Most drivers would prefer cyclists being banned from riding on the roads. They will say something silly, like wishing that we should ride on the sidewalks.
Cycling in single file on small two lane roads, the way we always did as a kids. We make sure we still do now in our groups, there are some entitled assholes that are cyclists too.. Unfortunately..
That's easy. Ban cars from cities, make muscle-assisted transport #1 and public transport #2 - thereby shifting the massive burden away from the plebs. Calm plebs = less angriness and less cars for some = more space for everyone. (plebs = those with less than 35 million € income/stealing annually).
@@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe general mild "road rage" of people who simply don't want anything to be in front of them and for every traffic light to be green just for them, isn't the same as the specific way in which cyclists encounter it as an "us and them" style of event.
As a civil engineer, just popping in to say that the relative amount of damage that a bike does to the road versus a car or tractor trailer is vanishingly small. If only bikes used the roads, the cost of maintenance would be greatly reduced. Even if bikes were charged taxes to help maintain roadways, they should be prorated based on the proportion of road maintenance needed due to the damage caused be different vehicles.
@@stevec6232 It's the forth power of the weight, so a steep curve, but as a rule of thumb 1 car does the same damage as 10,000 bikes, 1 HGV does the same damage as 10,000 car. The bikes probably don't do any damage at all, as they'd make too little deflection in the surface, but there you go.
"If only bikes used the roads cost of maintenance would be reduced" TRUE ! BUT we would all die of malnutrition because most food is delivered by HGV's
I had a conversation with a motorist after they’d calmed down from ranting at me. They were really upset that I wasn’t hugging the kerb and that I kept “swerving” out from the hedge! I was on a narrow country B road. When I explained that the swerving was to avoid potholes, cracks in the road and general lumps of country organic matter that was at the edge of the road I could see the sudden light bulb go on. I asked them if potholes were a problem for them and if they needed to swerve occasionally for bad potholes. The anger really dissipated after that conversation.
I'm not sure it's possible to get the message across to everyone who needs to hear it, but I think some kind of general education programme on why cyclists don't like to, and shouldn't, hug the kerb reduce a lot of the anger we see. Some will still be frustrated that we exist for all kinds of reasons, but if the starting point for many drivers is to routinely see cyclists behave in a way they assume to be selfish, then it is inevitable they will see everything else we do through that lens. There's more that could be added to help drivers understand why cyclists are being sensible, not selfish by doing x, y, or z. But simply having most understand why we don't hug the kerb would go a long way to improving relations.
I changed a few things in my behavior and ever since then I had no arguments with other drivers and saw more smiles and had frequent "go aheads" when I had no right of way. I do not longer use mirrored lenses this makes the connection towards other drivers human instead of a car vs cyclist situation, photochromatic lenses are ideal in any situation really. I ride in a defensive way and this changes completely the impression you make on the bike. I obey the rules and I care to always be a able to stop in time when in city-limits. Of course I still make mistakes but I then apologize and mostly this is appreciated and we both go on with a smile instead of a grim face. This way cycling brings a huge amount of joy and no stress, highly recommend it!
I think many bad interactions (not all) can be avoided if cyclists act in a courteous way. Most times in winding roads I will motion the car forward when the road is clear but they can’t see from their point. Prizm road lenses for me, but if changing sunglasses works for you then all power to you :)
Well said, although when i suggested, in reply to another commenter who spoke of the value of eye contact, that mirrored glasses inhibit this, I was accused of blaming the victim.
One thing that bugs me is drivers who pull right up to the kerb to prevent me from filtering past. The worst are the ones who have already stopped, but do an extra kerb blocking manoeuvre when they see me coming. I just go around and pass on the other side, but they're probably the same people who complain about cyclists weaving through traffic.
I hate this as well. They overtake me right before joining the back of a queue. Then position their near side wheels tight to the kerb to stop me filtering. Like you said, I just pass on the other side and laugh at them as I pass like “what was the point”. 😂
@@TheNightmoves I agree with that. If they’ve already passed you, there’s no point filtering because they’re only going to have to pass you again. I do still filter though if there is a long queue of cars otherwise I would be there all day lol.
@@TheNightmoves you really don't need to do that... in fact in cities like London you are supposed to go ahead of cars at the light, there is a special zone for bikes there painted on the asphalt... It's safer that way... In cities due to traffic most likely you will pass those cars and never see them again... I can't imagine how long it would take to ride to work waiting in the Q at lights with cars... I've even seen drivers laughing at a cyclist waiting in line at a stoplight with the cars...
Being a frequent bike commuter, weekend roadie warrior and a classic motoring enthusiast at the same time, I do respect cyclists on roads with all their flaws. In fact, any car driver who cannot handle his car in the environment, where bikes are present as well, should not have a driver's license.
I'm just a commuter, but I do notice I get more space and "respect" from drivers when I've got my lights on. I don't know if that's because I'm suddenly a "vehicle" or something in their eyes, but I definately don't hesitate to turn them on on rainy and dim days.
The flipside tho is drivers drunk tailing you focusing on the light, or people looking to harassas you. The correct light situatuion is always up to the cyclist in the moment. More often than not it is much safer to remain unseen
@StickWarrior "The correct light situatuion is always up to the cyclist in the moment. More often than not it is much safer to remain unseen" This has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard a cyclist say...or person. There is no time as a cyclist on a road that it is better to be unseen. EVER! The issue isn't just being unseen and not noticed but drivers not registering you are there. There's countless studies that have been done to show this very issue...the great invisible gorilla test for one (google it mate). Unbelievable. Even as a car driver you don't want to ever not be seen lol Being in a blind spot of a truck can be deadly in a car...and you'r suggesting cyclists aim to be as unseen as possible . FML mate
Yes I agree. I use lights, most of us do. I think a head light set to flash, really gets attention. The signs in front of you flash and my flashing rear light does the same.
Messaging from Canada I totally agree. I always get more respect with lights on, I think they assume I am a pro or semi pro rider. Mind you, this applies much more to rural and suburban roads. Urban roads are still chock full of car commuters that hate anything that slows them at all!
I have See Sense light front Beam+ and rear ICON3 even during daytime commuting in Australia. I also have a Varia running on all bikes (one varia and many brackets 😄)
Actually, it's a mix. County Councils pay for the roads we cycle on so local road funding comes from Council tax and the Highways Agency pays for the Motorways and major A roads. For example: www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/what-we-look-after/roads/road-and-pavement-planned-maintenance
@@gcn UK VED is "non-hypothecated tax" so that the money raised isn't ringfenced for any particular use and anything spent on the roads just comes from the same big pot of general taxation & govt borrowing as everything else......
Another thing to keep in mind is that nearly all the cost of a road (after initial install, anyway) is in repairing the damage caused by vehicles. Bicycles do not cause damage to the road, so there have been tax plans suggested that would go off of vehicle weight.
In Germany it's different but it also does not make sense to tax cyclist for road usage since it's negligible. I roughly remember that in uni it was said its weight of the axle^3. Therefore a lorry is so much worse than a car.
When I was a junior, I had a wonderful coach that gave a friendly wave and smile to every passing car. I have kept that practice, and although it's no panacea and one can't account for every ill-tempered motorist, it does set the stage for a positive interaction. I do not relinquish my right to the road, but I do what I can to accommodate a motorist's need to pass in the safest manner possible. Most of us want to get along whether driving, riding, or on foot. Less ego, more joy, watch out for the dummies.
I'm so grateful for the bike paths here in Perth, Western Australia. I live more than 20km from the city but can cycle to work pretty much the entire way in separate paths. It makes the daily commute a lot less stressful than having to ride with cars. As a bonus there is a network of paths going all over the metro area which are very enjoyable to explore on the weekend for longer rides. It's not a perfect system by any stretch but it's a great resource that I very much enjoy utilising.
In denmark many of the Racing cyclist dont use bike paths. Like they have Them for a reason and are required by law to use Them. But then chose to be a shit head to drivers and get mad when someone honks at Them. For breaking laws.
The problems are 1) Infrastructure and 2) Identity. 1) At least in the US, roads are designed for cars, with all other forms of movement as an afterthought. This naturally leads to people believing they have a greater right to public roads once they step into a car. That is what the road tells them! When anything else is there, be it someone walking, cycling, a school bus, etc, etc... that thing is "in the way" because that is what the road tells the users. Narrower & fewer lanes, speed bumps, traffic furniture, and most importantly transportation alternatives, alleviate this problem drastically (not to mention, removing "free" on street parking in cities - there is ample room for safe cycling infrastructure in cities if on street parking is reduced. That is a choice we have made which so far we have been unwilling to reverse). 2) There is no need to identify someone by their chosen mode of transport. Nobody at a party says "Nice to meet you; I'm a driver". Everyone is simply a PERSON who is using a tool to accomplish a goal. Nothing more; nothing less. Next time you find yourself talking about these things, instead of saying "driver" or "cyclist", say "person using a _____". Road usage does not need to be a battle with different teams. This is a co-op game!
yup... I keep saying that building cycling infrastructure is great...till you realise you cant built it absolutely everywhere like cars drivers and pedestraians have and you actually need to have great road culture. Incidents will always happen..just as they will always with everything in life...but it would be great to live in a soceity where drivers actively care about the damage and harm they can do when driving and actively drive to be safe, not fast.
Used to work with this guy who raged against cyclists often to me, ( it was the lone cyclist that made him late for work, not the 10.000 rush hour cars between him and his destination). He stood in the canteen and raged, proposing a huge change to UK infrastucture to force us pesky cyclist off the road. His proposal was genius: a country wide network of roads that cyclists were banned from using, I listened agog, then mentioned the motorway system, that I also pay for, between roars of laughter. He called ma an activist and stormed off.
In my 30 years of cycling I have been criticised for: cycling on the road, cycling on the cyclepath, ringing a bell, not ringing a bell, cycling two abreast, cycling in a long single line, cycling too fast, cycling too slowly… you get the idea. We will never be able to cycle in a way that stops some drivers hating, because they will always find some reason to hate. The problem isn’t with cyclists.
Yeah but most drivers are ok with most that except for two abreast, or riding too far into the lane when the edge or shoulder are perfectly fine for cycling. Just because some drivers are jerks doesn't mean that most are.
@@Jojo-o6o6wYou clearly haven't understood how this practice benefits car drivers. I'm grateful to cyclists for riding two abreast when I'm in my car. Far easier to overtake 👍
@@Jojo-o6o6w I ride two abreast to give more of a buffer to my wife (cycling on the inside) and enforce that people overtake only once it’s clear ahead. If a car cannot overtake us when riding two abreast on two lane road, they cannot overtake us when we are single file either so it makes no odds. if they get mad about that that’s very much a them problem.
On a club ride last summer one of our group was abused and stopped by a woman in horse riding gear who was accompanying her daughter who was driving as a learner. All he did was to shout up to the group in front that there was a car approaching from behind. She accused him of all sorts of stuff in a very intimidating manner and her highly strung daughter wouldn't even calm down. She was a danger to anyone on that road, certainly not in a fit state to drive. My colleague was incredibly tactful and explained our protocols but that woman wasn't even listening and he explained several times but she was just not having it. A posh horsey person near Cheltenham who thinks she owns the county! What a mare :-)
You don't say whether your protocols were legal or you simply assumed the road. Hey, we gotta do what doesn't get us killed, asked the motorcycle riders, but I wouldn't complain about backlash if that was the case. You can probably report her if she was literally intoxicated with rage. Not sure why what she was wearing, or your class prejudices belong in the story. Seems as though you were just mirrors of each other. Why is it relevant she was a woman?
Completely legal. She wasn't a physical threat but just unwilling to reason. Her daughter though was in no fit state to be driving as she was so wound up yet our presence on the road was not at all intimidating. Single file on a quiet road. The irony is that horse riders when in twos always ride side by side and respect cars which pass with care. I don't understand why you are picking up on the details of my account. Are you trying to say I'm being a misogynist? I was not the person being abusive, she jumped out of the car and shouted abuse at my friend and even though he apologised if she and her daughter were upset she wouldn't accept that there had been a misunderstanding. She was arrogant rude, and aggressive.He however was calm and very polite as he wanted to protect the integrity of our club and the way we ride. @@tacticalskiffs8134
If your protocol was the one that I learned in club riding here in Massachusetts, USA, it is to shout "car back", preferably in a voice loud enough to be heard all the way at the front of the pack. Cyclists are so used to this that they might not consider that a motorist hearing it for the first time might think that they're being commanded, in a louder than polite voice, to stay back and not overtake the cyclists.
Why would you sit in a queue that you don't need to On my bicycle or motorbike, I'm skipping that and going either to the front or as far as I safely can
Here in the UK, VED goes into the pot along with income tax, fuel duty, tobacco duty.......... The government then spend a tenner a year on the upkeep of the entire road network.
Most local roads are the responsibility of the local council, who have seen massive cuts to their central govt funds and probably don't see a penny of VED.
There is an indirect link between VED and road maintenance in the UK. The government has pledged that the funding for National Highways will at least match the amount raised by VED. That said, National Highways are only responsible for the strategic road network which comprises motorways and major trunk roads - ie the type of roads that cyclists either cannot ride on or would avoid riding on (apart from the odd TT). As has already been mentioned the vast majority of roads are maintained by local authorities not the National Highways body.
Also most roads we cycle on are funded by the local authority, so that cash comes from your council tax. The “they should pay Road tax” argument could be made against pedestrians, horses etc. Bikes don’t wear out roads like 2 tonne cars do.
Dan, as a winner of the competition today, I can say with certainty that having your name read out as a winner is amazing and surprising 😊🎉. Thanks GCN 👍
A few years ago I did the Public Service Cycling course as a bicycle paramedic. Although I no longer work in that role, I still cycle accordingly. I think, on occasions when I defensively take the lane, by cycling directly down the middle of the active lane of traffic, it is always polite to acknowledge the patience of the drive when I drop back to my position 0.8m from the kerb.
The moment you thank someone or say sorry for making a mistake, 99% of people are usually cool. I’ve done dumb things in my car and apologised and I’ve never had any issues after apologising.
@@306maxievo2 Absolutely. This is the currency of polite society isn't it? We all make mistakes, me maybe more than most. Acknowledge, forgive and forget generally works 😁
This episode really speaks to me right now because yesterday, a car driver purposefully swerved into me, hitting my left elbow/wrist, and twisting the handlebars. I chased her down - thankfully I'm one of these people who can manage to keep up with cars in urban environments - to ask for a statement. She refused and proceeded to crushed my front wheel. Even though I'm physically OK with no fractures, this was a difficult ordeal. One of the things that has struck me is that car drivers showed no concern about my obviously destroyed bike, and were just asking me to get off the road as I was obstructing traffic. The only witness I've managed to get a number from was... a cyclist.
