Are you seeing a lot more cyclists on the roads?

The craze around where I live is young cyclists usually young males. Riding and texting at the same time , how can that be safe, they will only have one hand on the handle bars

Oooh, no grudge, actually I had started to overtake her, after signalling to go around her and THEN she thrust out her arm, she didn’t even look to see if anything was behind her, earbuds in so she probably couldn’t hear me either, she is one lucky lady that I was going slowly or she would have been under my wheels. But it’s all on film.

You contradict yourself, you say they don't follow the rules and then you are moaning about one of them signalling by putting his arm out and turning right, the correct procedure No different from a car except most drivers these days don't seem to indicate when turning. You just have a grudge.

mad racing car drivers oh dear id hate for you to be stuck behind me then as I trundle along.
The main thing about the cyclists around here is the unpredictability of them, will they stay in a straight line?
Or like this morning, wait until I am indicating to go around them and suddenly thrust out an arm and swerve in front of me to turn right?
Or swerve around a pothole that I can’t see because I am trying to see around 4 of them all cycling abreast in the road.
Cycling families I don’t have a problem with, but some of these young people ( mostly men) who act as though they don’t have to follow any rules , or even be careful that they don’t get themselves killed, are the ones I have an issue with. Fortunately I have cameras in my vehicle , so they are being filmed, if there is an accident at least there will be proof whose fault it is.

Here we go again cyclists bashing. First cyclists are not breaking the law riding abreast, in fact its a good thing to slow down you racing mad car drivers. Whats the difference getting behind some farm vehicle that is trudging along at a few miles an hour. Do I hear you moaners moaner about them. As for lycra cyclists wear it for a reason, for comfort and safety. I wear lycra tights, they won't get caught in the wheel. I suggest that the moaners get use to it, cycling is the way forward. Also regarding insurance, many of the cyclists are insured, I am through my cycling membership. As for cars tax, well I have two cars, both taxed so as far as I am concerned I have paid my share, how about caravans, they are not taxed. Suggest you get a life and even try cycling yourself instead of moaning.

Oopsadaisy3

We might not own it, but we certainly pay towards it.

And we have to pass tests and have insurance.

So what? Many, cyclists are also car owners. And yes, cars are lethal weapons and of course you need a test to drive one.

The roads are not just for you Oops because you pay a small fee. They are for the use of others too.

We might not own it, but we certainly pay towards it.

And we have to pass tests and have insurance.

If there weren’t so many dangerous drivers on the roads I would cycle more too. For every odd prat cyclist I see dozens of bad drivers.

Neither you nor I own the road in our dirty toxic fume-spewing cars.

It’s all down to attitude LuckyoldB.
What has the gall bladder got to do with it?

Not another rant about people who ride bicycles! Do you all suffer gall bladder problems by any chance?! For goodness sake, having a car doesn't mean you own the road, a lycra clad bottom is no different to a distasteful over large one shaped like a car seat! People who drive cars do appalling things and kill thousands on the roads every year. It's a crowded country and getting more crowded by the year, we all need to learn to be a bit more tolerant, slow down and SMILE!
Off to enjoy the day now, how about you?!!

I live in a rural area of Scotland and there have been more of the Lycra-clad brigade out and about. I rather think numbers are dropping again now - I didn’t see one cyclist on a 45 mike trip yesterday - as people go back work and schools start again tomorrow. I can guarantee there will be far fewer once the winter weather sets in!

I agree with Grandad, I do believe some revel in the chaos they cause, toot them at your peril, the expletives are nothing, I've known people who have been spat at and I heard through a friend, one woman in Richmond Park had a guy get off his bike and hurl it at her windscreen to say they can be intimidating is an understatement.

Where I live they are very prevalent, ever since the 2012 Olympics where like everyone else we all cheered Bradley Wiggins and co on and what a great time that was. The Lycra contingent it seems have been wanting to relive that moment of glory ever since. Our council have increasingly spent large amounts of money putting cycle lanes in everywhere, squeezing the motorist into congested situations on one particular stretch whilst the supersized cycle highway is quite often empty.

I don't wish to tar every cyclist as inconsiderate, because I know that's not the case, but some are. Lost count of how many times seen them going through red lights, ride two or more abreast when doing that causes problems with traffic flow, weave in and out between cars in a dangerous way, cycle through pedestrian thoroughfares in an inconsiderate manner. I don't see why they should be exempt from paying for infrastructure that is there to make their lives safer, or pay insurance, given how evident it is the money they throw at their particular hobby. I would exempt all youngsters going to and from school and the sedate and considerate cyclists like the typical GN cycling enthusiast!

I agree that some cyclists are inconsiderate, and some are downright dangerous, and may sometimes cause problems for other road users, but surely you agree that environmentally cycling is by far the most eco friendly, and indeed healthiest.

The main problem is that investment in safe cycle paths and routes has not been forthcoming.

