Cyclists

[Charles Morgan]

My only real beef with cyclists is poor illumination - at this time of year it can be lethal. Apart from that I rarely have problems with them, and having cycled in London myself, try and go out of my way to ensure I am careful with them. Frankly, I see 20 instances of bad or dangerous driving for every problem cyclist. I sometimes travel with a friend of mine who hates cyclists. I forbear from pointing out she is very shortsighted, regularly takes the wrong glasses so is often quite blind, has a dog that stands on the central console and blocks her view in the middle, and her habit of only using third and never indicating is a darned sight more discourteous to other drivers, but there is no point.

 

[tagnut]

I've never had life put in danger by a cyclist when driving, but see so many putting themselves into dangerous situations. There'll be plenty more examples on my drive to/from the London office today, unfortunately.

I agree that this seems to happening more and more these days. I don't live in a city but regularly see cyclists running red lights in town (one was killed doing this last year) hopping on and off the pavement whenever it suits, cutting across roads traffic, riding without lights in the dark and creating an obstruction on busy roads by riding 2 or more abreast.

The difficulty as a motorist is that you have to be prepared for a cyclist to do anything at any time. This clearly shouldn't be the case, all road users should be following the Highway Code and respecting others around them.

Don't get me wrong I am not bashing cyclists in general because I am one. However, whenever I ride it is in single file unless there are no cars around me. I am aware of what is happening around me at all times, make clear my intentions to other road users, stop at traffic lights when required to do so and employ my common sense at all times. This in my view is the only way to be safe and the only way to ride.

There will always be idiot motorists who drive too close to you and don't consider the challenges faced by cyclists and this is a real issue but in the event of an accident, as has already been pointed out, they will be safely cocooned in a metal shell filled with airbags whilst a cyclist will be lying in mangled heap somewhere. I see too many cyclists these days that either don't realise, or don't care how to ride safely on the roads.

 

[The _Don]

Hi, *** you have spelt cyclists wrong in the thread title.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I didn't realise that cyclists had become an entity in their own right?
All the rhetoric about 'cyclists should pay VED', 'cyclists shouldn't get in my way, when I'm driving' etc etc is laughable, in my opinion. It is just jealousy, pure and simple-' look at them getting fit in the fresh air, while I sit on my fat ar5e pressing pedals and turning a wheel'.
They generally ride two abreast to feel safer I would imagine, because they will be that fed-up with arrogant people in tin boxes bullying them onto the pavement.
If you really feel so aggrieved by their actions, then I'm afraid you must have bigger problems going on in your life.
I'm not having a pop at anyone in particular, but I just felt that I should post an opposing view....

 

[Sp!ke]

I think all cyclists should be rounded up and given the cat-O-nine tails for their sins.

Lycra and spandex should also be made illegal attire for men and any bicycle spotted venturing on the public highway should be immediately impounded and then crushed. The correct place for bicycles is either in the park or in the crusher.

Bicycle sales should be subject to a special taxation in line with the highest VED rating of £1000 per year due to the increased emissions they cause through increasing traffic.

 

[flango]

I think all cyclists should be rounded up and given the cat-O-nine tails for their sins.

Lycra and spandex should also be made illegal attire for men and any bicycle spotted venturing on the public highway should be immediately impounded and then crushed. The correct place for bicycles is either in the park or in the crusher.

Bicycle sales should be subject to a special taxation in line with the highest VED rating of £1000 per year due to the increased emissions they cause through increasing traffic.

Vote Sp!ke for Prime Minister then :bannana:

 

[bluevenetian]

sigh....it never takes long for anti-bike rant to get going

lets get a few things straight

a) most cyclists are also drivers so they've "paid" just as much as a cars to use the roads

b) by choosing to cycle they are freeing up the road for you to thunder along in your Merc

c) Some cyclists are complete idiots -- a set of lights cost about 10 quid

d) Some drivers are complete idiots

e) When cyclists and cars come together -- its the bikes that come off worse.

Personally, when I'm cycling I curse those cars that shave past me as if they are being driven by a neuro surgeon out for a bit of pre-op precision practice and when I'm driving, I curse cyclists for wobbling and HOLDING ME, A MERCEDES, UP!!!!

