Why are cyclists so hated by motorists in the UK?

[auscyclefan94]

It is not just the UK. It happens a lot in Australia. Compared to Europe, our roads are much larger and we are less densely populated yet we still have lots of complaints and issues with cyclists and roads. Unfortunately, everyday you hear of a cyclists being run over by a car on the radio. I do think both sides have to take some responsibility. Many car drivers and cyclists think they own the road and just drive or ride stupidly causing risk for others.

 

[danjo007]

i had a truck driver near kill a couple of us in a club race.. driving far too fast on twisty roads, he swerved at the last minute. he got such a fright he slammed his brakes on in front of us, then proceeded to pull out an iron bar to then finish us off... (yes he even has a crazy eye!)
you cant reason with f*ktards!

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Many States have similar laws, but the acid test is will a DA prosecute? The answer in the vast majority of California is a resounding NO. The greater political fear is angering the car-driving voters. And they do get angry about DA's 'protecting cyclists.' I would guess the situation in Washington State is the same. Maybe there's a pocket of more enlightened politics in Washington State? They would be an exception, not the norm.

Too bad. From the sentencing of Dr. Road Rage in California in January 2010 (Dr. Sentenced 5 Years...) I had a different impression.

I think you are right though in many cases. Even in Washington accidents do not necessarily result in a criminal prosectution and sentencing. Sometimes a settlement is reached for damages, but nothing more. (Example below quoted from: http://www.washingtoninjuryattorneyblog.com/bicycle_accidents/...)

Family of UW researcher killed in Seattle bicycle accident award $1.5M wrongful death settlement
The family of Kevin Black, a University of Washington researcher who was killed in a 2009 Ballard bicycle accident, has been awarded a $1.5 million wrongful death settlement against the owner of the van that hit Black reports the Seattle PI.com.

Black was a 39-year-old father of two, when he collided with a van that had gone into the designated bicycle lane when attempting to make a u-turn. Black was unable to stop in time and ran into the rear of the van. Black died a short time later at Harborview Medical Center.

Black's family settled with Ambient Control Co., the owner of the van. The driver of the van was not charged in the accident and he said that he had not seen Black.

There are plenty of cases around the country though where drivers have been convicted. Here's a few:
http://www.bikelaw.com/blog/s-c-driver-convicted-of-felony-for-killing-cyclist/
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=&sid=2235637

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

i got that once, and lo and behold there was that same car with the same driver right in front of me while on patrol later that night. Best $1000 worth of tickets i ever wrote and i can still see the world's worst tow company dragging that knob's bmw down the road and out of sight. Score one for the good guys. But i digress...


(all tix were legit of course. Come on! I do have ethics!)

hell yes!!!

 

[woodie]

I got that once, and lo and behold there was that same car with the same driver right in front of me while on patrol later that night. Best $1000 worth of tickets I ever wrote and I can still see the world's worst tow company dragging that knob's BMW down the road and out of sight. Score one for the good guys. But I digress...


(all tix were legit of course. Come on! I do have ethics!)

That is gold!

On a ride one day someone threw a milkshake at me out the window of their car, we then saw their car parked out the front of their house in a village just down the road. My police friend and I knocked on the front door and I kindly explained how if it had hit me and i'd fallen off and broken something they would be liable for everything. That scared the **** out of them. Then my police friend sent highway patrol around to chat to her the next day.

No more flying milkshakes

 

[ElChingon]

Too bad. From the sentencing of Dr. Road Rage in California in January 2010 (Dr. Sentenced 5 Years...) I had a different impression.

I ride that route where Dr. Road Rage did his dead at least once a year and I can say its still tense in that area as can be. The first year after it happened the big holiday ride was stopped by the police as if we were terrorizing them (people in the area) but that ride had been going through there for decades before the occurrence and still does and the whole holiday ride atmosphere is as friendly as any ride can get so they (the cops) were actually at a loss as what to do. There is no one ride leader, the ride is basically a word of mouth and just a known annual event so they had a difficult time trying to make sense of our jovial ride, and me from out of town with ID to prove it, what could/can they do

 

[Tank Engine]

That is gold!

On a ride one day someone threw a milkshake at me out the window of their car, we then saw their car parked out the front of their house in a village just down the road. My police friend and I knocked on the front door and I kindly explained how if it had hit me and i'd fallen off and broken something they would be liable for everything. That scared the **** out of them. Then my police friend sent highway patrol around to chat to her the next day.

