That's it, I am no longer defending Cyclists!
Discussion
Killboy said:
I have nothing to add other than I cycled in today, through London, and really enjoyed it. 
The cycle lane separation on Victoria Embankment is great, and the super highways have made it a lot safer than it was in the past. Still saw some prized driving and cycling however.
We were in London on Sunday. I must say the bit of the super highway we saw looked great. Fully segregated and proper junction markings giving cyclists the right of way. The cycle lane separation on Victoria Embankment is great, and the super highways have made it a lot safer than it was in the past. Still saw some prized driving and cycling however.coldel said:
Its quite a common thing though, cyclists often prefer to be in the road than on paths which are smaller and often littered with stuff. I drive up Priory Lane every week (yes the one with the Priory and the LTA on it!) and they installed a cycle lane on the pavement as again the road is a slight incline but also quite narrow and carries a lot of traffic. I think I see one or two cyclists but clearly cyclists prefer the road, hold everyone up, and its a road that leads to Richmond Park which is a cyclists favourite in the area.
So, I can see why cyclists would use the road because they can go faster than the lane, but, they are slower than the natural flow of the traffic so you end up with this 80% ignoring the lane and being in the road...
I know that road well as was involved with the newly rebuilt wall just next to Priory. So, I can see why cyclists would use the road because they can go faster than the lane, but, they are slower than the natural flow of the traffic so you end up with this 80% ignoring the lane and being in the road...
Hoofy said:
I've been saying for a while they should just make the roads wider and not have kerbed-off cycle lanes. At least the "cycle lanes" would be kept clear of crap as this just keeps coming up again and again. Cycle lanes are a nice idea in principle but the reality is completely different and so we have much narrower roads. 
I have another idea - make cycle lanes full width and permit cars to drive on them. 
Schmed said:
WinstonWolf said:
funkyrobot said:
WinstonWolf said:
funkyrobot said:
Byker28i said:
We met a couple of lycra clad road terrorists at the weekend riding side by side with the outside one riding on the centre white line. 3 cars in convoy, the first overtakes on the other side of the road, which seems to infuriate said riders who then decide to ride down the center of each lane, only moving over when a car comes in the opposite direction. They kept this up for a few miles until the road widened and the others also got past.
Lycra clad road terrorists. 
That's great coming from an organ donor.
We're not stuck in traffic, we are the traffic. (unless I'm on my bike!
)It's nice to see that there are still plenty of impatient, angry people on the roads.
It was you, wasn't it?
Edited by andy.mod on Wednesday 18th July 15:02
coldel said:
I definitely think there is a sizable percentage of cyclists that should use the lanes, they are not safe on the road to themselves or others.They are not travelling fast enough to warrant using the road over the lane as at that speed they can safely travel down the lane without incident.
For reference, I do cycle also and I am in a hotspot for cyclists (Richmond Surrey) and it is quite terrifying watching the number that just ignore lights, go way too fast down hills etc. I have seen a number of fatal incidents over the last few years due to inexperience/ignoring safety over going fast.
You must be either extremely unlucky or you're some sort of time-traveller. There are about 8-10 fatal cycling accidents in the whole of London each year. I can't even recall any that have been near Richmond - yet you've witnessed a number of them?For reference, I do cycle also and I am in a hotspot for cyclists (Richmond Surrey) and it is quite terrifying watching the number that just ignore lights, go way too fast down hills etc. I have seen a number of fatal incidents over the last few years due to inexperience/ignoring safety over going fast.
Edited by coldel on Wednesday 18th July 09:31
Funny thing is,
With the state of the roads in the UK, cycle lanes even with broken glass, used Condoms and branches strewn across them must still be a better option!
I still go back to the argument of, if it were me, I would be taking myself off the road at every oppurtunity from a safety point of view. We can all agree that the standard of driving on our roads is pretty poor, everyone is in a rush to be somewhere and vunlerable road users like cyclists needs to remember that you'll never win in a fight against a car.
TL:DR - Use the bloody paths we all paid for you tw@'s!
With the state of the roads in the UK, cycle lanes even with broken glass, used Condoms and branches strewn across them must still be a better option!
I still go back to the argument of, if it were me, I would be taking myself off the road at every oppurtunity from a safety point of view. We can all agree that the standard of driving on our roads is pretty poor, everyone is in a rush to be somewhere and vunlerable road users like cyclists needs to remember that you'll never win in a fight against a car.
