I’m often weighing up in my head who are the least and most courteous drivers in London. My opinion often changes. A white van driver fails to stop for me as I’m about to walk across a pelican crossing and they quickly shoot up to the top. A HGV driver gives me no space to pull out into the lane and suddenly it’s HGV’s. There is also one road user who I would have previously placed as the most courteous but in recent times have proved themselves far less aware of cyclists.
This post isn’t just a negative rant it is also a hats off and thank you to those drivers who do look out for us.
(What cyclists can be fined for)
The least courteous drivers
White Van Drivers – there is a stereotype that surrounds white van drivers and often, unfortunately, it comes true. These drivers always seem to be in a rush and so hardly ever provide for other road users.
Motorbikes – These are the guys I would previously have said are incredibly courteous. Many a time I’ve stopped next to a motorbike and we’ve had a nice chat. I remember when I was testing out the cycle hire bike one commented on how interesting it looks. I remember taking the free ferry across the Thames and we got chatting. After all they can see the benefit of being on 2 wheels as opposed to 4 the same as we can.
However, in recent times I’ve noticed motorbikes increasingly using cycle lanes and taking up the advanced stop boxes. The Mayors trial to allow motorbikes into bus lanes seems to have given them the opinion they can use all cyclist facilities.
The most courteous drivers
Black cab drivers – I’ve very rarely had any issues with black cab drivers. Generally I’ve found them to look out for us, give us space to move into the lane and hardly ever have I been close to a collision with one. In short, they are incredibly skilled and courteous drivers.
Strong opinions
This post is bound to raise some strong opinions as everyone has different experiences on the road that they remember. In truth there are a lot of very courteous drivers out there who look out for us and give us space on the roads. Unfortunately, its the few bad cases that often stand out and that can shape our opinions.
Who would you place as your most and least courteous drivers on the roads?
See also:
- Would you like a fine or a safety course for jumping that red light?
- What do you wear to cycle into work?
- Go on be nosy.. what’s in your bag?
- A solution to London’s HGV woes
Image via Danny McL
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As seen on The Guardian, BBC and The Independent.
I normally stop reading any comments as soon as “road tax” is mentioned but I thought I’d entertain you for a while…….
This may surprise you as there are actually some cars that don’t pay VED either, those being those “lovely” little electric cars like the G-Whiz et al.
First off lets clear up that little “issue” – there is no such thing as ROAD TAX. It’s Vehicle Excise Duty which is charged based on the amount of pollution that the vehicle puts out. Bikes don’t emit CO2 so therefore fall into the £0 banding
As for cyclist riding around with headphones on I think that’s a bit of a moot point. I’ve seen many cars driving around with stereo’s that I could here on the other side of town, surely they are less aware of what’s going on around them – all locked up inside their noisy rattling tin box then someone with an iPod on and some headphones in who is riding with no barrier between them and the traffic. In fact some of the worst cycling I’ve seen has been by riders sans-headphones.
As for the argument about rides who think they own the road I personally see nothing wrong with most of the behaviour you have described. I’ll often ride my bike in the same way a motorbike or scooter would in traffic. If that means riding down the centre of the road I will especially as I’m usually much more visible on that side and have a load more room. I won’t bully my way through and will drop back into a safe gap if I see something coming the other way that means I’m obviously in the way. I’ll also happily filter through traffic as most of the time in London I’m one of the fastest moving people in the queue and if I do find myself out of place I often find that a quick shoulder check and making eye-contact with the drive behind me is enough to get the driver to acknowledge my presence and let me back across. As for the “without the ability to accelerate” I’d assume you haven’t seen some of the riders in London, whilst I can’t speak for every cyclist I know I have a good turn of speed when needed
As for the cyclist who fail to use lights they do worry me too, but then so do the drivers who insist on driving whilst on their mobile phone or feel that racing round me on my bike so they can swing back in to get past that traffic island ahead to save a few seconds feel that it is acceptable behaviour to endanger my life for the sake of arriving at the back of the next traffic jam a tiny bit quicker.