No more flying milkshakes

Coming home from work one day, a passenger stretched out and knocked me on the back of the arm. Maybe not hard, but it's something that could easily go wrong while travelling at speed.

Here in Ireland, most drivers a fine, but there is a difference between commuting and weekend riding. Drivers tend to give a lot of respect to "weekend warriors" (I guess thanks to Roche and Kelly), but I try to avoid the rush hours. I've got a lot of complaints about getting in the way and that there's a cycling path over there (which lasts for 200m and then disappears, meaning I'd have to cross the traffic twice in order to use it).

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I ride that route where Dr. Road Rage did his dead at least once a year and I can say its still tense in that area as can be. The first year after it happened the big holiday ride was stopped by the police as if we were terrorizing them (people in the area) but that ride had been going through there for decades before the occurrence and still does and the whole holiday ride atmosphere is as friendly as any ride can get so they (the cops) were actually at a loss as what to do. There is no one ride leader, the ride is basically a word of mouth and just a known annual event so they had a difficult time trying to make sense of our jovial ride, and me from out of town with ID to prove it, what could/can they do

eh man. I loved that. Atta way. Carry on. Just be safe. One of our local clubs abandoned a certain route here because of all the crazies driving that stretch of lonely two-lane country road. Plenty of other routes available here.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

"hey f@g, get out of the road!"

I got that once, and lo and behold there was that same car with the same driver right in front of me while on patrol later that night. Best $1000 worth of tickets I ever wrote and I can still see the world's worst tow company dragging that knob's BMW down the road and out of sight. Score one for the good guys. But I digress...

I have a feeling these posts by RDV4ROUBAIX and pedaling squares are going to get quoted a lot. That's ultimate wicked sweetness!

 

[daveinzambia]

I got that once, and lo and behold there was that same car with the same driver right in front of me while on patrol later that night. Best $1000 worth of tickets I ever wrote and I can still see the world's worst tow company dragging that knob's BMW down the road and out of sight. Score one for the good guys. But I digress...


(all tix were legit of course. Come on! I do have ethics!)

I had the opposite situation (kind of) once

at the end of a long ride, going through a small town and car pulls out of parking spot right in front of me. slam on breaks and pull alongside car giving the driver a few polite words explaining what he had done wrong, with some gestures to make the explanation clearer. Calmed down enough on passing the car to notice the slightly shocked face of my dad looking at me through the side window.

 

[oldborn]

I knew it

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[Altitude]

My favorite is the violent acceleration as they pass you. Always good for a laugh.

Anyhow I have always felt that it is actually more dangerous to ride on desolate country roads. When you're riding in traffic people will refrain from running you over because there are plenty of witnesses. On the other hand, if there's nobody around what's going to stop a psychopath from crushing you with his truck? I always feel a little uneasy when I hear the motor approaching me from behind.

 

[RedheadDane]

My favorite is the violent acceleration as they pass you. Always good for a laugh.

Some weeks ago I was overtaken by a car in the middle of a crossroad, he even took a corner of the cycling path and came... rather close to me. Of course I don't think it was because I was on a bike, some people are just generally in a hurry.

Also... quite funny when people are in a hurry... to get to the back of the long congestion-line. Which enables you to just... go right past them!

 

[MarkvW]

My favorite is the violent acceleration as they pass you. Always good for a laugh.

Anyhow I have always felt that it is actually more dangerous to ride on desolate country roads. When you're riding in traffic people will refrain from running you over because there are plenty of witnesses. On the other hand, if there's nobody around what's going to stop a psychopath from crushing you with his truck? I always feel a little uneasy when I hear the motor approaching me from behind.

Lol! That acceleration is so common, usually by males. So often the zooming fools unexpectedly encounter oncomong traffic.

 

[MarkvW]

Too bad. From the sentencing of Dr. Road Rage in California in January 2010 (Dr. Sentenced 5 Years...) I had a different impression.

I think you are right though in many cases. Even in Washington accidents do not necessarily result in a criminal prosectution and sentencing. Sometimes a settlement is reached for damages, but nothing more. (Example below quoted from: http://www.washingtoninjuryattorneyblog.com/bicycle_accidents/...)


There are plenty of cases around the country though where drivers have been convicted. Here's a few:
http://www.bikelaw.com/blog/s-c-driver-convicted-of-felony-for-killing-cyclist/
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=&sid=2235637

In Washington, it is very tough to convict someone of reckless driving (neg driving isn't a crime). The best way to look at it is this (in Washington) is that Mr. Magoo never gets charged. If you knowingly drive dangerously, then you're at risk of reckless driving and vehicular assault/homicide. The stupid and inattentive driver who kills will almost never be charged because that's the law.

