Deathwish cyclists & pedestrians
Discussion
OK, I know the weather's not so good at the moment and I know we've just switched back to GMT (in the UK), but WTF is wrong with all these cyclists who are dodging death by riding around in the bitch black with no 
lights?
(As an aside, the unlit bikes are usually the ones with un-helmeted riders as well)
I lost count of them on the way home last night (although, had I been a bit dozier I probably could have counted the dents in my bonnet
)
Also, top prize must go to the fcukwit who was jogging along an unlit road, wearing dark coloured top, joggers and trainers and running with the flow of traffic and there was a perfectly good footpath 2ft to his left!!! Nearly had him as I came around the blind bend and was dazzled by the oncoming traffic...
lights? (As an aside, the unlit bikes are usually the ones with un-helmeted riders as well)
I lost count of them on the way home last night (although, had I been a bit dozier I probably could have counted the dents in my bonnet
) Also, top prize must go to the fcukwit who was jogging along an unlit road, wearing dark coloured top, joggers and trainers and running with the flow of traffic and there was a perfectly good footpath 2ft to his left!!! Nearly had him as I came around the blind bend and was dazzled by the oncoming traffic...
Bit that gets me is the "eco warrior" mentality of "I'll ride my bike and save XX litres of fuel" only to have a huge tailback of cars wasting tons of fuel 'cos the idiot behind the cyclist won't overtake!!
C
PS.. except no one seems to overtake anymore, so we're reduced to cycle speed. Rolling roadblock anyone?
C
PS.. except no one seems to overtake anymore, so we're reduced to cycle speed. Rolling roadblock anyone?
why do some cylists ride on the road when a perfectly good cycle path is provided?
I drive such a road, and you always get some tw@t on a bike (usually an expensive looking racer, the rider is wearing all the lycra etc). The cycle path runs in paralell with the road alongside the footpath (seperated by a white line). The road is out of town, so there are hardly any pedestrians there anyway.
The road is fairly rough, with a few drains etc, and the cycle path is really smooth, but grippy at the same time (I've rode on it myself). WHY RIDE ON THE ROAD????
He's probably one of these people who does it:
'because he can', a bit like the guy who drives round and round a traffic island for ages, just because he can.
Should I drive on the cycle path as a protest, when I see a cyclist on this stretch of road ?
I drive such a road, and you always get some tw@t on a bike (usually an expensive looking racer, the rider is wearing all the lycra etc). The cycle path runs in paralell with the road alongside the footpath (seperated by a white line). The road is out of town, so there are hardly any pedestrians there anyway.
The road is fairly rough, with a few drains etc, and the cycle path is really smooth, but grippy at the same time (I've rode on it myself). WHY RIDE ON THE ROAD????
He's probably one of these people who does it:
'because he can', a bit like the guy who drives round and round a traffic island for ages, just because he can.
Should I drive on the cycle path as a protest, when I see a cyclist on this stretch of road ?
Driving the other night, rainy and dark, pull up at red traffic light, stealth cyclist to my left pedals off straight through the red light and accross the junction.
Couple of tiny reflectors on the pedals and dark clothes. Fantastic.
These people really wind me up. Why don't they have some sort of aptitude test or license of competency to ride on public roads?
As Alex H says - natural selection in action.
Couple of tiny reflectors on the pedals and dark clothes. Fantastic.
These people really wind me up. Why don't they have some sort of aptitude test or license of competency to ride on public roads?
As Alex H says - natural selection in action.
I agree with Karl about the ones that cause jams 'saving the earth'. I did laugh this morning as they got soaking wet though ...
What really gets my goat is the cyclists who won't use cycle lanes/paths when they exist. For example, A4155 Bourne End to Marlow last night - dark, rainy, reduced visibility, a lot of traffic and I spotted 5 of them in 2 miles. Why? When I'm on my pushbike I ride on the footpath anyway - the road is too dangerous period. Never mind, they only held up 50 or so cars through their stupidity. A cyclist once said to me that they don't use the cycle lane 'cos they have to keep slowing at junctions etc. Well if they're in a hurry why the fcuk are they on a pushbike in the first place (central London excepted!).
T/.