TL:DR - Use the bloody paths we all paid for you tw@'s!
donkmeister said:
There's a post-war new town in Hertfordshire, Stevenage, which was built under the direction of a keen cyclist. It has a brilliant system whereby cyclists and pedestrians are fully segregated from the roads. There are even underpasses for the many roundabouts, and the surfaces are maintained and swept by the council...
It's thankfully rare, but you still get the occasional throbber cycling on a busy dual carriageway in rush hour, despite the presence of two excellent cycleways parallel to the road just 20 feet to their left and 80 feet to their right.
If they live in Stevenage maybe they just want to die? It's thankfully rare, but you still get the occasional throbber cycling on a busy dual carriageway in rush hour, despite the presence of two excellent cycleways parallel to the road just 20 feet to their left and 80 feet to their right.
syl said:
If a queue of traffic is building up they should pull over and let it pass. Maybe they don't know you are there? Sounding your horn and flashing your lights might warn them of your presence.
haha yes! I'll try that next, If that fails i'll drive right up behind them and rev my engine. funkyrobot said:
Killboy said:
I have nothing to add other than I cycled in today, through London, and really enjoyed it. The cycle lane separation on Victoria Embankment is great, and the super highways have made it a lot safer than it was in the past. Still saw some prized driving and cycling however.
We were in London on Sunday. I must say the bit of the super highway we saw looked great. Fully segregated and proper junction markings giving cyclists the right of way. The cycle lane separation on Victoria Embankment is great, and the super highways have made it a lot safer than it was in the past. Still saw some prized driving and cycling however.
ds on some country road jolly. I already have to factor in an extra half hour on a Sunday due to all the motorbility s crawling along and colonial fkwits blocking the middle lane of the M40. And now it’s gangs of marauding call centre managers on push bikes. It was joyous to finally reach the civilisation and peace of central London. oyster said:
coldel said:
I definitely think there is a sizable percentage of cyclists that should use the lanes, they are not safe on the road to themselves or others.They are not travelling fast enough to warrant using the road over the lane as at that speed they can safely travel down the lane without incident.
For reference, I do cycle also and I am in a hotspot for cyclists (Richmond Surrey) and it is quite terrifying watching the number that just ignore lights, go way too fast down hills etc. I have seen a number of fatal incidents over the last few years due to inexperience/ignoring safety over going fast.
You must be either extremely unlucky or you're some sort of time-traveller. There are about 8-10 fatal cycling accidents in the whole of London each year. I can't even recall any that have been near Richmond - yet you've witnessed a number of them?For reference, I do cycle also and I am in a hotspot for cyclists (Richmond Surrey) and it is quite terrifying watching the number that just ignore lights, go way too fast down hills etc. I have seen a number of fatal incidents over the last few years due to inexperience/ignoring safety over going fast.
Edited by coldel on Wednesday 18th July 09:31
I have seen two where I actually witnessed them, but seen at least a dozen happen which are non fatal.
The junction of Church Road and Sheen Lane is terrible for cyclists - its like a haze comes down and they cannot resist the lure of heading straight across a red at the crossroads which has buses, lorries and all sorts of vehicles less likely to afford them the room to do so. I was also in a near miss with a cyclist crossing the road with my 4 year old son there, he came from behind and literally had the bike at 45 degrees leaning right and through a red it was only a pedestrian screaming out that I managed to pull my son back in time as the bike flew past the front of us. If I hadnt no doubt my son would have suffered serious or even worse injury - this has happened a few times and shows no signs of slowing down, more likely getting worse.
DonkeyApple said:
donkmeister said:
There's a post-war new town in Hertfordshire, Stevenage, which was built under the direction of a keen cyclist. It has a brilliant system whereby cyclists and pedestrians are fully segregated from the roads. There are even underpasses for the many roundabouts, and the surfaces are maintained and swept by the council...
It's thankfully rare, but you still get the occasional throbber cycling on a busy dual carriageway in rush hour, despite the presence of two excellent cycleways parallel to the road just 20 feet to their left and 80 feet to their right.
If they live in Stevenage maybe they just want to die? It's thankfully rare, but you still get the occasional throbber cycling on a busy dual carriageway in rush hour, despite the presence of two excellent cycleways parallel to the road just 20 feet to their left and 80 feet to their right.
