karlt wrote:Back to the OP - it's lack of empathy, I think, because the vast majority of people cannot understand why we do it. Cycling gets you wet and knackered and is perceived as slow. Most people drop utility cycling the moment they pass their driving test. To some of them, we're a belligerent ridiculous minority insisting on getting in their way with our stupid bikes when we should bloody well grow up and drive like normal people. Bikes, if used by adults at all, should be taken on roofs to trail centres and ridden around on tracks away from normal people trying to get on with their lives.
This is why the scooters don't get the same opprobrium - you have to be an adult (well, 16 anyway) and pass a test to use one, so they're "proper" grown-up transport. Unlike our children's toys.
It's hard to quantify the percentages but I think that about sums it up for some people's attitude toward cycling.
There's definitely a lack of latitude and a great deal of narrow minded beligerance with some,the 'Pride comes before a fall' thread is a classic example of a total lack of empathy by the car driver which turns to rage when a 'nobody' or 'non person' intruder onto the driver's domain has the gall to confront him about his driving,which is only made worse by the cyclist's insistence for some kind of admittance of guilt and a possible apology.TBH the cyclist was obviously wasting his time from the outset.
I've long said the class system is rife in the UK and it's never more apparent than when using the roads.
When cycling the obvious example is,'cyclists don't pay road tax so shouldn't be on the road at all' attitude,which is used to justify some people's bullying nature,the fact that some cars don't pay road tax doesn't even enter their heads.It's an excuse,an opportunity for some to play out their skewed and prejudiced outlook of life.
The inability or refusal of some to put themselves in other people's shoes is obvious and not just levelled at cyclists,I see it every day when driving,though it's far more frightening when riding because of the vulnerability.
I also believe there are some who are just plain jealous of cyclists because they can't or won't cycle,either through lack of fitness,gumption or prejudice(they see it as beneath them) or a combination or all three.
It galls them that they lack courage/ability their only recourse to make themselves feel better is to bully the helpless minority,this bolsters their ego and reinforces their feelings of power.
This is reinforced by there being no come backs due to there being an almost total lack of law enforcement,so when when the cat's away the mouse becomes top dog.
If in the thread mentioned above,the cyclist needn't have confronted the driver but simply reported it to the police backed up by the video evidence,and they then 'have a word'.If then enough people reported his bad driving his licence was removed from him for a short while(a month?) and his insurers took note and increased his premium accordingly,he'd be far less likely to drive in such a manner in the future.
Such an outlook would need a caring society that treats such people accordingly through a decent and well manned,trained and equipped police force backed up by a judicial system willing to punish such driving and take no excuses for it,as it is it's a joke trying to get justice if you're a cyclist IME.
If you are black or coloured,Jewish,Muslim,disabled,etc,and are bullied,shown prejudice to,or treated badly by others,because of you looks/beliefs,the police and judicial system will move mountains to bring the perpetrator(s) to justice and they'll be treated harshly and rightly so.
Ride a bicycle and even with video evidence and detailed evidence you'll be treated differently,with punishments for such offences being far lighter,that's if it ever gets to court.
I'm in no doubt that people are second,even third class citizens the moment they swing their leg over a bicycle,and the powers that be are very slow to change that attitude.
