Why Are We Cyclists Despised?

[Carrera]

I've got to get this off my chest. How come there is all this ill-will towards cyclists? It seems like every time I get on my bike there are insults shouted from cars, blowing of horns or even plastic bottles thrown.
In fact, there have been a couple of occasions where, for some reason, I was clearly beginning to blow a fuse, so to speak.
I really think it boils down to simple envy and jealousy. The motorists over here obviously resent the fact the cycle rider doesn't pay tax and I think maybe they also feel inferior as the cyclist is a reminder of the need to exercise.
At any rate, I was on a training ride last week and a motorist drove past and a head leaned out the window - some skin-headed thug with ear-rings.
For no reason at all he shouted "W####r" and the car sped past. I shouted at him to stop the car to settle the matter on the spot - that's how angry I was. I was definitely ready to rumble.
I know I'm not the only one. Later in the week I was on another training run and there was a club cyclist going in the opposite direction. All of a sudden. the cyclist shouted out a tirade of four letter words and was ranting - evidently a car had passed him and nearly knocked him off.
Someone from Brian Rourkes once told me he got so mad with a bus-driver who knocked him into the side-road, he picked up his fallen bike and hurled it through the window of the bus.
Guys, what is going on here?

 

[MediaCreations]

Wow. You seem to be riding in the wrong places.

Most of the time I get little or no agro from motorists. I pass or get passed by hundreds of cars every day and very rarely have a problem.

I would have some dork yell something once every few months.

Maybe it's time you moved to Perth, Western Australia.

 

[Carrera]

The difference is Australia is a sporting nation and cycling quite popular. Over here it's different. We cyclists appear to be hated. As a sport it seems to be despised in this region.

Wow. You seem to be riding in the wrong places.

Most of the time I get little or no agro from motorists. I pass or get passed by hundreds of cars every day and very rarely have a problem.

I would have some dork yell something once every few months.

Maybe it's time you moved to Perth, Western Australia.

 

[Eldrack]

I guess motorists don't like us being on the road because we add 30 seconds to their journey time as they have to slow down behind us before they can overtake. Or something like that. Maybe because we go slower than them (except in traffic when we go faster, but that also pisses them off) and can sometimes hold them up. Or maybe because cyclists don't pay road tax in their eyes. They forget of course that a lot of cyclists also own cars. Maybe they don't like the lycra, or the fact we are fitter than them. I just smile and wave at most car drivers who try shout abuse at me, it confuses them .

 

[Carrera]

I wish I could smile and laugh it off.
I have these female groupie admirers who know I'm a cyclist and one of them even bought a bike herself.
Anyway, one evening I was out on a training run and a car blasted a horn at me as is the custom - the idea being I should get out of the way (or so I assumed).
The response from me was a graphic gesture of the fingers and some rather unpleasant expressions that would have even shocked Madonna.
It turned out the motorist wasn't a member of the bad attitude brigade at all or a thug. It was one of those female groupies peeping "Hi!" and I don't think she was very impressed by my alter ego.

I guess motorists don't like us being on the road because we add 30 seconds to their journey time as they have to slow down behind us before they can overtake. Or something like that. Maybe because we go slower than them (except in traffic when we go faster, but that also pisses them off) and can sometimes hold them up. Or maybe because cyclists don't pay road tax in their eyes. They forget of course that a lot of cyclists also own cars. Maybe they don't like the lycra, or the fact we are fitter than them. I just smile and wave at most car drivers who try shout abuse at me, it confuses them .

 

[jbrownfield]

Anytime someone honks or gets agressive , i just smile and wave at them. They either get the point or get more ****** off- either way i dont care.

 

[lwedge]

Wow. You seem to be riding in the wrong places.

Most of the time I get little or no agro from motorists. I pass or get passed by hundreds of cars every day and very rarely have a problem.

I would have some dork yell something once every few months.

Maybe it's time you moved to Perth, Western Australia.

I've heard Atlanta Ga. is bad as well. Sacramento, San Francisco and Portland have been rated very high for cycling here in the states.

Never been to Perth and the Aussie's I know are from the Snowy Mountains area and they love their MTB's. Is Perth a city that revolves around alternative transportation ?

 

[stevebaby]

I've heard Atlanta Ga. is bad as well. Sacramento, San Francisco and Portland have been rated very high for cycling here in the states.

Never been to Perth and the Aussie's I know are from the Snowy Mountains area and they love their MTB's. Is Perth a city that revolves around alternative transportation ?

