Aggressive cyclists

Over the last year or so I have noticed the go to critique of cyclists has become that 'they are too aggressive', especially compared to our continental cousins who are supposedly more docile and sociable (I sometimes wonder if people have visited these places).

According the ever reliable Daily Mail this 'new' aggressive cycle culture is essentially an outlet for middle-aged faulting alpha males to display their heightened sense of entitlement and lycra-clad thighs. Blogs have been written on this new 'aggressive male cyclist'

There was also recently some fascinating insights on a newsnight special from a hypocrtical Boris Johnson and a certain Mr Roger Lawson from the 'Alliance of British Drivers' who claims cyclists are "becoming a very pushy minority group - you don't get that from motorists".

Now, Mr Lawson is obviously trying to shift the discourse to a cyclist-vs motorist row. To get slightly drawn into that I would offer two things in reply. If you search for 'aggressive cyclists' in google the results you get are invariably from cycling forums pulling up other cyclists for aggressive riding. Secondly, I think it is the people who are aggressive not the medium of transport.

What worries me about this shift in discourse towards 'aggressive cyclists' is that it shifts the responsibility away from poor cycling infrastructure onto the collective individual in the form of a 'culture' (if only we all changed our cycling culture it would all be alright). This absolves political responsibility IMO. Secondly, I am mildly irritated by the male stereotypes these kind of views are producing. I am not at fathers for justice stage just yet but they never present a balanced view of your average male cyclist.

Are we too aggressive?

Fuck off

/thread

?

I saw this thread and thought it was about me cycling the length of kingsway this morning in a shouting match with a cunty van driver who saw a woman drive into me and then decided to give me a piece of his mind. the cunt.

but no, cyclists aren't aggressive.

i will fight you.

I think it is the people who are aggressive not the medium of transport.

This^

Although anyone in a situation where they might get seriously injured or killed in an accident caused by someone else is always going to get upity if there's a near-miss.

That blog article is a bit silly, I don't quite believe it all.

That blog article is a bit silly, I don't quite believe it all.

Oh, yeah?

Step outside and say that again...

Her photo shows daylight, then she complains the cyclists were unlit. Then she says it was a "narrow country road" then suddenly there's a roundabout?

Are we too aggressive?

If it's perfectly legal to drive a motorised vehicles at a higher speed through Central London, no.

Over the last year or so I have noticed the go to critique of cyclists has become that 'they are too aggressive', especially compared to our continental cousins who are supposedly more docile and sociable (I sometimes wonder if people have visited these places).

In the rest of Europe, cyclists are better "accepted" by motorised transport, heck - in Spain it seems you are allowed to jog along the edge of 70mph roads. Drivers automatically give massive amounts of room when passing cyclists and take doing so for granted, it is no more of a burden than stopping at a traffic light, part of driving.

In this country, something very odd seems to have happened. Cyclists are always the enemy, it is always a "surprise" they are even there, and always an inconvenience, not just another part of traffic but some oddballs out on the road to specifically annoy drivers.

Just like anything, I think the media has a lot to answer for. The masses are extremely fickle and irrational in their opinions.

This 'new' aggressive cycle culture is essentially an outlet for middle-aged
faulting alpha males to display their heightened sense of entitlement and
lycra-clad thighs

Thats basically me. Although before my white croutched bibs wore at. I was happy to display more than just my thighs.

I took the Greenwich Foot Tunnel yesterday, which is not a regular occurrence for me. Several of my cycling brethren in the lift set off at the bottom, immediately riding past some peds coming the other way. One of said peds politely pointed out that there were signs saying no cycling in the tunnel, and was told to "Fuck off" for his troubles.

I'm not the worst stickler for every regulation, and believe that a bit of consideration on all sides (cars, cyclists, pedestrians) goes a really long way. But some people don't help themselves.

Everyone is aggressive when put into a fight or flight situation.

everyone is either aggressive or running away when put into a fight or flight situation.

ftfy

There are many white, middle class men sat squarely in the intersection of the aggressive wanker / cyclist venn diagram. I should know.

ftfy

Even if you choose flight you're being pumped full of adrenalin.

I've been an aggressive twat all week. Dunno why. Usually if I'm approaching a roundabout, and a car tries to jump in front of me, when I know he'll have brake hard just after. Or pull out of a side road onto mine, when I know the space in front of me is too small. I just slow down, and let the stressed twat go ahead of me, while I carry on enjoying my little spin to work.

This week I've been speeding up and puffing my feathers out.

Nevermind.

Although anyone in a situation where they might get seriously injured or killed in an accident caused by someone else is always going to get upity if there's a near-miss.[/QUOTE]

^This.

I find I'm a fairly docile cyclist when no cars/buses/taxis/vans/lorries are trying to run me off the road and no pedestrians wander out into the street in front of me without looking and magically expect me to stop.

Saying that. As the general consenus seems to be that cyclist should be on the pavement up here. Road cyclists get some serious aggression thrown at them.

I've been physically attacked several times. Glass bottles thrown, fists flying out of open windows, drivers swerving their car at me, and worse of all some chav grabbed my seattube from a pasenger window while the driver sped up. They had no concept of the fact that I was riding fixed.

Even if you choose flight you're being pumped full of adrenalin.

Well yes, but I don't think you can call running away aggressive. Even if done in a grumpy way.

Although anyone in a situation where they might get seriously injured or killed in an accident caused by someone else is always going to get upity if there's a near-miss.

^This.

I find I'm a fairly docile cyclist when no cars/buses/taxis/vans/lorries are trying to run me off the road and no pedestrians wander out into the street in front of me without looking and magically expect me to stop.[/QUOTE]

My 2p worth. If you endanger another person through an act of fuckwittery then you have to accept a bit of verbal regardless of your mode of transport, no?

People who find that cyclists are always shouting, swearing and banging on the side of their cars are generally terrible drivers, it's not because 'all cyclists are aggressive'. When someone's nearly killed you, the adrenaline rush means you're more likely to shout than write them a polite note.

That said, some riders are twats.

I had a classic experience the other evening. Elderly bloke walks straight out in front of me without looking. I come to a halt shouting "Whooaaa!" He turns on me saying "Why don't you just slow down". This is a residential street, 20mph which I was doing well under whereas motorbikes and cars and even lorries regularly shoot along well over 20mph. My immediate reaction was to give him a mouthful but I took a breath and said, "Wait a minute, I stopped in plenty of time to avoid hitting you, who stepped out into traffic without looking". He wandered off making some remark which I couldn't quite hear but didn't sound to me like he was accepting my point of view.

From where he came was a man, woman and child who called after him and commented that he seemed disorientated - they were wondering where he was going as if he had wandered off in the worng direction.

I hope they appreciated that not all cyclists are aggressive twats - even when provoked.

But people do seem to have selective recall.

People who find that cyclists are always shouting, swearing and banging on the side of their cars are generally terrible drivers, it's not because 'all cyclists are aggressive'. When someone's nearly killed you, the adrenaline rush means you're more likely to shout than write them a polite note.

That said, some riders are twats.

And some riders seem to purposely put themselves in situations so that they can take the righteous indignation stance and mouth off. Sometimes (often?), a poor/dangerous manoeuvre is a genuine oversight which can be predicted and avoided. Or you can spoil for a fight.