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

mikey72

rev_henry wrote: »

What on earth would possess someone to do that?!

Several hundred pounds worth of fishing rods ruined because one bloke was too ignorant to stop cycling where he shouldn't be?
Lucky he wasn't thrown in as well.
(If you mean the fishermen that is, if you mean the cyclist, then it seems typical of the attitude of some of them)

rev_henry

mikey72 wrote: »

Several hundred pounds worth of fishing rods ruined because one bloke was too ignorant to stop cycling where he shouldn't be?
Lucky he wasn't thrown in as well.
(If you mean the fishermen that is, if you mean the cyclist, then it seems typical of the attitude of some of them)

I meant what on earth possessed the cyclist to do that. Didn't think he should have been cycling there...
Let that be a lesson to the rest of them.

anewman

These are called Bicycle lights. It is a legal requirement to have them fitted to your bike and use them in the dark. They are therefore particularly important at this time of year when it is dark at 4pm. Reflectors may not be enough to prevent you being crushed by a car, particularly if driven by a dozy driver, or stop a pedestrian walking out straight in front of you.

mikey72

I've had the odd experince of cyclists on towpaths, who think everything should move into the brambles and nettles while they cycle past. I'm not too small, so I don't usually move, and they certainly take exception to it.

vikingaero

anewman wrote: »

These are called Bicycle lights. It is a legal requirement to have them fitted to your bike and use them in the dark. They are therefore particularly important at this time of year when it is dark at 4pm. Reflectors may not be enough to prevent you being crushed by a car, particularly if driven by a dozy driver, or stop a pedestrian walking out straight in front of you.

You can pick up a set of lights from Poundland (for £1 surprisngly) so there is no excuse to cycle without lights. There should be a law confiscating bikes without lights after dark.

And before anyone bleats that their lights were stolen - no. Most LED lights are pocketable and removable.

rev_henry

vikingaero wrote: »

You can pick up a set of lights from Poundland (for £1 surprisngly) so there is no excuse to cycle without lights. There should be a law confiscating bikes without lights after dark.

And before anyone bleats that their lights were stolen - no. Most LED lights are pocketable and removable.

Yes, yes, yes. I swear the idiots who cycle after dark round here have a death wish.

mikey72

I shared a house many years ago with someone who cycled. I drove.
He wouldn't buy lights as he insisted it was up to the motorist to see the cyclist, as the cars were bigger, and the cyclist wouldn't do any harm to the car, whereas they would do harm to the cyclist.
He couldn't understand that it just wasn't possible to see him, in the dark, he just insisted the ones that didn't must not be as observant.

Bowling_4_Gold

TVR2 wrote: »

What would you suggest he did? He was already 15mph under the speed limit.

Number one, it's a limit not a target.

Number two, the cyclist had right of way. From what's been described, the cyclist was cycling in the primary position - used to protect themselves in vulnerable situations, where cars could be tempted to overtake dangerously or worse still impact with the cyclist.

He was using a wobble zone - if he did fall off, it would be onto the road and not into bushes/kerb where there is a higher risk of injury.

Yeah I agree. He should've run the !!!!!!! over and avoided any chance of a pile-up!

If that's the attitude you have when driving, I seriously hope you either live far, far away from me or have had your license taken away.

I suggest you re-read the Highway Code. There is no excuse - you can view it for free online!

Here are some various links for you

http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/technique-road-positioning-197
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/highwaycode

Coming from a passionate cyclist.

michaelvintner

harveybobbles wrote: »

I have no respect for cyclists. They are up there at the top of my Pet Hate List with HGV drivers.

HGV drivers are doing a job and transporting stuff. You want your mail to take 18 weeks to get to you or your local supermarket to have nothing but 3 mouldy eggs and 87 tins of spam. Having said that some of the driving I have seen from them is utterly crap. They have at least managed to pass a driving test and a further test to have gained their HGV license. They will be fully insured and subject to the same rules as everyone else on the road.

Bike user on the other hand have had no training, pay no road tax or insurance and appear to have no rules that anyone enforces on them.

I am not saying that bike users should not be allowed on the road. In many situations it is the perfect form of transport but they should be subject to passing a test, showing knowledge of the highway code and pay for some form of insurance and road tax.

michaelvintner

mikey72 wrote: »

I shared a house many years ago with someone who cycled. I drove.
He wouldn't buy lights as he insisted it was up to the motorist to see the cyclist, as the cars were bigger, and the cyclist wouldn't do any harm to the car, whereas they would do harm to the cyclist.
He couldn't understand that it just wasn't possible to see him, in the dark, he just insisted the ones that didn't must not be as observant.

I hope for his sake that he is still alive. He seems to be rather unconcerned about his own safety.