Cyclists on A roads

[Dieselman]

Especially as I wasn't referring to the UK, but another european country where the hospitals don't make you wait 8 hours in A&E while telling you to try not to bleed on the carpet as it's a biohazard...

If you are having to wait 8 hours before being seen then you shouldn't be there.

My last two visits to A&E got me instant attention.

 

[Spinal]

I end up in A&E once a year, I've very accident prone... let's recount the last few:

- Motorbike accident, got hit by drunk driver doing 70mph. Ended up being only a broken pinky, so not that serious. Spoke to a nurse within 30 minutes of being there, who asked if I felt sleepy... then got me to wait... x-ray after 5-6 hours. Then got told to come back on the Monday as the surgeon who could put my pinky bones together was out for the weekend...

- Lorry hit me. Ended up being several fractures in my leg; wait time was 8-12 hours before I got xrayed and told that the doctor was out and I had to come back later in the day (spent all night in the wiating room). Got a temporary cast...

- Motorbike accident, my fault as it was raining and I went over a manhole cover. Nothing "serious" but had some serious skin missing from my leg. Needed stitches, wait time was 6-8 hours, and had to ask for some gauze which was given begrudgingly after they told me to try not to bleed on the carpet. By the time they saw me, the gauze had become matted into the wound with the blood and had to be ripped off (not pleasant).

- Fell down stairs at the underground, ended up being a broken bone in my ankle and a torn ligament. 4-6 hour wait before I saw a nurse, a further couple before I got an xray, and a few more before they told me they don't put ankles in casts anymore.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong... should I be visiting my GP for these? (my GP has recently improved his service, instead of the regular 3-week wait there is now a 3-6 day waiting list, which isn't bad).

M.

Oh, all of the above were at hillingdon hospital...

 

[Dieselman]

I end up in A&E once a year, I've very accident prone... let's recount the last few:

- Motorbike accident, got hit by drunk driver doing 70mph. Ended up being only a broken pinky, so not that serious.

- Lorry hit me. Ended up being several fractures in my leg; wait time was 8-12 hours before I got xrayed and told that the doctor was out and I had to come back later in the day (spent all night in the wiating room). Got a temporary cast...

- Motorbike accident, my fault as it was raining and I went over a manhole cover. Nothing "serious" but had some serious skin missing from my leg.

- Fell down stairs at the underground, ended up being a broken bone in my ankle and a torn ligament. 4-6 hour wait before I saw a nurse, a further couple before I got an xray, and a few more before they told me they don't put ankles in casts anymore.

So two out of four three didn't need any attention, the third was a flesh wound and the leg fractures you had driven all the way from Africa with before going to UK hospital.
The reason you had to wait is because they had more urgent cases, yours were all classed as minor injury, if you are seriously ill you get instant treatment in my experience.

 

[Spinal]

So two out of four three didn't need any attention, the third was a flesh wound and the leg fractures you had driven all the way from Africa with before going to UK hospital.
The reason you had to wait is because they had more urgent cases, yours were all classed as minor injury, if you are seriously ill you get instant treatment in my experience.

-Motorbike 1 needed surgery - ended up doing this privately as it was faster to go to my "usual" specialist, and get the GP to write a recomendation retrospectively.

- Lorry needed a cast, admittedly after surviving 3 days it wasn't so urgent...

- Motorbile 2 was a flesh-wound, so admittedly not that serious

- Stairs ended up in a cast after seeing an orthopedist... he agreed that for soft tissue damage a cast isn't necessary... but as there was a fracture involved he felt it would be insane not to put a cast. Ironically, he got me into the A&E at another hospital where they put a cast on... 2 days after the accident...

To be honest, I really do think it's just the hospital near my house. One of my ex-colleagues broke her wrist and went there. After 4 operations (3 of which they had to break her wrist and re-set it as it wasn't set properly) she went "home" to the US to get it reset and sued the surgeon in question.

I haven't heard of a single sucess story come out of Hillingdon hospital from anyone I know personally...

I seem the recall the words "Underfunded, understaffed and overmanaged" by one of the nurses on duty (whom are all VERY friendly and do their best to help).

I'm not blaming the staff on duty, in fact, I really do think they do their best out of a tragic situation... but some of the things I saw in there I would expect of a hospital in the developing world, not in the UK.

M.

EDIT: Back on topic I do think it's time cyclists got driving licenses and insurance!

 

[st4]

I have never and will never come close to A road by bike. This is common sense. There ARE dedicated cycle paths, and disused B roads. I think this is enough for people cycling for exercise or recreational purposes. For example there are exclusive paths from Bristol all the way to Bath and beyond without the need to touch a road. Yet many willingly chose to risk their and others lives. This is what I can't understand. Some law would go a long way to making roads safer for cyclists and motorists. Cyclists are not so bad in the city - but only as long as they stick to the highway code (many don't). If they don't they should be fined, just like the motorists.

There is no need to take unnecessary risks.

Now to fuel the argument even more - how about cyclists that cycle parallel to each other taking half the width of the road and refuse to move out. I am pretty sure this is illegal but they don't care.