Good point about VED.
Also, the upkeep of your local roads comes from YOUR council tax, so you are entitled, as much as anyone to cycle on the roads.
Headphones, the only time I was knocked off my bike (car turning left) was when I had headphones on, so don’t wear them.
Lights. Come on people, for the sake of a couple of quid you can ensure drivers see you.
+1 for the cheap lights, with the recent boom of LED lighting it means you can get some rather visible lights for pocket money relatively speaking. I picked up a set of white and red triple LED that can either mount on my handlebars/stem via the elastic mount (used as a back up if I get caught out at dusk now…..) or when I use them during winter I put them on my helmet for extra visibility and something I can point at drivers
i just hate the idiots who come zooming down the bus lane when they have no reason to be there.
I was a wee bit surprised about all the praise for bus drivers. They seem to brighten their day by deliberately squeezing over another 6 inches if they think you might whip up the inside as they become stuck on the approach to a red light. If I sense one behind me, I always adopt the “don’t look back” survival technique – they seem to think we feel safe as they follow with one meter gap at 20 mph.
I do agree that black cabs are the safest – I guess it is wholly their livelihood, so knocking one of us would put them off the road for a while, just with the paperwork. That said, the older and larger the driver, the greater the chance he (invariably) will deliberately find some reason to honk and be tiresome.
Motorcycles always bug me when they join us in the killer trap ahead of the rest of the traffic – but in doing that, they’re certainly no worse than the buses which love to pop in there too. That said, I’d never had a problem with one until the harley boy started shouting at me last week – for stopping at the white line on a red….?
We, sadly, are so much worse than anyone else. It’s a dog eat dog world, but some of the big dogs really won’t give a damn about any of us if they keep seeing stupid red light runners and pavement hoppers.
…Boris, when will you crack down on the ASL abusers?
Worst:
- Pedestrians (by far – you can tell who’s a walking driver and who isn’t)
- White vans
- Anything with the TfL private hire sticker
- A particular stable of minicabs in Streatham
- Large German-made marques (the drivers of which don’t seem to realise how wide they are)
- Scooters
Meh:
- Buses (thankfully I don’t commute with bendies any longer)
- Estates
- Chelsea tractors
- Other cyclists (let’s be fair, some are great while others are piss-poor)
Best:
- Black cabs
- Police/emergency vehicles
- Proper motorbikes
I’ve been taken off my bike six times in nine years of cycling in London (touching wood for the future as I mention it!):
- two left hooks (one by an uninsured driver)
- T-bone by a white van with, thankfully, a low bonnet I could skid across
- driver’s door opened into my shin
- sideswiped by bus
- pedestrian running out into the road (he got a concussion, I got a new helmet and glasses)
Always, always, ALWAYS ready to stop, use the life-saver look (over my shoulder when overtaking), riding defensively and assertively.
Helpfully, some cars seem to be required to stick a round yellow dot in their back windows. It seems to indicate ‘nut-job’ and London cyclists would best treat these drivers with utmost caution. When you see a silver Mercedes, especially one with the large yellow dot… start saying your prayers: these seem to be driven by murderous nut-jobs.
Who are the least courteous drivers?
Without a doubt Post Office Red Van drivers – except when I am wearing my old reflective postman’s jacket in which case they think – “One of us”, and give me lots of space.
Closely followed by British Gas van drivers.
I have a relatively short commute to work so I guess my run-ins aren’t as many as those that might be on their bikes for longer each day.
It has been my experience that other cyclists, motorcyclists, and the white vans are the worst – and in that order.
