A cyclist's rant to incompetent road users...

mikey72

Hopefully it's a good place to end this thread.

rev_henry

esuhl wrote: »

There's no obligation for cyclists to do so - it's perfectly legal for them to use the road instead. Some cycle lanes are so dangerous or pointless due to their length that it makes sense to avoid them; others are as welcome to cyclists as they are to motorists!



First time I've heard that one! The ones near me have signs with a picture of a pedestrian and cycle and say "shared use - please be considerate of other towpath users" or something similar.



It may be safest for children under 13 to use the footpath. As they are below the age of legal responsibility, they cannot be penalised for it.

What annoys me, as a cyclist, is dog owners who, despite having no control of their animal, allow them off the leash to chase cyclists, run out in front of them, and deposit huge steaming mounds right in the middle of the path.

It's not cyclists that should be taxed and insured - it's dog owners!

I seem to remember that the law states that only children under 5 are permitted to cycle on pavements.

ventureuk

When a thread runs its course a user can be....

ventureuk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccjfSyO9ncM

thelawnet

scotsman4th wrote: »

But 72% were not down to excessive speed.

Yes but that's still about 1,000 dead in accidents were excessive speed was a factor.

Woops, nearly missed this bit.

6 - From section "Analyses of contributory factor data" in Road Casualties Great Britain: 2003 Annual Report. This data was collected as part of a voluntary trial involving fifteen police forces in Great Britain between 1999 and 2002, and therefore the results are not National Statistics.

So? The trials were conducted in fifteen police forces. That seems like a good size sample to me. Do you have any reason to believe the results would not be repeated across the country. Perhaps people speed only in Cleveland, but not in Merseyside?

thelawnet

Col7777 wrote: »

Yes you were right, I honestly thought you couldn't ride on the towpath, I see there is a code of conduct though that should be followed plus you need a free permit.

Not all canals are British Waterways, and you don't need a permit in London.

thelawnet

mikey72 wrote: »

Just for the balance, here's one caught on cctv by a passing motorist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O_GZwGnpLU&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

spot the ones on the pavement as well.

So the balance in one case is between a car rear-ending and injuring a cyclist and a car not rear-ending and injuring a cyclist.

While I can see how you might describe that as balance, I was actually waiting for the video of the cyclist knocking a car driver over.

Not sure what the point of your video was either, the cyclist didn't do anything wrong.

Despite what it says on the video, he actually looks right four times. The first is at 18 seconds, a couple of metres before joining the road, then again when he is just at the give way line, then as he pulls in behind the parked car, and then again as he pulls out in front of the oncoming car.

The driver thinks that the cyclist intends to cut him up, but it seems clear enough to me that he will tuck in behind the parked car (because obviously the oncoming car is going to go round that), and that check if the car is giving way to him or not. If the car speeds up, he beats the cyclist past the parked car, if he goes the same speed, the cyclist waits, and as it is the car slows down and gives way.

As a driver in that scenario if I see a car, pedestrian, bike, whatever, in a situation where I think they might pull out into my path, I'm going to err on the side of caution and just let them past. No harm done by doing so, and doesn't necessarily mean they are 'suicidal'.

Rolandtheroadie

thelawnet wrote: »

Yes but that's still about 1,000 dead in accidents were excessive speed was a factor.

But 1000's more where it wasnt. It still doesnt say whether the excessive speed was an illegal speed or one that was excessive for the conditions.

thelawnet wrote: »

So? The trials were conducted in fifteen police forces. That seems like a good size sample to me. Do you have any reason to believe the results would not be repeated across the country. Perhaps people speed only in Cleveland, but not in Merseyside?

The website felt it should be mentioned, or do you just want to use the parts that suit you?

Strider590

thelawnet.....

I am/was the driver of that car and I can tell you now that cyclist was either unaware of my presence or thought he could fly out in front of me, but he had NO intention of stopping at the give way line. Playing chicken with 1.3 tons of metal is in direct violation of our natural human survival instinct.

Im very much pro-cycling, but when I see cyclists riding about with an apparent death wish, it concerns me greatly.....

Col7777

I did say in one of my earlier posts I cycle as well as drive and seen bad behaviour on both sides. I will point out though the wearing of High-vis clothing does help as well as having lights but... Even then we hear of motorists saying after an accident, "I didn't see him," I also used to ride a motorcycle and I found that once I was on the saddle I was invisible, the amount of motorists that didn't see me was very high, it was scary.
I have had cars pull out from a side road and look shocked when I almost crashed in to them, it was obvious they hadn't seen me and I had my lights on and was wearing high-vis.
Also had a car come next to me at a junction, I was turning left he was on my outside, I'm thinking he was going right even though he wasn't indicating, then as the road was clear he turned left and almost knocked me off, I followed him and when he stopped he said, "I didn't see you, any way you should have been in the middle of the road."
I'm sure many of us have similar stories but I'm just pointing out as a driver I admit there is some terrible driving on the roads today, I have very rarely gone out and not had to comment on some numpty even on a short journey.
The problem is though, you or I might be careful and drive/cycle safe but because of the actions of a moron you or I can end up worse off.