Growing hostility towards Mountainbikers and Cyclists

[Silvergoat]

Excellent thread!

Here's some perspective from rural Missouri. The car (or more specifically the Truck) is King and there's a complete lack of Bridal paths, RUPPs, Bikeways and other cycle friendly routes outside of some of the State and City Parks. The State Government was recently considering two measures to pass into law. The first, was that bike riders on public roads would be obliged to pull over to the side of the road, stop and dismount when a vehicle wanted to pass. That is asinine, but the second measure on the table is even more ludicrous. Under this new proposed regulation all cyclists would be required to mount a 15' tall pole with a fluorescent orange flag on top to their bike.

So far while cycling on public roads I've been shot at, had dogs set on me, run off the road multiple times, and sworn at more times than I can remember. These are dangerous times and Politicians of all parties here and back in Europe seem clueless and indifferent.

Holy wowzers – that puts things in perspective!

 

[The History Man]

My job allowed me free buses in 80s London. My bike was for the pubs and parks. Maybe that's why I'm so shocked.

The time of my life.

 

[daugs]

I remember the one at the junction of Luddgate Hill and Farringdon Street – another case of a tipper or cement truck turning through a junction over someone on their bike. I'm afraid that riding throughout London really is a combative activity and a propaganda war. Some days, I just can't face the thought of getting on my bike to commute through London and end up resorting to public transport but I kind of feel this is whimping out and giving in. You have to go for and own, as much as possible, any road space you can get. Never ride in the gutter and never flinch – blinking first makes motorists feel powerful. But do be courteous and make friendly eye contact and acknowledge all other road users and this will get you far.

I've never commuted but have ridden in London a lot, always ridden with purpose, taking appropriate space without being aggressive etc and actually feel safer than on some of the country lanes around where we were before in Hampshire, as so frequently you had idiots in cars coming round blind bends as fast as they could with no regard to visibility and stopping distance, and that's if they are not on the phone. At least in London you can see them coming, and there are enough other people around that it does moderate some peoples' behaviour.

 

[yagamuffin]

Excellent thread!

Here's some perspective from rural Missouri. The car (or more specifically the Truck) is King and there's a complete lack of Bridal paths, RUPPs, Bikeways and other cycle friendly routes outside of some of the State and City Parks. The State Government was recently considering two measures to pass into law. The first, was that bike riders on public roads would be obliged to pull over to the side of the road, stop and dismount when a vehicle wanted to pass. That is asinine, but the second measure on the table is even more ludicrous. Under this new proposed regulation all cyclists would be required to mount a 15' tall pole with a fluorescent orange flag on top to their bike.

So far while cycling on public roads I've been shot at, had dogs set on me, run off the road multiple times, and sworn at more times than I can remember. These are dangerous times and Politicians of all parties here and back in Europe seem clueless and indifferent.

Sounds like Easy Rider!

 

[k-rod]

Excellent thread!

Here's some perspective from rural Missouri. The car (or more specifically the Truck) is King and there's a complete lack of Bridal paths, RUPPs, Bikeways and other cycle friendly routes outside of some of the State and City Parks. The State Government was recently considering two measures to pass into law. The first, was that bike riders on public roads would be obliged to pull over to the side of the road, stop and dismount when a vehicle wanted to pass. That is asinine, but the second measure on the table is even more ludicrous. Under this new proposed regulation all cyclists would be required to mount a 15' tall pole with a fluorescent orange flag on top to their bike.

So far while cycling on public roads I've been shot at, had dogs set on me, run off the road multiple times, and sworn at more times than I can remember. These are dangerous times and Politicians of all parties here and back in Europe seem clueless and indifferent.

Sounds like Easy Rider!

Amorika - yee-ha!!

 

[justbackdated]

Re:

An interesting thread.

Yes, 'back in the day' off road cycling came as a bit of a surprise to most of the Great British Public, and although the Rough Stuff Fellowship had been 'Laning' for years previously, the arrival of the Mountainbike introduced a greater percentage of cyclists to the countryside. Generally when we were riding off road in the 80s the folk we met off road were aghast and genuinely interested that anyone would want to ride a bike where only walkers and horses had previously trod, and of course 'trail damage' was not on the menu. Damage caused by hoof and footfall seemingly being ignored at the time.

But of course familiarity breeds contempt and eventually the popularity of off road riding along with altercations with other ROW users has raised the problems we are now facing.