A sobering thought when you look at the stats. Road deaths per mile. cyclists 29.7%. HGVs 0.8%. Of course any death is regrettable.

It is not the situation that cyclists riding in groups of two or three abreast cause to car drivers, it is, more importantly, the danger they cause to themselves and all other road users when they are holding up heavy goods vehicles, coaches and buses etc.

The above vehicles have no real acceleration to pass cyclists riding in such a manner and often the drivers of such vehicles can only follow those cyclists for many miles before any safe opportunity will come about to pass.

The build-up of traffic behind a heavy goods vehicle can cause frustration in those drivers following and also that of the large vehicle driver causing a dangerous situation to develop.

In such circumstances many cyclists seem to revel in the Chaos they cause often looking back and grinning at the large vehicle driver trapped behind them.

Many large vehicles also have warning signs informing cyclists not to progress up the nearside of such vehicles when they are stopped at junctions and traffic lights etc. However, still many cyclists ride down the nearside of those vehicles in an effort to cross over the traffic lights or crossings even when they are set to red against them, they can then be crushed under the rear wheels of the heavy vehicle if it manoeuvres to the left as it turns.

Many cyclists have been recorded as killed carrying out the above but still many seem to conduct the action.

I often think that many cyclists (but not all) are totally selfish, Revel in as much chaos as they can cause and when riding in groups do not have a real intelligent brain between any of them.

I think you won’t see quite so many cyclists on the road in wintertime.

Cycling is great for the environment and for the nations health. We should do everything possible to encourage it.

I agree Grandma70s. At least bikes aren’t contributing to global warming. I think it’s encouraging that more are cycling since lockdown, and think that is one of the positives to come out of the pandemic.

May address the obesity problem too.
What we need are more, and safer proper cycle lanes, not narrow lanes at the side of the roads which disappear at traffic lights.

Get over it car drivers, and take more care. It could be your GCs on those bikes!

They are the biggest nuisance on the roads today without any consideration for other road users or pedestrians, some ride even more dangerously than Bikers and that’s saying something.
Why do they squeeze through on the left side of a truck on a junction knowing the truck has got to overtake them again a short distance later. Inconsiderate or just stupid!.

They are a pain, all over the road and usually a crowd of Lycra clad males.
I have to look out for potholes because THEY will swerve out in front of me to avoid them, they are all so absorbed in shouting to one another that when I give them a friendly toot to warn them that I’m going to try to overtake them (rather than crawl along behind them for the next 5 miles) they respond by waving their fists and shouting obscenities at me.
Such a charming crowd filling our country lanes at the moment.
Heaven knows what they must be like in towns.

Cyclists! They drive me insane. There are lots of parks where I live and many narrow public footpaths. Every time I venture out I find that some casual cyclist will cycle up behind me and expect me to jump out of the way. How I'm meant to know that he, and it is usually a he, is there I am not sure. No bell or shout to alert me, just an awareness of displaced air and a whoosh.

Sometimes there will be a brush of the cycle or rider on my shoulder as he rides past far to close on the narrow path.

And mostly, if I was aware of the upcoming menace and jumped out of the way, no acknowledgement or thank you passes the riders lips.

Today, a friend and I took a quiet walk through a local nature reserve. The paths were alive with cyclists. Thankfully no Lycra today. I smiled secretly to my self as one silent rider wove in and out of pushchairs and people and rode right through a fresh pile of dog poo. Ha

One day, some rider who is a little less confident will misjudge their speed and my reflexes and plough right into me.

Its great that so many people have taken to two wheels, but crowded public footpaths should be out of bounds.

Grandma70s. As a car owner I pay a substantial amount to use the roads. That money is also used to provide cycle lanes which many cyclists choose not to use. Apart from occasionally being infuriated by inconsiderate cyclists, I abide by the rules, drive safely, keep to my side of the road and maintain the speed limit etc etc....Some cyclists seem to think they have more rights than others. Back in the day cycling was the acceptable way to get from A to B. We now live in different times. I need a car. I have no Public transport within 8 miles. No, the majority of cars are not the problem but the inconsiderate ‘weekend racing’ cyclists are!

Not only on the roads. I am finding that more cyclists are using the narrow pathways in the countryside that are as I thought for walkers. Twice this morning I had to get out of the way of cyclists on a very narrow track.
This is something I have never encountered before. They seem to think it is their right to ride anywhere.

It’s cars that are the nuisance, not bikes.

We get a lot of ‘keen’ cyclists around here - the lycra clad, bottom wiggling variety. On the whole most remain in single file but you do get a few bolshy types who think its their right to remain in a big gaggle, 3 abreast. All the local roads are narrow and winding and getting from A to B can sometimes be quite slow and frustrating. Unlike horse riders, they rarely thank you for your patience. Naughty I know, occasionally I eventually overtake then whip the car into high gear and leave them in a puff of diesel. Very satisfying