Cyclists fighting back against oafish drivers

Freddie_Snowbits

Just watched the footage and to me, the van passed the cyclist safely in the first place, but the arrogance of the cyclist in attempting to then undercut the van at the juction is unwarranted. I have the same where I live, where I exit a 40 mph road, onto an estate, turning left. The cycle lane has a give way on it, giving priority yo those on the road. the ammount of time I get looks, even though I slow right down to turn in and honk my horn, the look of astonishment forgices me from repeating.

Excepting the dark morinings, when my lights are a give away, here comes cycling Sid, no lights screech of no brakes and off on the pavement as I wait at the road end. Question, should I get out of my car and pick them back up, knowing they have not hit me?

Azari

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

Just watched the footage and to me, the van passed the cyclist safely in the first place, but the arrogance of the cyclist in attempting to then undercut the van at the juction is unwarranted.

!!!!!!!

It's obviously people such as yourself with no road sense whatsoever that make this sort of technology so vital.

At no point did the white van ever pass the cyclist.

What sort of c0ck-a-mammy view of driving do you have that says that if you start to pass another vehicle at a speed that will not allow you to pass it safely you can then side swipe it?

Thank the lord that the police, CPS and court system have a better understanding of the rules of the road than you.

I'd recommend that you get some extra driving lessons as a matter of urgency as it's clear that your level of road sense is virtually nil.

rustyboy21

Azari

With a post like this, you will have those who agree with the article raised, some who will disagree with it and some trying to get a rise out of someone.

I feel that it is a good idea that cyclists can now arm themselves with evidence of wrongdoing, when on their travels.

However your point of things being relevant, therefore if not agreeing with you it is off topic, is stifling debate.

I drive a lot, in big cities and countryside. The best cyclists I have seen are the dedicated ones ( lycra donned and headgear). You then get the ones who wear all black, no lights and don't think before they start overtaking a car, when in slow moving traffic, or weaving in and out of cars, without looking at the road movement and on coming traffic. If you have a cycle lane on a road, use it, dont weave in and out of the traffic like you are on a dodgem car.

And for those who say, we can't use the cycle lanes because of drivers riding in them, that will only be a small minority, who do not know their road signs.

It is not white van man, who is the problem here, it is the fools who get behind a wheel of a car, uninsured, no licence, badly kept cars etc (eg Foreigners) who come into this country and do not know what they need to drive a vehicle safely and legally.

I notice that cyclists havent raised the complaint of bad bus drivers or taxi drivers, who all have access to the bus/taxi/cycle lanes around our country. They must be worse than ordinary car drivers?

The thread started as a link to the cycling video. It doesnt have any comments really, to promote a discussion, so you cannot condemn people who raise an alternative view to what you feel. You have to allow a balanced and fair response from people who dont see your side.

Perhaps it would have been better to not start the post in this forum thread, may have been better posting it in motoring, public transport and cycling thread instead, where you may have got a better response .

rustyboy21

wouldn't it also be prudent that cyclists were forced to wear high viz clothing, so infact you could see them a lot better? it would certainly cut down on accidents.

At least a car has lights on them, which light up if they brake and do illuminate the road too.

The guy in the footage wasn't wearing any high viz and when you look through the footage the cyclists who were wearing it were a lot more visible.

Azari

rustyboy21 wrote: »

However your point of things being relevant, therefore if not agreeing with you it is off topic, is stifling debate.

Unless certain posters have had a 'new thread' quota imposed upon them their best option would be to start a new thread where what they want to discuss would be on topic.

I drive a lot, in big cities and countryside. The best cyclists I have seen are the dedicated ones ( lycra donned and headgear).

In the cities they are the absolute worst for jumping red lights and endangering pedestrians.

You then get the ones who wear all black, no lights and don't think before they start overtaking a car, when in slow moving traffic, or weaving in and out of cars, without looking at the road movement and on coming traffic. If you have a cycle lane on a road, use it, dont weave in and out of the traffic like you are on a dodgem car.

Cut them some slack. They are obviously going for their Darwin award.

And for those who say, we can't use the cycle lanes because of drivers riding in them, that will only be a small minority, who do not know their road signs.

There are many reasons for not using cycle lanes. Most of them to do with the ridiculous way a lot of them are set up. If a cycle lane is safe to cycle in then only an idiot does not use it.

It is not white van man, who is the problem here, it is the fools who get behind a wheel of a car, uninsured, no licence, badly kept cars etc (eg Foreigners) who come into this country and do not know what they need to drive a vehicle safely and legally.

I think 'white van man' gets stick because a lot of rental vans are white and are driven by people unused to them and hence more likely to make elementary mistakes relating to the size of the vehicle and visibility issues.

I notice that cyclists havent raised the complaint of bad bus drivers or taxi drivers, who all have access to the bus/taxi/cycle lanes around our country. They must be worse than ordinary car drivers?

Not in my experience. They are professional drivers who know that getting into any kind of accident is a threat to their livelihood. Similarly I find that HGV drivers are a cut above average.

The thread started as a link to the cycling video. It doesnt have any comments really, to promote a discussion, so you cannot condemn people who raise an alternative view to what you feel. You have to allow a balanced and fair response from people who dont see your side.

As I said earlier, responding to a thread about how some new piece of technology can help make things safer for some group by ranting at that group is like responding to news that rape laws are going to be improved up by ranting about Lorena Bobbit.

