Explaining “Cycling Hostility” Towards Others

Hello, friends

I decided to make another post analyzing some of the psychological aspects of cycling.

Here’s the reality of the situation – car drivers are not the only road users known for road rage.

Many cyclists get angry too and display aggressive behavior ranging from verbal insults to physical confrontations.

The driving factors behind “cycling hostility” are:

Disrespect

Many motorists see cyclists as inferior road users because bicycles are slow and very weak in comparison to motorized vehicles.

Drivers often show a sense of superiority based on the law of the jungle – the strongest and most powerful animal is on top of the food chain.

And naturally, cyclists are often treated as “second-class citizens”.

This results in the following:

  • Bicycles are not considered a legit transportation unit and are often disrespected regardless of what the traffic laws say.
  • Some motorists purposefully make the life of a cyclist harder by starting verbal and even physical confrontations. (E.g.., One time a taxi driver started insulting me for riding close to him.)

In similar cases, cyclists could get triggered and become hostile.


Pedestrians could disrespect cyclists too. The most common scenarios are:

  • Walking on the bike path
  • Hauling cargo on the bike path
  • Pushing a stroller on the bike path

When that happens, the chances of a confrontation between a cyclist and a pedestrian raise exponentially.

Cycling Superiority

Ironically,many cyclists consider cars a highly inefficient form of city transportation creating traffic jams, polluting the planet all while making people fat and inflexible in the process.

Bicycles solve all those problems because they’re efficient, fast, burn calories, and eco-friendly.

This mentality could result in a sense of superiority and trigger aggression towards motorized vehicles.


Cyclists often express superiority towards pedestrians too because:

  • Bicycles are higher on the transportation food chain.
  • Cycling is a more efficient form of transportation than walking.

From a Vehicle To a Pedestrian in Seconds

The frequent transformation from a vehicle to a pedestrian whenever the cyclist wants could annoy others. One of the most common examples is riding on the street and then hoping on a sidewalk to take a shortcut. Some cyclists even ring their bells to alert pedestrians and ask for a corridor even though cycling on the sidewalk is prohibited.

Fragility

Cyclists are the most vulnerable road users. The fragility increases anxiety levels and adrenaline in a dangerous situation.

If a car hits the bumper of another car, the aftermath is basically nothing. Meanwhile, a slight hit or even a touch can throw a cyclist off balance and cause a fall.

After a close call, a cyclist’s adrenaline could reach epic levels and cause a big scene (e.g., breaking the windows of a car with a chain lock).

Bicycle Are Always In “Stealth Mode”

Bicycles do not have license plates, and cyclists often wear helmets and glasses.

Consequently, traffic cameras cannot catch a cyclist violating the law and issue an fine. Or in other words, a cyclist to get away with reckless behavior easily.

Cyclists vs. Cyclists

Cyclists can get offensive towards other cyclists too.

The most common example would be the wannabe pros. Those are the dudes who have expensive bikes and dress as if they’re about to enter the Tour De France even though they’ve never been in an actual competition.

They’re often condescending towards regular commuters in “civilian” clothes.

The phenomenon can be illustrated more vividly if you compare a racing car to a station wagon. The owner of the sports car will easily “smoke” the station wagon and feed the ego in the process.

The sports car driver may even break a traffic law (e.g., speeding) to exert their superiority.

The same happens when a Tour De France wannabe passes next to a commuting cyclist on a bike lane in a rude manner and screams: “You don’t belong here!!!”


Final Words…

I’ve been a commuting cyclist for many years.

My experience led me to the following conclusions:

  • Road rage is ALWAYS bad

When you get angry, you’re hurting yourself more than the other person.

Confrontations should be avoided as they never bring anything positive.

  • Arguing is a waste of time

Arguing is an ego fight – not a rational discussion.

Even if your adversary is wrong, they won’t admit their fault.

Arguing doesn’t lead to anything other than more arguing.

In most cases, it is better to remain silent unless you have input that can prevent a bad situation.

Fo instance, if a young driver does a right turn while cutting you off, informing them to look for cyclists when turning right could be helpful.

However, it’s better to just give your advice and leave. Expecting the other person to say “thank you” is way too optimistic.

If they have the brain to understand what you’re saying, a single sentence is sufficient.

  • Don’t race commuters

Racing other commuters could be amusing but is also super dangerous when traffic laws aren’t respected.

Remember – there’s no prize waiting for you when you overtake someone. That said, you don’t have to ride slowly if you don’t want to. Just don’t pretend that you are in a real competition because you’re not.

Following the principles above has greatly reduced my angry moments which were pretty common at the beginning of my “commuting career”.

But, expecting to be perfect is a lost cause. Even if you’re the most polite and patient person on earth, it’s always possible to end up in a high-adrenaline situation that turns you into a beast.

Nonetheless, we still owe it to ourselves to at least attempt to tame the angry scream within us.


Until next time,

Rookie


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Comments

One response to “Explaining “Cycling Hostility” Towards Others”

  1. Dan K Avatar
    Dan K

    Great article. I often find myself fighting my own road rage both on a bike and in a car. Usually drivers are the culprit in my area. Like you say, road rage never brings about anything good. Sometimes I will think about a certain confrontation or potential confrontation for days afterwards. That kind of negativity can’t be healthy.

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