I’m expecting to get flamed/cause a row with this but it really annoyed me so I’m going to bring it up.

Whist out for a quiet morning ride yesterday, I got overtaken by a bunch of loud, shouty roadies on mega-money Carbon dream machines. Several of them were wearing club shirts – from Bigfoot bike club.

A few minutes later I caught them up at a large, multi-way road junction (Locksbottom – if anyone out there knows Bromley)
They were all over the place and clearly didn’t understand where they should place themselves at junctions.

The lights changed and the lane they were in started to move, two of them, including a large Afro-Caribbean Gentleman had positioned themselves behind a big silver Mercedes. The driver dithered a bit, and didn’t pull straight away – our two heroes immediately started shouting ‘Move it you C**t ‘ and banging on the car – the driver slammed the anchors on and proceeded to have a huge row with these tw*ts out of his window.

I know plenty of people would have jumped out of the car and battered this guy, as his behavior was appalling.

I just stood back in amazement as I felt this was a great example of why some many car drivers hate cyclists.
It also demonstrated why I will never join a cycling club.

Rant over – the kettle is on.

I think its just an example that people in general all twunts, this time it was a guy on a bike, next time will be a person in a car giving you hassle.

Send the club an email reminding them that conduct is inappropriate given they are advertising their club.

Why are some cyclists people so aggressive?

FTFY

Drivers, cyclists, ramblers, football fans…

Some of them are just idiots, but we shouldn’t tar everyone else with the same brush.

[EDIT] – Stato beat me to it

I know plenty of people would have jumped out of the car and battered this guy, as his behavior was appalling.

TBH, i find people ‘battering’ each other far more appalling than a shouty cyclist.

Were they racing?

Londoners, not a cycling thing. Every time i go near london or meet londoners far too many are arrogant and agressive.

Not all, don’t get me wrong, just seems to be a disproportionate number.

All the complaints you get about pavement cycling, jumping red lights in media focus on London, yes it happen in the rest of the country as well but no one really cares IME.

freeagent – Member
The lights changed and the lane they were in started to move, two of them, including a large Afro-Caribbean Gentleman had positioned themselves behind a big silver Mercedes.

Struggling to see what relevance his race has to anything?

If what you say is exactly true, I think you’re right they sound like nobbers!

Lifer +1

Sounds about right. Plenty of road cyclists act like ****s when in groups.

Expect Peter Sagan would be the same if there was a Mercedes in his way.

It’s probably the drugs they’re taking.

The lights changed and the lane they were in started to move, two of them, including a large Afro-Caribbean Gentleman had positioned themselves behind a big silver Mercedes.

Why the need to point out one of the cyclist was black, why not just two gentlemen?

They are a subsection of what we call people. In life there are all sorts their personality traits are not related to their choice of transport or recreational activities.

The world is populated almost entirely by idiots. Some of them ride bikes.

I know a roadie who sounds exactly like the blokes you described. He’s precisely that kind of behavior. I imagine their turn won’t be long, carrying on like that

Some cyclists are aggressive because we are a subset of the general population some of whom are aggressive. They would have been dicks whether of not they were on bikes. The problem of perception comes from people identifying them firstly as cyclists and saying that their behaviour was indicative of all cyclists. This may be because the general public

The public don’t make the same connection between car drivers and aggressive behaviour because most people are car drivers and realise that they are not all aggressive, just some.

stilltortoise has it IMO.

What ethnicity were the other cyclists? And the driver? And yourself? I feel like the story is flawed and incomplete without those very very important details.

Maybe you should try to judge people as indiviuals rather than groups (cyclists, afro-caribbeans).

It also demonstrated why I will never join a cycling club.

That’s pretty stupid. Some clubs are like that some aren’t.

But then it seems that labelling people is something you like to do.

Struggling to see what relevance his race has to anything?

The fact that some of them were riding Carbon bikes didn’t add much to the story either.
Or the make and colour of the car involved.

But you chose to pick up on something else he mentioned.

I’m going to venture a controversial opinion here.

I agree with ^^^^^ that there are aggressive idiots everywhere and that the biking element is perhaps overstated.

On the other hand, there is I suspect a correlation between (a) being a roadie riding in a ‘high performance’ group on public roads and (b) being a dick.

It’s not a rule, but I reckon it’s a tendency…

Flame me, whatever.

On the other hand, there is I suspect a correlation between (a) being a roadie riding in a ‘high performance’ group on public roads and (b) being a dick.

There probably is an element of pack mentality that takes over, but that still isn’t cycling that is the cause, it’s the pack.

I’m with you there camo. I’m sure that some roadie club types aren’t complete and utter pompous, self-important plums. Just as its hypothetically possible that not all Tories are ****s! Its just that the ones I’ve met most certainly are.