Someone got a really good deal on concrete and big lamp-posts when they were deciding on the design vernacular for Stevenage!
coldel said:
The junction of Church Road and Sheen Lane is terrible for cyclists - its like a haze comes down and they cannot resist the lure of heading straight across a red at the crossroads which has buses, lorries and all sorts of vehicles less likely to afford them the room to do so. I was also in a near miss with a cyclist crossing the road with my 4 year old son there, he came from behind and literally had the bike at 45 degrees leaning right and through a red it was only a pedestrian screaming out that I managed to pull my son back in time as the bike flew past the front of us. If I hadnt no doubt my son would have suffered serious or even worse injury - this has happened a few times and shows no signs of slowing down, more likely getting worse.
Please remove this post as the cycling mafia on here are in denial of this sort of thing, it does not happen and you must be lying will be their reply.Byker28i said:
chow pan toon said:
Byker28i said:
We met a couple of lycra clad road terrorists at the weekend riding side by side with the outside one riding on the centre white line. 3 cars in convoy, the first overtakes on the other side of the road, which seems to infuriate said riders who then decide to ride down the center of each lane, only moving over when a car comes in the opposite direction. They kept this up for a few miles until the road widened and the others also got past.
I'll take "things that never happened for 20 please"
Simple answer to all this......
Where there is a Cycle lane made available, make it illegal for a bike to be on the road.
If a cyclist is caught in the road abusing such a law, then the bike is confiscated unless a fine is paid.
If the cycle lane is used, then it will self clean, like a normal road. If all the MAMAL's still use the road it won't.
It's a complete ahole mentality that cyclist refuse to use supplied lanes... just f***king prima-donnas!!!!
Oh and whilst were at it..... make every one of them insure themselves and their bikes, and make them all carry an indetifying marker, so they can be scanned and prosecuted if need be.
Just fine them. They'll soon learn!!!!
Where there is a Cycle lane made available, make it illegal for a bike to be on the road.
If a cyclist is caught in the road abusing such a law, then the bike is confiscated unless a fine is paid.
If the cycle lane is used, then it will self clean, like a normal road. If all the MAMAL's still use the road it won't.
It's a complete a
hole mentality that cyclist refuse to use supplied lanes... just f***king prima-donnas!!!!Oh and whilst were at it..... make every one of them insure themselves and their bikes, and make them all carry an indetifying marker, so they can be scanned and prosecuted if need be.
Just fine them. They'll soon learn!!!!
Not using a cycle lane because you might come up against someone going slower makes me laugh.
You're complaining about exactly what drivers are complaining about. Wait until it's safe to overtake then do so FFS.
And those cycle boxes (mentioned above) at traffic light junctions are a menace. I was first in the queue at one the other other day, hanging back and keeping it clear as directed and it was promptly filled across the width of the junction by 4 cyclists and 3 motorbikes who jumped the queue of cars. These 2 wheelers tangled with each other when the lights turned green. Result, all the cars that were there first including myself had to wait until the 2 wheeled menaces sorted themselves out, by which time the lights had gone red again. result traffic congestion and the cyclists, just rode off through the red light.
Have a dedicated lane in the middle at a 2 lane junction, like here:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5598641,-0.39909...
that's a good idea as it stopps cikes coming up the inside of left turning traffic, but the priority box ahead of the queue just causes issues.
You're complaining about exactly what drivers are complaining about. Wait until it's safe to overtake then do so FFS.
And those cycle boxes (mentioned above) at traffic light junctions are a menace. I was first in the queue at one the other other day, hanging back and keeping it clear as directed and it was promptly filled across the width of the junction by 4 cyclists and 3 motorbikes who jumped the queue of cars. These 2 wheelers tangled with each other when the lights turned green. Result, all the cars that were there first including myself had to wait until the 2 wheeled menaces sorted themselves out, by which time the lights had gone red again. result traffic congestion and the cyclists, just rode off through the red light.
Have a dedicated lane in the middle at a 2 lane junction, like here:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5598641,-0.39909...
that's a good idea as it stopps cikes coming up the inside of left turning traffic, but the priority box ahead of the queue just causes issues.
Its perfectly possible for cars, cycles and pedestrians to co-exist on our roads.
Just needs everyone to be considerate and lets be honest we all come across lots of bad ones in each and every group its best not to stereotype and treat each interaction on its merits.
Then when you come across an inconsiderate one you breath deeply and avoid getting into a pointless rant.
Just needs everyone to be considerate and lets be honest we all come across lots of bad ones in each and every group its best not to stereotype and treat each interaction on its merits.
Then when you come across an inconsiderate one you breath deeply and avoid getting into a pointless rant.
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