What's with random yelling at cyclists?

I don’t care that it has happened a zillion times to me, and I am sure to all of us. It’s still a phenomenon I don’t get.

A car zips past – it could be in either direction – and either the passenger or driver yells something at me that I most often can’t even make out due to the speed. It can’t be to do with my having done something wrong, and therefore having pissed off the driver, as it most often happens in a context where there has been no prior contact whatsoever between us.

Seriously, then: does anyone have any clue as to why we get randomly shouted at when we are on two wheels? Does this happen to motorcyclists?

Sometimes, if loud enough, and if I am in my own ‘zone’, it startles me, and I feel quite angry; other times, it is just so inaudible and random as to make me shake my head with wonder. Yelling at cyclists is just weird. 😕

Could it be “Geroff an’ milk it”?

zillion? wow you must ride a lot! 😉

it has happened a couple of times and its just been joining abuse bar the time somebody leaned out the window and physically pushed me off. I was so shocked I didn’t even realise what happened before they’d vanished.

Never had anything shouted at me while cycling (mostly cos I don’t ride where there’s folk in cars or on foot very often) but I’ve had a few heckles when I’ve been running. Harmless fun, if a little strange.

doesn’t happen to me on my motorcycle but then, there are not many cars that pass me when I’m on it.

There are other issues we have to deal with on motorcycles like, people getting irate as they think you have ‘stolen’ there little bit of road when you overtake them.

You haven’t worn through your lycra have you? Worth checking 😉

Used to get this a lot when out running at night also, that and blasting there horn.
I think they are either on the low end of the intelligence spectrum or they some how think they are being humorous.

Also, I had someone slap my backside whilst they passed me on the pushbike. Reported them to the police for sexual assault. Seems to be the only way to get the police to take any bicycle/car incident seriously!

I’ve had stuff shouted at me, usually it’s light hearted banter though. People shouting ‘Go Wiggo!’ or ‘you’ve got a flat tyre’. I’ve even had people stick their arm out for a high five!! which is quite cool.

Sometimes there has been stuff shouted by blokes in vans, which I assume was amusing for them but i had no idea what ‘Ehh, yoiyoi phrump yoi yoi’ meant!! so no idea if it was an insult.

I find the ones trying to kill you do it silently………

I’ve always taken it to be a passenger trying to make his mates in the car laugh. Me and my friend have a whole catolgue of things that have happened to us on 2 wheels. Through from the drunk who sat on my saddle at some lights asking for a backy to the next pub to when my mate was punched on the shoulder by someone passing in the car.

I’ve only had this once recently, I live in a fairly quiet part of the UK, well, roads are busy but tends to be ok, I was on my Specialized Pitch on a short bit of road between some off road bits they were going the other way, they shouted (I think) ‘get that bike off the road’ .. I couldn’t work out if they were being abusive or encouraging at the time, weird!

Happened a a few times to me on my commute. I don’t get it, I can’t hear what they say, it doesn’t offend me but it must please their simple minds.

We got egged on the road climb up to Rivi by some scrotes in a Corsa. Driving slowly past us, hanging out of the windows chucking eggs at us.

Very occasionally.. very.

Last one was probs 2012 when Wiggo was all the rage, I got a “oi Wiggo”!!

Strange as normally in the South Downs drivers are very timid, often on their way to Auntie Mildreds for tea and cake….

I have had cans of coke thrown at me but that was a very looooong time ago now (10+ years) and typically done by a Yoof.

I often get change gear shouted at me, they are probably unaware it would be physically impossible for me to do that as there is only one.

I think they are either on the low end of the intelligence spectrum or they some how think they are being humorous.

Not either but both.

had it a few times, most recently last Sunday.
Riding along a fairly empty 2 lane highway, I’ve taken the left hand lane, guy in an Audi (what else) decides he wanted his car to be exactly where I was and tried edging me over. There’s bog all traffic and no turnings coming up so he had no reason to do it. I held my line and glared at him. Next traffic lights he pulls up and starts shouting at me
I just condescendingly laughed at him and he peeled away in a fit of impotent rage with his wife telling him to shut up and grow up

Pillock

and

^that

‘s this basically. Bus? Bike? Makes little difference….

I got more heckling as a runner than I do as a cyclist – the old “Run Forrest Run” thing – only 25 years behind the times!
I got a major screaming tantrum the other week from a ‘lady’ driver who didn’t understand that an off-camber cycle lane down a steep hill which was full of wet leaves wasn’t a safe place to ride. I was so astonished at the sheer amount of emotion she was putting out that I just sat and looked at her till she ran out of steam. It reminded me of a tantrum my godson had aged 3… quite funny really, although not terribly becoming for a young woman 😯

If cyclists are getting more abuse at the moment I suspect it’s because society as a whole has moved on from abusing women, racial minorities, Jews and homosexuals and those who need to abuse people have very few groups left to take their issues out on…

That said I’ve just done a 25m loop and got absolutely no abuse at all, which was nice

It’s much better than it was in the old days, when cycling was as popular as leprosy and ‘Your back wheel’s going round’ was considered the height of wit, and the Wiggins effect/Tour de Yorkshire has improved things a lot.
I was flogging my way up Langcliffe Scar last year and a couple of yoof in a boy-racer mobile drew up alongside and wound down the passenger window. I was just bracing myself for the abuse and beer can to be thrown when the lad started banging the car door and shouting encouragement in proper continental DS style, just like Marc Madiot except with a broad Yorkie accent 🙂

I once received a torrent of foul-mouthed abuse from a very posh sounding woman in a 4×4. Rather than be offended, I found it rather turned me on somewhat. Which prompted me to respond with ‘can I have your ‘phone number? because if you’re as dirty as your mouth is, I’m sure we can have some fun!’ 😀

Strangely, she was suddenly rendered speechless as she drove off.