I have been cut off, shouted at, sworn at, edged to the kerb, and even knocked off my bike by other cyclists. The latter happening on two different occasions when my tires was clipped by another cyclist, knocking me over, and the cyclist then shouted at me as if I was to blame. I was the one waiting at the light with my lovely hi-vis jacket on and lights flashing whilst they were the ones barreling through the light like speed demon. On both occasions I had drivers stop and offer assistance while the cyclists just sped off as if they hadn’t just committed what essentially was a hit and run.
I see more near accidents on the road due to cyclists zipping around than I do because of cars or trucks or buses. I think some cyclists often forget that the share the road concept isn’t meant simply for vehicles to share with cyclists but for all of us to share with each other.
I think cyclists are also more of a problem because every time one behaves poorly or pisses off a driver or isn’t mindful of another cyclist it makes us all look bad.
Motorcyclists are just loud, aggressive, and take over space intended for cyclists with little regard for anyone but themselves. But they have little regard for cars, trucks, or buses either so it doesn’t feel to me like it is an anti-cyclist thing but just an arrogant, impatient, self-absorbed motorcyclist thing.
White van guys – I’ve had only a few incidents with van drivers and all of them involved veering into another lane or turning without properly indicating.
As for mini-cab drivers – the only bad experiences I have had is when I am in one and they go off on a rant about bikes and cyclists.
I’ll second the black cab drivers as being the best. I live in Edinburgh and feel much more relaxed with a black cab driving behind me rather than a regular car.
WORST ROAD USERS
My vote by far is coach drivers on the daily commute they think they own the bloody bus lanes, not only do thay cut us up they do the same with everyone else, i’ve had more rants at them than anyone else on the road. Next up mini cabs Addison Lee, TFL stickers, the whoe bleedin lot couldnt give a toss who else is on the road as long as they are where they wanna be.
Other cyclists come next, although i’ve not seen any accidents involving or caused by a cyclist there have been countless countless incidents where there is total disregard for anyone else using the road, most couriers must have colour blindness as a requirement in their job description, and the bike shed johnny’s who think lets take the bike to work for a change today i’ve no idea what i’m doing out there but who cares anyway, and these are the worst offenders for sailing straight through the lights, which pisses everyone else off on the road and then we all get tarnished with same brush.
BEST ROAD USERS
Must agree with other posters black cabs are my number 1. and they have got a bit better in the last couple of years, if i’m in my usual spot out of the gutter almost all hang back just abit until i’ve sussed them which I usually have by then anyway.
Well thats my rant for now
Cant wait till hometime so I can get out there and piss of a few more Coach drivers because i’m in front of them in the bus lane.
Roy
I just wish Black Cab drivers could learn not to overtake and then immediately stop just because they think that picking up a fare is more important than my life…
I do not wish to cause offence to those people who like their sports cars, but I do have a serious problem with people who drive too fast with cars that accelerates too fast in those parts of London that is clearly unsuitable for such type of vehicles.
I am a beginner cyclist so have been cycling very carefully in quieter streets marked for cyclist. I have bad experience, both as a pedestrian and cyclist, of almost being run over by fast cars that can’t break fast enough. They also have the worst attitude – acting as if they own the road and no-one should stand in their way of their road experience.
I have just discovered this website and what a find! I found all these comments really funny since I make a daily list in my head of who the worst offenders are!! Today was particularly hair-raising for some reason..but my top offenders are..
Addison Lee – Hello welcome to the world, other people exist!
Private hire minicabs – I see the little TFL approved sign and avoid like the plague. They NEVER indicate.
SUV’s/Chelsea Tractors – totally oblivious.
Pedestrians – I actually got shouted out by 2 women and the child in their “care” (nice example there) while I went through a junction – I had the green light and they were jaywalking. Ha! And then there’s all those countless darlings that just step off the footpath..