 

[42x16ss]

The other day I had a woman floor it to try and pass me about 5 car lengths from a major 3 lane intersection while the traffic lights were red. She had to lock up her brakes and stopped with about 3/4 of her car out in the intersection This woman was obviously so concerned I was holding her up she didn't notice three lanes of traffic around her slowing for the lights.

Of coursee it was my fault when I pulled up alongside...

 

[daveinzambia]

My favorite is the violent acceleration as they pass you. Always good for a laugh.

Anyhow I have always felt that it is actually more dangerous to ride on desolate country roads. When you're riding in traffic people will refrain from running you over because there are plenty of witnesses. On the other hand, if there's nobody around what's going to stop a psychopath from crushing you with his truck? I always feel a little uneasy when I hear the motor approaching me from behind.

When younger spent all of my time riding on empty roads and very rarely had issues, now all my riding is done in cities and you feel like it is just a case of percentages. Can be passed by 200 reasonable drivers in one ride but all it takes is one idiot. i also find by far and away the most dangerous element is cars pulling in , pulling out, doors opening.

did once have a guy try and hit with a belt as i passed him on a small road. pulled out in front of me and proceed to drive at 20 mph. i was sat on his bumper and could not get past because the road was too narrow. he then slams on brakes, and when i come past tries to hit me with a belt or something out of window.

that was when i realised there was no one else for miles. luckily he was so scared of country road he could not catch up to me for a while and i managed to find a lawn mower shop that suddenly looked very interesting and required a visit

 

[MarkvW]

The other day I had a woman floor it to try and pass me about 5 car lengths from a major 3 lane intersection while the traffic lights were red. She had to lock up her brakes and stopped with about 3/4 of her car out in the intersection This woman was obviously so concerned I was holding her up she didn't notice three lanes of traffic around her slowing for the lights.

Of coursee it was my fault when I pulled up alongside...

That is hilarious. You were courageous to pull up alongside!

 

[DirtyWorks]

Too bad. From the sentencing of Dr. Road Rage in California in January 2010

That's just one case where the facts of the matter are so awful, the DA has a prosecution in the bag.

As you later admit, the vast majority aren't prosecuted.

Here's one that was widely reported: "“You have someone in a Porsche hitting someone on a bicycle and leaving the scene as the cyclist pleads for help. How could anyone do that? Then the police write a report and call it an accident and City and District Attorneys won’t do anything. " http://www.transmopolis.com/2010/03/los-angeles-bicyclists/

I had assumed it just ended there. But the driver got 90 days jail. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/11/local/la-me-cyclist-hit-20101111 Why? Because the DA had a slam dunk.

There are many more cases like this that go unprosecuted through some combination of a lack of visibility and a weak case for the DA.

 

[Polyarmour]

Some weeks ago I was overtaken by a car in the middle of a crossroad, he even took a corner of the cycling path and came... rather close to me. Of course I don't think it was because I was on a bike, some people are just generally in a hurry.

I have just ordered a spycam in a USB stick. Cost me $30 and I'm mounting it under my seat facing backwards. The next bogan who swerves and accelerates his car towards me is going to have his/her video sent to the police.

 

[42x16ss]

That is hilarious. You were courageous to pull up alongside!

I had to pull up alongside her - how else was she supposed to see me laugh and point!?!?

 

[42x16ss]

I have just ordered a spycam in a USB stick. Cost me $30 and I'm mounting it under my seat facing backwards. The next bogan who swerves and accelerates his car towards me is going to have his/her video sent to the police.

Sweet! What model is it? I could use something like that next time I'm up around Morayfield/Deception Bay/Redcliffe. Would make for interesting viewing!

 

[Polyarmour]

Sweet! What model is it? I could use something like that next time I'm up around Morayfield/Deception Bay/Redcliffe. Would make for interesting viewing!

Go onto Ebay and search for usb spy cam, you'll get a pile of them.

 

[MarkvW]

I had to pull up alongside her - how else was she supposed to see me laugh and point!?!?

I'd probably just sit in her blind spot and let her stew!

 

[42x16ss]

I'd probably just sit in her blind spot and let her stew!

No way! When people do something stupid and dangerous they need it rubbed in their faces Nothing cures stupidity faster than embarassment.