I had this – I was indicating left approaching a left turn towards lights and I was watching a rider filtering at speed on the inside approaching from some distance- I kept a check on him and it got to the point where I used my horn to warn him that I was about to turn

**** OFF!! he shouted at me in a almost out of control/rage way.

I stopped, leaned out and asked him to repeat his words and explain his behaviour. He didn’t stop but gave me a cast off sign and shot off.

Why are some cyclists full of anger?!

There probably is an element of pack mentality that takes over, but that still isn’t cycling that is the cause, it’s the pack.

Absolutely.

Cycling is indirectly responsible though – only because high-speed roadie groups inevitably have a high presence on their patch of tarmac.

It’s kind of why I don’t ride with other folk on roads, although I love my roadie.

I won’t get matching lycra and pretend I’m star rider for Garmin-Sharp either.

The thing is most people in most activities are fine , its just the nobbers who stand out in the memories of those from other groups.I will have cycled alongside about a hundred cardrivers today ,but its the one who cut me up that I recall.
Its why I always try to be be mega polite to other trail users ,to compensate for the negative impressions they may have of my sport

Camo
i would say the opposite is true.
there is more of a tendency for a group of good roadies to be less likely to be aggressive and more focused on riding in a disciplined manner.
the problem for me is that there are so many competitive mamils who have taken up road cycling and they are just **** whatever sport they do. I can imagine these nobbers playing squash in the same ultra competitive manner.
If only Strave could be adapted for squash/etc it would probably clean up the roads.

I think we need to differentiate between road clubs that race and road clubs that are springing up, full of the new to cycling brigade.
A lot of race clubs have very disciplined riders who are out to train and are not looking to take risks in traffic that could end their season.

there is more of a tendency for a group of good roadies to be less likely to be aggressive and more focused on riding in a disciplined manner.

Well possibly – if we’re talking about a well-drilled team of road-aware cyclists for whom efficient use of the road is more important than the team time trial spurt-fest.

Most roadie groups I come across are so into themselves – and so self-righteous about their equal rights to occupy tarmac – that hostility is an ever present danger. Because lots of them are dicks.

Mulletus Maximus – Member

Why the need to point out one of the cyclist was black, why not just two gentlemen?

Why the need to point out they were men, you nasty little sexist?
💡
Go be professionally offended elsewhere.

Why are some cyclists full of anger?!

Having a bad day? Anger management issues? Two sides to every story? Your indicator isn’t working? You or some other driver just cut him up? He’d nearly been run down by a driver not paying attention?…..

I’d hazard a guess that the fact he is a cyclist is low on the list of things that made him full of anger

Why the need to point out they were men

Good point, that was quite unneccessary as well. Again, OP needs to stop seeing the world in labels me thinks.

Has anyone ever been bitten by an aggressive cyclist?

most of the dicks on road bikes are mountain bikers IMO who have no road discipline, no idea how to ride in a group and cant maintain a steady tempo and just ride all over the place.
you should check out the groups going up the Dales and you can spot the old road clubs easy as they are far more disciplined IMO.
I like riding with the old clubs its far more social and you get little problems with cars.

The fact that some of them were riding Carbon bikes didn’t add much to the story either.
Or the make and colour of the car involved.

But you chose to pick up on something else he mentioned.
Seems there are a lot of professional nobbers on this forum too who are spoiling for a fight! Some people just enjoy aggro and confrontation I guess.

you should check out the groups going up the Dales and you can spot the old road clubs easy as they are far more disciplined IMO.

I’m with you – the members of proper old road clubs seem to respect the roads as much as they expect the road to respect them… and that’s a nice thing.

Has anyone ever been bitten by an aggressive cyclist?

Got nipped by a rabid kid on a scooter at a kids’ party once. Does that count?

Binners you are so full of hate and anti tory you remind of a homophobic person with a serious case of self denial. You are a tory deep down you just can’t admit it. Unless you are really a UKipper. 🙂

I’m actually George Osbourne 😉

Mods – please lock this thread –
The only reason I mentioned this chaps race was because I was intreagued to know if anyone on here knew who he was…
He was pretty tall (so that makes me tallist?) riding a Planet X (I only noticed this as I generally turn my nose up a cheap Northern bikes)

I’d forgotten how ridiculous this place could be sometimes…

You get nobs everywhere.

I remember following a group at Glentress. They charged down the trail 30 seconds after another couple of riders shouting “GET THEM” and aggressively barged past.

Some people are just dicks

Sometimes?

😉

Send the club an email reminding them that conduct is inappropriate given they are advertising their club.

This is a good option.

Having a bad day? Anger management issues? Two sides to every story? Your indicator isn’t working? You or some other driver just cut him up? He’d nearly been run down by a driver not paying attention?…..

This. I like to think I’m fairly easy going, but I do have the occasional outburst and sometimes get a bit shouty when the third car in a row buzzes me at 50mph. But I’ve no doubt I also do things that irritate other road users, and I do try to be polite most of the time.