I grew up in Central London and cycled for transport from my teens to my thirties before I emigrated. I always took the lane when appropriate and filtered, and I was generally far faster than most traffic when I was fit and young.
After many years experiencing the typical daily near misses and driver aggravation I distinctly remember thinking how much motorists improved in London when the congestion charge came in. Loads of people started cycling, so much so that a dozen or so cyclists filling up the ASL(?) zones was suddenly common. Did it all go rapidly downhill again?
Such motorist beliefs and behaviour aren’t confined to London or the UK though. Some idiot passengers here in Perth seem to think leaning out and slapping cyclist arses as they go by at up to 60kph is funny. The thought might be, but it’s bloody scary and dangerous to be shocked like that and avoid changing your line. I felt safer in London TBH and rarely ride my road bike here.
OT but I’d just like to share how annoying I find comments structured like they are on the Guardian website. It seems really common, but why the need for all the branches and having to load the remaining posts? Maybe it’s some social media reason that’s passed me by.