Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

Whether slapping vans is a big cause of reciprocal aggression or not, probably best not to do it.

No. Racists need to stop being racist. Otherwise you're implicitly accepting the racist proposition that you can judge people by the racial group that they belong to.

Like, white men who don't cycle or do anything vaguely out-group-y never have to deal with this shit. If some white dude does something dickish, everyone just calls them out for being a dick. "That was a dick move, dude." Not, "Dude that was a dick move and you're giving white guys a bad name." Because white guys get the privilege of being judged as individuals. But if you're a woman, or from a racial minority or you cycle then all of a sudden you're supposed to bear this extra level of shame for your mistakes or bad behaviour. Because people think it's ok to judge women/racial minorities/cyclists as a group. But that doesn't mean you do have that extra level of responsibility. It just means that people are assholes. And yeah, you can get all 'Well, people will always be assholes and we don't live in utopia so you should mind your step anyway'. But the better thing to do is stop giving credence to assholes. Because fuck those people.

Unusual correlation between people who believe collective responsibility of an outgroup of road users is a myth and compare it to racism/sexism yet have no issues talking about taxi drivers, addison lee drivers and coppers as homogenous groups.

Science has proven that all taxi drivers are dicks, so that one is totally fine.

No they're not.

But all BMW, Audi A3 and jaguar drivers are.

Looking at my family and my partner I'm starting to worry about the ginger-coloured genetic Sword of Damocles hanging over my future childrens' heads

#euphtree?

no issues talking about taxi drivers, addison lee drivers and coppers as homogenous groups.

and truck drivers. good point.

Lolololol

I could. Just because one person on a bike has fucked you off doesn't mean that all people on bikes are cunts. And if someone is too dim to take that into account whilst driving their car then they shouldn't be fucking driving a car.

But whilst there are plenty of people like that (who do take that into account) I'll continue to wish that people didn't add fuel to the fire.

The problem with this forum is everyone just makes wide sweeping generalisations.

@Greenbank
Well done with the wide sweeping generalisation about everyone on the forums...

It's easily done tho.

The problem with this forum is everyone just makes wide sweeping generalisations.

i lol'd

Draft a JCB is the new Do a Skid

And I'm a few pages behind.

No they're not.

But all BMW, Audi A3 and jaguar drivers are.

@hippy you didn't tell me that when I drove you to feckin Bridgend for the feckin Dragon Ride....

^^You haven't missed much.

Except that Will has admitted he's an alcoholic.

.

Enter your text here...

Blockquote

Admitting it is the first step, and the hardest step.

One day at a time, Wigwamwill. One day at time.

Unusual correlation between people who believe collective responsibility of an outgroup of road users is a myth and compare it to racism/sexism yet have no issues talking about taxi drivers, addison lee drivers and coppers as homogenous groups.

Except that isn't a fair comparison.

Black cab drivers, AL drivers and coppers DO have a level collective responsibility as they are part of a formal organisation with a heirachy and responsibilities, and their leadership have a responsibility towards and from their members.

It's not like if I want to ride a bike I have to join the CTC and I'm a dick on a bike the head of the CTC can apologise to the public and fire me from bikes.

I thought it would be rude to point out all the bodies bouncing off your bumper since you were giving me a lift to Wales. Did you manage to get all the blood out?

Except that I'm not talking about professional bodies, accountability and who to complain to. I'm talking about perceptions and the effect a negative encounter with a member of one of these outgroups has on your perception of all members of that outgroup. And beyond that, we can talk about (as hippy mentioned above) audi drivers, BMW drivers and so forth who have no formal organisation.

What I will say with regards to accountability, however, is that as a cyclist and road user, you have a responsibility to ride in a safe and considerate manner, obeying the highway code. When you fail to do so, no-one can complain to the CTC about you in particular, but other road users/pedestrians/whoever, can complain to police/councils/whoever about inconsiderate cyclists cutting them up, riding on the pavement, riding through red lights and so forth. Or they might just become enraged and shout at or cut up another cyclist further down the road.

It's not like if I want to ride a bike I have to join the CTC and I'm a dick on a bike the head of the CTC can apologise to the public and fire me from bikes

Followed by you being interviewed by Oprah, presumably

Or they might just become enraged and shout at or cut up another cyclist further down the road.

or he might go home and verbally abuse his wife because debbie from accounts gave him a withering look when he made a pass at her by the watercooler. Bloody debbie from accounts, she shoulda known better - now look what you've made him do!

your argument is specious twaddle.

Enter your text here...

Blockquote

This is what we call a straw man.

Perhaps it would help, in this context, to refer to careless and / or drivers of vehicles, irrespective of the type of vehicle, yet specific to the additional risks that vehicle presents to more vulnerable road users.

Conferring responsibility onto a cyclist for the behavior of others is entirely facile.

I'm yet to read any argument for it that is not entirely specious.

Wait, so you're saying that if you ride like a dick and inconvenience/endanger someone, that person will be no more likely to 1) expect the next cyclist they encounter to ride like a dick and 2) get angry/angrier at the next cyclist who does the same thing to them?

You inconveniencing/endangering someone whilst riding a bike and them going home and hitting their wife is bollocks. You inconveniencing/endangering someone whilst riding a bike and them being more likely to be less sympathetic/more angry at cyclists in future is more realistic. Not suggesting it's right, but people make snap judgements, these can be dangerous and wrong, but they happen. I don't want to be riding in front of someone who's just had their door kicked by a cyclist, or who's just narrowly avoided being run over on a pedestrian crossing by a cyclist.