Had an ex-colleague hit a cyclist who was going straight while he wanted to turn left (Australia) and had damaged their bike as he drove off, almost boasting. Months later became very remorseful about it as he'd moved and found he could commute to work via a bike way so went to buy a bike thinking any mountain bike or flat bar road bike would be under $200 and was thinking about how much the bike he ruined might've cost. Supervisor told him he's just an a-hole in general anyway, as even $200 is a lot to some people.
Never nice to read these bad experiences, unfortunately it's the case that there are bad people in every camp. We hope it's not turned you off riding your bike? 👀
Si and Dan, you are the A team. I am a cyclist who also drives. what frustrates me when driving is the number of cyclists who pass on the left in slow moving traffic. That is so dangerous (in the UK) as anyone turning left may wipe them out. when cycling I always overtake on the right. The other thing is when they ride at dusk with no lights. Their vision is so much better than someone in a car and they feel it's safe but a driver can't see them so well. I have to admit sometimes I scoot across red lights when it is green to pedestrians, partly to avoid holding up drivers who are behind me when the light goes green.
Here in the US, we cyclists also overtake on the right. And yep, mirror image of your situation and it's incredibly dangerous. Some of the issue is cars have shit visibility, drivers don't want to kill cyclists but don't know how, so they get stressed out, and act like your average stressed out human. They could slow down, but then other motorists will stress them out. They cars just aren't designed to share the roads with cyclists.
We have road tax in Ukraine, and the reason for it is that cars destroy roads! And bicycles do not. Moreover, the road tax income is completely insufficient to cover the road repairs, so most of the money comes from general taxes that are paid by every citizen, including cyclists. Therefore, that line of argument is completely insufficient, at least here.
I think GCN(?) had an interesting traffic psychology video some time ago where it was mentioned that the entire traffic infrastructure itself suggests to drivers that they are legitimate road users and cyclists are not.
NotJustBikes and Shifter identified similar conclusions in their own research. Car-centric road infrastructure means that drivers are taught and expect to see _only_ other cars on the road, even if legally speaking the road permits mixed traffic. Motorcycle riders encounter the same issue, even though they have much more power to spare and can easily keep up with cars.
Seriously, that is how it feels to drive in London? If it is psychology, it is usually a lie. That is a "science" with a huge replication problem. The carbon they want to ban is you. If the cars go, the bikes will go. They aren't going to let you ride under the radar on you expensive carbon bikes when the economy is collapsed. If things carry on as they do, there is no model for that level of industry based on bikes.
Ever since fall of 2022 I've been going down the urbanist rabbit hole and I have taken up bike commuting and it has been a genuine pleasure to not need to worry about oil prices, getting some movement in on my way to work and the store. I genuinely hate massive pickup trucks and car dependent infrastructure. Even as a car enthusiast we should be fighting against car dependency.
Hawaii also makes you register your bike. It is only $15 one time, but it helps pay for cycling paths, and you get a numbered sticker that prevents bike theft/selling on.
That's a really interesting idea! Do you think that cyclists would be happy to pay more for better infrastructure should it be part of the taxes we all already pay?
I live in Southern California and commute to work on my bike. I'm very pleased with the respect I get here, especially while riding briefly through sections of roads with no bike lanes. But I go the extra mile to respect drivers by not blocking their paths. I stay far right and don't stop in the right lane when approaching cars are coming to turn right on red.
Its funny how few comments i have seen actually understand respekt. Its your and a few others most of Them comments are about how drivers get mad for no reason. Now i cant speak for everybody but most cyclist i see break multiple laws. Sonthere is a reason why i get mad. I dont Care if i need to drive 10 kmh behind i cyclist until i can overtake. I am patient. Cause with patiens everything goes faster for everyone. And everybody is Safe that Way. To many are to Quick to over react. I have had cyclist drive infront of me without looking comming out from a side Road in an 80 zone. And they get mad when i honk. Which i dot because i dont wanna live with killing an idiot. And its stupid to risk yourlife for a new pr.
My view is those who get triggered by cyclists are likely to be triggered by everyone "in their way". Somehow it has become accepted to see the cyclist as the problem whereas perhaps it is simply the impatience of drivers that is the real issue.
Oh and I don't get why what cyclists wear is so often ridiculed. Why, does it concern someone what someone else wears, it doesn't affect them at all (well unless they have some deep sense of guilt that they are not exercising and seeing someone displaying athleticism reminds them of their lack of the same)
It is nit just the impatince of drivers. Its also the impatience of cyclist. I have often seen Them not really Care about their life. Just to get a new pr. Sometimes they fly out infront of cars in 80 kmh zones and get mad when you honk. Im not allways the most patient driver. But when i am deling with a cyclist i am often more carefull do to Them being what we Call soft drivers in denmark its the same with people on motor bikes. They are also soft. If they Fall its most likely death for Them where nothing happens tp the driver other than the risk of mental problems of they accidently kill someone.
My experience of angry motorists has been during group rides and although as a club we were conscious and respectful of other road users, our group rides were 15+ cyclists along country lanes.. We would split the group into 3 or 4 on hearing a car approaching us to allow for easier overtaking, this did upset some car drivers - to the extent that on one occasion a motorist had adjusted his windscreen spray jets to fire at 90 degrees so he could 'soak' us as he drove past.. Didn't have the desired result, we thought it was hilarious that someone would spend so much time out of their day just to spray a little water on some cyclists in August..
I really love that approach to group rides. It's considerate and safer. Where we live it's not necessarily the group riders that are less considerate. I am a cyclist but when driving behind a cyclist on a busy A-road next to a cycle lane I'll admit to muttering. It's not like they're smashing Strava at that point.
Don't worry, it wasn't because you were in a group that they got you with the wind screen. I've had that when I've been riding myself, no provocation whatsoever (except for being on a bike).
I just follow the normal rules of the road, adding in the "no need to stop at a stop sign if I can see if its perfectly safe to proceed"; I advise not to spend the mental effort on these people who must not have anything better going on in their day that they have to be angry at some people getting a workout in
Whenever someone honks at me when I'm cycling eventhough I'm already at the very side of the road, I just think that they're mad because you're physically fit and they aren't.... It's just pure jealousy! 😂
@@yukiko_5051 mate...plenty of rich people do the same. tradies (at least in australia that are on 6 figures), BMW's and Mercs etc. Arrogance and entitlement aren't limited to how much you take home
Black ninja here. Yes, I wear whatever I want. I don't go on the road without good lights anyway. I dont get this. There are many black cars, even more grey ones, matching the skies of Belgium. Many black motorcycles and most motorcyclists wear full black. Are all these more difficult to see than other coloured vehicles?
Personally I try to bring my cycling into my conversations every now and again, so that others (who are drivers) are aware that I'm out on the roads. Making it personal might help drivers feel more friendly towards cyclists (if my friends like me, that is...) If we can remember that others are humans, that can go a long way.
In my experience car drivers just hate everyone that they feel are 'getting in their way', cars, bicycles, busses, etc.. bicycles are just extra annoying because a lot of them feel bicycles 'don't belong on the road'. Thus they should have a license plate if they do use the roads. Motorcyclists where I live usually don't respect red lights, but they are not getting in the way of car drivers, so we just call them idiots.
Bicyclists who don't ride courteously, and display excessive entitlement piss me off. It's nothing whatsoever to do with them 'not paying road tax' or anything as such. I've only ever read that in comments after cycling articles..
I agree. It's not about cars vs bikes it's about people that want to drive fast everywhere vs everyone else. As a driver, do a very simply test: Strictly follow the speed limit of whatever road you are going and see how quickly a driver tails you.
@@chocolate_squiggle I always try to facilitate other road users, but the difference is that when cars don't drive 'courteously', there's a risk of death, not just an risk of being 'pissed off'.
True, they may even hate themselves a little bit, but I think they harbour a "special" kind of hate in a dark poorly ventilated area of their heart for cyclists.
Interesting. Though, there is a flip side to that. I noticed in this one province, that all the polite, lovely people would cross over the line to pass you. What sweethearts. But there is a dark side. And it happened to a guy I knew slightly who was coming through Texas on a coast to coast. Driver saw an oncoming truck, panicked, moved over, and took him out. Amazingly, his time wasn't up, and after a brief stay in a hospital he returned to the road. The lesson is that the person who confidently passes you close, may be at ease around you. It can be too close (take off your helmet and dress in all black if there is good visibility, see what they do then), but they may also be confident. After that story, I started to look out for oncoming logging trucks because these drivers that cross over don't actually have the skilset.
As a motorist, here is a list of things that make my car journeys longer, in order of added travel time: 1. Other cars 2. Unnecessary traffic lights 3. Drivers waiting to turn right and blocking the road 4. Cars inappropriately parked and creating an obstacle (often on both the road & pavement) 5. Cars parked on double yellow lines 6. Drivers using their mobile phones and thus not paying attention other traffic 7. Drivers staring at their mobile phones in a queue of traffic and not noticing the cars ahead have moved on. 8. Accidents caused by cars (especially a motorway accident) 9. Drivers not indicating at turns and causing confusion. 10. Drivers not indicating when pulling out from a parked space (90% of motorists) 11. Drivers not indicating at roundabouts, therefore not giving the opportunity for other drivers to move onto the roundabout 12. Drivers being baffled as to how a roundabout works 13. Bewildered drivers who cause mayhem 14. Cyclists I can't explain why, but I'm calm & accepting of reasons 1 - 13. Even though they cost time, additional fuel & create pollution. But the 55 seconds per annum that cyclists hold me up, and even though I'll probably make the time back knowing No.'s 1 - 13 are somewhere down the road, No.14 MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL!! Doesn't make any sense
That's the power of years and years and years of propaganda telling us that cars mean freedom, lifestyle and power. And everything that is in the way of a car is an object. Even if said object has two arms, two legs and a heart. We live in a soulless world, unfortunately.
I've annoyed 2 drivers somewhat recently because I did the henious road offence of turning right onto a side road.... Yep, that was it. They seemed to take issue with me also adopting my road position more towards the centre line prior to taking the turn to help show my intentions along my indicating (fun fact this is the exact same procedure learnt for motorbike riding). They seemed to dislike me not being in the gutter on the left for more than 5 seconds. I think in the future I might just stay left and just indicate and swerve last second which seems to be their preference, I'm sure that can't go wrong at all! In a less satircal note, the main annoyance to any driver is the idea of someone getting in their way and hindering where they are going. When I drive I have the wonderful trait called patience. Oh no there is a cyclist ahead, well there are also 30 more red lights I am gonna have to stop for, another 50 places I need to give way etc. If on the road with the mindset of getting annoyed, you get annoyed! The same people raging at cyclists also tend to also hate other motor vehicles, any other brand of vehicle which isn't the same as theirs, any other driver with the same brand because it means their not special, and most importantly, they tend to also hate themselves a bit.
Several years ago, while riding in open country, I started giving drivers who moved over a bit more than absolutely required while passing me a friendly wave and nod in thanks. It seems to have helped . . . or not, it might just be my imagination but drivers seemed a lot nicer in subsequent years.
I have exactly one goal when cycling in the city. It's to put as much distance between myself and the cars as I can. This almost always mean that I will run lights, dodge in-and-out of traffic, ride the sidewalk, pretty much anything to stay far away. I've had too many cars turn left in front of me, pull out without looking, squeezing me off the road and many, many more problems. When a car makes a "whoopsie" with me, it's my life, so I keep maximum distance.
I am a cyclist myself, and I hate cyclist who don't obey any trafic rules, eg, ride in the middle of the lane, jump red lights, stop signs etc, and then go in the GCN comments, to moan about other road users that motorists are road raging. I have real life example, I was on a training ride, was stopped at red light and other cyclist just sprinted by me through red light like nothing was there and managed to shout at me for why I had stopped :D
I especially despise ignorant cyclists that pass me with more than 30kph narrowly when I trackstand and thereby could swere sideways at any given moment. They just dont care!
In denmark they are required to use a bike path when its pressent. Often they dont do that either. Or as i had happen to me recently. I was driving in an 80 kmh zone. And had just alowed Down to 60 because it was a Sharp conner. And a Car had just come out of a side Road that is there. So after i had slowed Down a cyclist comes flying out in to the middel of the Road without looking requireing me to hit the brakes where i then honk and he still thinks im wrong and hes right. And just Got mad at me. I see more kids following laws than adults on Racing bikes.
I've driven 10s of thousands of city miles on my bike(s) going to work through the years in Southern California. For bicyclist injury crashes, roughly 58 percent occurred at an intersection. So *YES* I will go through red lights and stop signs when it is *safe* to do so to get out of the danger zone. *Example:* You arrive a stop sign way ahead of 2 other vehicles approaching. Do you stop and then go, by which time the vehicles are now at stop sign area and if they don't stop your toast because you have no speed? Or do you slow enough to make absolutely sure and then get through the intersection without stopping before vehicles reach the sign? I choose 2nd option, I've had cars honk at me from behind as they reach the stop sign, but I know I'm safe unless they decide to deliberately run me down. Run me down? That's dark! But there are those in my area that will "buzz" you or "roll smoke" and try other things to scare you. So no, I have very low regard for Death mobile drivers. Another thing I will do if able is go through a stop sign next to vehicle just starting to cross, they are on my left and in order to be hit the car next to me will be hit as well. 😠
Using a Mobile Phone while cycling both hand held and texting. This is dangerous for the cyclist and if they get hit and killed by a driver it will ruin the drivers life. Even if it is deemed blame lies with the cyclist. Yes its not illegal for the cyclist but should be. Please put your phones away and keep alert and alive. Your channel is great and promoting safety is a must. I am a cyclist, a motorcyclist and a driver (Cars & vans) so can see from all perspectives. I protect cyclists when I am not cycling. I had a truck deliberately skid in front of me on a charity bike ride!
I cycle in a rural community where I also live and work. We get a few groups of cyclists who like to visit the countryside but forget it is where others have to live and work. So groups riding 2 or 3 abreast for miles on narrow lanes must be seen as deliberately causing problems for other road users. Often they prevent passing traffic from giving them the room needed for a safe pass. When a group come to a wider section of road and spread out to be 4-5 abreast riding on both sides of the road what does that say to the traffic that has been following them for two or three miles? When I ride the bike if I get to a junction or wider section I let traffic past - everyone's happier.
As a cyclist and a motorist, they both annoy me! But the best cyclist story from my last week was the chap who was cycling in the dark, no lights or reflective clothing, no helmet, going the wrong way down a one-way street, with a full shopping bag dangling from each handlebar. The stationary police car in front of me wasn't bothered. Welcome to Edinburgh.
From what I've seen and heard, the biggest issue with cyclists vs automobile drivers is the perceived flouting of road rules combined with freedom of movement in busy traffic and general hooning that some cyclists partake in.
