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

Rolandtheroadie

pigeonpie wrote: »

Many cyclists wobble to the right when looking over their right shoulder, so you should not encourage them to do this. In any event, if a cyclist is overtaking parked cars, he shouldn't have to look over his shoulder to make sure a car driving behind him is going to realise he's doing so - that is ridiculously bad driving by the car driver.

It's called a lifesaver when your learning to ride a motorbike for obvious reasons.
Similar to the parked car the cyclists overtaking when the drivers decided to pull away. Wee check of the blind spot over the shoulder.

It raises concerns if you cant control your mode of transport.

johnfarquhar74

scotsman4th wrote: »

It's called a lifesaver when your learning to ride a motorbike for obvious reasons.
Similar to the parked car the cyclists overtaking when the drivers decided to pull away. Wee check of the blind spot over the shoulder.

Ever so slightly different though, pulling away from a kerb, or lane changing, then yes, a blind spot check is imperitive. However, the vast majority of cyclists either out of ignorance or just common decency tend to cycle in the gutter. It is inevitable that they will have to pull out to pass parked vehicles/obstructions. They off course should do a lifesaver but it also shouldn't come as a complete suprise to the driver behind if a cyclist does swing out?
I never thought this was a major problem but perhaps to prevent further dubiety all cyclists should adopt primary position at all times?
Nah, perhaps that's going a bit far, but like other posters have said, all road users, perhaps, should adopt an attitude of always expecting the unexpected, but a cyclist pulling away from the kerbside to overtake a stationary vehicle is anything but unexpected!

mikey72

pigeonpie wrote: »

Many cyclists wobble to the right when looking over their right shoulder, so you should not encourage them to do this. In any event, if a cyclist is overtaking parked cars, he shouldn't have to look over his shoulder to make sure a car driving behind him is going to realise he's doing so - that is ridiculously bad driving by the car driver.

Seriously?
You wobble so much you think it's dangerous to look over your shoulder, and would just move out anyway, with complete blind faith in the motorist behind you? Even if it was someone as like me?
I'm touched, but I wouldn't swop with you.

Limey

pigeonpie wrote: »

Many cyclists wobble to the right when looking over their right shoulder, so you should not encourage them to do this. In any event, if a cyclist is overtaking parked cars, he shouldn't have to look over his shoulder to make sure a car driving behind him is going to realise he's doing so - that is ridiculously bad driving by the car driver.

I am a car driver and a cyclist and I get far more problems from other drivers than cyclists. The hostility and road rage shown to cyclists is quite alarming, given that most of them are entirely harmless and just trying to get safely from A to B.

Likewise I cycle and drive but don't wobble when checking my shoulder.:p Wobbling when checking your shoulder is a bit like drifting over the lines when checking your mirrors in a car, shows lack of control. As a cyclist I would never make the assumption that a car driver knows what I'm going to do next without looking and signaling, I do not intend to have my name added to the Darwin award list. :rotfl:

There's too much hostility and road rage all round IMO.

Strider590

Came across a cyclist yesterday afternoon, total darkness and no lights on..... I was going overtake him but had to stop for a pedestrian crossing some 100 yards later so I stayed back. I then pulled along side and did the good samaritan thing, wound my passenger window down and said to him "hi buddy, just to let you know, your lights don't seem to work and nobody can see you", he said something like "F**K OFF! W*****" and proceeded through the red lights on the footpath......

One of the few that cause trouble for the many

mystra

well there's idiots behind the wheels and handlebars of all kinds of transport!

moved to London in March and decided to save a few bob and cycle to work, so been cycling every weekday to and from work in all weathers. I really enjoy it and it beats that zombifyed feeling i get on the bus (forces me to concentrate and use my brain rather than just sitting there dribbling slightly...)

