Nothing wrong with a rant, as long as it's based on an accurate recollection of recent (or distant) events.
re: cyclists and drivers, here's a recent set event that happened to a friend of mine, a cyclist and motorist like myself, both of us have been driving for over 20 years.
We're both keen leisure cyclists, taking long rides around the country and b-roads, enjoying the scenery. However, unlike me he also commutes to his place of work on a bike too. He's a very good driver, with excellent road awareness and, subsequently, is an observant and considerate cyclist on busy commuter roads, obeying the road rules as a driver would, using his arms to indicate turns and cross-lane manoeuvres, never ever jumping red lights, or swerving onto the pavement to shortcut a junction.
He keeps his bike roadworthy, wears a high-quality helmet, a highly reflective Altura cycle jacket and has strong, bright LED lights fitted front and back to his bike.
In terms of visibility he ticks all the boxes. Basically he's a model cyclist.
However, a new, unsavoury phenomenon has started to appear on the roads, in line with the significant increase in cyclists in recent years.
He has recently been subjected to some verbal abuse from other cyclists, usually teenage, who dont have lights, or a helmet, or an interest in Highway Code. The abuse is simply because he's wearing sensible road-cycling attire and cycling in a considerate manner. It doesnt bother him, but he's saddened by it. He says that the attitude is very similar to 18-25 yr male old drivers who drive dangerously and mock steady, usually older drivers. He thinks that, as more and more young drivers either cant afford to get a car on passing their test, or have been banned, they take to a bicycle and display the same sort of oblivious attitude to the road and other road users that they would behind a steering wheel.
I havent experienced this myself yet, but then I dont use the roads that he does on his commute. However, Im prepared to believe that many 18-25s who can no longer afford to run a car, or are not allowed to, are taking to bikes and behaving recklessly on the road.
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