I live in a more rural area. What I find perplexing is most of the time, it isn’t much wait before there is room for the car to pull around. Farm equipment is often on the road moving at about the same pace as a bike. Due to its size, it can be much harder for cars to pass. Generally, the drivers seem to just accept that is part of driving in the area. I think it mostly comes down to their perception of who should be using the road.
I drove with a relative in a busy city the other day. He was complaining about the bike lanes themselves. For him more bike lanes means less space for cars and therefore slower car traffic.
Here in Brazil I cycle to work on avg once or twice a week via a highway pullover lane. The majority of drivers are lovely and do respect the cyclists (at least in my city hahaha) but some go absolutely bonkers when I just cycle past them when they're stuck in traffic... "You should be on a sidewalk!" or "Roads are for cars only!", nor to mention the looks hahaha despite that it's a lovely 25Km to go to work and another 25Km to go back. Keep up the good work guys! You should come here once for a beautiful beach descend
I agree, that it’s simply that we exist. I have had drivers yell at me when driving by, and I was riding on the 5’ shoulder. Not even in the road, so they don’t even need to move to go around me.
My cycling friend said to me years ago that motorists anger with cyclists always stems from jealousy, jealous you're enjoying yourself,travelling cost free,getting exercise etc
Get real, they think your are hobos. I used to commute in Toronto, and then there was a large transit strike. I thought great. I ride a bike 20 miles a day to my job, why worry. That did not work, the roads were not only crowded, but stuffed with newbie car commuters swinging open doors, and other stuff. Made me realize how much cars respected and took care of cyclists, and how well we got on on the roads. Not long after that the people in city hall started setting us against each other with stupid bike lanes that nobody uses, and a bunch of loose talks.
Also stuff like 'travelling cost free" In big cities, people who are able to afford the parking are getting like 700K participation bonuses, annually. You think they care about what it costs to drive in? Looser talk. And exercise with your mouth in a tail pipe. OK. Thing I liked about it was the feeling of power. In Toronto you drop down the old contours of the lake like a diving hawk for the trip into town, and you come out with a great feeling as you easily ride back up the hill. I once paced a messenger back up, and he was kind enough to express his surprise at how fast I was. He was just being kind (not to mention long into his day and not showing it), but it felt great to not worry about the hills. I am not going to bother myself about what cars think of me. I drive cars, I know.
@@tacticalskiffs8134depends on the location. I live in Flanders and no one thinks cyclists are "hobos" or lesser, in any way. They get pissed, but just because they like following the rules and lack perspective (shit bike paths).
I am a cyclist, but I have to say my pet peeves that cyclist do that annoy the living daylights out of me when in a car are: 1) Riding two abreast on narrow farm roads, forcing oncoming traffic(Me) to have to virtually stop so not to hit them. When I ride in this situation I always ride single file when I see or hear a car, especially if on narrow roads. 2) Shooting through red traffic lights in busy town centers, and then challenging pedestrians or cars trying to cross. 3) Not using segregated bike lanes in the city, but instead riding center of the lane to prove a point. Antagonistic behaviour towards motorists, Jeremy Vine springs to mind here as well.
It’s better to ask why cyclists hate automobiles. I’m so tired of breathing bus exhaust, dealing with super-trucks that are too wide, cars with zero situational awareness, drinks, losing mates to car accidents, and on and on…
I've been riding over 40 years. In that time, I've also been a courteous motorist. If I add up all the time where a cyclist has caused me to slow down or wait, I'm probably out 2 whole minutes
You anyway likely have to wait at the next traffic light anyway and what makes the motorist even more angreifen is that after they pass You amd wait at the traffic light, you casually Filter up ahead of them.
Mate, I've probably been held up by a cyclist over my time driving for about 10 minutes...which is less time than the amount of time I've been held up by cars in just one trip to the city.
I was a taxi driver in Portsmouth uk. Never really cared about cyclists. Always gave them the room I thought I needed when I rode. But there was one occasion when my car was kicked by lady cyclist in full racing gear. I was sat at traffic lights on main road with 2 offset side roads 10mbetween them. I was sat at a red light on main road indicating left, with the left had turn 10m in front of me and the right turn at the lights all controlled by the lights. There was one car in front of me and a line of cars behind me. We all pulled away very slowly with me still indicating checked my side mirror as I was about to turn as I always did because I was paranoid about being hit as it was my own car and the cost of taxi insurance was expensive and I didn’t want it going up any more. I didn’t see anything then as I started to turn I heard a bang as something hit my car, I stopped and a this cyclist continued to ride round she shouted at me and said it was my responsibility to see her and wait. I said why should it be my responsibility to avoid her when she was breaking the rules of the road. Would any cyclist think it was sensible to undertake a slow moving car indicating left just before a junction and think the car would see them despite the possibility of being in a cars blind spot. I ended up screaming at her that she shouldn’t put her life in the hands of car drivers by breaking rules of the road and assuming that they would see her and stop. When I cycled I would always assume every vehicle hasn’t seen me and would pull out on me or cut me up and prepare to take avoiding action. Not assuming the vehicle will see and they will take avoiding actions. It is my life and I take responsibility for it not pass on the responsibility to other road users, but hey that’s just me !
I might be misunderstanding your description, but the new highway code instructs drivers to give right of way to cyclists travelling on the nearside and turning left into a junction...as if there was another imaginary lane between the nearside lane and the kerb. I don't really agree with most of the updated code, but it's worth a check if that is the issue here..
That would be correct if I was overtaking a cyclist and turning left just past them. I was not overtaking them I had just pulled away from a junction and the cyclist was undertaking me at a traffic light junction while indicating left. Rule 74 says when approaching a junction on the left, watch out for vehicles turning in front of you, out of or into the side road. If you intend to turn left,check first for other cyclists or other motorists before signalling. Do not ride on the inside of vehicles signalling or slowing down to turn left. I repeat DO NOT RIDE ON THE INSIDE OF VEHICLES SIGNALLING OR SLOWING DOWN TO TURN LEFT. I assume it’s in the Highway Code not just for a rule but you would have to be completely mad to think undertaking a vehicle turning left would be a good idea. If you can find me a rule in the Highway Code where it says a cyclist is allowed to undertake a vehicle indicating left I would love to read it. Thank you for your reply
When I'm training on a road, I wear a helmet that has a turn signal and headlight built into the lid. People tend to leave me alone. They actually back off like a car when I'm turning.
@gcn yes but I use hand signals during the day too, which are less effective because alot of drivers don't know what they mean. They do understand turn signals.
When I lived in the Netherlands in the early ‘90s, Dutch police would routinely stop moped riders in bike lanes to make sure their engines were under 50cc. Many moped riders modified their engine displacements to go faster, which was a safety hazard in the bike lanes. If the police caught an illegal moped, they would confiscate the cylinder head and let the rider push or pedal home.
I am a long time competitive road cyclist , and I agree in part with GNC. The truth is , cyclist often ride LIKE they are in a bike race , with controlled road closer. Does that sound formilar ? Does that sound like you ? All over the road ? 2,3,4 abreast ? 10,20,30 plus riders , on the morning ride . All INTITLED . DOES THAT MAKE A CAR or , TRUCK DRIVER ANGRY ? YES ! Riders should abide by the state, province, and local bylaws for cyclist , on primary , and secondary roads , and bike paths , and paved shoulders , when commuting or training , by themselves , or in a group. Have you looked up the bylaws , and read them ? It's not an organized bike race ! Rules and guidelines . When everyone on the same page , there will be less CONFRONTATION , and SAFER bike rides .
on riding through red lights, the big annoyance is people who don't wait their turn. Really there should be more roundabouts, but even at 4-way stop signs, if you go in order, it's not a big deal if you haven't exactly 100% stopped
In the past my issue with cyclists was when they go on the new 40mph link road, instead of on the new, purpose built and paved bike path that runs next to the road. I get that some people prefer the road and they have a right to be there, but I don't want to rush to overtake them, there is too much oncoming traffic to feel confident in passing, and then cars behind me start honking cause I'm not overtaking. It's in these situations where I wish I could ask them *why?* and telepathically plead with them to just pull over for a moment so the 6 car queue going 15mph on a 40 could just pass without risking anyone's safety. If you know why people do this please let me know cause it baffles me. I cycle that path frequently and it's so well paved, I don't see why I'd choose the road.
I’m both cyclist and driver. I do get annoyed by anyone on the road who acts like a self entitled w*nk*r. I’m equal opportunities on this but cyclists do have a problem with it in particular and we need to recognise it with less self justification in our echo chambers. Running red lights is dangerous and people (the cyclists) do in fact die and the car driver gets the consequences. Cycling the wrong way up one way streets. Hitting pedestrians due to jumping on and off the pavement. The manual thing is annoying to car drivers because it’s like someone threatening you with a 2k repair bill if they make a mistake. Again it’s just being a w*nk*r that annoys normal people.
Singling out to let cars pass is a courteous practice, unless there is also traffic coming toward you. Then it's safer to stay two abreast to stop overtaking vehicles thinking they can squeeze by you, regardless of oncoming traffic--that's a recipe for ending up in a hedgerow.
It depends on the road. If it’s wide enough to safely pass two cyclists riding side by side, it’s more courteous to ride two abreast as it means the driver is on the other side of the road for a shorter time.
@@rob-c. Riding two abreast is NEVER more courteous. I say that as a cyclist, a motorcyclist, a car driver and a road runner. The absolute entitlement from cyclists with your attitude, where you do these mental gymnastics to justify your shitty behaviour is astounding.
Generally should ride one up until you have more than 3 cyclists. At that point (4 or more), then two abreast works better. Unfortunately not all cars understand this.
Be careful, some drivers will risk a high speed head on collision with oncoming traffic, and possibly take you out in the process. I've seen this happen many times, and I ride alone.
Years ago on the way to work at GCN Megabase, I got passed really close by a car. It was as the sun was rising and the car obviously didn't see me as the sun must have temporarily blinded them. About a week later, I saw the same car at some traffic lights I was waiting at. I knocked on his window, and really politely told the guy what had happened a week earlier. He was really apologetic and always waved and gave me a wide berth everytime I saw him from then on. It probably helped that I complimented him on his Audi RS3 to begin with.
I think that the thing that annoys motorists the most about cyclists is that we don't come to a complete stop at stop sighns. They feel that that this is unfair and that an accident is more likely to happen. Many motorists will flat out say it is completely rude and disrespectful. As a cyclists myself I do come to a complete stop because I feel it improves my ego towards motorists. I live in the USA 🇺🇸. As always great video you guys!
On our club we usually ride two abreast to defend space on the road since a few drivers have passed us way to close on a social ride when riding single file. But we have made a tweak, when there are a few cars lining up behind us we find a spot to pull aside as a ground to let all the traffic pass and it has been working fairly well :)
Poor driving adds to the problem. I’ll often be all the way to the side, with more than enough room to be safely passed, and a car will hover behind me like they are afraid to overtake. As traffic backs up behind them, I get the blame.
I have a fairly big car and when I’m driving sometimes I do hover to make absolutely sure there’s nothing coming before I pass as I would HATE to pass to closely by accident and make someone uncomfortable. Cos if someone passes too close to me on the bike especially with one or both of the kids I feel really shaken.
Drivers for the last 10 years have gotten way more clueless. They don't know how to keep right or know how much room they have on either side of them. They don't know how to turn their wheel or are just too lazy and complacent in spite of everything having power steering . Driver Ed doesn't seem to happen anymore.
When I used to cycle to work five days a week, I would regularly see car drivers jumping red lights. Not quite daily but at least once a week on average. Strangely, most drivers will claim to never have seen a car jump red lights.
I see it every single day; I've taken the same route to work and back for ten years, it's just seven kilometres and just three light sets, two of which (for me) are crossings, and every single day I see car drivers run those lights. I see some cars go around other cars to run the light, and on the one where I have to stop on the carriageway I've had car drivers get on the horn at me because I'm stopping, or they go around and run the light! Hypocrisy at it's finest.
Yes, same here. On my 5k commute through a city, cars daily assume a yellow light means hurry up and a red means one more car must get through. And this is frequently on pedestrian crossings.
Here's a better way to look at it: This is why car drivers annoy cyclists. Because the bike was here before the car. Not gonna make myself an easy target to be hit by a maniac driver, but I'm not going to stop riding my bike because of them.
Most drivers who get mad dont Think you should stop. Most just get mad when people break the rules. Isnt that a funny thing to get mad about. Not saying you do. But most riders in denmark i see they break allmost all the rules that cyclist have.
I think a lot of motorists hate cyclists because they see us as an inconvenience. My next door neighbor was laying on the horn at me the other day as I was using the turn lane to turn onto our road. When she saw me turn into my driveway and realized it was me she felt she had to come play it off like she wasn't mad about a cyclist costing her three extra seconds to get home...
Cars shouldn't overtake when there is on coming traffic, squashing yourself against the verge just encourages motorists to squeeze past when there really isn't enough room. If they can't leave the obligatory 1,5m space away from the cyclist they shouldn't pass. If you encourage them to do it you are putting yourself in danger for no good reason
Have four bikes and two motorcycles and cover many thousands of miles a year on two wheels. I’ve seen just as many bad cyclists as motorists. There are issues on both sides and plenty of blame to go around if that is what you are looking to do. But the many comments here about around mutual respect and understanding are spot on. Give respect, get respect. Even as an avid cyclist I get irritated when cyclists impede traffic flow in places where it is so easy to not do so. Bottom line is situational awareness and better riding and bike handling skills along with knowing what triggers the other side are keys that help us stay safe.
Dan absolutely nailed it. The FEW inconsiderate, ignorant cyclists who act a fool and ignore rules gives ALL of us who try our best to follow rules a bad name. Many Cyclists DO pay taxes and registration of vehicle to help pay for roads.
I think that's the main problem - all people on two wheels without a motor are 'cyclists', but there's such a huge difference in what we all do, and how we behave on the roads.
I always feel like that’s a problem for the driver to deal with. I can’t control what other cyclists do so if they’re going to use another cyclists misbehaviour to justify their own around me, that’s a them problem and inexcusable.
Riding through stopped traffic on the margins is called "filtering", and motorcyclists do it too (if the traffic's moving, it's called "lanesplitting"). It's illegal here in Canada, but it's legal in a lot of other places. For example, the UK!
Here in the UK it's called filtering regardless of whether or not the traffic is moving. As you say, it's completely legal, though the onus is on anyone filtering to do so safely. Personally, I consider it daft to _not_ filter if the option is available. It's one of the perks of being on two wheels.
As a driver and cyclist I am schizophrenic I’m afraid. Cycling on really busy A roads is a bit annoying if there is a big tail back. I live in rural Scotland and once two cyclists insisted on cycling two abreast and I came up behind and was forced to drive behind them for miles! Then when I cycle I just can’t understand why everyone is so angry at me!
