Discussion
Why is that this morning on the way to work, I encountered 3 cyclists all doing the same dodgy thing...?
If a cyclist is using the road (rather than the pavement) then surely they are required to follow and abide by the same rules... i.e. a red traffic light means STOP not just keep going because I'm turning left and nevermind all those car drivers etc wondering what the h@ll I'm doing and having to brake and swerve to avoid me!
What a great idea that is!
Sorry - feel better now I've got that off me chest! I think I was just attracting all the stupid people this morning.
Mrs FFG
If a cyclist is using the road (rather than the pavement) then surely they are required to follow and abide by the same rules... i.e. a red traffic light means STOP not just keep going because I'm turning left and nevermind all those car drivers etc wondering what the h@ll I'm doing and having to brake and swerve to avoid me!
What a great idea that is!
Sorry - feel better now I've got that off me chest! I think I was just attracting all the stupid people this morning.
Mrs FFG
I thought it was a well-known fact that cyclists are not subject to the rules of the road, nor those of the pavement either. Although one of two have been booked for speeding, they are (obviously) allowed to ignore red traffic signals, No Entry signs and No Right Turn restrictions. This also applies to about half of the motor scooters one sees around too.
Streaky
Streaky
....and they're allowed to ride 5 abreast while doing 10mph....
....and they're allowed to race on the highway while ignoring everything around them....
....and they're allowed to swerve in front of you at the last minute without signalling to turn right....
But very sustainable, of course. I read once that a hard-riding cyclist produces 50g of CO2 per km. So a car with 4 people in it is less "polluting" than 4 cyclists riding hard. Strange you don't hear SusTrans mentioning this very often.
....and they're allowed to race on the highway while ignoring everything around them....
....and they're allowed to swerve in front of you at the last minute without signalling to turn right....
But very sustainable, of course. I read once that a hard-riding cyclist produces 50g of CO2 per km. So a car with 4 people in it is less "polluting" than 4 cyclists riding hard. Strange you don't hear SusTrans mentioning this very often.
At the risk of a flame, cyclists aren't really that bad... (Though I'm a mountain biker, so tend to ride off road most of the time). When I do ride on the road the number of cars, vans and trucks, especially trucks who seem intent on firing you into the nearest ditch is quite unbelievable.
IMHO, careless cyclists, i.e. idiots riding in the dark without lights etc, should be fined...
Just my 2p worth...
IMHO, careless cyclists, i.e. idiots riding in the dark without lights etc, should be fined...
Just my 2p worth...
Crow_road75 couldn't agree more. I also ride off road alot about 200miles a week, but do have to use the road also.
I can confirm that the number of inconsiderate, killing machine, nobhead drives far outweighs the number of said bikers.
Each time i ride on the road i feel like i'm going to be killed by someone that 'did't see you mate'. Unfortuneatly it's the same when i'm on my motorbike, and has been similar when in the Chim.
Lee
I can confirm that the number of inconsiderate, killing machine, nobhead drives far outweighs the number of said bikers.
Each time i ride on the road i feel like i'm going to be killed by someone that 'did't see you mate'. Unfortuneatly it's the same when i'm on my motorbike, and has been similar when in the Chim.
Lee
What irritates me most about 'transport' cyclists (to me, a bike is a piece of sports equipment - whoever calls it 'practical' has something wrong with them) is that they seem to be of that holier-than-thou tendancy who believe that the highway code can be simplified into 'motorists are the cause of all problems here, motorists must give way to absolutely everything else regardless of situation'.
Just look at the reaction you'll get next time you beep at one for jumping a red light and carving you up.
Just look at the reaction you'll get next time you beep at one for jumping a red light and carving you up.
UIL9794 said:
Each time i ride on the road i feel like i'm going to be killed by someone that 'did't see you mate'. Unfortuneatly it's the same when i'm on my motorbike, and has been similar when in the Chim.
Lee
That would be invisibilitis - I think we all get it from time to time!
I ride a mountain bike too and yes, I take it on the road (well sometimes) - but I do obey the usual road rules and laws. I would agree though, that some drivers do have a tendancy to drive too close and sometimes I think they're doing it on purpose!
I'm not having a go at cyclists per say, just moaning about the idiots I bumped into this morning - not literally 'bumped' into them of course
Of course I won't see any on them on the way home as they've either already crashed or they just won't have any lights on!
Cheers
Mrs FFG
Mr MyBrainHurts - nice smiley!
No, I stick by what I say. The Highway Code instructs motorists to give way to cyclists, and cyclists are much more likely to be hurt in a crash with a car than the car driver (to wit, my experience and Mr Crow_Road_75's experience.) In the event of a crash between a motorist and a cyclist it is almost always the motorist who is at fault (not always, but almost always) because the motorist fails to look out of his side windows when turning left or right, or opening his door. And believe you me, there is nothing more likely to get you a torrent of abuse from a cyclist that you have just knocked off than the words "Sorry Mate, I didn't see you!" (I have also found that many motorcyclists have similar stories to tell, and they are on larger machines with leathers and full crash helmets and much bigger lights.)
However, this is NOT to excuse the blatently illegal activities you see some cyclists indulging in. Jumping red lights and behaving with no respect for other road users is not acceptable, and I couldn't defend such behaviour if I did this.
Oli.
