Cyclist Abuse

James1822 · Post by **James1822** » 26 Oct 2007, 10:37pm

This is by far the most common kind of abuse I get while out riding. I rarely get anyone complaining about my riding, or shouting that I have negotiated a junction badly etc. It tends to be groups of lads who decide that it is cyclist abuse day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaD4exbofMs

Simon Cole · Post by **Simon Cole** » 26 Oct 2007, 11:40pm

Just shows that some people are nuts.

Basil W Bloke · Post by **Basil W Bloke** » 26 Oct 2007, 11:46pm

Doesn't bother me.
The world is full of saddos . I jusrt get on with my life.

mhara · Post by **mhara** » 27 Oct 2007, 9:10am

Verbal assault is just that. Verbal.
On foot or on my bike every now and then I get verbals from youth-packs, or the builders-on-roof, blokes outside pub type scenarios. Goes with being female, so perhaps I'm more used to it?

I like Eleanor Roosevelt's saying "No one can make you feel inferior without your permission." It's not actually you personally they're singling out, just their idea of who you are.
Ignore James1822, ignore.

James1822 · Post by **James1822** » 27 Oct 2007, 9:49am

It doesn't bother me, it's just interesting that the most common kind of abuse is the most avoidable. It's not a case of raised tempers, or commuters with anger management issues and a lack of awareness of other road users. It's premeditated, but totally inane abuse that is not prompted by anything. Perhaps it tends to happen to males riders in the 16-30 age group more and that's why I experience it.

Mrs Tortoise · Post by **Mrs Tortoise** » 27 Oct 2007, 6:26pm

I think we all get a bit of this from young men who have brains smaller than a gnat's testicle and intelligence quotients in single figures. I don't understand why they do it in the same way I don't see what they get out of smashing up bus shelters.

Lawrie9 · Post by **Lawrie9** » 27 Oct 2007, 9:06pm

You get these sorts of idiots if your out jogging, walking home from the pub or whatever. I can't say I've had anything like this while out on my bike - think its a thing that happens in big town and cities. But if I did I would inevitably catch up with these balloon heads at a junction or traffic lights and seek would some kind of retribution.

James1822 · Post by **James1822** » 29 Oct 2007, 11:03pm

Lawrie9 wrote:You get these sorts of idiots if your out jogging, walking home from the pub or whatever. I can't say I've had anything like this while out on my bike - think its a thing that happens in big town and cities. But if I did I would inevitably catch up with these balloon heads at a junction or traffic lights and seek would some kind of retribution.

I live in a rural area and it's rife. I don't know where you live, but I find the stereotype of the countryside as civilised, quiet and polite and the city as aggressive, dangerous and rude really annoying. Because public transport in rural areas is very poor, almost any journey involves a car, and there isn't the variety of modes of transport in a city. Car drivers are not used to sharing the road with other vehicles. Consequently they often react very badly when they see a bicycle or something non-motor driven on the roads, and think that their inalienable right to blast along single lane roads at 60mph is being taken away from them. You also get the lads with nothing better to do than shout abuse. I don't think vigilantism or retribution is a good idea. Make sure you have done nothing wrong and you're more likely to get some kind of response from the police when you give them the details.

A more light-hearted take on the drive-by abuser:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5V7Tuw1rrM

Mrs Tortoise · Post by **Mrs Tortoise** » 30 Oct 2007, 7:53pm

See the story here about a rider in Kent.

www.cyclingweekly.co.uk

If you cycle in Kent be extra careful.

mhara · Post by **mhara** » 30 Oct 2007, 9:00pm

Mrs Tortoise wrote:See the story here about a rider in Kent.

www.cyclingweekly.co.uk

If you cycle in Kent be extra careful.

That's well beyond abuse. Hope they catch the b%rst%rd.

bikegeek · Post by **bikegeek** » 9 Nov 2007, 2:24pm

mhara wrote:
Mrs Tortoise wrote:See the story here about a rider in Kent.

www.cyclingweekly.co.uk

If you cycle in Kent be extra careful.

