarely move over...) and when I do finally find a safe place and go past them slowly, they dont even look up at me let alone a smile or wave. Just comes across as very rude. This, I imagine is what gets so many drivers backs up - never a reason to drive dangerously around them though of course. Just a little acknowledgment would be nice from cyclists. When I used to hack, I actually found cyclists generally very good but then times may have changed since then!
 
I don't have an issue with cyclists being on the road, unless there is perfectly good cyclepath next to it that they could be on......
On my 7 mile drive to the yard there is a cycle path for about 6 miles of it but every day I see cyclists using the road instead. Often without any lights or hiviz in the dark. I don't understand why they do it.
 
Its not the odd one or two that cause me concern - its the packs of them. We too are based near the national cycle route and its isn't unusual on a Sunday morning to find them in clots or 10 - 15 (I am told its called a peleton) with no space to pass safely. Difficult in a car - worse with a trailer. They will also fly past horses with no consideration of how the slightly odd whizzing sound these packs seem to create might affect a flight animal. They do slow traffic down - but if overtaking has been difficult the annoyed driver may well pass the next obstacle - the horse - faster than they would otherwise. The fact that these road blocking packs do not need to register their intentions in advance or consider other users is aggravating. Last year a local sponsored ride (published in advance, manned crossings for all roads, stewards, police support) was seriously disrupted by an unheralded "sportive" ride which refused to stop to allow riders to use the supervised crossing.

Plus - I'll bet if a group of people turned up in balaclava's shouting abuse and trying to trip the cyclists up they would get arrested far faster than those seeking to disrupt lawful riding!
 
moleskinsmum said:
My favourite one was when I had stopped to let a tractor through on a narrow, single road and looked round to find a cyclist propping himself up with a hand on my lad's hindquarters. If only I'd realised in time we could have done a quick turn on the forehand... That said, was very pleased with my lad for not having a fit at a strange man using him as a leaning post.
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This is hilarious, if one tried that with me he (and I) would be in orbit in a nanosecond. As it is I have to say round these parts cyclists are a jolly lot, mostly older guys and girls out in packs but courteous and shout morning at the top of their voice when approaching so I get a quick jump from my mare then an oh it's one of those kind of looks.
 
What really amazes me is that 99% of these cyclists must be car drivers too. If they drove as they cycle, it would be utter carnage out there, so why do they think the rules change for 2 wheel?
 
If you move over on a bike, some twit in a car will try and squeeze past you when there isn't enough room, and if they clip you, you come off worse. So I take the lane, which is how everyone should cycle, until it is safe for someone to pass - then I'll move over. But I'm not about to risk my neck to make someone else's journey a few seconds quicker.

I've rarely ever had a horse move in for me either, generally the riders round here expect you as a driver to pass them safely when possible rather than have to climb into a verge - and quite right too.

Oh, and cycle helmets are only of any use in low-speed, single vehicle accidents - ie they will do little to help if you get hit by a car. I wear one in case of potholes - if the roads were better I wouldn't bother.
 
Spudlet said:
If you move over on a bike, some twit in a car will try and squeeze past you when there isn't enough room, and if they clip you, you come off worse. So I take the lane, which is how everyone should cycle, until it is safe for someone to pass - then I'll move over. But I'm not about to risk my neck to make someone else's journey a few seconds quicker.

I've rarely ever had a horse move in for me either, generally the riders round here expect you as a driver to pass them safely when possible rather than have to climb into a verge - and quite right too.

Oh, and cycle helmets are only of any use in low-speed, single vehicle accidents - ie they will do little to help if you get hit by a car. I wear one in case of potholes - if the roads were better I wouldn't bother.
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Just to clarify - i said "pull in", not "move in". If I'm on a horse/bike, and realise that i'm holding up traffic, I find a lay-by/driveway/gateway and stop to let the traffic past. I wouldn't move in or expect a rider/cyclist to move in whilst still in motion. Not safe at all!

I've obviously opened a can of worms - but I just feel that its discourteous to other road users to create a jam with my slower-moving horse/bike. Even car drivers are supposed to drive at a speed that doesn't impede the flow of traffic, and I feel that its just good manners to be aware that you are creating a rolling road-block, and to make efforts to minimise the disruption you cause when out riding/cycling.
 
Auslander said:
Just to clarify - i said "pull in", not "move in". If I'm on a horse/bike, and realise that i'm holding up traffic, I find a lay-by/driveway/gateway and stop to let the traffic past. I wouldn't move in or expect a rider/cyclist to move in whilst still in motion. Not safe at all!

I've obviously opened a can of worms - but I just feel that its discourteous to other road users to create a jam with my slower-moving horse/bike. Even car drivers are supposed to drive at a speed that doesn't impede the flow of traffic, and I feel that its just good manners to be aware that you are creating a rolling road-block, and to make efforts to minimise the disruption you cause when out riding/cycling.
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I don't cycle on the roads - but I don't expect cyclists to pull in to let me through - we are all road users at the end of the day - why should you take priority?