Black cabs – not so bad really..not the worst
But what is with people turning left?!! They don’t look or indicate..your first clue is when they are about to hit. I have had more run ins with this than anything else. Especially on the new Merton Supercycle Highway (aka stupidcycle highway)
The Goodies (the goodies…)
Buses, funnily enough..they seem so much more patient than everyone else
Unfortunately though, more often than not, when cars etc actually see me and are considerate, it’s the exception and not the norm. Then again, a pedestrain thanked me and gave me a big thumbs up the other day because I said “excuse me” and slowed down to negotiate passing him by..
So I think we’re all to blame and need to take many collective calming breaths!!
I agree with Erin, some of the cyclists I encounter on the way to work are locked in a world of their own – and if they hurt someone, or smash into a car, then it’s all us decent cyclists who look rubbish and we get MORE abuse of motorists.
My personal hatred are pedestarians who step out randomly into the road or cross a road suddenly without looking. I grew up with a mixture of fear and respect for the road; there’s no way that I would cross without checking both ways. I nearly went into a woman texting on a blackberry whilst slowly ambling across City Rd. Lucky I was going at a decent speed and can stop quickly – if I was a motorycyclist I woud’ve killed her.
TfL licensed minicab drivers are without exception the worst drivers on the streets of our fair city. They appear to treat cycle areas at the front of queues at traffic lights as their own personal areas and feel that an indicator is an optional extra that a car really doesn’t need.
The best are the black cabbies (proper cabbies, not like those half trained, half witted, barely legal aforementioned individuals) and motorcyclists – as I always get the vibe from them that 2 wheels should stick together
Those of us on two wheels should stick together? I hope you don’t mean that motorcyclists should be able to use cycle lanes and the ASL as well? Because most of them certainly seem to think they can. I’ve actually had my wheel kicked (and it was buckled so I had to buy a new one) because a motorcyclist objected to me being “in the way” in front of him on an ASL. Another motorcyclists who thought he had more of a right to be in the ASL than me kicked my bike as I moved off, fortunately only making me wobble a bit rather than have an accident. And are the police interested in pursuing these violent and inconsiderate motorcyclists? No, they’d rather go after soft targets like mothers taking their toddlers to playgroup who cycle at walking pace down a footpath.
I like to know if the people giving positive comment to London black cabs ever cycle in Central London, 2 or 3 of my worst near misses where with black cabs. The u-turns mostly wothlout indicating, the cutting up the list goes on
I think black cabs. the TFL logo cabs and bus drivers are the most dangerous for cyclists.
White van comes just behind and general drivers next and a newer more recent hazard are scooters and mopeds who never bother to look but often want to go into the same areas as cyclists.
With virtuallly no police presence on the rode drivers can drive badly phone text with little chance of being pulled up.
Maybe banning traffic of adopting alternative day drving like in Rome may make people appreciate the roads more.
The best in my opinion are black cabbies, the worst: Buses, motor bikes and as has been said white van drivers
UPS van drivers are trained to kill cyclists
Least courteous drivers are the least courteous people in London – the Cockneys.
Black Cab drivers courteous? Are you mad? If some driver is pulling some stupid and dangerous s— around me, the odds are very good it’s a Black Cab driver. They lost my business forever when one of them shouted at me for daring to use a zebra crossing in front of him. Nasty, horrible human beings.
Worst Drivers:
Royal Mail (any vehicle – I promptly move over when I see one of these)
Nissan Micras, (and this is bound to draw ire), especially if driven by a woman. For what it’s worth, my wife agrees with me.
Cyclists with headphones on.
Best:
I’ve had a one crazy black cab try to kill me, but otherwise, good as gold.
Newer, more expensive cars (guess they don’t fancy scraping roadkill off their nice paint).
As a motorcyclist I have the utmost respect for cyclists. There are always going to be idiots from all groups, I see other motorcyclists who in my mind will be in a&e sooner rather than later. As someone has already mentioned, the worst drivers on the road are the cretins that are known as TfL licensed minicab drivers. Some one needs to let these half brained morons know that the little sticker they display does not exempt them from the rules of the road. Why these imbeciles aren’t required to do some sort of driving test is beyond me.
Definitively pedestrians in the City – try and cycle round Moorgate between 8.30 and 9. They will cross the road with the red light AND try and push you off your bike as you cycle past them, while shouting insults at you. Pedestrians in other areas come next.
Next are garbage trucks, evil bastards the lot of them. Followed by Chelsea Tractors, and white van men. Scooter drivers get bullied by real motorcyclists, so they try to get their own back by bullying cyclists.
Royal Mail drivers they are not rude per se, they simply whiz around not giving a monkey whether they run anyone over or not.
Black cabs used to be bad but have improved (except for a few hardcore element). I think they’ve realized there’s too many of us now, and had enough of getting their wing mirrors smashed by angry cyclists.
I found cyclists are beginning to get ruder to each other. This is not helped by the fad for fix wheels and their unnatural way of slowing down, especially if they are just learning.
Cyclists are by a long, long way the least courteous ‘drivers’ on the road.
Weaving in and out of traffic – then getting annoyed when the traffic dares to move and they get trapped.
Sailing straight through red lights and then getting angry when people dare to walk across the road (the same people who have waited patiently for the crossing to go green).
Deciding to cycle on the pavement / road despite there being a cycle-lane (Chelsea Bridge is especially bad for this)
Blasting through parks and scowling at people walking (hello Hyde Park cyclists)
Over-taking each other without bothering to look behind you to check for traffic
Cycling incredibly slowly, 2 metres from the curb thus slowing down buses / cars… of course, you do the obligatory ‘glance back and scowl’ as traffic queues up behind you – it is of course, our fault you’re holding us up
List is endless… at least taxi drivers / white van men etc. are bothered about the idea of knocking down pedestrians. Cyclists, by and large, don’t appear to care about either causing car accidents or injuring people walking.
I’ve seen 3 traffic accidents since moving to London – all of which were the fault of a cyclist.
Here we go, here come the anti-cyclist brigade.
To be fair, quite a few of the cyclists here have pointed out that other cyclists can be a bit of a menace.
However, Ellie’s post is a wee bit Trollish, presumably she’s never actually been out on a bike in London.
Pedestrians are an omission from this article, but some of them are an absolute menace, especially people gabbing on mobiles who seem content to lemming themselves out into the street.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to bang the brakes on to avoid colliding with them.
I’m not anti-cyclist. I cycle to work across London everyday… that doesn’t mean I can’t / shouldn’t admit that, by and large, cyclists are the least courteous drivers.
Basically, if someone’s a good cyclist, great – the masses of comments above don’t apply. If they’re not – then they one of the less courteous ones and deserve all the flack they get.
If you are a cyclist I’m Boris Cameron
Tricky one… I have to agree that cyclists are often the most annoying to share the road with. I am one of those irritating cyclists who stop at red light, pedestrian crossings…. there is nothing more frustrating than passing several slower cyclists in traffic only for them to saunter past you through a red making me risk my life again to pass them. Come on people – either learn to ride faster or leave earlier its really not rocket science.
I have a love hate relationship with black cabs. Generally I find them to be among the most courteous, but my two most recent unpleasant experiences have involved them (on both occasions bumping my rear wheel for daring to be in front of them in traffic on one occasion and at a junction on another).
The usual suspects of add lee, WVM etc. would probably feature on my list of baddies but in general it is more about the person behind the wheel than the type of vehicle. Some just do not want to share the road with a bike, others are just totally oblivious of other road users – they come in all shapes, sizes and vehicle types.
Bus drivers I have to say have improved in the past few years, helped I think by the removal of the bendy buses from some routes.
Also out for commendation are the other lovely cyclists who stop at lights and are generally courteous road sharers – while there are a number who annoy me there are always more there to right the balance.
Sadly the least courteous drivers are the cyclists themselves.
Ignoring red lights. Driving down the inside when vehicles are trying to turn left. Need I say more.