That's well beyond abuse. Hope they catch the b%rst%rd.

Similar thing happened to me a while back, luckly I landed on a grass verge so no real harm done. The landing reminded me a bit of my old off roading days! What annoyed me though was that none of the following traffic bothered to stop to see if I was ok. Makes you see red doesn't it?

ibrogs · Post by **ibrogs** » 9 Nov 2007, 6:33pm

I find this sort of behaviour astonishing. I have recently returned to road bikes after a break of nearly 20 years. The worst I had as a teenage cyclist was some yobs throwing a banana skin out of their car. But, shortly after returning to road bikes this year, I had a bunch of guys in a van shouting abuse whilst passing in the other direction. This unprovoked verbal attack shocked me, because it wasn't like I was even in their way, it was simple hatred of cyclists that I didn't know existed. Then in August, I was descending at 50mph when a BMW cabriolet coming the other way deliberately swerved onto my side of the road, head on. Presumably the idea was to scare me, and he succeeded. Not much you can do at that speed other than hold your nerve.

badger bill · Post by **badger bill** » 12 Nov 2007, 8:15pm

it is sick making, and completley irrational. I was once attacked with a stoplock at a set of lights in Salford, without any provocation, about 10 yrs ago, so this is not a new thing. The odd verbal jibe you could live with, but stuff like this was what drove me off the roads (if you excuse the pun :oops:

)

BB

appolo · Post by **appolo** » 13 Nov 2007, 10:49pm

ibroggs, ditto.Three of us on the way home one Sunday afternoon some months ago, two abreast (me on the outside) one behind but on a very wide road with little traffic,then steaming towards us came a tatty black BMW.He veered and came straight at me, missed by only a couple of inches and doing about 50mph.I must be honest, I was pretty shaken up.Stopped on the roadside for about ten minutes to collect my thoughts. We do get a lot of the usual mindless verbal abuse (and yes, it's from cars or vans full of young lads) and sometimes from gangs of local vermin in the great metrolopis that is Ipswich, but the car incident was luckily quite rare. Why is that these morons think we are all fair game? Normally I think it's the mob mentality that kicks in,they've got to show off to thier equally neanderthal mates. On thier own, they would probably keep thier ugly mugs buried deep within the smelly confines of the hoody and not bother to look up, never mind actually having to crank thier brains into gear to string an insult together. Rant over, I feel better now! :wink:

gambatte · Post by **gambatte** » 9 Dec 2007, 5:49pm

appolo wrote:ibroggs, ditto.Three of us on the way home one Sunday afternoon some months ago, two abreast (me on the outside) one behind but on a very wide road with little traffic,then steaming towards us came a tatty black BMW.He veered and came straight at me, missed by only a couple of inches and doing about 50mph.I must be honest, I was pretty shaken up.Stopped on the roadside for about ten minutes to collect my thoughts. We do get a lot of the usual mindless verbal abuse (and yes, it's from cars or vans full of young lads) and sometimes from gangs of local vermin in the great metrolopis that is Ipswich, but the car incident was luckily quite rare. Why is that these morons think we are all fair game? Normally I think it's the mob mentality that kicks in,they've got to show off to thier equally neanderthal mates. On thier own, they would probably keep thier ugly mugs buried deep within the smelly confines of the hoody and not bother to look up, never mind actually having to crank thier brains into gear to string an insult together. Rant over, I feel better now!

Usually find its the passenger shouting and the driver decides to pull closer to the kerb as well.

I've had it a few times. Remember the plate, report it to the police. "Made me take evasive action, Could have crashed etc". I'll report it for a couple of reasons:

1 verbal or physical it gets recorded as 'assault on cyclist'

2 A lot of these prats will either
a still live with parents
b be out in mummys car
c be out in their own car, insured in mummys name

What they don't want is plod coming to their parents door to have a word.
:twisted: