[Cycloid]

A couple of other threads on the Forum are talking about road rage incidents. I am asking the fundamental question – Why Road Rage?

A popular psychology book from the local library gives some insights.

Outgroups – an outgroup is a group of people to which you do not belong. People tend to make generalisations which they then apply to the group as a whole, for example, (All) Muslims are terrorists, wfe beaters, etc (Not True). Cyclists are reckless, law breakers and they ride through red lights. Vegetarians are an outgroup (Thanks Ian Walker) but nobody really hates them, though they are a pain when they come round for dinner. So there must be other factors.

Free Riders – Altruistic punishment – This is probably best explained by an example. You go to watch a cricket match. The match has just started, it’s a lovely sunny day and you are sitting down with a pack of sandwiches and a can of beer when a guy climbs over the fence and sits next to you. It should not be a problem, he’s done nothing to detract from your experience, but many people would get a steward to eject the wrongdoer. This is altruistsic punishment, in order to get your version of justice done you have missed a bit of the match.

Cyclists don’t pay Road Tax (OK it’s VED), have no training, don’t have to take a test or hold a license. They have no insurance. They don’t have to buy expensive highly taxed (79% tax) fuel. They don’t pay for parking but they cause congestion.

Cyclists Ignore the Highway Code, Redlights, Oneway streets, Footpaths, Etc… They are inconsiderate, Ride in the middle of the road, two abreast, cause delays. They jump queues, are inconsiderate and aggressive.

However, Cyclists are Fitter, Healthier and place Fewer demands on the NHS. They Don’t pollute, Use fewer resources .They take up less road space, and Don’t damage the roads. More reasons to hate them. They are a load of Smug, Sanctimonious bastards.

Every group or society has it’s laws, rules, traditions and manners and people who do not conform are punished.

From (some) motorists viewpoint – Cyclists don’t pay or contribute to use the infrastructure, they abuse the privilege and break the laws – They should be punished for the good of society.

 

 

Topic

[David9694]

This is the same argument as

This is the same argument as retired people shopping in the lunch hour on weekdays, or disabled people holding things up on public transport – begone, weaklings!!
probably best not to get your care out either, lest you hold someone up at the traffic lights.

# irony

[HoarseMann]

Hate is a product of fear.

Hate is a product of fear. Fear is born of the unknown. Cyclists are the unknown.

[Sriracha]

Excellent article which seems
Excellent article which seems to hit the nail on the head. In fact, taking its example of the person who climbs over the fence to get into a footy match for free, it’s as if they were sat in front of you as well, spoiling your view of the game. That will be the perspective of the motorist held up by a “free-rider” cyclist.

[Retablo2]

“The Free-rider problem” (

“The Free-rider problem” ( not what you think) is the problem.

A brilliant essay written on your side of the pond answers (I think) the question.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20130212-why-you-really-hate-cyclists

[jh2727]

Smiffi wrote:

Can I justify taking-up so many minutes of other people’s lives? I’m beginning to question that, and that’s why I’ve “ridden” almost all of my 1,000 miles this year indoors.

Don’t worry about it… the vast majority of delays are caused by congestion – which is cause by other motorists. How many drivers do you think are concerned about the other road users they are inconveniencing?

Not many people drive purely for enjoyment of driving, but there are plenty car journeys that are for the purposes recreation. People who drive to go for a walk, or drive to go and meet a friend. There are also many car journeys that are purely for convience – or perceived convience (I know people who will take a 3 minute drive to avoid a 2 minute walk).

You aren’t taking time away from motorists when they are inconvienced by your presence. They have already chose a supremely convenient form of transport at the expense of:
 1. Other road users – including other motorists.
 2. The quality of the air we all have to breathe.
 3. The safety of many people who are killed or seriously injured by motor vehicles every year.
 4. Their own health.

When I drive, I often gain a lot, at the expense of others. If I potentially lose some convenience, because I need to slow down for a short period for cyclists, then I have almost certainly already gained more than I will lose (and if I haven’t, then perhaps I shouldn’t be driving). More often than not, if I am ‘delayed’ by a cyclist, it won’t have much effect other than to delay my arrival at the next junction. When I have the privelidge of driving in a rural area and if it turns out cyclists are the biggest cause of delay, I should be thankful I don’t have to deal with urban traffic and other delays.

[jh2727]

“occupy cyclist ASZs because

“occupy cyclist ASZs because to do otherwise would add whole seconds to their journey”

Except of course it wouldn’t – because the people who stop in ASZs are the same ones who sit there rocking back and forth (or creeping forwards) because they can’t put their car in neutral and engage the handbrake. Yet if I’m stopped next to one at the lights, then when the lights turn green, I will checked my mirrors and the road in front, put my car in gear, taken the handbrake off and I’ll have driven off, long before they start moving.

[jh2727]

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

swapping lanes left and right to save 2 seconds here or there

Let me fix that for you, “swapping lanes left and right in an attempt to save 2 seconds here or there”.  When i’ve been driving behind a driver that does that, and I stay in the same lane, it is pretty rare that I don’t end up in front of them.

[jh2727]

OldRidgeback wrote:

They aren’t allowed to be sexist, homophobic or racist (outwatrdly at least) so they take it out on cyclists, as that’s still allowed.

What about Janet Street-Porter – she’s allowed to be sexist and still takes it out on cyclists, though she usually combines the two.

[wycombewheeler]

It’s quite absurd

It’s quite absurd

I drive as well as cycle as most of us do, and I can tell you the number of minutes of lost due to cyclists in my life pales into insignificance against the time lost due to too many cars on the road, and the time lost on the motorway following a single (very avoidable) crash

or roadworks where the roads have had to be replaced due to the wear from millions of motor vehicles. Might as well ban all journeys that are not either commuting or collecting weekly food supplies as non essential and cuasing unecesary delays to others.

Going somewhere for a day out? not essential don’t delay others

going to cornwall for a holiday? not essential don’t dealy others

using the car for a very walkwable distance – dont delay others.

The roads would be practically empty.

[wycombewheeler]

Ihatecheese wrote:

Motorists don’t hate cyclists any more than a traffic jam or anything causing delays.

I’ve yet to see the same level of outrage when the hold up is caused by
inconsiderate parking
Horses
Learner drivers
Refuse Collection
far too many cars on the road
crashes caused by fuckwits

 

[Kendalred]

I don’t think ‘they’ need any

I don’t think ‘they’ need any more encouragement to take our lives.

[Captain Badger]

hawkinspeter wrote:

I’m wondering if there’s any correlation between people who don’t return their trolleys and MGIF drivers?

Definitely. Cyclists are stingy enough to make sure they get their quid back, MGIF drivers don’t have to worry about money or other such vulgar matters

[Captain Badger]

Cycloid wrote:

When I ride along a decent country road I often get impatient drivers behind me. …..

Pedal harder.

[Captain Badger]

Rendel Harris wrote:

…..hand I have seen trolleyists push into the basketist queue and refuse to move on the grounds that everywhere else is full up and they’re in a hurry, which reminds one of the drivers who dive into bus/bike lanes and who occupy cyclist ASZs because to do otherwise would add whole seconds to their journey.

Well frankly I’ve seen basketists taking up the whole queue 5 abreast and more, getting in my way. It says in the Supermarket Code that they have to get out of trolleyers’ way in a busy queue. They’ve got their own basket lanes FFS they should be made to use them. And don’t get me started on the ridiculous clothes they wear, with their flat caps and collarless shirts, with a Guardian sticking out of their ridiculous little basket at an “ironic” angle.

When they start paying for the checkout then they can use the queue. It’s just another example of the war on the hardpressed trolleyer.

[OldRidgeback]

Captain Badger wrote:

Cycloid wrote:

I’m not so sure. I think that for every motorist that does a punishment pass there are another nine sitting in their cars muttering about “bloody cyclists”.

Indeed. Whereas people at work will nod sympathetically when you describe a pretty egregious close pass, they’ll then say “but y’gotta admit, cyclists…. rhubarb, BS, taking up road, squit, red lights, quack, road tax”

 

Yep, there is that sadly. 

[Author]

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