I think that bicycles should have similar mandatory lights that motorcycles are mandated to have on a public road. Headlights, taillights, brake lights and directionals would be advantageous for all users . Arm signals are usually poorly implemented and pointless in poor light or in the dark. With the advance of micro electronics I think that it wouldn't be difficult to have a quality integrated handlebar and marker system.
I tend to treat Stop signs as Yield signs. If I approach a stop sign, and nobody is crossing in the other direction, I'll slow a little, and then go through it.
This was made legal in Oregon 4 years ago. Even though I still slow way down before going through (when I have right-of-way) I still get yelled at by drivers for not stopping (probably because they were planning not to stop). Just goes to show how bad a lot of drivers are at keeping up with current laws.
A while back I did see a cyclist breaking so many laws it was like a parody of a bad car driver. This was in Chicago, in one of the few parts of the city with anything remotely resembling a hill, about a 20 foot drop from one end of the block to the other. It's a one-way street going down the "hill". It was at night. The cyclist was coming up the hill, no lights, no helmet, no bright clothing, no hands on the bars and talking on a smartphone up to their ear without a hands-free device. But what I see more often is car drivers rolling through stop signs at 12-15mph complaining about bikes going through stops at 10-12mph.
In Colorado, it's perfectly legal for a cyclist (age 15 and up) to ride through a red light as long as they come to a stop first and there's no traffic with right-of-way. It's really nice. That still doesn't stop me from using the turn lane to turn right, doing a U-turn at 20 to 25 mph, and then using a second right turn lane to bypass the light entirely (which is also legal, depending on the particular roads).
Got shouted at today by a driver at a four way stop from my left. "Why the hell did you stop and not go straight through, waiting all day for you." This road is mostly closed to cars, JFK drive San Francisco, and cyclists and runners just blast through stop signs most of the time. I guess he was expecting me to do that. I guess because I was responsible I was unpredictable.
I'm a huge fan of drivers who get angry and get the window down to shout at me... Because they are now angry because they don't know the highway code and I'm still on a lovely bike ride 🤣
Most of the Racing cyclist i see dont follow the rules. I have had multiple of Them come out of the side of the Road right out in front of me without looking when im driving in an 80 kmh zone. Or multiple times where they dont drive om the Road made for Them. They instead chose the Road where cars drive. Which is illegal for Them to do. Also most of those Racing cyclist dont have Bells on their bikes which is also illegal where i live. And they dont give any sign when they come flying past you when you are out walking. Sure there are alot of shity drivers who hate the just because they Can. But every time i drive they drive 2 next to each other or sometimes even a group of 20 where they take up a whole Road. Not Careing even tho agains its illegal here. In denmark they Can only cycle 2 next to each other if there are no cars. If there are one comming they have to go behind or in front of the one they are cycling with. Its actually rare you see one that isnt a complete idiot. Over 80 percent of Racing cyclist i see dont follow the laws. And get mad when someone calls Them out on it. One of the people who came flying out infront of me i honked at amd he just Got angry. But he did something that was extreamly dangerous for him. And could have been for me.
@@theredbluegamers9106So you don't want them on your road, and you don't like it when they pass you on the shared footway. Got it. Maybe they could go by helicopter?
That’s where the Garmin Varia (or similar product) is an absolute game changer. The constant monitoring and early warning makes singling out completely seamless in small groups and pairs. It takes all the stress out the situation and the driver sees riders lining out almost immediately. No wobbling or deviation from riding line caused by looking behind either. Transforms group riding.
The only time I jumped red lights as a cyclist was at a roundabout where I needed to go all the way round to the third exit, i could see the lights for the other traffic change and as soon as the oncoming traffic stopped I started moving it gave me about 2-3 seconds head start round the busy traffic lanes so I could get ahead and clear of traffic and position myself safely in the middle of the lane without annoying motorists.
Used to ride with a team. We always remind the group to single file when there’re cars approaching from behind, too ok share the road and the car doesn’t need to move that much over to the other lane to pass, especially on a one lane country back roads. But these days I have seen so many riders especially group rides just take over the whole lane, feel like they own the roads, and don’t care about the cars.
I agree, we need to all work better together and whilst it is legal to ride two riders side by side, singleing out helps that driver get to their destination too! Besides, nobody likes a car sitting behind them breathing down their neck!
This was reason why I was very careful to join any group cycling. I was in one nice tourist-like group where we would ride slow-paced weekends and follow single-file rules by default (unless it was more rural road and somebody - mostly me - kept eye on behind and shouted "car coming"). While on solo rides I knew that as long as I'm predictable, visible and... well.. "budget class looking" I will be fine. Many times would go for whole night rides (7-9 hours in dark on almost empty roads hits so different to daylight cycling). Only tricky part was not all cars switched to near lights when did see my bike light coming so would get blinded (i didn't use rechargeable "monsters" but normal budget light). But most did and many times I would flash mine for thanks =))
cept idiots in cars kill other people....idiots on bikes only kill themselves. And there in lies the problem in prioritising drivers. Why allow the group that kills and does magnitudes of harm and damage to feel they are entitled to do so on roads made for everyone, paid by everyone?
@@out_spockenUnfortunately there are also idiots on bikes who cycle without any thought or consideration, and I say that as someone who cycles and drives a lot. Whether we as cyclists like it or not there is as much need for us to have a little care for other road users as there are for drivers. I usually find if I’m holding up a queue on a country road and pull over for a few seconds to let the faster traffic pass I get a lot of appreciative waves. It’s not that hard to be honest. We can’t expect drivers to make all the effort if we won’t at least give a little ourselves.
I like cycling but road rage is the number 1 reason why I can't see myself cycling or riding a motorcycle on an open road. That and the fact that there is little to nothing that would protect me in the event of a potential accident with another vehicle. With that said I'll take up indoor cycling for exercise.
@@gcnI began following the channel for your extensive knowledge on different kinds of bikes. I'm going to eventually purchase a bike of my own with a bike trainer attachment for indoor cycling. I used to ride when I was younger but after being in a few car accidents, potentially getting in an accident while on a bike would be etched in my mind if I actually went for a ride. In short, I'm scared.
As a regular cycling commuter into the heart of London, I see a growing 'them and us' movement within cyclists themselves with jumping red lights being the easiest way to identify which camp someone lives in. On the subject of erratic cycling or occupying more road than a driver thinks you need is often directly related to the quality of the road- potholes are more common nearer to the curb requiring a cyclist to make the choice between cycling further into the lane by default or having to make a sudden change in direction to avoid - made worse when cycling behind other cyclists who do not call out hazards.
We ride single whenever there's any sort of traffic. It's the people who hog the lane on a 55mph rural route because the law says they can. Then, riding next to the double yellow, proceed to wave me by..., with my 9 1/2 car trailer, loaded.
As both a driver and a cyclist my no.1 pet hate is cyclists not pulling over on single track country roads too narrow to safely overtake. If I'm cycling and hear a car behind me I'll pause in the next passing place, it's pretty selfish to make a car wait behind you for 2/3 miles.
Yes, I agree. I am very conscious of people waiting behind me. Sometimes I will keep going and Sometimes I'll pull over, depends on the roads and always acknowledge the driver to say thank you. It's the sense of entitlement that bugs me with any road users
Registration of cyclists. Every cyclist would have an individual registration and associated reg plate that would be attached to the cycle, visible and readable to other road users. If the cyclist has a driving licence this cycling registration would be linked to it. If a cyclist with a current driving licence for other vehicles who infracted the laws of the road they would have their driving licence endorsed accordingly as well with associated fines. That in my opinion is what should happen in the UK and third party insurance should be required as well. I am a motorist, motorcycle rider and a cyclist for over 40 years and would be happy with these implementations in the UK. Lastly the law needs to change to have all cyclist's use cycle paths where provided and fined/endorsed appropriately if they use a road when the cycle path is available. The bonus for the government would be the rich pickings in fines for the myriad of people who would send in vids of cyclists breaking the law and being readily identifiable via their registration plate.
As a driver and cyclist I agree with visible registration so that bad cyclists could be uploaded to RUclips in the same way as bad drivers. Anonymity is not fair. I would agree about fines but not points on driving licence, because bad cycling generally doesn’t create much risk to other road users compared to cars etc. Yes to insurance as well. Totally disagree about cycle paths. In the U.K. there are paths dedicated to walkers and cyclists but they don’t always go anywhere useful and range from smooth tarmac to rough, muddy tracks. Painted cycle lanes on roads are just plain dangerous because cars then forget that they still need to leave 1.5m when passing. I would abolish them entirely. I don’t know of any examples locally where there is a dedicated, segregated cycle lane running parallel to a road although they may exist in London. It would therefore be impossible to mandate use of cycle lanes - just too many variables.
Just some quick thoughts on your proposals: How would this be implemented given the vast number of bicycles on British roads? Would it apply to those cyclists who only ride off-road, for example mountain bikers who drive with the bike in the back or on a rack to a location, ride their chosen trail without ever setting wheel on the road, and drive home again? What about children? Would they be required to have a reg plate, license, and insurance? Would any points they accrue be held and placed on their driving license when they receive it? How do you propose the cycle path law you wish to see be enforced? Have you not seen the news articles of stupidly conceived/thought out cycle paths which in many cases are pointless and in some downright dangerous for cyclists and drivers? How would these points be applied to someone who doesn't have a driving license? How much would it cost to implement licensing, etc. in the first place?
A few months back a guy on a BMX was on a sidewalk. I was driving past on the road and jealous that I wasn't riding. Then, with no signal, he cut into the street in front of me and cut across 5 lanes of traffic. It was dawn. No lights, no colours, no helmet.
I don't think cyclist should single out. For safety, they should take up as much of the lane as possible so cars are required to move entirely into the other lane to pass. When cars think they can pass a cyclist without getting into the other lane, that's when cyclists get clipped. If you don't like it as a motorist, then lobby for more bike infrastructure, but I think the lives of cyclists on the road are more important than a brief delay.
When I get yelled at I usually shout back “go ahead and call the police on me.” Usually if a driver puts my life in danger through some maneuver, I take mental note of their car and license plate call the police on them.
I feel like car drivers are just annoyed by vehicles of any kind that are slower than them. I say this because I'm one of those drivers who won't drive above the speed limits and I'm quite often overtaken pretty aggressively, even in dangerous situations without any visibility whatsoever, or other cars will try to pressure me to speed up by driving a few meters behind me which generally has the effect of making me slow down.
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What would stop drivers from getting angry with cyclists? 🚗
Better driver education.
Most drivers would prefer cyclists being banned from riding on the roads. They will say something silly, like wishing that we should ride on the sidewalks.
@@MarcoP70 This is such a good point! Should there be specific training involved when riding around cyclists?
Cycling in single file on small two lane roads, the way we always did as a kids. We make sure we still do now in our groups, there are some entitled assholes that are cyclists too.. Unfortunately..
That's easy. Ban cars from cities, make muscle-assisted transport #1 and public transport #2 - thereby shifting the massive burden away from the plebs.
Calm plebs = less angriness and less cars for some = more space for everyone.
(plebs = those with less than 35 million € income/stealing annually).
One thing we forget when we say that some motorists hate all cyclists. Those same motorists also likely hate the other motorists as well.
Very true! There are bad people in every camp
as we as hate themselves no doubt :/
@@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe general mild "road rage" of people who simply don't want anything to be in front of them and for every traffic light to be green just for them, isn't the same as the specific way in which cyclists encounter it as an "us and them" style of event.
They hate themselves
I hate cyclists when I am in my car, and I hate motorists when I am on my bike. It's all stupid. It comes down to the idiot not the mode of transport.
As a civil engineer, just popping in to say that the relative amount of damage that a bike does to the road versus a car or tractor trailer is vanishingly small. If only bikes used the roads, the cost of maintenance would be greatly reduced. Even if bikes were charged taxes to help maintain roadways, they should be prorated based on the proportion of road maintenance needed due to the damage caused be different vehicles.
Even a car relative to lorry are surely quite low damage? I assume heavy suvs and lorries cause most of the road damage?
@@stevec6232 Yes but then imagine the amount of damage a bike does...
@@stevec6232 It's the forth power of the weight, so a steep curve, but as a rule of thumb 1 car does the same damage as 10,000 bikes, 1 HGV does the same damage as 10,000 car. The bikes probably don't do any damage at all, as they'd make too little deflection in the surface, but there you go.
"If only bikes used the roads cost of maintenance would be reduced" TRUE ! BUT we would all die of malnutrition because most food is delivered by HGV's
@@davedixon2068yes that's true because no one would even lift a finger to figure out an alternative... 😂
I had a conversation with a motorist after they’d calmed down from ranting at me. They were really upset that I wasn’t hugging the kerb and that I kept “swerving” out from the hedge! I was on a narrow country B road. When I explained that the swerving was to avoid potholes, cracks in the road and general lumps of country organic matter that was at the edge of the road I could see the sudden light bulb go on. I asked them if potholes were a problem for them and if they needed to swerve occasionally for bad potholes. The anger really dissipated after that conversation.
I'm not sure it's possible to get the message across to everyone who needs to hear it, but I think some kind of general education programme on why cyclists don't like to, and shouldn't, hug the kerb reduce a lot of the anger we see.
Some will still be frustrated that we exist for all kinds of reasons, but if the starting point for many drivers is to routinely see cyclists behave in a way they assume to be selfish, then it is inevitable they will see everything else we do through that lens.
There's more that could be added to help drivers understand why cyclists are being sensible, not selfish by doing x, y, or z. But simply having most understand why we don't hug the kerb would go a long way to improving relations.
That's a good common ground. I think as motorists and cyclists the one common antagonist we can all empathize over is potholes.
For this reason, i prefer to ride with some distance to the curb or line, so that any emergency swerving is out of the road, not into the road.
I changed a few things in my behavior and ever since then I had no arguments with other drivers and saw more smiles and had frequent "go aheads" when I had no right of way. I do not longer use mirrored lenses this makes the connection towards other drivers human instead of a car vs cyclist situation, photochromatic lenses are ideal in any situation really. I ride in a defensive way and this changes completely the impression you make on the bike. I obey the rules and I care to always be a able to stop in time when in city-limits. Of course I still make mistakes but I then apologize and mostly this is appreciated and we both go on with a smile instead of a grim face. This way cycling brings a huge amount of joy and no stress, highly recommend it!
I think many bad interactions (not all) can be avoided if cyclists act in a courteous way. Most times in winding roads I will motion the car forward when the road is clear but they can’t see from their point.
Prizm road lenses for me, but if changing sunglasses works for you then all power to you :)
Exactly, spot on!
This sounds like ChatGPT
@@marklink26 Thanks for the compliment buddy, it isn't...
Well said, although when i suggested, in reply to another commenter who spoke of the value of eye contact, that mirrored glasses inhibit this, I was accused of blaming the victim.