It is true that the stigma attached to the cyclist is one born of the modern age and 'keeping up with the Jones's attitude. Whereas in the 30s through to the 50s the bike and motorcycle were the kings of personal transport in conjunction with a wide ranging railway network, once the car became affordable and the road network improved[together with the loss of the local rail links] anyone still riding a bicycle was considered either poor or something of a freak. This view is obviously reflected in the almost total lack of any form of cycling infrastructure in Britain today, even with the fact that cycling is more fashionable now than it has ever been.

Mrs JBD and I have been to The Netherlands in September for the last 2 years running to visit the area around Arnhem, and it is interesting to see how different it is to Britain. We spent the time walking and riding around the area and in fact did'nt start the car again from our arrival until the day of our departure. The cycle routes are just incredible and run alongside all of the roads and footpaths everywhere , from the city itself and out into the countryside and surrounding towns. In fact we found it hard to find anywhere that you could'nt actually ride a bike[maybe the main train line eh?!]. The infrastructure appears to be set up so everyone gets a fair share of the pie; cyclists, pedestrians and motorists alike. I don't know if this is the same throughout Holland, and we probably viewed it all with rose tinted specs, but it all just seemed so much more relaxed and the people all more tolerant of the other users. It appears that everyone 'rides a bike' regardless of wether they are motorists or pedestrians, and the cycle has kept its important place in the whole scheme of things. It would be interesting to know from our Dutch colleagues on here how it really is.


Watch out for the 'Twist and go' though

 

[M-Power]

Re: Re:

An interesting thread.

Yes, 'back in the day' off road cycling came as a bit of a surprise to most of the Great British Public, and although the Rough Stuff Fellowship had been 'Laning' for years previously, the arrival of the Mountainbike introduced a greater percentage of cyclists to the countryside. Generally when we were riding off road in the 80s the folk we met off road were aghast and genuinely interested that anyone would want to ride a bike where only walkers and horses had previously trod, and of course 'trail damage' was not on the menu. Damage caused by hoof and footfall seemingly being ignored at the time.

But of course familiarity breeds contempt and eventually the popularity of off road riding along with altercations with other ROW users has raised the problems we are now facing.

It is true that the stigma attached to the cyclist is one born of the modern age and 'keeping up with the Jones's attitude. Whereas in the 30s through to the 50s the bike and motorcycle were the kings of personal transport in conjunction with a wide ranging railway network, once the car became affordable and the road network improved[together with the loss of the local rail links] anyone still riding a bicycle was considered either poor or something of a freak. This view is obviously reflected in the almost total lack of any form of cycling infrastructure in Britain today, even with the fact that cycling is more fashionable now than it has ever been.

Mrs JBD and I have been to The Netherlands in September for the last 2 years running to visit the area around Arnhem, and it is interesting to see how different it is to Britain. We spent the time walking and riding around the area and in fact did'nt start the car again from our arrival until the day of our departure. The cycle routes are just incredible and run alongside all of the roads and footpaths everywhere , from the city itself and out into the countryside and surrounding towns. In fact we found it hard to find anywhere that you could'nt actually ride a bike[maybe the main train line eh?!]. The infrastructure appears to be set up so everyone gets a fair share of the pie; cyclists, pedestrians and motorists alike. I don't know if this is the same throughout Holland, and we probably viewed it all with rose tinted specs, but it all just seemed so much more relaxed and the people all more tolerant of the other users. It appears that everyone 'rides a bike' regardless of wether they are motorists or pedestrians, and the cycle has kept its important place in the whole scheme of things. It would be interesting to know from our Dutch colleagues on here how it really is.


Watch out for the 'Twist and go' though

Good post. The Dutch are way more advanced than us in many ways. The U.K and its media are obsessed with class structure and socio economic labelling. Too many ignorant car drivers think that cyclists are sub human parasites who pay nothing towards the costs of roads, infrastructure etc Politicians think only of the short term. Why couldnt the EU with all its meddling in our lives actually force a cycling centric agenda on our congested roads ?

 

[legrandefromage]

You buy a takeaway coffee, you are paying for roads

But you try telling Ronnie Pickering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0dcv6GKNNw

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

Who is Ronnie Pickering?

 

[M-Power]

Re:

There are a lot of angry middle aged men on our roads, using their vehicle as a weapon.