[Closed] Are We Pondlife To Everyone Else?

Maybe a "Cabbies driving like ****ers" sign should be included 😈

It's a publicity stunt, I wouldn't waste your time getting worked up.

stop reading the express for anything other than their hilarious weather 'forecasts'.

[u]everything[/u] in it is shite, written by idiots - don't let shite written by idiots affect your mood.

(I haven't followed your link out of principle)

roadsigns are for [u]roadusers[/u] not just "drivers"..

We need more signs
[img] [/img]

Time to create some as well then. They made me laugh.

I followed the link, I'm sorry. I then compounded my sin by clicking on another story, entitled
"Another cycling fatality in London as a cyclist is crushed in a (sic) horrorifc (sic) accident".
Of 16 comments below the line, only one appeared to have been posted by a real human being. It expressed sorrow, offered sympathy and gently chastised the other commenters. All the others seemed to enjoy the fact of this old man's death. There were anecdotes of cyclist misbehaviour, of arrogance, of "holier-than-thou green own-the-road attitudes": all manner of variations on the theme of "he deserved it".
I was quite cheery today, up until that point. Now I'm quite dismayed by the sheer self-serving insensitivity of some people.

I somethimes think that people subconciously do not see cyclists as human. It's a bizarre thing to say, but I witness a lot of drivers passing cyclists too close, overtaking on blind bends, swerving around cyclists at the last moment, and then swerving back in front of them. Weird things to do to such vulnerable road users, unless they have somehow detached the fact that we're human in their heads.

All other road users are, at a certain level, considered "not human" by the brain, just as when you're in a crowded shopping centre, most of the people are "things" not other people. The brain can not truly consider, at the time, in a busy place, that everyone else about you is a person.

The difference with people on bikes, rather than in other cars, is that smaller collisions, that occur often, have a far more drastic effect.

It's why so many people try to make a real effort to look others in the eye when cycling on the roads.

Make people behind the wheel of a vehicle you're close to see you as a person, not just another vehicle. Get their attention, don't just be background noise.

Sometimes this annoys people driving, such as getting front and centre in a queue, but do it. Make them register you as a person, not an object on a crowded street.

Oh, of course, after the event, if you can't show empathy for someone hurt or killed in an accident, you are a psychopath.

They forgot add cabbie doing turn without signalling in middle of busy trafic as he has seen a fare and cabbie shouting "I'm trying to earn a F%$^ing living" ahead.

Useless bunch of cockwombles.

The Daily Express is even worse than the Mail.

But why are they obsessed with apocalyptic visions of snow?

We are pond life to most. Just been to a meeting about a fully funded and supported by national park, cycle route into the village I live in (grasmere) and the negativity is frightening. This is so that we can encourage family cycling and avoid people having to use the a591 and all people want to talk about is how it will destroy the quiet and mountain bikers will be scattering walkers like ninepins. I got quite angry.

It's a publicity stunt, I wouldn't waste your time getting worked up.

Oh I'm not worked up about an Express article, I did use it as an example of how I've felt for years and that is as a cyclist I feel that the rest of the world regards us as scum.
I'm sure many of you have been on the receiving end before.
The last straw which led to my statement is two nights ago on a night ride I was pelted with bottles by some random lads (I assume they were 'lads' ). I was quite happily riding along minding my own when I was pelted and the comments were 'oh look a cyclist lets have some fun'.

Useless bunch of cockwombles

😆

Well, riding a bike ids generally seen as going against the way things are. Most people I speak to that don't ride a bike just assume it's because you can't afford a car. Ie: You've failed 'at life' in not making enough money to not only buy a better car than your neighbours, but not even enough to buy a car at all, or even to use public transport. I guess it's a similar thing to the attitude towards homeless people.

Not 'pondlife', rather 'fair game'.

The last straw which led to my statement is two nights ago on a night ride I was pelted with bottles by some random lads (I assume they were 'lads' ). I was quite happily riding along minding my own when I was pelted and the comments were 'oh look a cyclist lets have some fun'.

I've experienced similar except with rowdy driver and companions in an erratic and rapidly accelerating tatty black BMW that had just left the pub to the right of the carpark gate at Wharncliffe Wood - I wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or amused because to be fair, I looked shagged - it had been a very long day - and the pelting items of choice were empty redbull cans.

Sad to hear about the attitude to opening cycle paths although I'm sure we have all met ramblers (and other cyclists, horse riders, runners etc) who can't get the concept of 'SHARED USE' past their little blinkered bubble of self interest...

All other road users are, at a certain level, considered "not human" by the brain

This, I read many, many news reports where "the car" is described as though it was making decisions and performing actions of its own volition, when it should be "the driver" so described.

Unless the owner of the car was an M Knight?

I think the issue is wider than "rightful road users" vs cyclists. Ime driving and cycling the overriding attitude on the road is one of total disdain and disinterest in the welfare and safety of anyone outside their bubble. I find I notice it more on the bike because of my vulnerability.

That's not to say there are not a large number of people who have a special dislike for cyclists (and these are exceptionally dangerous) and there are the sheep who latch on and comment for reasons of social inclusion but fundamentally I think the source of the issue is a pervasive selfish attitude.

Oh and I agree cyclists are a soft target for the press to produce ill informed lop sided drivel to inform their readers! Although not all are guilty of this.

I've come to expect this sort of behavior over the years to the point that it's normal to accept that someone to want to kill you, but sometimes some random action just makes you think 'do you know what- f this'.
Fear not, I'll man the f up by tomorrow!!!

I always laugh at people who tell me that because I cycle I must be poor, because I'm not.
I like the comment on the Express page where someone has asked for a sign saying [b]Idiots ahead[/b] at the entrance to Downing Street

The anti cycling rhetoric is beyond me. I really don't understand where it comes from, other than an underlying resentment that when people on bikes aren't being subject to the same gridlock tthey are. The other week my web publisher was bitching that people like me ( on bikes) are slowing him down. He totally does not get the one less car aspect.
on a happier note though, i find that cars are my usual dualcarriageway commute are giving me more space when i overtake them