What has the bicycle done to make people so angry?

[legrandefromage]

Ok, so its a percentage of a percentage that gets very animated about the bicycle but they are really loud and seem to be able to make themselves heard over the clamour of the latest Aldi special buys and whatever mess their kids are sticking up in the window.

'Cyclists should pay road tax!' - ok but how do you apply Vehicle Excise Duty to vehicle that has barely measurable emissions? Who would pay for the administration costs of registering tens of thousands of bicycles? How would you police it?

'Cyclists should have insurance!' - yes but to insure against what? Should the bike be insured or the person? What are you insuring? The activity of riding? How would this be administrated and policed?

There were 456 pedestrian deaths in the UK in 2018

There were 99 cyclist deaths in the UK in 2018

There were 3 pedestrians killed by cyclists in 2017

By that measure, pedestrians should be the ones insured?

'Cyclists ignore the Highway Code!' - maybe but many of the rules that cyclists use are designed for the cyclist and not the car driver. Unfortunately the majority of the road network do not take cycling into account leaving the car in direct conflict with other road users.



How much of this is 'virtue signalling' from a grumpy but vociferous minority - I dont know - but when a soshul medya post comes up, spittle covered keyboards rattle away with the self righteous gammons going on about how they're the ones who are hurt and aggrieved by 90kg of road user.

 

[Cheshire1980]

I love the fact that there is some preconceived idea that anyone who rides a bike does not have a driving license. Most cyclists will have a driving license and car. However, some of us choose to cycle, walk or use public transport, as an another form. Often I think, heck it’s raining I will drive today, but feel I would benefit more with the exercise, the mental health benefits of cycling and the freedom it gives me.
But I do agree, cyclists are often an easy target, and hated more than criminals it seems (at times)

 

[al-onestare]

People are people so why should it be, you and I should get along so awfully?

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

most cyclist will it have a driving license and car.
most cyclist are probably not old enough to have such things.

and here be the problem of calling them cyclist to a lot of people

there are cyclists (nobs in lycra on fast bikes, as them car drivers say ;-))
and then people on bikes
and then kids having fun.

 

[widowmaker]

Re:

I ride a bike, drive a car, walk my dog, jog occasionally, take my Daughter out on a horse. There is often little tolerance and respect for others.

But then a knob is a knob no matter what they are doing !

 

[shogun]

I have theorised it is about successive generations of identity based marketing of automobiles. People see them as an extension of self and tend to dissociate anybody moving by other modes of transport from their humanity.

 

[M-Power]

Re:

Its a British thing, stoked up by the media. You cant legally hate on most other readily identifiable groups these days but dehumanised riders on a bicycle are the perfect target hate group for all those dissatisfied with their lives. TV shows are all about encouraging different groups to fight it out, neighbours, political groups, landlords/tenants, Social Media Stars in the ring. Its the new era of entertainment.

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

The frustration theory of anger: when people are pursuing a goal, whether that's trying to get from A to B, maintain their pride, or just put a meal on their table, they will tend to get angry with anything that frustrates their progress. Having to slow down for a cyclist fits the profile.

 

[mk one]

I think there is confusion by many regarding the rights and laws of cyclists, in cyclists as well, also there are a few who for some reason just loathe that others arent having to endure their frustrated car journeys. Motorcyclists are hated by these drivers also who go out of their way to stop motorcyclists passing if they are stuck in traffic.

If the number of cyclists grows due to people no longer being able to afford cars then i can see the introduction of some sort of scheme, to create revenue if nothing else, maybe along the lines of a pemit, like fishing, dog breeding or tv license, that sort of thing. Of course, like mentioned above, really hard to enforce or police.

 

[M-Power]

I think there is confusion by many regarding the rights and laws of cyclists, in cyclists as well, also there are a few who for some reason just loathe that others arent having to endure their frustrated car journeys. Motorcyclists are hated by these drivers also who go out of their way to stop motorcyclists passing if they are stuck in traffic.

If the number of cyclists grows due to people no longer being able to afford cars then i can see the introduction of some sort of scheme, to create revenue if nothing else, maybe along the lines of a pemit, like fishing, dog breeding or tv license, that sort of thing. Of course, like mentioned above, really hard to enforce or police.

Sadly, all too likely at some point. I pay full whack for my car and enough for the wifes. As has been said ~ 83% of cyclists own a car and pay VED already. Lets hope they factor that in. Most of the rest are yoof and people on lower incomes mostly, so why hit them with another levy ? Id rather see a tripling of car insurance for abusive drivers caught driving dangerously or menacing cyclists. Identify their rants on FB too and increase their premiums as they show risky traits.