No, I stick by what I say. The Highway Code instructs motorists to give way to cyclists, and cyclists are much more likely to be hurt in a crash with a car than the car driver (to wit, my experience and Mr Crow_Road_75's experience.) In the event of a crash between a motorist and a cyclist it is almost always the motorist who is at fault (not always, but almost always) because the motorist fails to look out of his side windows when turning left or right, or opening his door. And believe you me, there is nothing more likely to get you a torrent of abuse from a cyclist that you have just knocked off than the words "Sorry Mate, I didn't see you!" (I have also found that many motorcyclists have similar stories to tell, and they are on larger machines with leathers and full crash helmets and much bigger lights.)
However, this is NOT to excuse the blatently illegal activities you see some cyclists indulging in. Jumping red lights and behaving with no respect for other road users is not acceptable, and I couldn't defend such behaviour if I did this.
Oli.
All those years ago when I was "learning" to drive, I was taught that a cyclist is 6' (you can work it out in new money) wide (and that's the berth I try to give them. Mind you, that can be a challenge sometimes.
I've seen three accidents involving cars and cyclists. All intowns. One was caused by a cyclist riding up the inside of a car that was in the left-hand filter lane (forced left turn) - the cyclist tried to ride straight on as the car turned left. Cyclist picked himself up, dusted off his lycra, kicked the headlight of the car and rode off. the second was caused by a cyclist overtaking a car that was stationary on the outside lane, indicating right (I was behind them also indicating right and the cyclist rode right up on my off-side. The cyclist tried to squeeze between the car ahead and the curb of the pedestrian refuge in the centre, failed, took a spill and hit the boot lid of the car ahead. When I got there he was complaining that the car had turned right and hit him. My story to the police was somewhat different! The third was another lycra-covered lunchbox who was cycling UNDERNEATH the overhang of an articulated lorry. He would have been completely hidden from the driver's view and was lucky to escape becoming a KSI when the lorry indicated and turned left. Now I know that the cyclists here will have a stream of "motorists-at-fault" incidents, but it's not one-sided - Streaky
I've seen three accidents involving cars and cyclists. All intowns. One was caused by a cyclist riding up the inside of a car that was in the left-hand filter lane (forced left turn) - the cyclist tried to ride straight on as the car turned left. Cyclist picked himself up, dusted off his lycra, kicked the headlight of the car and rode off. the second was caused by a cyclist overtaking a car that was stationary on the outside lane, indicating right (I was behind them also indicating right and the cyclist rode right up on my off-side. The cyclist tried to squeeze between the car ahead and the curb of the pedestrian refuge in the centre, failed, took a spill and hit the boot lid of the car ahead. When I got there he was complaining that the car had turned right and hit him. My story to the police was somewhat different! The third was another lycra-covered lunchbox who was cycling UNDERNEATH the overhang of an articulated lorry. He would have been completely hidden from the driver's view and was lucky to escape becoming a KSI when the lorry indicated and turned left. Now I know that the cyclists here will have a stream of "motorists-at-fault" incidents, but it's not one-sided - Streaky
From my experiences the majority of cyclists ride like tw@ts. There are the responsible ones but they're usually only about 20% of them all.
The worst ones, as mentioned, are the "The highway code's not for me" brigade, and the no-lights dark-clothing eejits who want to commit suicide at night!
The worst ones, as mentioned, are the "The highway code's not for me" brigade, and the no-lights dark-clothing eejits who want to commit suicide at night!
JMGS4 said:
From my experiences the majority of cyclists ride like tw@ts. There are the responsible ones but they're usually only about 20% of them all.
The worst ones, as mentioned, are the "The highway code's not for me" brigade, and the no-lights dark-clothing eejits who want to commit suicide at night!
From my experiences the majority of drivers on the UK's roads are twats as well, but I'm not about to tar them all this this brush ...
Oli.
The fact that cyclists are so vulnerable should make them more, not less, sensitive to the highway code.
A few years ago my journey to work used to involve walking from London Bridge station to the Old Street end of Moorgate: in two years I saw three pedestrians hit - and one quite badly hurt - by cyclists ignoring zebra crossings.
No question that drivers - particularly of large vehicles - ought to be better at looking for bicycles, but cyclists also have a responsibility not to put themselves in places that other road users won't expect them to be.
A few years ago my journey to work used to involve walking from London Bridge station to the Old Street end of Moorgate: in two years I saw three pedestrians hit - and one quite badly hurt - by cyclists ignoring zebra crossings.
No question that drivers - particularly of large vehicles - ought to be better at looking for bicycles, but cyclists also have a responsibility not to put themselves in places that other road users won't expect them to be.
zcacogp said:
From my experiences the majority of drivers on the UK's roads are twats as well, but I'm not about to tar them all this this brush ... Oli.
Ok god point, BUT the point I wanted to make but didn't vocalise it properly, the cyclists often seem to think they're invincible (due to greenie ani-car propaganda) whereas they should be thinking that WHATEVER happens they'll come off worse! If they then still ride like pillocks then let Darwin take over IMHO...
and BTW if cardrivers drove with such an innate ignoring of all road signs and rules we'd have portuguese accident rates here! and we don't!!!!!
perhaps also due to the fact that it's not PC to police the cyclists????
JMGS4 said:
Ok god point, BUT the point I wanted to make but didn't vocalise it properly, the cyclists often seem to think they're invincible (due to greenie ani-car propaganda) whereas they should be thinking that WHATEVER happens they'll come off worse!
Was it streaky on another thread that said something along the lines of "He was right, but he's just as dead, as if he were wrong"?
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