The shocking extent to which women cycling in London face a frequent barrage of verbal and physical abuse, sexual harassment, and intimidation from motorists and other road users has been laid bare in a revealing report from the London Cycling Campaign, which found that nine out of ten women who ride their bikes in the capital have experienced abuse, with over one in five claiming that such experiences forced them, at least temporarily, to give up cycling.

The report, titled ‘What Stops Women Cycling in London?’, was based on a survey of over 1,000 women who cycle in London – 77 per cent of whom say they experience harassment and intimidation at least once a month – which produced a hard-hitting video on the gendered abuse and aggression directed towards female cyclists.

According to the report, “get off the road” was by far the most common form of verbal abuse aimed at women cycling, while taunts of “bitch” and “slut”, unsolicited photos and sexual comments, groping or slapping when stopped at traffic lights, and accusations of poor parenting when cycling with children were also appallingly prevalent.

Dangerous driving, punishment passes, and intimidation

Published last night by London Cycling Campaign’s Women’s Network, the report found that 93 per cent of respondents said drivers had used their vehicles to intimidate them, with 77 per cent revealing that such intimidation occurred at least once a month.

More than one in five women said they gave up cycling, either temporarily or permanently, following these incidents, which they said often happened on roads with no cycle lanes and when they took up primary position in the middle of a lane to prevent close passing on narrow stretches.

Along with verbal abuse, the report found that motorists responded to these instances of safe cycling with punishment passes, tailgating, and even deliberately hitting women with their vehicles. However, the survey also found that the police response to such incidents was woefully inadequate, with only one of the 25 examples of intimidation and dangerous driving by motorists included in the report resulting in significant follow-up action.

Cyclists in London (copyright Britishcycling.org_.uk).jpg
Cyclists in London (copyright Britishcycling.org_.uk) (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

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The survey’s findings, the report notes, echo UK-wide studies which have found that women are almost twice as likely to face harassment or bad driving as men while cycling.

One of the cyclists who took part in the survey, Sara, told the London Cycling Campaign: “I was cycling on the road where I live. There are cars parked on each side, so I have to cycle in primary position. A driver drove towards me at speed, then as he passed he wound down his window and shouted ‘b***h’ in my face.”

“Get off the road, you b***h”

This normalisation of harassment towards female cyclists has also manifested itself in other ways, with nine out of ten women surveyed revealing they have experienced abuse – including sexual harassment, physical threats, and physical and sexual assaults – while cycling, with 63 per cent saying it happens at least once a month.

“We were both stopped at traffic lights,” says Nevin. “He shouted, ‘You can f*** off and suck your mother’. It was the way he said it.”

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Meanwhile, Dani said she “experienced the most aggression when I was cycling with a trailer with my kids in”.

She continued: “It was impatient drivers in residential areas getting frustrated that they couldn’t overtake me. They would yell out of their windows and once someone stopped in front of me to tell me I was a bad mother for putting my kids in danger!”

“A complete stranger walked up behind me and slapped me on the arse,” another cyclist included in the campaign’s video said. “It was so hard it bruised me through my clothing.”

“I’ve had drivers passing too closely on purpose to intimidate me more times than I can remember,” added Catriona. “I’ve been stopped at lights and had my backside slapped by a man as he walked past. Women in London, including those of us just trying to get about on bikes, face gendered abuse, aggression and violence and we have to end this.”

“These barriers mean women’s mobility, freedom, and quality of life are all impacted”

Infrastructure, or the lack thereof, was also a prominent theme in the report’s findings, with 88 per cent of women saying that they prefer cycling on protected cycle lanes or on low traffic routes, and that they rely on them for their journeys, refusing to ride their bike without them.

Nine out of ten also argued that they would begin to cycle, or cycle more, if better infrastructure such as protected lanes, were readily available for journeys.

The survey also found that 55 per cent of women are forced to choose between “dangerously” busy roads or a route that takes them through isolated or dark places, such as parks and towpaths, where they feel at risk. Many women, the report says, feel forced to make longer journeys or simply stop cycling when it gets dark early.

Hyde Park Corner 2.JPG
Hyde Park Corner 2 (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

67 per cent of respondents also believe that there are not enough safe cycle routes for children, with 39 per cent saying their kids never cycle, either alone or with an adult.

At the moment, just 15 per cent of those surveyed feel they have a local cycle network that meets their needs.

“These barriers mean women’s mobility, freedom, and quality of life are all impacted,” the report argued.

> Women cite badly-lit routes and lack of safe infrastructure as major barriers to cycling

Along with this week’s newly published report, the London Cycling Campaign’s Women’s Network is currently running a petition to the Mayor of London calling for urgent action to protect female cyclists’ physical and social safety, as well as providing local cycle networks that “think beyond the commute” and prioritise low traffic neighbourhoods and safe routes to local amenities and schools.

“While more and more people are cycling in London and safe cycle routes are rolling out in many boroughs, there are still too many parts of London where cycling isn’t and doesn’t feel safe enough – and women still face additional barriers to cycling and additional hostility when cycling,” Eilidh Murray, the campaign’s chair, said in a statement.

“This needs urgent action to address the fact that only a third of cycle trips in London are done by women – whereas in Holland, over half are.”

“Every woman and girl should be able to enjoy the benefits of cycling in London without fear of violence and intimidation,” Sophie Linden, London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, said.

“Yet sadly, across the UK, we face an epidemic of violence against women and girls and today’s report demonstrates the significant impact this abuse and aggression is having on women cyclists. It is simply unacceptable, and the Mayor and I are committed to preventing violence against women and girls and challenging the attitudes that enable these behaviours.

“The Mayor and TfL continue to invest in our protected cycle network, cycle training and skills, and secure well-designed cycle parking, helping to address the barriers and encourage more women and girls to take up cycling.”