We all need to just give out a little love on the roads

 

[MBEagle]

Oh to live in a perfect world......

I both cycle and drive and I've witnessed far more dangerous and stupid acts by motorists than cyclists.

A little bit more patience and understanding of the others' point of view wouldn't go amiss. I can't remember one incident when driving where my life has been put in serious danger by someone on a push bike, but I can think of many maniacal acts by other drivers.

If rogue cyclists were really such a huge problem, there's be a spate of TV programmes about them, but strangely enough I can't think of one......

Next time a cyclist delays you for a few seconds, try - thinking that's one less car on the road today, so that's one more chance of finding a parking space when I reach my destination. Works wonders.

This post sums up my thoughts exactly. Some car drivers clearly have no idea about the dangers cyclists face. Cyclist don't speed and are much better at lane discipline than many car drivers. They rarely cause accidents and if they do they'll almost certainly come off worst.

 

[renault12ts]

Hi, *** you have spelt cyclists wrong in the thread title.

Looks fine to me, has it been corrected?
By the way you did mean to say "wrongly" not "wrong"?

 

[whitenemesis]

Looks fine to me, has it been corrected?
By the way you did mean to say "wrongly" not "wrong"?

Perhaps "incorrectly" would be better still?

 

[flango]

sigh....it never takes long for anti-bike rant to get going

lets get a few things straight

a) most cyclists are also drivers so they've "paid" just as much as a cars to use the roads

Don't agree with that one they have paid for their car but not their cycle, thats like saying I have paid road tax & Insurance on my car so now I can ride my motorcycle on the road for free?

b) by choosing to cycle they are freeing up the road for you to thunder along in your Merc

More like clogging up the road as you are stuck behind them kicking out more pollutants from the exhaust then again when you have to floor it to pass them

c) Some cyclists are complete idiots -- a set of lights cost about 10 quid

true and what happened to permanently illuminated lights instead of these silly flashing LED'S

d) Some drivers are complete idiots

Also very true, still think profiling should be part of the driving test

e) When cyclists and cars come together -- its the bikes that come off worse.

Generally yes although the one that caused £1600 of damage to my car and then refused to pay didn't

Personally, when I'm cycling I curse those cars that shave past me as if they are being driven by a neuro surgeon out for a bit of pre-op precision practice and when I'm driving, I curse cyclists for wobbling and HOLDING ME, A MERCEDES, UP!!!!

We all need to just give out a little love on the roads

My rant above

 

[whitenemesis]

sigh....it never takes long for anti-bike rant to get going

lets get a few things straight

a) most cyclists are also drivers so they've "paid" just as much as a cars to use the roads

b) by choosing to cycle they are freeing up the road for you to thunder along in your Merc

c) Some cyclists are complete idiots -- a set of lights cost about 10 quid

d) Some drivers are complete idiots

e) When cyclists and cars come together -- its the bikes that come off worse.

Personally, when I'm cycling I curse those cars that shave past me as if they are being driven by a neuro surgeon out for a bit of pre-op precision practice and when I'm driving, I curse cyclists for wobbling and HOLDING ME, A MERCEDES, UP!!!!

We all need to just give out a little love on the roads

Isn't 'Dogging' illegal?

 

[finisterre]

Then of course they may be chatting to their companion, you know just living their lives and moving along. God forbid they slow you down by being so uncaring and arrogant as to cause you to deviate your vehicle and expend an extra pennies' worth of fuel.

The roads are not owned by drivers, they are crown property. Drivers are made to pay to use them because their comically overpowered chariots destroy the surfaces. If maintenance was unnecessary there would probably be no charge.

Cyclists have yet to wear out a road.

 

[LTD]

Wait unti lI am behind *** in my car.

I pay more road tax
I use more fuel
I can go faster

Ergo, he moves over and lets me pass

 

[reflexboy]

What annoys me is whilst driving on a certain road in SW London, made narrower by the local council so they could install a designated cycle lane as a half width of the footway, the lycra clad crew still insist on holding up traffic and using the road even though they have been provided with a cycle lane making it safer for all concerned! Idots!!

