If you're constantly engaging in some of the cyclist road rage behaviours listed below, you need to question whether you're a psycholist rather than a cyclist.
We've all lost our cool out riding at some point, with the behaviour of some motorists enough to test the patience of a saint.
But cyclists are not without blame when it comes to road rage.
A small number of riders are apparently always on the look out for a fight in the 'them Vs us' battle between drivers and cyclists.
If you recognise yourself in two or more of the points below, you might need to question whether you're a cyclist or a psycholist.
Be honest with yourself! And most of all, keep calm and keep moving...
1 You wear a head cam hoping to meet confrontation
While most cyclists wearing headcams do so for their own protection in the event of a serious incident, there is a small group that seems to be looking for trouble. If you’re taking to the roads commuting or training and secretly looking for some road rage footage, you need to reflect.
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2 You think drivers are getting worse
Undoubtedly there are still some really awful drivers on the roads and those who actively hate cyclists. But with the boom in cycling across the island of Ireland in recent years, motorists are more aware they are sharing the roads with an army of men and women on two wheels. Don’t get us wrong; there is still a long, long way to go before all drivers recognise that cyclists have as much right as they have to be on the roads. But, by and large, things are getting better.
3 You shout or hand gesture to drivers
In any group out training there’s always one or two riders who’ll be more vocal than others or quicker to flash an obscene hand gesture at passing motorists. Granted, there are occasions when some driver behaviour warrants a shout. But if you find yourself swearing and hand gesturing regularly, maybe you need to get better at letting some incidents go.
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4 You correct other cyclists
There is nothing more obnoxious that witnessing a rider waiting for a red light to change shouting after an idiot cyclist who opts to take their lives in their hands and ride through a junction with the lights against them. If somebody wants to be that daft; off they go. You wouldn’t go around correcting people in other areas of life so it’s best not to do it on a bike.
5 You get involved in ‘burn ups’
Most of us commute at our own pace and are not bothered when others pass us. And we’re not too concerned about catching other riders up the road. If you find yourself racing with other commuters coming to and from work, maybe you should add a loop to your ride. You can de-stress with a training ride instead of getting to or from work via the shortest route while trying to get one over on an imagined challenger.
6 You chase vehicles after minor incidents
If you chase drivers to confront them, it can only really end badly. In some cases, where driver behaviour has been illegal, dangerous or otherwise outrageous; a pursuit might be justified in order to get a registration number for the Garda. But if you find yourself regularly flying after cars for minor perceived slights, you may want to cool your jets.
7 You’re a thumper
Thumpers are those cyclists who give the side or roof of a car a good wallop or smack as ‘punishment’ when they pass a vehicle in traffic after a perceived infringement some time earlier. If the driver has been dangerous then get the registration and report them. But going around smacking cars in traffic is not clever.
8 You seek to test drivers
Granted, a good many drivers think cyclists should apologise for their presence on the road. And the best way to stay safe is to take a clear position on the road and assert yourself so drivers see you and generally know you’re there. But we’ve all seen cyclists who’ll push situations just for the sake of it. Some ride two abreast when singling out for a few seconds to allow cars behind to pass would be wiser. Others insist on riding on the very outside edge of a cycle lane, almost daring any drivers to challenge their right to be there. And with more and more cyclist boxes appearing on junctions; some riders deliberately plant themselves in front of a line of traffic simply because the box says they can. By all means know you rights and avail of them. But keep it sensible – all road users need to be flexible to stay safe.
9 You see sharing the roads as a battle
There is undoubtedly a ‘them Vs us’ dynamic on the roads between some drivers and some cyclists. But if you are going out on the roads braced for battle, chances are you will find one. You should assume everything is going to go smoothly until it doesn’t. Don’t anticipate the worst and generally harbour expectations that all drivers hate cyclists and are out to get them. Aside from the likelihood of getting drawn into pointless arguments, it’s an attitude that will detract from your enjoyment on the bike.
10 You stand in front of cars
Yes, as mad as it sounds; it's not completely unknown for bike riders to lose the head with drivers and block their passage as a means of revenge or protest. We've all felt like doing it, but with no shortage of drivers who will lose their cool just as badly, it is perhaps not the best idea to tempt them.
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