Cyclist killed by Olympic bus

[Zaxxon]

Targarama said:

i think what we do need in this country is a much better general attitude towards cyclists from the average driver. You notice a marked difference in France, somewhere you may expect slightly crazier drivers (sterotyping) - they have a lot more respect for cyclists on the road.

Agreed, but some cyclists in this country need to clean up their act. Less risk taking, obeying traffic laws, not riding two abreast on country lanes etc.

But if that happened, there would be nobody to moan about

[davepoth]

Morningside said:

Making it law. Are the Police going to race upto some 9yr old scaring the crap out of them and issue them with a fine?
Yes, it could be the parents fault for not forcing them the wear one but hey, we were all kids at one time.

When was the last time you saw an unaccompanied 9 year old riding a bicycle on the road? It just doesn't happen any more.

[Morningside]

^^ You do see groups of children going round and round outside their house (or close to).

From that link:
"...was cycling level with me and as we approached a bus he went inside while I held back. The lights changed as he was in the buses blind spot and as he was attempting to go straight the bus turned left..."

So is this poor judgment on behalf of the cyclist rather than the bus driver. I mean a blind spot is exactly that.

It reminds me of the "If you cannot see my mirrors I cannot see you" on some lorries.

I suppose the arrest is common practice due to the death of the man?

[davepoth]

Morningside said:

^^ You do see groups of children going round and round outside their house (or close to).

From that link:
"...was cycling level with me and as we approached a bus he went inside while I held back. The lights changed as he was in the buses blind spot and as he was attempting to go straight the bus turned left..."

So is this poor judgment on behalf of the cyclist rather than the bus driver. I mean a blind spot is exactly that.

It reminds me of the "If you cannot see my mirrors I cannot see you" on some lorries.

I suppose the arrest is common practice due to the death of the man?

Pretty much; They need to question him under caution, and get alcohol and drug tests done, and they certainly have reasonable suspicion.

[heebeegeetee]

Targarama said:

i think what we do need in this country is a much better general attitude towards cyclists from the average driver. You notice a marked difference in France, somewhere you may expect slightly crazier drivers (sterotyping) - they have a lot more respect for cyclists on the road.

Yes, that's been my experience too in France. The difference is really marked.

[tank slapper]

Morningside said:

From that link:
"...was cycling level with me and as we approached a bus he went inside while I held back. The lights changed as he was in the buses blind spot and as he was attempting to go straight the bus turned left..."

So is this poor judgment on behalf of the cyclist rather than the bus driver. I mean a blind spot is exactly that.

It reminds me of the "If you cannot see my mirrors I cannot see you" on some lorries.

I'm not sure that mirrors quote is a good thing to go by: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzL0Kyk4m-8

No doubt those riders could see the mirrors.

[SmoothCriminal]

Bus.......Blind spot.......Another typical London cyclist

[Morningside]

Maybe instead of compulsory helmets there should be a compulsory cycling test.

[glazbagun]

Scary stuff. I cycle to work in London and go out of my way to follow cycle paths whenever I can, even if it adds a few mins a day. Even then, there's still situations when you find yourself next to a lorry/bus and start to wonder if he's seen you/planning to turn in. Reading the reddit post is gutting stuff. It's amazingly easy to die on a bike.

[Morningside]

tank slapper said:

Morningside said:

From that link:
"...was cycling level with me and as we approached a bus he went inside while I held back. The lights changed as he was in the buses blind spot and as he was attempting to go straight the bus turned left..."

So is this poor judgment on behalf of the cyclist rather than the bus driver. I mean a blind spot is exactly that.

It reminds me of the "If you cannot see my mirrors I cannot see you" on some lorries.

I'm not sure that mirrors quote is a good thing to go by: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzL0Kyk4m-8

No doubt those riders could see the mirrors.

From that link
"Cyclists, lorry blind spots are bigger than you think. Don't undertake lorries at junctions."

[Nickyboy]

When you see cyclists doing things like this i'm surprised the casualties arent higher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDAYkdlKEGI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12fMTAQyXTI&fea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLpSY0D9tVY

[Matt p]

^^^^^^
Bloody hell!, some of the other things that going on make my hair stand on end.

[emicen]

Nickyboy said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12fMTAQyXTI&fea...

Holy st, a recumbant in city traffic, that must be exciting!

[Caulkhead]

heebeegeetee said:

Targarama said:

i think what we do need in this country is a much better general attitude towards cyclists from the average driver. You notice a marked difference in France, somewhere you may expect slightly crazier drivers (sterotyping) - they have a lot more respect for cyclists on the road.

Yes, that's been my experience too in France. The difference is really marked.

It doesn't seem to help - the UK and France have similarly sized populations and the Uk is more urban but cyclist deaths are far higher in France:

http://cyclehelmets.org/1258.html

[heebeegeetee]

Caulkhead said:

It doesn't seem to help - the UK and France have similarly sized populations and the Uk is more urban but cyclist deaths are far higher in France:

http://cyclehelmets.org/1258.html

You have read the notes at the bottom of those stats, haven't you?

As ever with these kind of stats, they're quoted with no context, ie no rate.

[thinfourth2]

Sadly mandatory cycle helmets won't really help unless they come with a free brain but even then seeing that cars don't come with a free brain it won't really work.

The real solution would be to stop cars and bikes from using the same roads

This can be done in one of 3 ways

1 Ban cyclists from central london

2 Ban cars from central london

3 Bulldoze central london and rebuild it with separate roads for cars and bikes


Number 3 is my favoured option followed by number 2

[turbobloke]

thinfourth2 said:

Sadly mandatory cycle helmets won't really help unless they come with a free brain but even then seeing that cars don't come with a free brain it won't really work.

The real solution would be to stop cars and bikes from using the same roads

Agreed, but we have both just committed a sin against the Doctrine Of The Shared Space God, the punishment is usually watching this advertisement for the benefits which shared space principles bring to motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and animals.

[heebeegeetee]

turbobloke said:

this

"Tarmac paid for by your road tax"? What sort of nonsense is this?

[turbobloke]

heebeegeetee said:

turbobloke said:

this

"Tarmac paid for by your road tax"? What sort of nonsense is this?

Cyclist WUMmery by the look of it

[croyde]

I cycle in London and it does amaze me the amount of cyclists that undertake lorries, buses etc when there is a potential left turn coming up.

Very sad news.