To put things back into perspective 30mph is 15 times faster compared to 2mph (the speed of cyclist going up a hill hidden behind that bend). It is not really practical to go any slower than that. What he did was near enough an attempt to commit a suicide.

We have cycle lanes here yet the cyclists say they are not good enough for them so they use the road, some with families will use the lane which is good as young ones may not be so steady.

Seems a waste of money as the road could have been done with being properly widened and improved for the benefit of both, rather than for the benefit of none and.

 

[scillyisles]

EDIT: Back on topic I do think it's time cyclists got driving licenses and insurance!

Agreed

Can someone also explain how cyclists have legal priority over cars. I have searched the Highway Code and there is no mention of this - where is this law?

 

[219]

We have cycle lanes here yet the cyclists say they are not good enough for them so they use the road, some with families will use the lane which is good as young ones may not be so steady.

Seems a waste of money as the road could have been done with being properly widened and improved for the benefit of both, rather than for the benefit of none and.

I do think that where cycle lanes or paths are provided ( at considerable expense ) it should be compulsory for cyclists to use them and not be on the main carriageway along with other traffic .

There is an excellent cycle lane running alongside the A77 , at least from Fenwick up to Newton-Mearns : it is quite well used by many cyclists , but almost as many insist on riding on the road along with other traffic , despite the surface of the cycle lane being exactly the same as the road surface

 

[Dieselman]

The Dft say
"if you want to cycle quickly, say in excess of 18 mph/30 kph, then you should be riding on the road."

This was tested in court in 2006, the judge found against the cyclist, but this was then overturned on appeal in 2007. Statute stands.

 

[st4]

I do think that where cycle lanes or paths are provided ( at considerable expense ) it should be compulsory for cyclists to use them and not be on the main carriageway along with other traffic .

There is an excellent cycle lane running alongside the A77 , at least from Fenwick up to Newton-Mearns : it is quite well used by many cyclists , but almost as many insist on riding on the road along with other traffic , despite the surface of the cycle lane being exactly the same as the road surface

True and that is very very selfish and the traffic police should be doing more "educational" work with those cyclists. Perhaps to remind them why tracks were laid for them, to prevent 20ton artics dismembering them

 

[Donnchadh]

The whole point of having a Mercedes is to have the star in the circle at the front of the bonnet. It's a great aiming device for cyclists. Just get the cyclist lined up inside the circle and floor it. Works well for pedestrians, too. I'm obviously joking but we do see a lot of the lycra-clad cyclopr*t brigade in my area and they make a big deal of their "pastime" and rights to road space before putting the bike in the back of the Range Rover Sport. I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned aggressive motorcyclists yet.

 

[Robbo]

Plenty of intolerance on display in this thread. Fortunately, I'm off to live Switzerland where cyclists are part of the culture, and cycling is a far more pleasant experience.

 

[davethemus]

Plenty of intolerance on display in this thread. Fortunately, I'm off to live Switzerland where cyclists are part of the culture, and cycling is a far more pleasant experience.

they have much more practice in avoiding things over there.

 

[st4]

they have much more practice in avoiding things over there.

like tax:bannana::bannana:

 

[mattc]

and stupid wars, massive national debt, decaying infrastructure

 

[Frankie]

People saying about cyclists not getting points etc, neither do cars when they cut up bikes. Dad got cut up on the bike a while ago,reported it to the police but they weren't really interested. It seems that unless you are injured nothing is done.
He's just told me the same happened again today, a car stopped ahead to let him know they'd witnessed it all and were happy to leave their details. It's just a shame nothing would get done about it.

Where people are suggesting using cycle lanes,have they actually tried them?
Now to start,someone who cycles day in day out should be doing over 20mph easily.
Lets just say a cycle lane starts on the road,it continues for 100 meters,either ends or moves up a dropped kerb onto the pavement. Perhaps goes 50 meters along the pavement,then ends forcing the rider onto the road again with no cycle path.
This is the situation around here, the cycle paths are not continuous,not safe. I think it's all well and good being off the road if you're riding at walking pace, but if you're moving at some speed it is just not safe.

Just a few pics of problems with cycle lanes

 

[Dieselman]

Cycle lanes are always really crap top ride on, they are lumpy and bumpy and generally very uncomfortable at speed.

Nice examples there Frankie..

 

[219]

Ours tend to look like this

or this

Yet people still choose to ride amongst traffic !!!!!

WHY

 

[Spinal]

I fully agree - cycle lanes are a pain! I keep hitting these guys on 2-wheeled contraptions every time I drive in the cycle lanes

 

[Frankie]

The one at the top at least looks clear of obstacles. The only problem I do see with it is that the cycle lane is on one side of the road,each direction should have it's own.
The bottom one,although looks ok,appears to be nowhere near a road,no much good when you are trying to get there.
Spinal,all joking aside,that is another serious problem. People drive in them constantly or park their cars in them. It is a hopeless situation.

 

[Frankie]

Also the weather does look good in that top picture,not sure if I'd like a drive in the car the with the roof open or on the bike.