Oz is a "car culture",Perth included.from memory,oz has the second highest rate of car ownership worldwide.Perth,Melbourne and Adelaide possibly are better for cyclists than Sydney,due to geography (there are other reasons too).
The Snowy Mts.(actually a series of plateaux) are great for MTBs in summer,not bad for skiing in winter.
Global warming will increase the amount of cycling in the Australian Alps.

Bikes have outsold cars for the last 5 years,more for recreation than transportation.

 

[stevebaby]

I've got to get this off my chest. How come there is all this ill-will towards cyclists? It seems like every time I get on my bike there are insults shouted from cars, blowing of horns or even plastic bottles thrown.
In fact, there have been a couple of occasions where, for some reason, I was clearly beginning to blow a fuse, so to speak.
I really think it boils down to simple envy and jealousy. The motorists over here obviously resent the fact the cycle rider doesn't pay tax and I think maybe they also feel inferior as the cyclist is a reminder of the need to exercise.
At any rate, I was on a training ride last week and a motorist drove past and a head leaned out the window - some skin-headed thug with ear-rings.
For no reason at all he shouted "W####r" and the car sped past. I shouted at him to stop the car to settle the matter on the spot - that's how angry I was. I was definitely ready to rumble.
I know I'm not the only one. Later in the week I was on another training run and there was a club cyclist going in the opposite direction. All of a sudden. the cyclist shouted out a tirade of four letter words and was ranting - evidently a car had passed him and nearly knocked him off.
Someone from Brian Rourkes once told me he got so mad with a bus-driver who knocked him into the side-road, he picked up his fallen bike and hurled it through the window of the bus.
Guys, what is going on here?

Car drivers are jealous of our freedom.
Let's burn their houses,blow up their cars and kill their children...and win their hearts and minds.

Well..it's worked elsewhere.

Hasn't it?

 

[stevebaby]

A couple of years ago while stopped for a drink I noticed a training bunch riding towards me.A hotted up V8 with an obviously expensive custom paint job swung towards them (deliberately) and forced the cyclists off the road towards parked cars.
Unfortunately for the 2 idiots in the car the traffic 100m. ahead of them had stopped for a red light.They were trapped.All they could do was sit and wait for about a dozen very fit,very angry roadies to catch them up.
The roadies proceeded to further "customise" the car...rather kind of them I thought!
The morons in the car asked me to be a witness,apparently not noticing that I was on a bike too.
Sadly,increasing age appeared to affect my memory of the event and I was unable to assist them,My selfless offer to further "customise" their car was (rudely) rebuffed as was my gracious offer of a demonstration of the "sweet science".
However,they did avail themselves of the directions I gave as to where they could go and what they could do when they arrived.

And yes,I know it's not a solution...but a rough sort of justice was done,and seen to be done.

 

[stevebaby]

Anytime someone honks or gets agressive , i just smile and wave at them. They either get the point or get more ****** off- either way i dont care.

Probably the best thing to do.Smile and wave enthusiastically as though one of your best friends has just honked in greeting!

 

[Carrera]

It's like the Incredible Hulk - a mind-boggling rage. I mean, once I was waiting at a roundabout on a busy road. The truck behind proceeded to ram me from behind and try and push me into the roundabout. I saw the drivers sniggering as they turned off. I gave chase as well but lost them. I was in a total rage over the incident.
I heard Lance Armstrong was the same when trucks hassled him in Texas. Time for the little guys to hit back but they're hard to catch.

A couple of years ago while stopped for a drink I noticed a training bunch riding towards me.A hotted up V8 with an obviously expensive custom paint job swung towards them (deliberately) and forced the cyclists off the road towards parked cars.
Unfortunately for the 2 idiots in the car the traffic 100m. ahead of them had stopped for a red light.They were trapped.All they could do was sit and wait for about a dozen very fit,very angry roadies to catch them up.
The roadies proceeded to further "customise" the car...rather kind of them I thought!
The morons in the car asked me to be a witness,apparently not noticing that I was on a bike too.
Sadly,increasing age appeared to affect my memory of the event and I was unable to assist them,My selfless offer to further "customise" their car was (rudely) rebuffed as was my gracious offer of a demonstration of the "sweet science".
However,they did avail themselves of the directions I gave as to where they could go and what they could do when they arrived.

And yes,I know it's not a solution...but a rough sort of justice was done,and seen to be done.

 

[Carrera]

I did enjoy that scene in Falling Down where Michael Douglas had this anti-tank-rocket.

Probably the best thing to do.Smile and wave enthusiastically as though one of your best friends has just honked in greeting!