Most horse riders pull in because horses are very unpredictable animals, and if you get too close in a vehicle they might panic - horses are more of a PITA to most on the road because of this. You can speed past a cyclist at 60mph without fear that his cycle is going to spook into your car or throw its rider into the traffic. Generally I find that horse riders are much more of a liability on roads near us than cyclists.
 
I will pull into a lay-by as well because I hate having cars behind me, but if someone has to wait for me to get to one, well they just have to wait (we have a lot of single track roads and relatively infrequent passing places round here). I have somewhere to get to as well, so I'm not about to stop every five minutes, jump off the bike and hump it up the verge. I'd never get anywhere that way! If I'm driving, I see it as my job to overtake safely, not the job of whoever I'm overtaking to get out of my way - be that another car, a bike, a tractor or a horse. Mind you, there are plenty of drivers who have not to faintest idea of how to overtake correctly - there is no point in sitting up behind someone, you sit back, get a better view ahead, do your acceleration in your own lane, then you pull out, when you're already at overtaking speed. It's not hard, but it is apparently an unknown concept to many of the drivers around here.

I think that everyone who drives should be required to cycle, ride a horse, or use the roads in some other way that puts you in a more vulnerable position as a condition of getting a licence to drive a tonne or so of metal at 60mph - might make a few people a bit more courteous and considerate! The sort of cycling that some people on this thread would moan about (ie taking the lane) prevented two cars from having a head on collision last night. If I'd let the car behind me squeeze past on a blind bend (as I could tell they wanted to) they would have gone straight into the oncoming car I could see, which I knew the car behind me could not. Although of course, it would have been me that was most likely to be squished in the ensuing smash! So I'm sorry if I hold anyone up - but at the end of the day, I'm looking out for myself here because apparently very few people in cars have any interest in doing so.
 
RunToEarth said:
I don't cycle on the roads - but I don't expect cyclists to pull in to let me through - we are all road users at the end of the day - why should you take priority?

Most horse riders pull in because horses are very unpredictable animals, and if you get too close in a vehicle they might panic - horses are more of a PITA to most on the road because of this. You can speed past a cyclist at 60mph without fear that his cycle is going to spook into your car or throw its rider into the traffic. Generally I find that horse riders are much more of a liability on roads near us than cyclists.
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I know why horse-riders pull in - what i'm trying, and obviously failing to articulate is that, in rush hour traffic, on a 5 mile stretch of road where it is not possible to pass a cyclist safely due to the traffic coming the other way, I think it would be courteous of the slower traveller to occasionally pull in and let the traffic disperse a bit.

The Highway Code does state that you should not hold traffic. You should be aware of traffic build up behind you, and should pull over and let people pass if you're creating a queue.
 
Most of our local cyclists are very good, they usually call out a warning before they pass us. However, some of the larger groups don't seem to realise that hissing past at racing speed might spook a horse who is otherwise fine with bikes!

As a driver, I would not expect a cyclist or a rider to stop and pull in for me unless they wanted to. However, some acknowledgement that I'm waiting behind them even if it's just a look over the shoulder (so I know they know I'm there, IYSWIM) goes a long way - and then it doesn't wind me up, waiting until it's safe to overtake.
 
Scoutie said:
My pet hate! Whilst driving I followed a group of about 15-20 cyclists riding two or three abreast down a country lane for over two miles before I turned off. Not once did they acknowledge my existence, move over to let me through or in any way say sorry for road hogging. The road is barely wide enough for two cars, twists and turns so I could not overtake. It took me 20 minutes to cover two miles. I even had time to take a photo! Maybe I should name and shame? :)


I have noticed those on road bikes that travel in large packs are generally much ruder than those on mountain bikes who travel two or three together and are considerate of horses. My horses are much the same as yours and will tolerate well behaved cyclists but not whole packs sneaking up behind and overtaking.
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^^^^ agree with this too - road lycra cyclist types in gangs tend to be men of a (coughs politely) certain age pretending to be Bradley Wiggins - maybe that why they are so grumpy and selfish ! mountain bikers are much more in tune with reality and generally quite charming.
 
Most cyclists by us are pretty good. Our off-road hacking is on the National Cycle Network so we gets TONS. Some are fab, slowing right down and passing wide and ringing a bell to let us know they're there. Others not so much. But our horses are very used to them so it doesn't really bother us.

I had a harder time at my old yard on the windy hill roads. I found hill cyclists a much worse bunch, whizzing down hills, round blind bends and then on occasion swearing at us if the horse spooked due to sudden fast bike appearing round a corner behind them. I had one cyclist who, when asked to slow and pass wide as my friend's four year old was still getting used to bikes, she told us that we shouldn't be on the road, and that would be clean all the 'b**dy *****' up while we were at it.