One thing that bugs me is drivers who pull right up to the kerb to prevent me from filtering past. The worst are the ones who have already stopped, but do an extra kerb blocking manoeuvre when they see me coming. I just go around and pass on the other side, but they're probably the same people who complain about cyclists weaving through traffic.
I hate this as well. They overtake me right before joining the back of a queue. Then position their near side wheels tight to the kerb to stop me filtering. Like you said, I just pass on the other side and laugh at them as I pass like “what was the point”. 😂
As both a driver and a cyclist, I always wait in line. I know that drivers hate passing me, so why would I make them do it twice?
I kinda love it.
I just wait and appreciate the attention. It’s not often people are so emotional due to my presence. 😅
@@TheNightmoves I agree with that. If they’ve already passed you, there’s no point filtering because they’re only going to have to pass you again. I do still filter though if there is a long queue of cars otherwise I would be there all day lol.
@@TheNightmoves you really don't need to do that... in fact in cities like London you are supposed to go ahead of cars at the light, there is a special zone for bikes there painted on the asphalt... It's safer that way...
In cities due to traffic most likely you will pass those cars and never see them again... I can't imagine how long it would take to ride to work waiting in the Q at lights with cars...
I've even seen drivers laughing at a cyclist waiting in line at a stoplight with the cars...
Being a frequent bike commuter, weekend roadie warrior and a classic motoring enthusiast at the same time, I do respect cyclists on roads with all their flaws. In fact, any car driver who cannot handle his car in the environment, where bikes are present as well, should not have a driver's license.
If drivers can handle other drivers, they certainly can handle cyclists. They just think they don't have to.
Great to hear from someone that is passionate about both - We have to understand that most cyclists are drivers too 🙌
Amen to that. If someone cannot operate a motor vehicle in a safe manner then maybe they shouldn't have a license
the way I see it is having a car is not a right a car is like a watch having either is not a right
I'm just a commuter, but I do notice I get more space and "respect" from drivers when I've got my lights on. I don't know if that's because I'm suddenly a "vehicle" or something in their eyes, but I definately don't hesitate to turn them on on rainy and dim days.
The flipside tho is drivers drunk tailing you focusing on the light, or people looking to harassas you.
The correct light situatuion is always up to the cyclist in the moment. More often than not it is much safer to remain unseen
@StickWarrior "The correct light situatuion is always up to the cyclist in the moment. More often than not it is much safer to remain unseen"
This has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard a cyclist say...or person. There is no time as a cyclist on a road that it is better to be unseen. EVER! The issue isn't just being unseen and not noticed but drivers not registering you are there. There's countless studies that have been done to show this very issue...the great invisible gorilla test for one (google it mate).
Unbelievable. Even as a car driver you don't want to ever not be seen lol Being in a blind spot of a truck can be deadly in a car...and you'r suggesting cyclists aim to be as unseen as possible . FML mate
Yes I agree. I use lights, most of us do. I think a head light set to flash, really gets attention. The signs in front of you flash and my flashing rear light does the same.
Messaging from Canada I totally agree. I always get more respect with lights on, I think they assume I am a pro or semi pro rider. Mind you, this applies much more to rural and suburban roads. Urban roads are still chock full of car commuters that hate anything that slows them at all!
I have See Sense light front Beam+ and rear ICON3 even during daytime commuting in Australia. I also have a Varia running on all bikes (one varia and many brackets 😄)
Correct Simon, road upkeep is from central taxation. Even pedestrians that don’t own a vehicle pay for the road upkeep.
The road his here to share 🙌 This goes for all road users!
Actually, it's a mix. County Councils pay for the roads we cycle on so local road funding comes from Council tax and the Highways Agency pays for the Motorways and major A roads. For example: www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/what-we-look-after/roads/road-and-pavement-planned-maintenance
@@gcn UK VED is "non-hypothecated tax" so that the money raised isn't ringfenced for any particular use and anything spent on the roads just comes from the same big pot of general taxation & govt borrowing as everything else......
Another thing to keep in mind is that nearly all the cost of a road (after initial install, anyway) is in repairing the damage caused by vehicles. Bicycles do not cause damage to the road, so there have been tax plans suggested that would go off of vehicle weight.
In Germany it's different but it also does not make sense to tax cyclist for road usage since it's negligible. I roughly remember that in uni it was said its weight of the axle^3. Therefore a lorry is so much worse than a car.
When I was a junior, I had a wonderful coach that gave a friendly wave and smile to every passing car. I have kept that practice, and although it's no panacea and one can't account for every ill-tempered motorist, it does set the stage for a positive interaction. I do not relinquish my right to the road, but I do what I can to accommodate a motorist's need to pass in the safest manner possible. Most of us want to get along whether driving, riding, or on foot. Less ego, more joy, watch out for the dummies.
I'm so grateful for the bike paths here in Perth, Western Australia. I live more than 20km from the city but can cycle to work pretty much the entire way in separate paths. It makes the daily commute a lot less stressful than having to ride with cars.
As a bonus there is a network of paths going all over the metro area which are very enjoyable to explore on the weekend for longer rides.
It's not a perfect system by any stretch but it's a great resource that I very much enjoy utilising.
I love Ed Oxenbould,does he cycle????
In denmark many of the Racing cyclist dont use bike paths. Like they have Them for a reason and are required by law to use Them. But then chose to be a shit head to drivers and get mad when someone honks at Them. For breaking laws.
The problems are 1) Infrastructure and 2) Identity.
1) At least in the US, roads are designed for cars, with all other forms of movement as an afterthought. This naturally leads to people believing they have a greater right to public roads once they step into a car. That is what the road tells them! When anything else is there, be it someone walking, cycling, a school bus, etc, etc... that thing is "in the way" because that is what the road tells the users. Narrower & fewer lanes, speed bumps, traffic furniture, and most importantly transportation alternatives, alleviate this problem drastically (not to mention, removing "free" on street parking in cities - there is ample room for safe cycling infrastructure in cities if on street parking is reduced. That is a choice we have made which so far we have been unwilling to reverse).
2) There is no need to identify someone by their chosen mode of transport. Nobody at a party says "Nice to meet you; I'm a driver". Everyone is simply a PERSON who is using a tool to accomplish a goal. Nothing more; nothing less. Next time you find yourself talking about these things, instead of saying "driver" or "cyclist", say "person using a _____". Road usage does not need to be a battle with different teams. This is a co-op game!
This!
I wish it weren't a battle, but it is. Fuck fourwheelrs
yup... I keep saying that building cycling infrastructure is great...till you realise you cant built it absolutely everywhere like cars drivers and pedestraians have and you actually need to have great road culture.
Incidents will always happen..just as they will always with everything in life...but it would be great to live in a soceity where drivers actively care about the damage and harm they can do when driving and actively drive to be safe, not fast.
@@out_spocken will never happen
@@SuperRat420 Not with that attitude! Some countries have, and others could do as well.
Used to work with this guy who raged against cyclists often to me, ( it was the lone cyclist that made him late for work, not the 10.000 rush hour cars between him and his destination). He stood in the canteen and raged, proposing a huge change to UK infrastucture to force us pesky cyclist off the road. His proposal was genius: a country wide network of roads that cyclists were banned from using, I listened agog, then mentioned the motorway system, that I also pay for, between roars of laughter. He called ma an activist and stormed off.
He was an angry man who hated himself. Lots of those.
There is no winning with some people, just stay smug when you zoom past in traffic 😉
@@gcn Door!
Gee, being called an “activist” is quite an honour, for simply minding your own business and riding a bike! Never has a bar been lower!😂
You can't argue or even have a sensible conversation with stupid mate.
In my 30 years of cycling I have been criticised for: cycling on the road, cycling on the cyclepath, ringing a bell, not ringing a bell, cycling two abreast, cycling in a long single line, cycling too fast, cycling too slowly… you get the idea.
We will never be able to cycle in a way that stops some drivers hating, because they will always find some reason to hate. The problem isn’t with cyclists.
Im a cyclist and drive car.. there is NO reason to bike two abreast and tick every car off... doesnt matter if its "legal". DONT DO IT
Yeah but most drivers are ok with most that except for two abreast, or riding too far into the lane when the edge or shoulder are perfectly fine for cycling. Just because some drivers are jerks doesn't mean that most are.
@@Jojo-o6o6wYou clearly haven't understood how this practice benefits car drivers. I'm grateful to cyclists for riding two abreast when I'm in my car. Far easier to overtake 👍
@@jamesf8864 🤔
@@Jojo-o6o6w I ride two abreast to give more of a buffer to my wife (cycling on the inside) and enforce that people overtake only once it’s clear ahead.
If a car cannot overtake us when riding two abreast on two lane road, they cannot overtake us when we are single file either so it makes no odds. if they get mad about that that’s very much a them problem.
On a club ride last summer one of our group was abused and stopped by a woman in horse riding gear who was accompanying her daughter who was driving as a learner. All he did was to shout up to the group in front that there was a car approaching from behind. She accused him of all sorts of stuff in a very intimidating manner and her highly strung daughter wouldn't even calm down. She was a danger to anyone on that road, certainly not in a fit state to drive. My colleague was incredibly tactful and explained our protocols but that woman wasn't even listening and he explained several times but she was just not having it. A posh horsey person near Cheltenham who thinks she owns the county! What a mare :-)
Some horses can be freaked by sudden noises or unfamiliar sights and it is advisable to pass slow and wide.As a cyclist I will observe this.
@@davidspendlove5900there was no horse involved here though, she was with her daughter in a car
You don't say whether your protocols were legal or you simply assumed the road. Hey, we gotta do what doesn't get us killed, asked the motorcycle riders, but I wouldn't complain about backlash if that was the case. You can probably report her if she was literally intoxicated with rage.
Not sure why what she was wearing, or your class prejudices belong in the story. Seems as though you were just mirrors of each other. Why is it relevant she was a woman?
Completely legal. She wasn't a physical threat but just unwilling to reason. Her daughter though was in no fit state to be driving as she was so wound up yet our presence on the road was not at all intimidating. Single file on a quiet road. The irony is that horse riders when in twos always ride side by side and respect cars which pass with care. I don't understand why you are picking up on the details of my account. Are you trying to say I'm being a misogynist? I was not the person being abusive, she jumped out of the car and shouted abuse at my friend and even though he apologised if she and her daughter were upset she wouldn't accept that there had been a misunderstanding. She was arrogant rude, and aggressive.He however was calm and very polite as he wanted to protect the integrity of our club and the way we ride. @@tacticalskiffs8134
If your protocol was the one that I learned in club riding here in Massachusetts, USA, it is to shout "car back", preferably in a voice loud enough to be heard all the way at the front of the pack. Cyclists are so used to this that they might not consider that a motorist hearing it for the first time might think that they're being commanded, in a louder than polite voice, to stay back and not overtake the cyclists.
If a car feels fine passing me within the lane, then they can be quiet about me doing the same thing when they are stopped due to traffic.
Good point! Respect goes both ways 🙌
Why would you sit in a queue that you don't need to
On my bicycle or motorbike, I'm skipping that and going either to the front or as far as I safely can
Here in the UK, VED goes into the pot along with income tax, fuel duty, tobacco duty.......... The government then spend a tenner a year on the upkeep of the entire road network.
as much as a tenner?! 😂
Most local roads are the responsibility of the local council, who have seen massive cuts to their central govt funds and probably don't see a penny of VED.
There is an indirect link between VED and road maintenance in the UK. The government has pledged that the funding for National Highways will at least match the amount raised by VED. That said, National Highways are only responsible for the strategic road network which comprises motorways and major trunk roads - ie the type of roads that cyclists either cannot ride on or would avoid riding on (apart from the odd TT).
As has already been mentioned the vast majority of roads are maintained by local authorities not the National Highways body.
Also most roads we cycle on are funded by the local authority, so that cash comes from your council tax. The “they should pay Road tax” argument could be made against pedestrians, horses etc. Bikes don’t wear out roads like 2 tonne cars do.
That much?
Dan, as a winner of the competition today, I can say with certainty that having your name read out as a winner is amazing and surprising 😊🎉. Thanks GCN 👍
A few years ago I did the Public Service Cycling course as a bicycle paramedic. Although I no longer work in that role, I still cycle accordingly. I think, on occasions when I defensively take the lane, by cycling directly down the middle of the active lane of traffic, it is always polite to acknowledge the patience of the drive when I drop back to my position 0.8m from the kerb.
The moment you thank someone or say sorry for making a mistake, 99% of people are usually cool. I’ve done dumb things in my car and apologised and I’ve never had any issues after apologising.
@@306maxievo2 Absolutely. This is the currency of polite society isn't it? We all make mistakes, me maybe more than most. Acknowledge, forgive and forget generally works 😁
This episode really speaks to me right now because yesterday, a car driver purposefully swerved into me, hitting my left elbow/wrist, and twisting the handlebars. I chased her down - thankfully I'm one of these people who can manage to keep up with cars in urban environments - to ask for a statement. She refused and proceeded to crushed my front wheel.
Even though I'm physically OK with no fractures, this was a difficult ordeal. One of the things that has struck me is that car drivers showed no concern about my obviously destroyed bike, and were just asking me to get off the road as I was obstructing traffic.
The only witness I've managed to get a number from was... a cyclist.
Had an ex-colleague hit a cyclist who was going straight while he wanted to turn left (Australia) and had damaged their bike as he drove off, almost boasting. Months later became very remorseful about it as he'd moved and found he could commute to work via a bike way so went to buy a bike thinking any mountain bike or flat bar road bike would be under $200 and was thinking about how much the bike he ruined might've cost. Supervisor told him he's just an a-hole in general anyway, as even $200 is a lot to some people.
Never nice to read these bad experiences, unfortunately it's the case that there are bad people in every camp. We hope it's not turned you off riding your bike? 👀
@@gcn Well obviously my weekend ride is off, but I'm expecting to be back on a bike in a couple of weeks at most!
Any traffic cameras around?
Assault with a potentially lethal weapon... nice.
Si and Dan, you are the A team. I am a cyclist who also drives. what frustrates me when driving is the number of cyclists who pass on the left in slow moving traffic. That is so dangerous (in the UK) as anyone turning left may wipe them out. when cycling I always overtake on the right. The other thing is when they ride at dusk with no lights. Their vision is so much better than someone in a car and they feel it's safe but a driver can't see them so well. I have to admit sometimes I scoot across red lights when it is green to pedestrians, partly to avoid holding up drivers who are behind me when the light goes green.
Here in the US, we cyclists also overtake on the right. And yep, mirror image of your situation and it's incredibly dangerous. Some of the issue is cars have shit visibility, drivers don't want to kill cyclists but don't know how, so they get stressed out, and act like your average stressed out human. They could slow down, but then other motorists will stress them out. They cars just aren't designed to share the roads with cyclists.
I used to care. Now I just hit the road, don't worry about what's beyond my control and enjoy the ride.
