Yet another anti-cyclist Rant from Bristol

nigel_s · Post by **nigel_s** » 30 Jun 2008, 3:26pm

It's certainly open season against cycling in Bristol
Further fuel to the emigration plans to leave this dreary little rock and let these miserable people choke in their own exhaust fumes!

kwackers · Post by **kwackers** » 30 Jun 2008, 3:49pm

We can expect a lot more, as motoring costs increase motorist will feel more and more inclined to 'kick down' and the only place they can kick? Cyclists.

(Well pedestrians as well, but then most people have to walk from/to their car so they've not got that polarised yet).

We represent a group using the roads for free and they hate us for it.
It's one of the reasons I joined the CTC, cyclists need a voice and we need to apply political pressure.

Post by Si » 30 Jun 2008, 3:57pm

I treat these sort of things as a reaction to the increasing popularity of cycling- before they didn't bother much with us as we hardly registered with them, now they feel threatened because they realise things are changing.

fatboy · Post by **fatboy** » 30 Jun 2008, 4:02pm

Is it me or does if feel like open season at the moment? I got hooted more times on Wednesday afternoon than in a year, quite a bit with abuse thrown in. And on Saturday morning at 7:45am on a wide single carriageway A road with my daughter (6-year old) pottling along at 7mph we got a very angry hoot. I fear that I may have taught my daughter some new words. Oops!

workhard · Post by **workhard** » 30 Jun 2008, 4:06pm

fatboy wrote:Is it me or does if feel like open season at the moment? I got hooted more times on Wednesday afternoon than in a year, quite a bit with abuse thrown in. And on Saturday morning at 7:45am on a wide single carriageway A road with my daughter (6-year old) pottling along at 7mph we got a very angry hoot. I fear that I may have taught my daughter some new words. Oops!

my wife had to dodge a macdoes coke thrown at her yesterday. Idiot missed. She was not happy

Dee Jay · Post by **Dee Jay** » 30 Jun 2008, 4:48pm

Si wrote:I treat these sort of things as a reaction to the increasing popularity of cycling- before they didn't bother much with us as we hardly registered with them, now they feel threatened because they realise things are changing.

I think that you could be right with this.

Lawrie9 · Post by **Lawrie9** » 30 Jun 2008, 5:26pm

I live in the sticks and never encounter any of the abuse and nonsense the urban bikers seem to encounter. Its a townie thing, so many inbred idiots and people from sub-literate disfunctional families. Another thing I would add is that if you interact more with the traffic around you, make yourself big and use positive strong hand signals ie to stop vehicles trying to squeeze past you journeys by bike will be much more pleasant.

Wildduck · Post by **Wildduck** » 30 Jun 2008, 6:04pm

More to be treated with the contempt that they deserve...

Not worth my energy replying to. Pondlife.

petercook80 · Post by **petercook80** » 1 Jul 2008, 1:18pm

I read the link to the Bristol article and find it so sad that anyone in this day and age is so angry at another form of transport. I fear it’s not a car--motorbike-cycle-pedestrian thing but just a sad reflection on the general state of the population’s abilities to coexist. It seems respect for other human beings is disappearing in many areas of the country; it seems that looking after yourself is the overriding rule these days.

kwackers · Post by **kwackers** » 1 Jul 2008, 1:30pm

petercook80 wrote:I read the link to the Bristol article and find it so sad that anyone in this day and age is so angry at another form of transport. I fear it’s not a car--motorbike-cycle-pedestrian thing but just a sad reflection on the general state of the population’s abilities to coexist. It seems respect for other human beings is disappearing in many areas of the country; it seems that looking after yourself is the overriding rule these days.

Overpopulation. Put loads of rats in a cage and they'll fight.

mhara · Post by **mhara** » 1 Jul 2008, 1:40pm

Dee Jay wrote:
Si wrote:I treat these sort of things as a reaction to the increasing popularity of cycling- before they didn't bother much with us as we hardly registered with them, now they feel threatened because they realise things are changing.

I think that you could be right with this.

I think it was Mahatma Ghandi who said -

First they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they attack you.
Then you win.

Are more drivers changing from seeing us as a joke, to seeing us as a valid challenge to their petrol-driven habits?

I had an 18 tonner truck hoot and harass me as I cycled across town this morning. No I did not get on the pavement for him to get past. It ws the density of oncoming cars that obstructed him, not me.

petercook80 · Post by **petercook80** » 1 Jul 2008, 1:40pm

Yep, I do have a bit of a thing about overpopulation as well, but I am trying hard not to get into anymore endless debates on these forums.

petercook80 · Post by **petercook80** » 1 Jul 2008, 1:42pm

Nice quote mhara

GrumpyGit · Post by **GrumpyGit** » 1 Jul 2008, 2:03pm

kwackers wrote:We represent a group using the roads for free and they hate us for it.

It's got to be more complicated than that otherwise they'd be throwing $h1t at drivers of G-Wiz's and Smart Cars that are zero rated for VED.

I think its more frustration and jealousy because they're stuck in a traffic jam burning £££'s of go-go juice and we can fly past powered by nothing more than a hearty breakfast!

AlanD · Post by **AlanD** » 1 Jul 2008, 2:37pm

There has been so much of this kicking out recently and it is interesting to see that there is an overwhelming deluge of pro-cycling replies to counter this. Ah well, yet another anti-cycle motorist disappears under his rock. I wonder who is next for having his head shot off