And I've dealt with a few rude ones in my car. The track leading up to my old yard was at the end of a tight bend, and the apex of the bend was only visible when you pulled right up the edge of the road due to a high wall and trees. One day, I drove up to the junction, and inched forward to look round the bend. On first look, there was nothing, looked the other way, then back, whilst slowly pulling forward to the edge of the track. A cyclist, wearing dark red and black, had obviously been in the apex of the bend to first glance, but was now very close to the car. I stopped, nose of the car not even over the end of the track, but had obviously given him a fright as he felt the need to stop, come over, bang on my window and swear at me for 'pulling out in front of him without looking' and 'assuming I owned the road'. I apologised for having given him a scare, told him I couldn't see to the apex of the bend without coming right to the edge of the road, but I had come no where near him and my car wasn't on the main road. He swore at me, hit my car with his fist and told me I was a liar. I admit, as an at the time 20 year old girl on my own in the middle of nowhere, I felt very intimidated, so I rolled my window up and locked the door at this point and ignored him until he gave up and left.

Considering how drivers treat me and my horse on the road all the time, I was a bit disgusted by the manner he had, especially as I hadn't technically done anything wrong. I think he saw someone young he could bully.
 
I work in London so cyclists are the norm, however i absolutely agree with you! when ever i'm walking i see them skipping lights, nearly getting hit, flying off in all directions and Zebra crossings... a lady crossing it with her kids two blokes on bikes didn't stop and nearly hit her and they had the cheek to shout at her!! It bl00dy madness.. i would never cycle in London!

And don't get me started on the lack of hi-viz or lights!!! But i think you should really look up how to use roads before using them... (not OP the general amount of ignorant cyclists i see!)
 
Bestdogdash said:
^^^^ agree with this too - road lycra cyclist types in gangs tend to be men of a (coughs politely) certain age pretending to be Bradley Wiggins - maybe that why they are so grumpy and selfish ! mountain bikers are much more in tune with reality and generally quite charming.
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Yup :rolleyes: I live slap bang on this year's Tour de France route so lycra-clad cyclists are a nightmare round here at the moment.
 
I am a cyclist, dog owner and horse rider, and see absolutely horrible behaviour from the first 2 groups all of the time. I cycle on local cycle paths that are loaded with dog walkers and walkers, and on the occasional bridle path, which have dog walkers and walkers, cyclists, horses etc, and can be very busy at week ends. I yield to everyone and everything. I am a "defensive" cyclist. If I see people on horses on the path, I stop at the side of the track and wait for them to pass by. Sometimes they say thank you, sometimes not. It doesn't matter-- it is a safety issue to stop for the horses, as far as I am concerned.

What I hate are the dogs not on leads, racing about here and there, not under any control from their owner. What is this obsession with dogs off leads? I NEVER, EVER turn my dogs loose in open areas without a lead. I think its very irresponsible for all kinds of reasons-- not the least of which is the danger you expose your own dog to, from other aggressive and out of control off lead dogs. When cycling, I have had dogs come rushing to bite at my ankles, legs and tires, cause near wrecks racing in front of my bike, causing me to brake sharply to avoid running into them, etc. They are a dangerous menace.

As I avoid heavily trafficked roads at all costs, I generally do not have problems with cars. At certain times of the year there is a lot of farm equipment on the road, and no room for both of us on single track lanes. I happily go up on the verge to give them plenty of clearance.

I have more control over my bike than people have over their dogs, horses, and sometimes screaming small children. So I stop-- because I can, and perhaps they cannot, or their dog/horse/child is liable to be unpredictable. One time my habit of stopping probably saved my life-- a car pulling out from a drive with a very elderly driver, never paused, never looked, just came shooting out. I was already pulling for the brakes when I saw him edging out. I braked so hard in the end that my brakes broke off in my hand, but I managed to get the bike stopped inches from the car zooming into the road. Had there been another car on the road, another bike, or walkers, they would have been smashed flat.
 
I have been saying for months that if I rode my horse along the road as arrogantly as the lycra louts ride their bikes, I'm sure I would have started a riot by now.

My main gripe at the moment is the ones who refuse to use the cycle lane that is specifically there for them, and continue to ride along the A24 (Box Hill and therefore, unfortunately due to the Olympics, a target for lycra louts), often two or three abreast, taking away one of the motoring lanes, forcing motorists in the left-hand lane over to the right-hand lane.

It would be like us horse riders, having a bridlepath built specially for our horses alongside the road, but choosing to ignore it and keep riding on the road. Ignorant and selfish does not even come close to it :mad3::mad3:
 
We are suffering from the Bradley Wiggins wannabee's too.
The leisure riders are lovely - polite, wear hi viz, smile as they are riding along. But those who wear lycra are a danger to all road users. They seem to think that the normal rules of the road just don't apply to them.
 
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