Just happy to still be ridding. I acknowledge courteous drivers with a smile and wave.
We have road tax in Ukraine, and the reason for it is that cars destroy roads! And bicycles do not. Moreover, the road tax income is completely insufficient to cover the road repairs, so most of the money comes from general taxes that are paid by every citizen, including cyclists. Therefore, that line of argument is completely insufficient, at least here.
This could be a copy paste for the UK. Far too many drivers parrot the crap about road tax and cyclists.
@@mctrials23 And the US. The same drivel is brought up in nearly conversation about cycling.
get the cars off the streets and roads we could have brick and paver stone streets
In denmark we have Road tax but the taxes from smokers also pay for the repair.
I think GCN(?) had an interesting traffic psychology video some time ago where it was mentioned that the entire traffic infrastructure itself suggests to drivers that they are legitimate road users and cyclists are not.
NotJustBikes and Shifter identified similar conclusions in their own research. Car-centric road infrastructure means that drivers are taught and expect to see _only_ other cars on the road, even if legally speaking the road permits mixed traffic. Motorcycle riders encounter the same issue, even though they have much more power to spare and can easily keep up with cars.
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Came here to say this!
Seriously, that is how it feels to drive in London? If it is psychology, it is usually a lie. That is a "science" with a huge replication problem. The carbon they want to ban is you. If the cars go, the bikes will go. They aren't going to let you ride under the radar on you expensive carbon bikes when the economy is collapsed. If things carry on as they do, there is no model for that level of industry based on bikes.
Ever since fall of 2022 I've been going down the urbanist rabbit hole and I have taken up bike commuting and it has been a genuine pleasure to not need to worry about oil prices, getting some movement in on my way to work and the store. I genuinely hate massive pickup trucks and car dependent infrastructure. Even as a car enthusiast we should be fighting against car dependency.
Hawaii also makes you register your bike. It is only $15 one time, but it helps pay for cycling paths, and you get a numbered sticker that prevents bike theft/selling on.
I simply would refuse, my tax dollars should go to bike paths; not Israel and Lockheed Martin
That's a really interesting idea! Do you think that cyclists would be happy to pay more for better infrastructure should it be part of the taxes we all already pay?
I live in Southern California and commute to work on my bike. I'm very pleased with the respect I get here, especially while riding briefly through sections of roads with no bike lanes. But I go the extra mile to respect drivers by not blocking their paths. I stay far right and don't stop in the right lane when approaching cars are coming to turn right on red.
Keep up the good work!
That's a really great point! It's all about mutual respect for other road users 👌
Its funny how few comments i have seen actually understand respekt. Its your and a few others most of Them comments are about how drivers get mad for no reason. Now i cant speak for everybody but most cyclist i see break multiple laws. Sonthere is a reason why i get mad. I dont Care if i need to drive 10 kmh behind i cyclist until i can overtake. I am patient. Cause with patiens everything goes faster for everyone. And everybody is Safe that Way. To many are to Quick to over react. I have had cyclist drive infront of me without looking comming out from a side Road in an 80 zone. And they get mad when i honk. Which i dot because i dont wanna live with killing an idiot. And its stupid to risk yourlife for a new pr.
My view is those who get triggered by cyclists are likely to be triggered by everyone "in their way". Somehow it has become accepted to see the cyclist as the problem whereas perhaps it is simply the impatience of drivers that is the real issue.
Oh and I don't get why what cyclists wear is so often ridiculed. Why, does it concern someone what someone else wears, it doesn't affect them at all (well unless they have some deep sense of guilt that they are not exercising and seeing someone displaying athleticism reminds them of their lack of the same)
It is nit just the impatince of drivers. Its also the impatience of cyclist. I have often seen Them not really Care about their life. Just to get a new pr. Sometimes they fly out infront of cars in 80 kmh zones and get mad when you honk. Im not allways the most patient driver. But when i am deling with a cyclist i am often more carefull do to Them being what we Call soft drivers in denmark its the same with people on motor bikes. They are also soft. If they Fall its most likely death for Them where nothing happens tp the driver other than the risk of mental problems of they accidently kill someone.
My experience of angry motorists has been during group rides and although as a club we were conscious and respectful of other road users, our group rides were 15+ cyclists along country lanes.. We would split the group into 3 or 4 on hearing a car approaching us to allow for easier overtaking, this did upset some car drivers - to the extent that on one occasion a motorist had adjusted his windscreen spray jets to fire at 90 degrees so he could 'soak' us as he drove past.. Didn't have the desired result, we thought it was hilarious that someone would spend so much time out of their day just to spray a little water on some cyclists in August..
ah yes, the old windscreen spray... 🙄
I really love that approach to group rides. It's considerate and safer. Where we live it's not necessarily the group riders that are less considerate. I am a cyclist but when driving behind a cyclist on a busy A-road next to a cycle lane I'll admit to muttering. It's not like they're smashing Strava at that point.
Don't worry, it wasn't because you were in a group that they got you with the wind screen. I've had that when I've been riding myself, no provocation whatsoever (except for being on a bike).
As a cyclist doing something courteous for a driver would u consider 2 short beeps as a "thank you" or would u not be sure?
I just follow the normal rules of the road, adding in the "no need to stop at a stop sign if I can see if its perfectly safe to proceed"; I advise not to spend the mental effort on these people who must not have anything better going on in their day that they have to be angry at some people getting a workout in
Whenever someone honks at me when I'm cycling eventhough I'm already at the very side of the road, I just think that they're mad because you're physically fit and they aren't.... It's just pure jealousy! 😂
They're mad cause they need that car to get to that bullshit job that barely pays enough to pay for and maintain the car.
Healthy body is a healthy mind!
They're envious you have the money and the time to spend for cycling, while they're stuck on boring job with low wages
I blow them kisses and wave
@@yukiko_5051 mate...plenty of rich people do the same. tradies (at least in australia that are on 6 figures), BMW's and Mercs etc. Arrogance and entitlement aren't limited to how much you take home
Black ninja here. Yes, I wear whatever I want. I don't go on the road without good lights anyway. I dont get this. There are many black cars, even more grey ones, matching the skies of Belgium. Many black motorcycles and most motorcyclists wear full black. Are all these more difficult to see than other coloured vehicles?
Personally I try to bring my cycling into my conversations every now and again, so that others (who are drivers) are aware that I'm out on the roads. Making it personal might help drivers feel more friendly towards cyclists (if my friends like me, that is...) If we can remember that others are humans, that can go a long way.
In my experience car drivers just hate everyone that they feel are 'getting in their way', cars, bicycles, busses, etc.. bicycles are just extra annoying because a lot of them feel bicycles 'don't belong on the road'. Thus they should have a license plate if they do use the roads. Motorcyclists where I live usually don't respect red lights, but they are not getting in the way of car drivers, so we just call them idiots.
Getting held up on their way over to spend 10 minutes in the Starbucks drive through
Bicyclists who don't ride courteously, and display excessive entitlement piss me off. It's nothing whatsoever to do with them 'not paying road tax' or anything as such. I've only ever read that in comments after cycling articles..
I agree. It's not about cars vs bikes it's about people that want to drive fast everywhere vs everyone else.
As a driver, do a very simply test: Strictly follow the speed limit of whatever road you are going and see how quickly a driver tails you.
@@chocolate_squiggle I always try to facilitate other road users, but the difference is that when cars don't drive 'courteously', there's a risk of death, not just an risk of being 'pissed off'.
In Colorado it is legal to roll a red light if it is safe. We passed the law a few years back.
that's a really interesting concept!
Virginia too
We all do it....cmon, I'll do it and car if the pedestrian has already crossed what are you waiting for????@@gcn
@RuffRides you never know where that policeman is hiding ready to give you a ticket!
Is it the Idaho Stop Law? Most say you can roll/yield a stop sign and treat a red light as a stop sign and still must come to a complete stop.
My favourite is when a driver close passes me,then after they move over to avoid potholes.just awesome thanks
😬
Agreed privileged motorist wanting to protect their car and not a care for an actual life
True, they may even hate themselves a little bit, but I think they harbour a "special" kind of hate in a dark poorly ventilated area of their heart for cyclists.
Yup, you gave a wider berth to an inanimate object than you did to me, really appreciate it bud!
Interesting. Though, there is a flip side to that. I noticed in this one province, that all the polite, lovely people would cross over the line to pass you. What sweethearts. But there is a dark side. And it happened to a guy I knew slightly who was coming through Texas on a coast to coast. Driver saw an oncoming truck, panicked, moved over, and took him out. Amazingly, his time wasn't up, and after a brief stay in a hospital he returned to the road.
The lesson is that the person who confidently passes you close, may be at ease around you. It can be too close (take off your helmet and dress in all black if there is good visibility, see what they do then), but they may also be confident.
After that story, I started to look out for oncoming logging trucks because these drivers that cross over don't actually have the skilset.
As a motorist, here is a list of things that make my car journeys longer, in order of added travel time:
1. Other cars
2. Unnecessary traffic lights
3. Drivers waiting to turn right and blocking the road
4. Cars inappropriately parked and creating an obstacle (often on both the road & pavement)
5. Cars parked on double yellow lines
6. Drivers using their mobile phones and thus not paying attention other traffic
7. Drivers staring at their mobile phones in a queue of traffic and not noticing the cars ahead have moved on.
8. Accidents caused by cars (especially a motorway accident)
9. Drivers not indicating at turns and causing confusion.
10. Drivers not indicating when pulling out from a parked space (90% of motorists)
11. Drivers not indicating at roundabouts, therefore not giving the opportunity for other drivers to move onto the roundabout
12. Drivers being baffled as to how a roundabout works
13. Bewildered drivers who cause mayhem
14. Cyclists
I can't explain why, but I'm calm & accepting of reasons 1 - 13. Even though they cost time, additional fuel & create pollution.
But the 55 seconds per annum that cyclists hold me up, and even though I'll probably make the time back knowing No.'s 1 - 13 are somewhere down the road, No.14 MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL!!
Doesn't make any sense
That's the power of years and years and years of propaganda telling us that cars mean freedom, lifestyle and power. And everything that is in the way of a car is an object. Even if said object has two arms, two legs and a heart. We live in a soulless world, unfortunately.
I've annoyed 2 drivers somewhat recently because I did the henious road offence of turning right onto a side road.... Yep, that was it. They seemed to take issue with me also adopting my road position more towards the centre line prior to taking the turn to help show my intentions along my indicating (fun fact this is the exact same procedure learnt for motorbike riding). They seemed to dislike me not being in the gutter on the left for more than 5 seconds. I think in the future I might just stay left and just indicate and swerve last second which seems to be their preference, I'm sure that can't go wrong at all! In a less satircal note, the main annoyance to any driver is the idea of someone getting in their way and hindering where they are going. When I drive I have the wonderful trait called patience. Oh no there is a cyclist ahead, well there are also 30 more red lights I am gonna have to stop for, another 50 places I need to give way etc. If on the road with the mindset of getting annoyed, you get annoyed! The same people raging at cyclists also tend to also hate other motor vehicles, any other brand of vehicle which isn't the same as theirs, any other driver with the same brand because it means their not special, and most importantly, they tend to also hate themselves a bit.
Several years ago, while riding in open country, I started giving drivers who moved over a bit more than absolutely required while passing me a friendly wave and nod in thanks. It seems to have helped . . . or not, it might just be my imagination but drivers seemed a lot nicer in subsequent years.
I have always done that. Just to share the love
Good manners go a long way - Mums know best!
I have exactly one goal when cycling in the city. It's to put as much distance between myself and the cars as I can. This almost always mean that I will run lights, dodge in-and-out of traffic, ride the sidewalk, pretty much anything to stay far away. I've had too many cars turn left in front of me, pull out without looking, squeezing me off the road and many, many more problems. When a car makes a "whoopsie" with me, it's my life, so I keep maximum distance.
I am a cyclist myself, and I hate cyclist who don't obey any trafic rules, eg, ride in the middle of the lane, jump red lights, stop signs etc, and then go in the GCN comments, to moan about other road users that motorists are road raging.
I have real life example, I was on a training ride, was stopped at red light and other cyclist just sprinted by me through red light like nothing was there and managed to shout at me for why I had stopped :D
I especially despise ignorant cyclists that pass me with more than 30kph narrowly when I trackstand and thereby could swere sideways at any given moment. They just dont care!
Primary position is completely fair and usually the safer choice.
In denmark they are required to use a bike path when its pressent. Often they dont do that either. Or as i had happen to me recently. I was driving in an 80 kmh zone. And had just alowed Down to 60 because it was a Sharp conner. And a Car had just come out of a side Road that is there. So after i had slowed Down a cyclist comes flying out in to the middel of the Road without looking requireing me to hit the brakes where i then honk and he still thinks im wrong and hes right. And just Got mad at me. I see more kids following laws than adults on Racing bikes.
I've driven 10s of thousands of city miles on my bike(s) going to work through the years in Southern California. For bicyclist injury crashes, roughly 58 percent occurred at an intersection. So *YES* I will go through red lights and stop signs when it is *safe* to do so to get out of the danger zone. *Example:* You arrive a stop sign way ahead of 2 other vehicles approaching. Do you stop and then go, by which time the vehicles are now at stop sign area and if they don't stop your toast because you have no speed? Or do you slow enough to make absolutely sure and then get through the intersection without stopping before vehicles reach the sign? I choose 2nd option, I've had cars honk at me from behind as they reach the stop sign, but I know I'm safe unless they decide to deliberately run me down. Run me down? That's dark! But there are those in my area that will "buzz" you or "roll smoke" and try other things to scare you. So no, I have very low regard for Death mobile drivers. Another thing I will do if able is go through a stop sign next to vehicle just starting to cross, they are on my left and in order to be hit the car next to me will be hit as well. 😠
Using a Mobile Phone while cycling both hand held and texting. This is dangerous for the cyclist and if they get hit and killed by a driver it will ruin the drivers life. Even if it is deemed blame lies with the cyclist. Yes its not illegal for the cyclist but should be. Please put your phones away and keep alert and alive. Your channel is great and promoting safety is a must. I am a cyclist, a motorcyclist and a driver (Cars & vans) so can see from all perspectives. I protect cyclists when I am not cycling. I had a truck deliberately skid in front of me on a charity bike ride!
I cycle in a rural community where I also live and work. We get a few groups of cyclists who like to visit the countryside but forget it is where others have to live and work. So groups riding 2 or 3 abreast for miles on narrow lanes must be seen as deliberately causing problems for other road users. Often they prevent passing traffic from giving them the room needed for a safe pass. When a group come to a wider section of road and spread out to be 4-5 abreast riding on both sides of the road what does that say to the traffic that has been following them for two or three miles? When I ride the bike if I get to a junction or wider section I let traffic past - everyone's happier.