Sometimes it’s humour/encouragement. Sometimes they’re being tits.

Had it a few times, never really understood it. The heckling is fine, the time I got pelted with acorns was a bit uncomfortable, and I totally lost my shit that time I got half a McDonalds milkshake in the face.

Funny really, I live in a supposedly nice part of the country too.

I got a “Come on Wiggo!” this morning from some schoolkid at a bus stop. Ten years ago if a schoolkid shouted something at you it was likely to rhyme with anchor or hunt. Now it tends to be more positive, stuff about training for the tour or come on wiggo or similar.

‘can I have your ‘phone number? because if you’re as dirty as your mouth is, I’m sure we can have some fun!’

I’m saving that for future use.

Got my arse slapped many years ago, if it ever happens again I’ll be reporting it as a grope if I get their reg.

I’ve had this loads, more in the past though – perhaps because I was not an old fart back then, perhaps because of the increased popularity of cycling. Seems more common in Wales maybe.

Used to live and ride round Birmingham when I was at Uni and got used to the grief, then about ten years ago I moved down to gentile St Albans.

Went to visit a friend up in Brum a year or so back and had obviously forgot what the place was like as I got the bike out the van to ride from his to the cash machine, about a 1.5 miles round trip.

In those 1.5 miles I got yelled at twice and had a high speed punishment pass with a tracksuit clad imbecile hanging out the passenger side gesticulating wildly at me.

Where you are definitely has a baring on how much aggro you get.

In Scotland I’ve been yelled at a few times, a mixture of random **** and drivers who think I’m using up their road.

In the Alps the only things I’ve heard from drivers have been shouts of encouragement.

Also, I had someone slap my backside whilst they passed me on the pushbike. Reported them to the police for sexual assault. Seems to be the only way to get the police to take any bicycle/car incident seriously!

not your type then……….

I got called a gobby f,,,,,ing cyclist earlier this year for shouting at a driver for a close pass.

What Ron said ^

I’ve noticed it happens a lot more if I’m on my road bike, than on my mountain bike

Same roads, same time of day

No idea why, maybe me in lycra offends people 😀

The french will shout encouragement I have never had abuse or threatening behaviou here.

I remember a load of shouting once from the car behind me – I was in Spain on an MTB trip and on a quick road hop from trail to trail.
I turned round to find out just why I was being abused and realised they were shouting encouragement 🙂

I think I was invited to come on a yak hunt the other day.

.

I too have experienced the involuntary selection as target/amusement by motorists and peds, numerous times, involving numerous remarks and/or missiles. None of which have been “earned”.

Here in the UK, I believe people have generally, become more impatient, sooner to lose their temper, selfish and confrontational. While also appearing to me as being ever so slightly cowardly for targeting someone as part of a group in a car.

I couldn’t guess as for why this is or is not the case and I have no “data” to support my opinion, it’s just my perspective on how the UK appears to me these days. Whether it’s queuing driving, cycling, whatever.

Yes, there are still kind, considerate types out there too. But the rise of the impatient, “me first and definitely before YOU” types, seems to have taken place and their number appears to be growing.

There seems to be a lot of anger out there. I guess it’s the price society pays for making “progress”……

Solo +1.

Here in the UK, I believe people have generally, become more impatient, sooner to lose their temper, selfish and confrontational. While also appearing to me as being ever so slightly cowardly for targeting someone as part of a group in a car.

I couldn’t guess as for why this is or is not the case and I have no “data” to support my opinion, it’s just my perspective on how the UK appears to me these days. Whether it’s queuing driving, cycling, whatever.

The Mrs and I moved back to the UK a couple of months ago (previously living in northern Italy) and even though we’re living in a lovely part of North Yorkshire we have definitely noticed the prevalence of a specific type of uneducated, “me first” individual who resorts to confrontation as the first response to everything.

We used to complain about Italian drivers (hot-headed, always overtaking in stupid places, would never let you out etc) but to be honest I felt much safer on the roads over there, especially on the bike.

I had it a couple of weeks ago, caught up with him at traffic lights, asked him what he said. I kept it polite but he was well up for a barney straight away, he was so annoyed at me for taking up roadspace (narrow uphill lane on blind bend), it was comical how much of a twit he was being at 8am. I felt sorry for him and also wanted to punch him in the face at the same time.

About 10 years ago, a bunch of school kids yelled “come on, Lance!” at me.

I’d like to imagine it was due to my metronomic-like cadence, rather than him being possibly the only pro-cyclist that the general public had heard of at that time.