What really gets my goat is the cyclists who won't use cycle lanes/paths when they exist. For example, A4155 Bourne End to Marlow last night - dark, rainy, reduced visibility, a lot of traffic and I spotted 5 of them in 2 miles. Why? When I'm on my pushbike I ride on the footpath anyway - the road is too dangerous period. Never mind, they only held up 50 or so cars through their stupidity. A cyclist once said to me that they don't use the cycle lane 'cos they have to keep slowing at junctions etc. Well if they're in a hurry why the fcuk are they on a pushbike in the first place (central London excepted!).
T/.
Ahhh cycle lanes...
Now, I know I started this thread with a bit of a rant, but I too am a cyclist as well as a car driver and can appreciate the problems that riding a bike gives you.
These simple rules apply:
o Wear a helmet.
o Be visible (lights at night, bright colours all the time).
o Obey the damn traffic laws (i.e. don't jump red lights & pedestrian crossings, don't cycle on the footpath etc etc ad infinitum).
o Wear a helmet (can't stress this one enough).
o If there's a cycle lane, use it!
o Don't cycle 2 abreast chatting with your mate, blocking cars from overtaking.
o etc
However, regarding the cycle lane thing, Bristol Council (in its infinite wisdom) have decreed that all bus lanes are also cycle lanes. Gee. Thanks. I'd rather take my chances with the cars than have to mix it with the busses...
>> Edited by pdv6 on Wednesday 6th November 12:38
Now, I know I started this thread with a bit of a rant, but I too am a cyclist as well as a car driver and can appreciate the problems that riding a bike gives you.
These simple rules apply:
o Wear a helmet.
o Be visible (lights at night, bright colours all the time).
o Obey the damn traffic laws (i.e. don't jump red lights & pedestrian crossings, don't cycle on the footpath etc etc ad infinitum).
o Wear a helmet (can't stress this one enough).
o If there's a cycle lane, use it!
o Don't cycle 2 abreast chatting with your mate, blocking cars from overtaking.
o etc
However, regarding the cycle lane thing, Bristol Council (in its infinite wisdom) have decreed that all bus lanes are also cycle lanes. Gee. Thanks. I'd rather take my chances with the cars than have to mix it with the busses...
>> Edited by pdv6 on Wednesday 6th November 12:38
I'm a cyclist (although haven't been out on the bike for a while), don't ride on the cycleways round our way because
1) the ones in Cramlington are covered in glass, have little children, on them who have no riding sense & ride at you and then there are the dogs on 5m leads across the path
2 the cycleway alongside Laverock Hall road is generally covered in horse s**t. Dog owners are persecuted, why not horse owners?
I ride on the road, with a road bike, collect the punctures from the crap surface, the abuse from drivers who can't wait a few seconds to let you around a roundabout but i don't ride at night without lights. Funny the number of cars that do though, or no indicators....
1) the ones in Cramlington are covered in glass, have little children, on them who have no riding sense & ride at you and then there are the dogs on 5m leads across the path
2 the cycleway alongside Laverock Hall road is generally covered in horse s**t. Dog owners are persecuted, why not horse owners?
I ride on the road, with a road bike, collect the punctures from the crap surface, the abuse from drivers who can't wait a few seconds to let you around a roundabout but i don't ride at night without lights. Funny the number of cars that do though, or no indicators....
I used to cycle at Uni, one one night my lights were stolen. So, I rode on the pavement (I know, I know. But me seeing a padestrian and hitting them would hurt less then a 2 ton car hitting me by not seeing me)
Anyway, some people shouted at me ("Not big enough fo the road, sunny???")
To which I pointed out the lack of lights, and carried on.
Then the Police stopped me!!!
They made me walk with the bike...
And that, everybody is the ONLY TIME I have been stopped by the police.
Anyway, some people shouted at me ("Not big enough fo the road, sunny???")
To which I pointed out the lack of lights, and carried on.
Then the Police stopped me!!!
They made me walk with the bike...
And that, everybody is the ONLY TIME I have been stopped by the police.
I am not a cycle nazi. However, I cycle 10 miles a day to and from work through Central London.
I can assure you that daft dimwit cyclists with no lights and dark clothes are outnumbered ten to one by:
1. idiot pedestrians with mobile phones clamped to their heads who step out into the road without looking
2. Drivers who simply do not look and do not indicate changes in direction.
3. Battered white vans that do not care about additional dents or insurance claims and consequently drive like bumper cars
4. Buses and lorries and white vans that hog the road far more than any cyclist.
When I cycle, I am lit up like a Christmas tree. Fluorescent clothing, reflective stripes, ultra-bright lights. Nevertheless, I watch out at every junction or every time a pedestrian looks to step out and *I've* lost count of the number of times people simply don't look. It's not that the cyclists aren't visible, it's that other road users *just* *don't* *look* when they pull out from side junctions or step out into the road. I look at the driver's head every time I approach a junction that has a car or van or motorbike or moped waiting at it and, if it's not turned to look at me, I start to brake early. Has saved my life on many occasions.