As a cyclist and a motorist, they both annoy me! But the best cyclist story from my last week was the chap who was cycling in the dark, no lights or reflective clothing, no helmet, going the wrong way down a one-way street, with a full shopping bag dangling from each handlebar. The stationary police car in front of me wasn't bothered. Welcome to Edinburgh.
That's every homeless dude that lives around here, beaten up stolen ebikes without any lights or reflective gear 😂
Methadone Mick from still game!
From what I've seen and heard, the biggest issue with cyclists vs automobile drivers is the perceived flouting of road rules combined with freedom of movement in busy traffic and general hooning that some cyclists partake in.
I live in a more rural area. What I find perplexing is most of the time, it isn’t much wait before there is room for the car to pull around. Farm equipment is often on the road moving at about the same pace as a bike. Due to its size, it can be much harder for cars to pass. Generally, the drivers seem to just accept that is part of driving in the area. I think it mostly comes down to their perception of who should be using the road.
I drove with a relative in a busy city the other day. He was complaining about the bike lanes themselves. For him more bike lanes means less space for cars and therefore slower car traffic.
Here in Brazil I cycle to work on avg once or twice a week via a highway pullover lane. The majority of drivers are lovely and do respect the cyclists (at least in my city hahaha) but some go absolutely bonkers when I just cycle past them when they're stuck in traffic... "You should be on a sidewalk!" or "Roads are for cars only!", nor to mention the looks hahaha despite that it's a lovely 25Km to go to work and another 25Km to go back.
Keep up the good work guys!
You should come here once for a beautiful beach descend
🏖️ the beach ride sounds amazing! Not sure we fancy being told to ride on the sidewalk though!
I agree, that it’s simply that we exist. I have had drivers yell at me when driving by, and I was riding on the 5’ shoulder. Not even in the road, so they don’t even need to move to go around me.
My cycling friend said to me years ago that motorists anger with cyclists always stems from jealousy, jealous you're enjoying yourself,travelling cost free,getting exercise etc
Get real, they think your are hobos. I used to commute in Toronto, and then there was a large transit strike. I thought great. I ride a bike 20 miles a day to my job, why worry. That did not work, the roads were not only crowded, but stuffed with newbie car commuters swinging open doors, and other stuff. Made me realize how much cars respected and took care of cyclists, and how well we got on on the roads. Not long after that the people in city hall started setting us against each other with stupid bike lanes that nobody uses, and a bunch of loose talks.
Also stuff like 'travelling cost free" In big cities, people who are able to afford the parking are getting like 700K participation bonuses, annually. You think they care about what it costs to drive in? Looser talk.
And exercise with your mouth in a tail pipe. OK.
Thing I liked about it was the feeling of power. In Toronto you drop down the old contours of the lake like a diving hawk for the trip into town, and you come out with a great feeling as you easily ride back up the hill. I once paced a messenger back up, and he was kind enough to express his surprise at how fast I was. He was just being kind (not to mention long into his day and not showing it), but it felt great to not worry about the hills. I am not going to bother myself about what cars think of me. I drive cars, I know.
@@tacticalskiffs8134depends on the location. I live in Flanders and no one thinks cyclists are "hobos" or lesser, in any way. They get pissed, but just because they like following the rules and lack perspective (shit bike paths).
This is dangerously close to the 'they hate us because of our freedom' stupidity that the yanks often spew.
I am a cyclist, but I have to say my pet peeves that cyclist do that annoy the living daylights out of me when in a car are: 1) Riding two abreast on narrow farm roads, forcing oncoming traffic(Me) to have to virtually stop so not to hit them. When I ride in this situation I always ride single file when I see or hear a car, especially if on narrow roads. 2) Shooting through red traffic lights in busy town centers, and then challenging pedestrians or cars trying to cross. 3) Not using segregated bike lanes in the city, but instead riding center of the lane to prove a point. Antagonistic behaviour towards motorists, Jeremy Vine springs to mind here as well.
It’s better to ask why cyclists hate automobiles. I’m so tired of breathing bus exhaust, dealing with super-trucks that are too wide, cars with zero situational awareness, drinks, losing mates to car accidents, and on and on…
I've been riding over 40 years. In that time, I've also been a courteous motorist. If I add up all the time where a cyclist has caused me to slow down or wait, I'm probably out 2 whole minutes
You anyway likely have to wait at the next traffic light anyway and what makes the motorist even more angreifen is that after they pass You amd wait at the traffic light, you casually Filter up ahead of them.
Waiting at a red light with no traffic? Shit. I don't wait in my car either.
that's why cagers are horrible. Follow the rules. Rules matter for motors@@joerenner8334
Mate, I've probably been held up by a cyclist over my time driving for about 10 minutes...which is less time than the amount of time I've been held up by cars in just one trip to the city.
It's all about respect, we could all learn to slow down a little 🙌 This goes for cyclists too
I was a taxi driver in Portsmouth uk. Never really cared about cyclists. Always gave them the room I thought I needed when I rode. But there was one occasion when my car was kicked by lady cyclist in full racing gear. I was sat at traffic lights on main road with 2 offset side roads 10mbetween them. I was sat at a red light on main road indicating left, with the left had turn 10m in front of me and the right turn at the lights all controlled by the lights. There was one car in front of me and a line of cars behind me. We all pulled away very slowly with me still indicating checked my side mirror as I was about to turn as I always did because I was paranoid about being hit as it was my own car and the cost of taxi insurance was expensive and I didn’t want it going up any more. I didn’t see anything then as I started to turn I heard a bang as something hit my car, I stopped and a this cyclist continued to ride round she shouted at me and said it was my responsibility to see her and wait. I said why should it be my responsibility to avoid her when she was breaking the rules of the road. Would any cyclist think it was sensible to undertake a slow moving car indicating left just before a junction and think the car would see them despite the possibility of being in a cars blind spot. I ended up screaming at her that she shouldn’t put her life in the hands of car drivers by breaking rules of the road and assuming that they would see her and stop. When I cycled I would always assume every vehicle hasn’t seen me and would pull out on me or cut me up and prepare to take avoiding action. Not assuming the vehicle will see and they will take avoiding actions. It is my life and I take responsibility for it not pass on the responsibility to other road users, but hey that’s just me !
"I ended up screaming at her". Says a lot
I might be misunderstanding your description, but the new highway code instructs drivers to give right of way to cyclists travelling on the nearside and turning left into a junction...as if there was another imaginary lane between the nearside lane and the kerb. I don't really agree with most of the updated code, but it's worth a check if that is the issue here..
That would be correct if I was overtaking a cyclist and turning left just past them. I was not overtaking them I had just pulled away from a junction and the cyclist was undertaking me at a traffic light junction while indicating left.
Rule 74 says when approaching a junction on the left, watch out for vehicles turning in front of you, out of or into the side road. If you intend to turn left,check first for other cyclists or other motorists before signalling. Do not ride on the inside of vehicles signalling or slowing down to turn left.
I repeat DO NOT RIDE ON THE INSIDE OF VEHICLES SIGNALLING OR SLOWING DOWN TO TURN LEFT. I assume it’s in the Highway Code not just for a rule but you would have to be completely mad to think undertaking a vehicle turning left would be a good idea.
If you can find me a rule in the Highway Code where it says a cyclist is allowed to undertake a vehicle indicating left I would love to read it. Thank you for your reply
When I'm training on a road, I wear a helmet that has a turn signal and headlight built into the lid. People tend to leave me alone. They actually back off like a car when I'm turning.
How does that work? Do you press a button when u turn? Which helmet is that?
Oooo interesting! Do you use this in the day too? 👀
@gcn yes but I use hand signals during the day too, which are less effective because alot of drivers don't know what they mean. They do understand turn signals.
@samfrombelgium yes. There is a remote left right signals mounted neat my bike computer
Is this the solution, to "hack" the system 2 mindframe? Interesting
When I lived in the Netherlands in the early ‘90s, Dutch police would routinely stop moped riders in bike lanes to make sure their engines were under 50cc. Many moped riders modified their engine displacements to go faster, which was a safety hazard in the bike lanes. If the police caught an illegal moped, they would confiscate the cylinder head and let the rider push or pedal home.
I am a long time competitive road cyclist , and I agree in part with GNC. The truth is , cyclist often ride LIKE they are in a bike race , with controlled road closer. Does that sound formilar ? Does that sound like you ? All over the road ? 2,3,4 abreast ? 10,20,30 plus riders , on the morning ride . All INTITLED . DOES THAT MAKE A CAR or , TRUCK DRIVER ANGRY ? YES !
Riders should abide by the state, province, and local bylaws for cyclist , on primary , and secondary roads , and bike paths , and paved shoulders , when commuting or training , by themselves , or in a group. Have you looked up the bylaws , and read them ? It's not an organized bike race !
Rules and guidelines . When everyone on the same page , there will be less CONFRONTATION , and SAFER bike rides .
on riding through red lights, the big annoyance is people who don't wait their turn. Really there should be more roundabouts, but even at 4-way stop signs, if you go in order, it's not a big deal if you haven't exactly 100% stopped
Except for drivers who think if you are still rolling they'll hit you.
Wait their turn?
I live on a resort island and found that the thinner the tire on the bike the higher the blood pressure of the driver!😅
Interesting! - Another reason why wide tyres are better 👉 ruclips.net/video/LGm-gcNEkUQ/видео.html
Oh I actually closed my eyes and that's true!
Thinner tires seem just so pretentious and unnecessary hahah
It baffles me how some places make it illegal for bikes to ride on the sidewalk.
In the UK 140 cyclists killed each year on the roads yet you can't cycle courteously on the pavement, the law costs lives.
I just do it anyway. I ain't being hit by a teenager vaping and on tiktok when they should be concentrating.
In the past my issue with cyclists was when they go on the new 40mph link road, instead of on the new, purpose built and paved bike path that runs next to the road. I get that some people prefer the road and they have a right to be there, but I don't want to rush to overtake them, there is too much oncoming traffic to feel confident in passing, and then cars behind me start honking cause I'm not overtaking. It's in these situations where I wish I could ask them *why?* and telepathically plead with them to just pull over for a moment so the 6 car queue going 15mph on a 40 could just pass without risking anyone's safety. If you know why people do this please let me know cause it baffles me. I cycle that path frequently and it's so well paved, I don't see why I'd choose the road.
I’m both cyclist and driver. I do get annoyed by anyone on the road who acts like a self entitled w*nk*r. I’m equal opportunities on this but cyclists do have a problem with it in particular and we need to recognise it with less self justification in our echo chambers.
Running red lights is dangerous and people (the cyclists) do in fact die and the car driver gets the consequences.
Cycling the wrong way up one way streets.
Hitting pedestrians due to jumping on and off the pavement.
The manual thing is annoying to car drivers because it’s like someone threatening you with a 2k repair bill if they make a mistake.
Again it’s just being a w*nk*r that annoys normal people.
agree, anyone can be a clown on the roads and then tarnish others through that bad behaviour. We all need to just get on well with one another!
Singling out to let cars pass is a courteous practice, unless there is also traffic coming toward you. Then it's safer to stay two abreast to stop overtaking vehicles thinking they can squeeze by you, regardless of oncoming traffic--that's a recipe for ending up in a hedgerow.
It depends on the road. If it’s wide enough to safely pass two cyclists riding side by side, it’s more courteous to ride two abreast as it means the driver is on the other side of the road for a shorter time.
Do you find riding two abreast helps to calm the roads down or does it create more arguments?
@@rob-c. Riding two abreast is NEVER more courteous. I say that as a cyclist, a motorcyclist, a car driver and a road runner. The absolute entitlement from cyclists with your attitude, where you do these mental gymnastics to justify your shitty behaviour is astounding.
Generally should ride one up until you have more than 3 cyclists. At that point (4 or more), then two abreast works better. Unfortunately not all cars understand this.
Be careful, some drivers will risk a high speed head on collision with oncoming traffic, and possibly take you out in the process. I've seen this happen many times, and I ride alone.
In Barcelona it is common to hear motor drivers complaining about new cycling lanes being the cause of traffic jams 🤣
Years ago on the way to work at GCN Megabase, I got passed really close by a car. It was as the sun was rising and the car obviously didn't see me as the sun must have temporarily blinded them. About a week later, I saw the same car at some traffic lights I was waiting at. I knocked on his window, and really politely told the guy what had happened a week earlier. He was really apologetic and always waved and gave me a wide berth everytime I saw him from then on. It probably helped that I complimented him on his Audi RS3 to begin with.
Always a peace maker Jon 👌
Beware the hun in the sun 😂
I think that the thing that annoys motorists the most about cyclists is that we don't come to a complete stop at stop sighns. They feel that that this is unfair and that an accident is more likely to happen. Many motorists will flat out say it is completely rude and disrespectful. As a cyclists myself I do come to a complete stop because I feel it improves my ego towards motorists. I live in the USA 🇺🇸. As always great video you guys!
On our club we usually ride two abreast to defend space on the road since a few drivers have passed us way to close on a social ride when riding single file.
But we have made a tweak, when there are a few cars lining up behind us we find a spot to pull aside as a ground to let all the traffic pass and it has been working fairly well :)
Poor driving adds to the problem. I’ll often be all the way to the side, with more than enough room to be safely passed, and a car will hover behind me like they are afraid to overtake. As traffic backs up behind them, I get the blame.
It's odd, it's so often either way too close, or they don't pass at all.
Would you prefer this or an overtake? 🚙
I have a fairly big car and when I’m driving sometimes I do hover to make absolutely sure there’s nothing coming before I pass as I would HATE to pass to closely by accident and make someone uncomfortable. Cos if someone passes too close to me on the bike especially with one or both of the kids I feel really shaken.
Drivers for the last 10 years have gotten way more clueless. They don't know how to keep right or know how much room they have on either side of them. They don't know how to turn their wheel or are just too lazy and complacent in spite of everything having power steering . Driver Ed doesn't seem to happen anymore.
When I used to cycle to work five days a week, I would regularly see car drivers jumping red lights. Not quite daily but at least once a week on average. Strangely, most drivers will claim to never have seen a car jump red lights.
I see it every single day; I've taken the same route to work and back for ten years, it's just seven kilometres and just three light sets, two of which (for me) are crossings, and every single day I see car drivers run those lights. I see some cars go around other cars to run the light, and on the one where I have to stop on the carriageway I've had car drivers get on the horn at me because I'm stopping, or they go around and run the light!
Hypocrisy at it's finest.
Yes, same here. On my 5k commute through a city, cars daily assume a yellow light means hurry up and a red means one more car must get through. And this is frequently on pedestrian crossings.
Here's a better way to look at it: This is why car drivers annoy cyclists. Because the bike was here before the car. Not gonna make myself an easy target to be hit by a maniac driver, but I'm not going to stop riding my bike because of them.