Perhaps it would have been better to not start the post in this forum thread, may have been better posting it in motoring, public transport and cycling thread instead, where you may have got a better response .

I was praising the new technology. Seemed appropriate.

rustyboy21

Looking at the video again, I looked in detail at the van overtaking ( or trying to overtake) the cyclist.

The footage showed ( to me) that the van was trying to overtake the bike, but couldnt get up enough speed to successfully achieve it. However, the cyclist did not help matters by not reducing his speed to allow the van to achieve it, instead he started shouting.

The driver ofthe van was very agressive, I agree, however the cyclist also sounded aggressive on the footage ( may be rightly so, when you are met with a potential accident), but it doeas look like he wasnt wanting to slow down for the van to complete his actions.

I don't know whether it is a southern thing, but driving/riding on a street down south is a lot more agressive than what I have seen up north. I was in Oxford 2 weeks ago and it was a nightmare, cyclists and drivers jumping lights, bad driving etc. I ended up the wrong way round on a roundabout when I had to swerve when cars and a bike decided to pull out of a side road, without looking for oncoming traffic. I couldnt slam on as I had a car who had jumped the lights behind me . The whole atmosphere of driving around Oxford seemed so aggressive, it frightened me.

Azari

rustyboy21 wrote: »

The footage showed ( to me) that the van was trying to overtake the bike, but couldnt get up enough speed to successfully achieve it. However, the cyclist did not help matters by not reducing his speed to allow the van to achieve it, instead he started shouting.

The driver ofthe van was very agressive, I agree, however the cyclist also sounded aggressive on the footage ( may be rightly so, when you are met with a potential accident), but it doeas look like he wasnt wanting to slow down for the van to complete his actions.

From what you say above it seems that you have the fairly common 'motorist's mindset' where you apply completely different rules to one type of vehicle than you would apply to another.

Are the rules of the road: If you wish to overtake but cannot do so safely because your vehicle is not fast enough, go ahead anyway and assume the vehicle you are overtaking will brake to allow you to force your way in.?

What would be your view if you were driving a car and someone in an underpowered vehicle started to attempt an overtaking maneuverer and then side swiped you because he could not complete it?

Would you apportion some of the blame on yourself for not stopping to let him bully his way in?

I don't know whether it is a southern thing, but driving/riding on a street down south is a lot more agressive than what I have seen up north. I was in Oxford 2 weeks ago and it was a nightmare, cyclists and drivers jumping lights, bad driving etc. I ended up the wrong way round on a roundabout when I had to swerve when cars and a bike decided to pull out of a side road, without looking for oncoming traffic. I couldnt slam on as I had a car who had jumped the lights behind me . The whole atmosphere of driving around Oxford seemed so aggressive, it frightened me.

Never drive in Rome!

Poppycat

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rustyboy21

[QUOTE=Azari;40834982]Unless certain posters have had a 'new thread' quota imposed upon them their best option would be to start a new thread where what they want to discuss would be on topic.

But all this means is that you will only get one side of an argument, it is then not relly a discussion topic as you will not allow other points of view


In the cities they are the absolute worst for jumping red lights and endangering pedestrians.

I dont see that. I see the worst ones are the ones who dress in black, have no lights nd do jump lights and onto pavements, all so they dont have to stop



Cut them some slack. They are obviously going for their Darwin award.

Possibly correct, but they seem to be the ones who shout the loudest about compensation, i feel.


There are many reasons for not using cycle lanes. Most of them to do with the ridiculous way a lot of them are set up. If a cycle lane is safe to cycle in then only an idiot does not use it.

At the end of my road, the main road is newly tarmaced, is pristine, not a pot hole, but come 5 pm every night, you see cyclists either on the pavement, or dodging through traffic, when the cycle lane is so smooth you could roller skate on it.



I think 'white van man' gets stick because a lot of rental vans are white and are driven by people unused to them and hence more likely to make elementary mistakes relating to the size of the vehicle and visibility issues.


Not in my experience. They are professional drivers who know that getting into any kind of accident is a threat to their livelihood. Similarly I find that HGV drivers are a cut above average.

Bus drivers around here seem to be the worst culprits, whenever I see an accident it invariably involves a bus and either a motorbike or car, sometimes, yes a cyclist



As I said earlier, responding to a thread about how some new piece of technology can help make things safer for some group by ranting at that group is like responding to news that rape laws are going to be improved up by ranting about Lorena Bobbit.

But you always get that on here, you can say the sky is blue, but some soft s*d will argue until the cows come home, that it is in fact, pink withyellow spots and get praise for it! That is why I said that it may have been better in another forum thred as you would more than likely got more discussion and less aggro.

I was praising the new technology. Seemed appropriate. [/QUOTE]

true. all we need now though is the same thing for cars, to show how some cyclists do ride badly and it can be used in court if necessary so drivers dont get condemmed for something which wasnt there fault

dizziblonde

How dare we criticize ANY cyclists for they are without stain!!!!

How about the prat who took my wing mirror off cycling on the pavements.... how about the pillocks who like the country roads near here at dusk wearing black coats and no lights.

There are bad motorists, but there are also some shockingly bad cyclists who seem to think that lycra renders them with superpowers and invincibility (I guess it sort of worked for Superman but he had his pants on the outside of his tights) and yes, they deserve to be called out on THEIR antics as well as motorists.

Being abusive to everyone who's dared mention cyclists aren't perfect REALLY helps your cause and doesn't at all make you look like a lycra-clad lout.