As a pistonhead member I love cars but bemoan the general lack of road sense in other car drivers. People drive to work whilst still asleep, and drive home from work whilst dozing off.
Yes, let's nab bikers who set out to kill themselves and slap them until they see sense. Fine. But it cures only a fraction of the problem. Curiously enough, just like speed cameras "cure" only a fraction of the problem. But that's another story.....
I can assure you that daft dimwit cyclists with no lights and dark clothes are outnumbered ten to one by:
1. idiot pedestrians with mobile phones clamped to their heads who step out into the road without looking
2. Drivers who simply do not look and do not indicate changes in direction.
3. Battered white vans that do not care about additional dents or insurance claims and consequently drive like bumper cars
4. Buses and lorries and white vans that hog the road far more than any cyclist.
When I cycle, I am lit up like a Christmas tree. Fluorescent clothing, reflective stripes, ultra-bright lights. Nevertheless, I watch out at every junction or every time a pedestrian looks to step out and *I've* lost count of the number of times people simply don't look. It's not that the cyclists aren't visible, it's that other road users *just* *don't* *look* when they pull out from side junctions or step out into the road. I look at the driver's head every time I approach a junction that has a car or van or motorbike or moped waiting at it and, if it's not turned to look at me, I start to brake early. Has saved my life on many occasions.
As a pistonhead member I love cars but bemoan the general lack of road sense in other car drivers. People drive to work whilst still asleep, and drive home from work whilst dozing off.
Yes, let's nab bikers who set out to kill themselves and slap them until they see sense. Fine. But it cures only a fraction of the problem. Curiously enough, just like speed cameras "cure" only a fraction of the problem. But that's another story.....
Also, top prize must go to the fcukwit who was jogging along an unlit road, wearing dark coloured top, joggers and trainers and running with the flow of traffic and there was a perfectly good footpath 2ft to his left!!! Nearly had him as I came around the blind bend and was dazzled by the oncoming traffic...
I nearly claimed one on my bonnet at 3.30 this morning, Dozy feckwit Jogging in the middle of the road with the flow of traffic in the pi55ing rain near an industrial estate (pavement on both sides of the road) but obviously not good enough for him/her.
I've always said, if the use the roads they must pay road tax. And if they put themselves in danger of injurying others either by smacking theirs heads very hard onto innocent cars or even knowing down unwary pedestrians they must also get insurance.
Now I know it's difficult enough getting all car drivers insured but surely these "greenies" would do the right thing. More money Mr "whoever it is now in charge of the roads".
Now I know it's difficult enough getting all car drivers insured but surely these "greenies" would do the right thing. More money Mr "whoever it is now in charge of the roads".
When I was learning to ride with SPDs (for the non cyclists, SPDs basically clamp your feet to the pedals and you have to twist to get out. Improves efficency and stops you losing your feet at 35mph off road when you hit a bump. Bastard to get used to).
What this entailed was repeatedly stopping and training myself to twist before trying to put a foot down. No problems. Obviously I'm doing this well away from the roads as falling over in front of a truck doesn't sound like a lot of fun.....
So, I'm on the cycle path by the river in York. Rolling alone at about 20mph, minding my own business.
Elderly couple walk out from behind a tree about 15m in front of me, totally oblivious to everything.
I pull both brakes to the bars, lock the back end up, put the entire bike sideways. Decide I'm simple not going to stop in time, so essentally drop the bike on the floor and aim for the tree. Forgetting to unclip.....
So I slide 7-8m along the ground, still clipped to the bike. I stop about 30cm short of the old bints leg. At this point she notices me, looks down and states;
"You shouldn't have been riding on the path"
She was **STANDING** on the little painted bike symbol on the cycle path.
I went utterly ballistic. Totally lost it.
But if I's hit her, it would have been "Young hooligan on bike hits little old lady", not "Stupid bint walks out in front of cyclist"......
*Shrug*
I tend to ride on the roads as well. Although not NSL ones if I can possibly avoid it....