Most drivers who get mad dont Think you should stop. Most just get mad when people break the rules. Isnt that a funny thing to get mad about. Not saying you do. But most riders in denmark i see they break allmost all the rules that cyclist have.
I think a lot of motorists hate cyclists because they see us as an inconvenience. My next door neighbor was laying on the horn at me the other day as I was using the turn lane to turn onto our road. When she saw me turn into my driveway and realized it was me she felt she had to come play it off like she wasn't mad about a cyclist costing her three extra seconds to get home...
Cars shouldn't overtake when there is on coming traffic, squashing yourself against the verge just encourages motorists to squeeze past when there really isn't enough room. If they can't leave the obligatory 1,5m space away from the cyclist they shouldn't pass. If you encourage them to do it you are putting yourself in danger for no good reason
Have four bikes and two motorcycles and cover many thousands of miles a year on two wheels. I’ve seen just as many bad cyclists as motorists. There are issues on both sides and plenty of blame to go around if that is what you are looking to do. But the many comments here about around mutual respect and understanding are spot on. Give respect, get respect. Even as an avid cyclist I get irritated when cyclists impede traffic flow in places where it is so easy to not do so. Bottom line is situational awareness and better riding and bike handling skills along with knowing what triggers the other side are keys that help us stay safe.
Dan absolutely nailed it. The FEW inconsiderate, ignorant cyclists who act a fool and ignore rules gives ALL of us who try our best to follow rules a bad name.
Many Cyclists DO pay taxes and registration of vehicle to help pay for roads.
I think that's the main problem - all people on two wheels without a motor are 'cyclists', but there's such a huge difference in what we all do, and how we behave on the roads.
There are bad apples in every bunch, it's all about respect for all road users 🙌 What steps can be made to improve this?
I always feel like that’s a problem for the driver to deal with. I can’t control what other cyclists do so if they’re going to use another cyclists misbehaviour to justify their own around me, that’s a them problem and inexcusable.
Riding through stopped traffic on the margins is called "filtering", and motorcyclists do it too (if the traffic's moving, it's called "lanesplitting"). It's illegal here in Canada, but it's legal in a lot of other places. For example, the UK!
Do you think it should be made illegal?
Here in the UK it's called filtering regardless of whether or not the traffic is moving. As you say, it's completely legal, though the onus is on anyone filtering to do so safely.
Personally, I consider it daft to _not_ filter if the option is available. It's one of the perks of being on two wheels.
@@gcn Not at all. If done safely and with regards to other road users, it's totally fine.
@@weevilinabox very few things are more satisfying than riding down the middle of two lines of sheeple stuck in traffic
Legal in Australia up to 30kph I think
As a driver and cyclist I am schizophrenic I’m afraid. Cycling on really busy A roads is a bit annoying if there is a big tail back. I live in rural Scotland and once two cyclists insisted on cycling two abreast and I came up behind and was forced to drive behind them for miles! Then when I cycle I just can’t understand why everyone is so angry at me!
I think that bicycles should have similar mandatory lights that motorcycles are mandated to have on a public road. Headlights, taillights, brake lights and directionals would be advantageous for all users . Arm signals are usually poorly implemented and pointless in poor light or in the dark.
With the advance of micro electronics I think that it wouldn't be difficult to have a quality integrated handlebar and marker system.
Cyclists jumping red lights can also be a problem for us runners 😊
I tend to treat Stop signs as Yield signs. If I approach a stop sign, and nobody is crossing in the other direction, I'll slow a little, and then go through it.
As you should
Also known as an “Idaho stop”. They made it legal.
@@fitzt70 Not in Illinois.
This was made legal in Oregon 4 years ago. Even though I still slow way down before going through (when I have right-of-way) I still get yelled at by drivers for not stopping (probably because they were planning not to stop). Just goes to show how bad a lot of drivers are at keeping up with current laws.
Nah they're just jelous even tho they'd need to be caught redhanded and the planets alliegned for them to get in trouble@@ryanw8987
Simple, to pass a cyclist you need to be patient and concentrate, obviously it's going to send people over the edge 🤬
A while back I did see a cyclist breaking so many laws it was like a parody of a bad car driver. This was in Chicago, in one of the few parts of the city with anything remotely resembling a hill, about a 20 foot drop from one end of the block to the other. It's a one-way street going down the "hill". It was at night. The cyclist was coming up the hill, no lights, no helmet, no bright clothing, no hands on the bars and talking on a smartphone up to their ear without a hands-free device. But what I see more often is car drivers rolling through stop signs at 12-15mph complaining about bikes going through stops at 10-12mph.
In Colorado, it's perfectly legal for a cyclist (age 15 and up) to ride through a red light as long as they come to a stop first and there's no traffic with right-of-way. It's really nice.
That still doesn't stop me from using the turn lane to turn right, doing a U-turn at 20 to 25 mph, and then using a second right turn lane to bypass the light entirely (which is also legal, depending on the particular roads).
Got shouted at today by a driver at a four way stop from my left. "Why the hell did you stop and not go straight through, waiting all day for you." This road is mostly closed to cars, JFK drive San Francisco, and cyclists and runners just blast through stop signs most of the time. I guess he was expecting me to do that. I guess because I was responsible I was unpredictable.
I'm a huge fan of drivers who get angry and get the window down to shout at me... Because they are now angry because they don't know the highway code and I'm still on a lovely bike ride 🤣
At the end of the day you're the one having more fun 😉 ( as long it's not a dangerous situation)
I just smile and wave at them. Most of them get more furious as they were expecting me to angrily talk back but i didn't fulfill their urge
Most of the Racing cyclist i see dont follow the rules. I have had multiple of Them come out of the side of the Road right out in front of me without looking when im driving in an 80 kmh zone. Or multiple times where they dont drive om the Road made for Them. They instead chose the Road where cars drive. Which is illegal for Them to do. Also most of those Racing cyclist dont have Bells on their bikes which is also illegal where i live. And they dont give any sign when they come flying past you when you are out walking. Sure there are alot of shity drivers who hate the just because they Can. But every time i drive they drive 2 next to each other or sometimes even a group of 20 where they take up a whole Road. Not Careing even tho agains its illegal here. In denmark they Can only cycle 2 next to each other if there are no cars. If there are one comming they have to go behind or in front of the one they are cycling with. Its actually rare you see one that isnt a complete idiot. Over 80 percent of Racing cyclist i see dont follow the laws. And get mad when someone calls Them out on it. One of the people who came flying out infront of me i honked at amd he just Got angry. But he did something that was extreamly dangerous for him. And could have been for me.
It's makes me upset and ride faster!!
@@theredbluegamers9106So you don't want them on your road, and you don't like it when they pass you on the shared footway. Got it. Maybe they could go by helicopter?
That’s where the Garmin Varia (or similar product) is an absolute game changer. The constant monitoring and early warning makes singling out completely seamless in small groups and pairs. It takes all the stress out the situation and the driver sees riders lining out almost immediately.
No wobbling or deviation from riding line caused by looking behind either.
Transforms group riding.
Best piece of kit I’ve ever bought besides the bike itself. I don’t ride without it.
so does a mirror
The only time I jumped red lights as a cyclist was at a roundabout where I needed to go all the way round to the third exit, i could see the lights for the other traffic change and as soon as the oncoming traffic stopped I started moving it gave me about 2-3 seconds head start round the busy traffic lanes so I could get ahead and clear of traffic and position myself safely in the middle of the lane without annoying motorists.
Used to ride with a team. We always remind the group to single file when there’re cars approaching from behind, too ok share the road and the car doesn’t need to move that much over to the other lane to pass, especially on a one lane country back roads. But these days I have seen so many riders especially group rides just take over the whole lane, feel like they own the roads, and don’t care about the cars.
Why should they at all care about the cars? No one won their freedom by being a good enough cuck
I agree, we need to all work better together and whilst it is legal to ride two riders side by side, singleing out helps that driver get to their destination too! Besides, nobody likes a car sitting behind them breathing down their neck!
This was reason why I was very careful to join any group cycling. I was in one nice tourist-like group where we would ride slow-paced weekends and follow single-file rules by default (unless it was more rural road and somebody - mostly me - kept eye on behind and shouted "car coming").
While on solo rides I knew that as long as I'm predictable, visible and... well.. "budget class looking" I will be fine. Many times would go for whole night rides (7-9 hours in dark on almost empty roads hits so different to daylight cycling). Only tricky part was not all cars switched to near lights when did see my bike light coming so would get blinded (i didn't use rechargeable "monsters" but normal budget light). But most did and many times I would flash mine for thanks =))
As always, being an idiot is not dependent on the mode of transport :)
cept idiots in cars kill other people....idiots on bikes only kill themselves. And there in lies the problem in prioritising drivers. Why allow the group that kills and does magnitudes of harm and damage to feel they are entitled to do so on roads made for everyone, paid by everyone?
@@out_spockenUnfortunately there are also idiots on bikes who cycle without any thought or consideration, and I say that as someone who cycles and drives a lot. Whether we as cyclists like it or not there is as much need for us to have a little care for other road users as there are for drivers. I usually find if I’m holding up a queue on a country road and pull over for a few seconds to let the faster traffic pass I get a lot of appreciative waves. It’s not that hard to be honest. We can’t expect drivers to make all the effort if we won’t at least give a little ourselves.
I like cycling but road rage is the number 1 reason why I can't see myself cycling or riding a motorcycle on an open road. That and the fact that there is little to nothing that would protect me in the event of a potential accident with another vehicle. With that said I'll take up indoor cycling for exercise.
Out of interest, if you don't cycle, what is your interest in it? Watching racing? Learning more from GCN? Really curious!
@@gcnI began following the channel for your extensive knowledge on different kinds of bikes. I'm going to eventually purchase a bike of my own with a bike trainer attachment for indoor cycling. I used to ride when I was younger but after being in a few car accidents, potentially getting in an accident while on a bike would be etched in my mind if I actually went for a ride. In short, I'm scared.
I am a trail rider. My city has a lot of trails so I don't have to ride on the roads most of the time.
Not with that lack of confidence, but it's easy to build. I'm sure you could holdyour own on the road
As a regular cycling commuter into the heart of London, I see a growing 'them and us' movement within cyclists themselves with jumping red lights being the easiest way to identify which camp someone lives in. On the subject of erratic cycling or occupying more road than a driver thinks you need is often directly related to the quality of the road- potholes are more common nearer to the curb requiring a cyclist to make the choice between cycling further into the lane by default or having to make a sudden change in direction to avoid - made worse when cycling behind other cyclists who do not call out hazards.
We ride single whenever there's any sort of traffic. It's the people who hog the lane on a 55mph rural route because the law says they can. Then, riding next to the double yellow, proceed to wave me by..., with my 9 1/2 car trailer, loaded.
As both a driver and a cyclist my no.1 pet hate is cyclists not pulling over on single track country roads too narrow to safely overtake. If I'm cycling and hear a car behind me I'll pause in the next passing place, it's pretty selfish to make a car wait behind you for 2/3 miles.
Yes, I agree. I am very conscious of people waiting behind me. Sometimes I will keep going and Sometimes I'll pull over, depends on the roads and always acknowledge the driver to say thank you. It's the sense of entitlement that bugs me with any road users
Here, in Rhode Island, USA, by law, we can ride 2 abreast until a faster vehicle comes up from behind. We then must go single file.
thanks for the comment, it is always interesting to hear the different laws/rules of the road 👍
Registration of cyclists. Every cyclist would have an individual registration and associated reg plate that would be attached to the cycle, visible and readable to other road users. If the cyclist has a driving licence this cycling registration would be linked to it.
If a cyclist with a current driving licence for other vehicles who infracted the laws of the road they would have their driving licence endorsed accordingly as well with associated fines. That in my opinion is what should happen in the UK and third party insurance should be required as well.
I am a motorist, motorcycle rider and a cyclist for over 40 years and would be happy with these implementations in the UK.
Lastly the law needs to change to have all cyclist's use cycle paths where provided and fined/endorsed appropriately if they use a road when the cycle path is available.
The bonus for the government would be the rich pickings in fines for the myriad of people who would send in vids of cyclists breaking the law and being readily identifiable via their registration plate.
As a driver and cyclist I agree with visible registration so that bad cyclists could be uploaded to RUclips in the same way as bad drivers. Anonymity is not fair. I would agree about fines but not points on driving licence, because bad cycling generally doesn’t create much risk to other road users compared to cars etc. Yes to insurance as well.
Totally disagree about cycle paths. In the U.K. there are paths dedicated to walkers and cyclists but they don’t always go anywhere useful and range from smooth tarmac to rough, muddy tracks. Painted cycle lanes on roads are just plain dangerous because cars then forget that they still need to leave 1.5m when passing. I would abolish them entirely. I don’t know of any examples locally where there is a dedicated, segregated cycle lane running parallel to a road although they may exist in London. It would therefore be impossible to mandate use of cycle lanes - just too many variables.
Just some quick thoughts on your proposals:
How would this be implemented given the vast number of bicycles on British roads?
Would it apply to those cyclists who only ride off-road, for example mountain bikers who drive with the bike in the back or on a rack to a location, ride their chosen trail without ever setting wheel on the road, and drive home again?
What about children? Would they be required to have a reg plate, license, and insurance?
Would any points they accrue be held and placed on their driving license when they receive it?
How do you propose the cycle path law you wish to see be enforced?
Have you not seen the news articles of stupidly conceived/thought out cycle paths which in many cases are pointless and in some downright dangerous for cyclists and drivers?
How would these points be applied to someone who doesn't have a driving license?
How much would it cost to implement licensing, etc. in the first place?
A few months back a guy on a BMX was on a sidewalk. I was driving past on the road and jealous that I wasn't riding. Then, with no signal, he cut into the street in front of me and cut across 5 lanes of traffic. It was dawn. No lights, no colours, no helmet.
I think we need another GCN show on this exact topic but in collaboration with Top Gear.
😂😁🤣
I don't think cyclist should single out. For safety, they should take up as much of the lane as possible so cars are required to move entirely into the other lane to pass. When cars think they can pass a cyclist without getting into the other lane, that's when cyclists get clipped. If you don't like it as a motorist, then lobby for more bike infrastructure, but I think the lives of cyclists on the road are more important than a brief delay.
When I get yelled at I usually shout back “go ahead and call the police on me.” Usually if a driver puts my life in danger through some maneuver, I take mental note of their car and license plate call the police on them.
Without a gopro/video footage do you have any luck at all?
I feel like car drivers are just annoyed by vehicles of any kind that are slower than them. I say this because I'm one of those drivers who won't drive above the speed limits and I'm quite often overtaken pretty aggressively, even in dangerous situations without any visibility whatsoever, or other cars will try to pressure me to speed up by driving a few meters behind me which generally has the effect of making me slow down.
Si is right in the graph, overall trend from the mid 80's! Good in you mate!
#captioncompetition: Such tall glasses this year at the Tour of Column Beer