Red lights and cyclists

sequence

custardy wrote: »

well I do pay the ye olde road tax
only difference is while daftman is adding to the congestion
my car is sitting on the driveway

Well that's not really good enough is it ? You should wear a sign on your back (next to the bulls eye drivers aim for) saying I pay road tax. After all, how can one know whether you've payed for your right to the road :rotfl:

custardy

KeepYourChinUp wrote: »

That makes two of us.

I couldnt find his response to the cars that do not currently pay VED (sorry road tax) but get in his way though, I mean surely they are harder to pass than a cyclist he can force his way past.

maybe I should get one
then he really could vent

alastairq

the comments re-helmets for cyclists, and the wearing thereof?

Has anybody given a thought as to why laws were created to make helmet-wearing on motorcycles compulsory?

[or indeed, the wearing of seatbelts in cars, etc?}

Technology has allowed the creation of head protection light enough for use by cyclists.....the wearing thereof....whist not compulsory [as yet]...certainly can set an example to the young riders of this country....and as adults, we all need to consider what example we set to children....like it or not, it is our responsibility.

Regardless of whether they are our kids, or someone else's........kids do respond to what they see others do.......the wearing of protective helmets is a good idea.

It is up to us as individuals to make the wearing of safety gear thoroughly acceptable in their eyes.


My other beef along this vein is the blatant disregard by so-called responsible adults, to the pedestrian crossing lights..[the green man/red man]......especially outside places like schools.

What sort of message does it send to a 5 year old, who see's an adult [that's 'grown-up' in their terms]....disregarding the 'don't cross' light, simply because they cannot be bothered to wait a while [impatience, which colours far too much road usage]....and crossing [obviously using superior road sense and judgement]....?

But then, none of you really give a damn about anybody else's kids and what they think...do you?

Harry_Flashman

alastairq wrote: »

the comments re-helmets for cyclists, and the wearing thereof?

Has anybody given a thought as to why laws were created to make helmet-wearing on motorcycles compulsory?

[or indeed, the wearing of seatbelts in cars, etc?}

Yes, such laws have been created by nannying busybodies who think themselves far above the rest of us.

As to the education of children. Is that not the responsibility of the parents?

Idiophreak

alastairq wrote: »

the wearing thereof....whist not compulsory [as yet]...certainly can set an example to the young riders of this country....and as adults, we all need to consider what example we set to children....like it or not, it is our responsibility.

Don't think children have a whole lot to do with it...why would I want to set them an example? So their heads don't get squished? My own head not being squished is far more important to me than some random child's head being squished. So if someone's own head not being squished isn't a good enough reason for them to wear a helmet, they're not going to care about random-kid's head squishing, are they?

Personally, I like my head unsquished, so always wear a helmet

alastairq wrote: »

What sort of message does it send to a 5 year old, who see's an adult [that's 'grown-up' in their terms]....disregarding the 'don't cross' light, simply because they cannot be bothered to wait a while [impatience, which colours far too much road usage]....and crossing [obviously using superior road sense and judgement]....?

It sends the message that the council do a woefully poor job of setting up pedestrian crossings. If a human can tell it's safe to cross, the crossing ought to know that too. It's around time that crossings *stopped* the traffic, instead of waiting for a giant gap in the traffic...then people will use the things.

sequence

Helmets aren't mandatory because it's been shown in other countries that the amount of cycling decreases, whilst the number of head injuries remains about the same. This is because of risk compensation, where people think it's ok to take more risks because they have an inch of polystyrene on their heads.

Also until the governments brings back proper standards for helmets, they aren't much use. They are only rated to a maximum of impact speed 12mph.

But I don't want a helmet debate, cyclists jumping red lights is tedious enough thanks! :rotfl:

AP

harveybobbles wrote: »

I'd love to meet a cyclist who stops for a red light...

... or keep to the 30mph speed limit when going downhill.

sebdangerfield

I find it interesting in the modern world how, with the invention of internet forums and social networking placing people at the forefront of debates, society has moved toward a general acceptance of really poor arguments.

Most topics on here now generalise to such a point that it makes any real involvement by meaningful posters all but pointless. We have seven pages of generalisation that all cyclists are bad because of this, all drivers are poor because of that with no proof or reasoning to back it up.

It's ironic to think that just a few years ago, before the advent of faster communication, people would write letters intending them to be read by only one. They would include perfectly phrased debate and opinion in a polite and courteous well written prose. Now, people use the internet to debate and have the debate read by potentially millions they don't include any of that finesse.

The freeloading parasites known as cyclists.

Just one of several truly awful posts.

I'd love to know where I come in all this. I cycle thousands of miles per year to work and for leisure. I'm confident I pay far more tax the vast majority of people in this country. I own three cars in the highest tax band and so pay annual VED to the tune of £1305 and then I'm also extremely fit so have very little need for the 'overloaded by fatties and smokers' NHS. Coupled to being a solicitor on a healthy and heavily taxed salary I'm also a partner in a small car rental business which also pays an awful lot of tax on profits. If it does come down to who pays the most tax I recon I should have the roads to myself on my cycle commute.

ventureuk

If a cyclists goes through a red light with their eyes closed and no one else is around to see it, did the cyclist really go through the red light ?

BBB

Sorry mate, drink driving annoys me too, is that okay?

So nothing at all frustrates you then? Oh wise one, why can't we all be like you?