Anyway. I know I've not been doing it that long, but to be honest the only road users i shout at or have come close to accidents with are other cyclists :mad:

I don't have a flash racing bike and i don't dress like i'm doing the tour de france. i wear a high vis jacket and jeans normally (well waterproof trousers when its chucking it down!). I am always being overtaken by other cyclists etc as my bike is quite heavy and slow (and my fitness is still dreadful ) but i do my best to be safe and i'm forever looking over my shoulder etc.. i'm not perfect i'm sure but i do my best to be considerate and safe. However i'm sick and tired of jibes and abuse from a select few 'racing' cyclists. they can be so nasty and dangerous! I've had them UNDERtake me (on a cycle lane, thats a tricky and stupid thing to do!) and overtake me coming so close to almost knock me off.

I have them taking the mick saying "ooh you should get a quicker bike!!" ( i do have a sense of humour normally but they do my head in too much now). They just seem to act like they have more of a right to cycle than me!

the saving grace was once day watching some idiot who came far to close to me sail off and as he pedalled up the hill he had to 'stand' and his stupid lycra shorts split up his bum crack! :rotfl:

The drivers seem ok round here, the odd maniac but i'd get that driving!

One thing i will say... what kind of crazy person would have a bike....WITHOUT BRAKES?!?! I've seen loads!

Also the rental bikes... bad idea in my eyes... i've seen loads of people decide they fancy a bike ride for the first time in years take one round the busiest bits and nearly fall off at busy junction by Monument. I can see the idea... but i do think you should pass some sort of test before being allowed to cycle on the roads etc, or at least something to show you understand the highway code etc... i would have done it gladly.

Billy-no-Money

I haven't cycled in a city with a high number of other riders, but anecdotally it does seem that where car drivers are used to bikes they're less of a hazard.

Where I live I find other cyclists are rarely a problem to me - I hardly ever see red light jumping other than by the ninjas with no lights riding on the pavements.

However, many car drivers here simply don't know what to do around cyclists and default to treating us as invisible - in particular thoughtless overtakes and left hooks. Add that to the ones who think they know more about driving than I do and see fit to 'educate' me when I've done nothing wrong other than to make them wait for a couple of seconds before they can catch up with the next queue, and road riding can be pretty unpleasant.

I rarely feel unsafe because I take steps to protect myself (observations, positioning, no red light jumping, anticipation etc), but without that long road experience (30 years driving, nearly 6 years motorcycling) I would probably have given up by now.

I do wonder though if I'd be more relaxed on the roads if I didn't read internet forums; there's so much hostility expressed in places like this, but I very rarely encounter anything worse than a dangerous combination of indifference and ignorance on the road.

Strider590

Billy-no-Money wrote: »

I do wonder though if I'd be more relaxed on the roads if I didn't read internet forums; there's so much hostility expressed in places like this, but I very rarely encounter anything worse than a dangerous combination of indifference and ignorance on the road.

People on the internet can be very brave indeed. Suddenly the shy chap from down the road becomes an all knowing INTERNET GOD!!! with a mass of followers all worshipping his every word and jumping like rabid monkeys onto anyone who dares to defy their GOD!! :rotfl:


GOD



Monkey

Col7777

Another one that baffles me are the very small bikes, I think they are meant for doing stunts, well fair enough but I've seen lads riding them on the roads and they have to stand up because if they used the saddle they wouldn't be able to peddle properly.
Then they try to do a wheelie that lasts for about 5 seconds, why didn't they buy a uni-cycle, then there are the ones who ride no handed, if you tried to sell them a bike with no handlebars they would complain.

ventureuk

Col7777 wrote: »

Another one that baffles me are the very small bikes, I think they are meant for doing stunts, well fair enough but I've seen lads riding them on the roads and they have to stand up because if they used the saddle they wouldn't be able to peddle properly.
Then they try to do a wheelie that lasts for about 5 seconds, why didn't they buy a uni-cycle, then there are the ones who ride no handed, if you tried to sell them a bike with no handlebars they would complain.

Coll7777, I guess you have forgotten your youth, the kids just want to be like Danny.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj6ho1-G6tw