 

[prprandall51]

I have only one gripe with cyclists -and I admit it is a minor one that I shouldn't really allow myself to get annoyed about, but I do find that they are very hard to wash off the front bumper if you don't deal with the mess promptly.

 

[219]

sigh....it never takes long for anti-bike rant to get going

lets get a few things straight

a) most cyclists are also drivers so they've "paid" just as much as a cars to use the roads

No they have not - that's like saying I've paid VED on one of my cars therefore need not pay for the right to use the rest - after all , I can only drive one of them at a time . Why should non-cycling motorists pay for cycle lanes etc ? These should be funded by CYCLISTS .

b) by choosing to cycle they are freeing up the road for you to thunder along in your Merc

Quite the opposite - by choosing to cycle they are clogging the roads up for other , faster , means of transport .

c) Some cyclists are complete idiots -- a set of lights cost about 10 quid

Yes

d) Some drivers are complete idiots

Indeed !

e) When cyclists and cars come together -- its the bikes that come off worse.

Generally - yes .

Personally, when I'm cycling I curse those cars that shave past me as if they are being driven by a neuro surgeon out for a bit of pre-op precision practice and when I'm driving, I curse cyclists for wobbling and HOLDING ME, A MERCEDES, UP!!!!

We all need to just give out a little love on the roads

Tolerance will never go amiss .

 

[219]

Another contribution I made 'over there' which , I feel , is relevant .

To legislate conrols, insurance etc the vehicle would require registration and id, not realistic.

In the event of crunch it's not realistic for a cyclist to be held to account, and the car driver carries insurance, result fairly obvious.

I would advocate doing it by registering CYCLISTS , not bicycles . Many cyclists have more than one bike and it would be needlessly complicated to register each and every bike . Besides cyclists may sometimes try each others bikes out - so just registering the rider and having them wear a tabard with their unique number on the back would be enough .

I would suggest that all ADULTS would need to be registered before they can ride on the public highway - although hard to know where to draw the line , I'd propose that once riders are old enough and responsible enough to ride on the public road they should be considered 'adults' for this purpose - say , once of High School age , around 12 or 13 .

Another thing that has not yet been touched upon is rider training - when I was a schoolboy back in the 1960's , practically EVERYONE did their National Cycling Proficiency Test towards the end of primary school . I don't know if this even exists these days ? I would imagine , though , that many parents who are used to droppiing little Bertie at school in the Chelsea Tractor and collecting them at the end of the day would hold their hands up in horror at the thought of their youngsters cycling to school - yet it was the norm in my day . If , however , the NCPT was made part of the school curriculum and became something that all youngsters had to do by , say P7 (or S1 years at latest) then , on passing , they could be issued with a 'junior driving licence' which would include their 'registration number' which would stay with them for life . This 'license' could be free whilst still attending school but would have an annual fee thereafter . This might be regarded as something of a status symbol amongst youngsters ? At least this way , anyone riding on the road would have to have completed at least some basic training - which just might save their own life one day ?

Younger children would be allowed to ride on pavements etc , and entitlement to ride on the road would only come once the Cycling Proficiency test had been passed . Once you had passed your test , and had your registration number , you would have to display it before riding on the road - if a policeman saw any rider on the road and not displaying a number then he would be entitled to stop them and ask why - confiscation of the bike would be a likely outcome if no entitlement could be shown ......

As for cyclists being 'held to account' for any crashes - this is only difficult just now because of the lack of registration and anonymity - if riders were registered and had to display numbers most of the problems would disappear overnight . Insurance could remain optional ( or a sort of minimal insurance could be compulsory for a nominal sum ) but uninsured riders could be held personally liable for any damage they do .
__________________

 

[219]

Cyclists have yet to wear out a road.

Perhaps - but they DO get a lot of bits of road built for their exclusive use . Why should they not pay for the facilities the same as drivers pay for their facilities ?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Derek, I always look out for your wisdom on this forum. Yet this is one of the times you are very wide of the mark.
1. Cycle lanes were put in to encourage people ON to bikes, not really to help existing 'cyclists'
2. You bemoan the 'Chelsea tractor' brigades favouring taxiing their little dahlings about, yet you are putting up a million and one obstacles in front of children getting on their bikes!