The sooner that cyclists have to have licenses and thereby be open to fines etc the better.
“The sooner that cyclists have to have licenses and thereby be open to fines etc the better.”
what like car drivers? They all have licenses, not that not having one is any barrier to stop them driving! As most drivers will happily admit to breaking the law by speeding and a fair few think it’s OK to drive whilst on a phone I don’t think licensing is the be all and end all of good driving.
Cyclist themselves can already be fined for any traffic violations such as jumping red lights, riding on pavements and the wrong way down one way streets but then that can only happen when there is a policeman/women around to catch them.
As for your other comments ignoring red lights is just plain stupid and illegal whearas cycling up the left of a vehicle is usually something to be avoided when at junctions and should NOT be attempted when the vehicle is trying to turn left, but that can be a case of lack of road’/common sense.
Worst:
Black cabs – especially when it’s raining – had one try to drive me off the road last night cos I’d had the temerity to overtake a stopping bus without letting him go first! Wish I’d had a head cam.
Skip lorries – murderous cretins
Royal Mail vans
Addison Lee
OAPs in private cars
Supermarket home delivery trucks
Best:
Very occasionally buses have amazed me with a kind and courteous maneouvre – this has happened lately, dunno what’s going on – better training perhaps!
Other cyclists – ditto most of the above comments. Esp the mild-manned accountant who dons his baggy shorts and helmet and becomes a raving idiot for his commute!
I was at a police meeting recently where many peopel were arguing for more traffic policing generally, it feels like anarchy out there, from all sides.
I have to say hands down it’s black cabs – even though I wouldn’t play dare devil with a HGV, so they probably come up on top as road kings.
Saying all that – loving the new bike scheme even though I can imagine a number of riders will be visiting hospital this year after being knocked of. . .
More bike lanes then I think it’s a step in the right direction. .
Cycle lanes are only any good if they are segregated. And even then it doesn’t take much for them to be used by other people. There is a short stretch of segregated cycle lane on my route to work. This morning I found a postman with his trolley strolling along in front of me and then, further on, a scaffolding company lorry parked on it. As well as being a segregated cycle lane there were also double yellow lines. Obviously, cycle lanes that do not have a barrier between themselves and the road are parked on or driven on by motor vehicles even more so…
worst. those insane skip lorries then addison lee. they seem to be consistently horrorshow, but other than that, have had surprising behavior from all comers.
Ive only been cycling in London for the past month after a something like seven year break from getting on a bike and pretty much every time ive though that someone was driving ridiculously close to me or dangerously cutting me up etc… they have that addison lee sticker in the back window, so i second addison lee drivers as the worst in the city. Black cabs however seem to be very skilled drivers as you say so all taxi drivers are not equal
The WORST most uncourteous drivers are women! (Sorry girls but it’s true). Even if they go as far as knocking you off your bike some of them don’t even get out of the car. If you do confront them for “not seeing you” (ie. not checking their mirrors, pullling out without thinking or looking etc) then they’re hard faced and will not accept any responsibility. I’ve only ever had accidents / near misses involving neglegent and hard faced women. Twice women driving Minis and I’ve noticed a correlation between bad women drivers and children’s car seats.
I wish I hadn’t found the above to be true. But it is! Sorry ladies!
Other cyclists. Its insane how slow cyclists push in front of you at a junction only to be overtaken again and then push in front of you at the next set of lights. This goes on for miles until your route varies. Drives me mad!
addison lee taxis are the worst by far
I may have a reason for the fact that they all drive around like inconsiderate sods, they have to drive like nutters to make money!
Sure I heard a report on LBC saying that they need to pay around £235 a WEEK to use the vehicles and pay for their own petrol so they need to clear around £350 a week (conservative fuel estimate for those estate cars sat around in traffic all day) to even start making some money to take home!
Still doesn’t excuse them being ******……
I agree,