Do you hate cyclists? Why or why not?

Question

Yesterday, some guy in a truck was totally yelling and waving his fist at me and I have no clue why. I was as far to the right as I could get - obeying traffic laws - and going about 22mph in a 30 mph zone. There was plenty of room to pass but he was just hating me. I seriously did not do a darn thing except exist, I guess.

Answer 1

many times now i have seriously peed off car drivers by obeying the highway code and NOT overtaking a cyclist until it was safe to do so while driving a truck. in one case, the car behind overtook me on a windy lane with double white lines in the middle (no overtaking!), dived back in far too close in front of me and nearly crashed into the cyclist. this chap sounds like a similar t**t.

and as for cycling on the pavement, that's illegal here.

we have a few cycle lanes, not nearly enough, and quite often they are littered with illegally parked cars anyway.

lots of similarly intolerant or downright hating answers here. for shame!

Answer 2

No, I actually like people who ride bikes very much. I wish everybody, or at least more people would ride bikes. It will help our environment, no air pollution! It's great for exercise too, better than people who harm our environment by driving gas guzzlers or by smoking! Iam a big fan of bikers and I feel very happy when I see a bike club on weekends riding together. I bike a lot myself & I enjoy it very much!

Answer 3

I don't have a problem with cyclists themselves. It's the way some of them act. I have seen numerous ones go right through stop signs as if they didn't apply to them. ( they do)

I have seen them riding two or three abreast....illegal. I have seen a large group of them in some kind of bike ride where they were two or three abreast....nearly a quarter mile in length..drive past a crash that they caused, yelling cyclists have rights too!!  These are the ones who make it worse for the rest of you. Where I live thousands, if not million of tax dollars have been spent to convert old abandoned railroad lines into bike paths exclusively for them. Do they stop at the stop signs erected where their path crosses a road? Only if they think they can't speed through traffic. Some of them don't even use the paths, which is beyond me?  Most of my encounters with bicycles seem to be approaching hills or blind curves. I refuse to put the rest of the motoring traffic at risk by passing them, so there I sit...cruising about 5mph while grandpa Moses huffs and puffs up a hill. If you lived in my area you would understand.

Answer 4

if they obey the traffic laws, i have no problem with them.  When they ride against the flow of traffic, impede the progress of traffic on a busy road, or ignore traffic laws ( i can't tell you how many times i've seen them run a stop sign/light) then i have a big problem.  For their own safety I think they should limit riding to less traveled roads and stay off main drives.  Just an opinion.

Answer 5

No - I drive, ride motorcycles and bicycles.  If some idiot can't share the road, they have a problem not you.

The cars have NO MORE RIGHT to the road than the bicycles.

Good Luck...

Answer 6

Ever heard of the point game?

Answer 7

I really hate cyclists who ride in the middle of a busy road, acting like they don't see the line of cars behind them.  At least when I bike, I'm not an idiot about the surrounding traffic.  I like bikers who keep to the side and signal with their hands, and stop at red lights.  Other bikers who don't really annoy me.

Answer 8

I dont hate them, but i really dont like ones that ride on the road when a sidewalk is available.  Why?  because no matter how the accident plays out, the automobile driver is at fault.  You could be riding your bike, and just as I pass you your front tire falls off and you go under my car.  For some messed up reason, I get sued.  Stuff like that happens way to much now-a-days.  

The other thing is, although you practice the traffic laws, many dont, and just expect the car drivers to react to unexpected movments and such, and guess who is responsbile in the accident again?

Answer 9

Only when they are in my way

Answer 10

That's terrible. I hate the cyclists that make driving difficult. You sound like a gem.  I ride too. Yesterday we stopped and good thing because this woman would have run us both over.

Be careful out there.  I expect drivers to be jerks. When some are nice then I smile and wave a big thanks.

I ride and drive in an area with a lot of undereducated people.  They drive like they own the road. There are a lot of accidents and there was an article in the paper with input from the police about how bad it is. It's ridiculous. We have to share the road with the others. That's the bottom line.

Answer 11

Years ago I followed a car from the stop sign into a town 6 miles away. I rode about three feet behind him. He was doing about 55mph and it was fun. He sure did not like it. About one year later I did the same thing with a bus and he did not like it at all. It was fun when he tried to lose me and could not. Cars and trucks make a good wind break.

Some people in their trucks and buses feel as though they own the road. Just carry a cell phone and phone the police. One time I had some kids get me wet and I caught up with the vehicle in town then I phone the police. The police found out that they had stolen a fire extinguisher. The kids were arrested. Sometimes those people think a bicycle cannot go very fast. On my bicycle I could get going at around 50 for a short time and 30 for a much longer time. The speed limit in town is 25 so I could easily catch them.

Answer 12

No, i have no problem with cyclists...

I think people that cycle are great because instead of destroying the environment with engines their exercising and obviously not polluting earth!

Answer 13

Um , they're okay. I don't have a problem with them.

But then again , I don't drive (yet) :)

Answer 14

Im a cyclist myself and I do have to deal with rude drivers on the streets most of them dont see me even in broad daylight so I have to wave and be extra cautious since most dont look both ways when making a turn .it gets frustrating at times ..I think that they may not like cyclist because its just another reason to be extra careful besides the regular pedestrians and they can be so reckless...and may just not want that extra pressure which is a part of driving ..watching out for others on the street ..I just think rude drivers are jerks..lol

Answer 15

I think it's great when people ride bikes instead of drive.

Just so people know, riding on the sidewalks is FAR more dangerous than riding on the street. The sidewalks have all sorts of obstacles like telephone poles, pedestrians, fire hydrants, curbs, etc. Going 25+ mph and having to dodge those things on uneven terrain is way more dangerous than sticking to the left and going slightly less than the speed limit.

Answer 16

only if they are in my lane. I think the cities should start putting in more cycle lanes though seeing as how gas prices are going.

Answer 17

I wouldn't say hate at all, but sometimes they tick me off because they are in the road and it is hard to dodge them when another car is coming from the opposite direction. It's only because I am afraid I will mow them over.

Answer 18

yes they're always so dam slow

Answer 19

I agree there are idiots on cycles...however, I am a cyclist, year round. I live in an area where bike lanes are a new concept, and the drivers are totally unaware that we have the right to ride in a lane. I do pull to the right to let cars pass, but sidewalk riding is illegal, and sometimes its impossible or dangerous to ride close to the gutter.

I follow all the laws of riding, and try my best to educate other riders.......but there are problems with both cyclists and motorists.

Answer 20

Honestly, everytime there's a cyclist near me, he's in the middle of the d**n road slowing down traffic...******* irritating really....