What this entailed was repeatedly stopping and training myself to twist before trying to put a foot down. No problems. Obviously I'm doing this well away from the roads as falling over in front of a truck doesn't sound like a lot of fun.....
So, I'm on the cycle path by the river in York. Rolling alone at about 20mph, minding my own business.
Elderly couple walk out from behind a tree about 15m in front of me, totally oblivious to everything.
I pull both brakes to the bars, lock the back end up, put the entire bike sideways. Decide I'm simple not going to stop in time, so essentally drop the bike on the floor and aim for the tree. Forgetting to unclip.....
So I slide 7-8m along the ground, still clipped to the bike. I stop about 30cm short of the old bints leg. At this point she notices me, looks down and states;
"You shouldn't have been riding on the path"
She was **STANDING** on the little painted bike symbol on the cycle path.
I went utterly ballistic. Totally lost it.
But if I's hit her, it would have been "Young hooligan on bike hits little old lady", not "Stupid bint walks out in front of cyclist"......
*Shrug*
I tend to ride on the roads as well. Although not NSL ones if I can possibly avoid it....
Agree difficult to master, but you get to pull up as well as the normal push down, however
Mr E said: When I was learning to ride with SPDs (for the non cyclists, SPDs basically clamp your feet to the pedals and you have to twist to get out. Improves efficency and stops you losing your feet at 35mph off road when you hit a bump. Bastard to get used to).
lock the back end up, put the entire bike sideways. Forgetting to unclip...
Errrm, you can loosen them off a bit so that you still get force from both legs throughout the cadence, but are easier to clip into, outof, without thinking, like you would adjust your ski boots..
Although I HATE government bureaucracy I am beginning to feel the only way to deal with idiot cyclists is some form of licensing or registration. But then again the problem is exactly the same as bad driving - it happens because the fuzz are too busy doing other things like chasing effeminate royal footmen, loading and unloading speed cameras, protesting politicians and terrorists (have you seen Westminster at night - more coppers than streetlamps), trying to recruit ethnic minorities and filling in forms. Enforcement and deterrence are the key - stopping bad cyclists would soon spread the word - and even confiscating bicycles.
PS SPDs - you only forget to unclip once - you either die or it gets ingrained in your skull via the bruise to your head and/or ego (I forgot on a busy road - the pain was overshadowed by acute embarrassment)
>> Edited by sadoksevoli on Wednesday 6th November 18:16
PS SPDs - you only forget to unclip once - you either die or it gets ingrained in your skull via the bruise to your head and/or ego (I forgot on a busy road - the pain was overshadowed by acute embarrassment)
>> Edited by sadoksevoli on Wednesday 6th November 18:16
I got used to SPD's pretty quickly. I practiced whilst leaning up against a wall in the garage when I first put them on, and then took it easy for the first week or so. Bit of a pain when the bike looses grip whilst turning on partially melted sheet ice. Seems quite hard to get the friggin' bike off when your lying on the floor still mounted.
I was going to post this last week, but didn't in the end for fear of general ridicule, but ... as we're on the subject of bikes here goes.
I was cycling home from work last Friday about 8.30pm and was almost at the top of quite a steep hill when I felt a hard whack on my behind. This was followed by laughter from some scrote hanging out of the passenger window of a slow moving, crappy estate car which then accelerated past me. Reaching behind I then found the remains of an egg plastered over my right buttock!!
Now, admittedly my derierre isn't the smallest of targets but the impact felt like the egg had been placed rather than thrown. This therefore beggs the question how close where these idiots to a slow moving, and therefore fairly unstable bike, at night?
I was seething by the time I got home, I just wish I'd thought to get their number plate.
PS I did have lights on, but admittedly no helmet ... although this wouldn't have done much to protect my arse!!
I was cycling home from work last Friday about 8.30pm and was almost at the top of quite a steep hill when I felt a hard whack on my behind. This was followed by laughter from some scrote hanging out of the passenger window of a slow moving, crappy estate car which then accelerated past me. Reaching behind I then found the remains of an egg plastered over my right buttock!!
Now, admittedly my derierre isn't the smallest of targets but the impact felt like the egg had been placed rather than thrown. This therefore beggs the question how close where these idiots to a slow moving, and therefore fairly unstable bike, at night?
I was seething by the time I got home, I just wish I'd thought to get their number plate.
PS I did have lights on, but admittedly no helmet ... although this wouldn't have done much to protect my arse!!
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