More drivers getting convicted from helmet camera evidence

thelawnet

Crabman wrote: »

If cyclists wish to be taken seriously they should display registration plates (front, rear and quite possibly side) and hold mandatory insurance so that any damage they cause can be paid for.

Lol. I think dogs should have the same. Maybe cows and small children as well.

Fines should also be made a possibility for bad/dangerous behaviour (crossing red lights, to name an example).

Fines ARE a possibility. Police in London issue many FPNs for jumping red lights to cyclists.

Wig

rev_henry wrote: »

Though you might all be interested to see this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uTEBQBerU4

Which I filmed when I happened to be on a bus.

But most of that is an open cycle lane where vehicles are allowed to cross it, enter it or sit in it if they wish to. The only part where I thought "ok that is illegal" is the Astra on Zig Zags, The Merc on Double yellows, and the minicabs parked in a compulsory cycle lane, the rest was legitimate.

But I would wonder if the zig zags would stand up to the TSRGD anyway.

Wig

thelawnet wrote: »

Yes it's a good example, but he's putting himself at risk, not others. Bad driving affects others, bad cycling affects yourself. Most of us, in cars, have done things that could, on another day, be deadly - someone run out in front of your car when you are speeding, almost certain death. On a bike, it's much harder to be a threat to others, despite what motorists might say.

Bike = 80kg with rider, max speed about 25mph
Car = 3000kg or more, max speed over 100mph

More speed, far more mass, much greater danger.

If that cyclist -who is riding dangerously- as is the one following him too, was to hit a pedestrian there could easily be broken bones.

Wig

WhiteHorse wrote: »

He is not 'entitled' to do any such thing.

Of course he is, if it is stationary or crawling traffic and there is room for him, he can pass on the left. Taking caution as he does so. Why would you think otherwise?

Norman_Castle

If cyclists wish to be taken seriously they should display registration plates (front, rear and quite possibly side) and hold mandatory insurance so that any damage they cause can be paid for.

Cyclists are entitled to use the road without these. If you think this should change please contact the government and propose these changes. Until changes are made please treat cyclists as advised in the Highway Code. If you are a motorist it's what's expected of you.

Fines should also be made a possibility for bad/dangerous behaviour (crossing red lights, to name an example).

Cyclists have been subject to fines for many decades.

Edit The Scot Kirkpatrick Macmillan first put pedals on a bicycle in about 1840. In 1842 he was arrested and fined for knocking a child over when riding on the pavement.

freakybacon

Crabman wrote: »

If cyclists wish to be taken seriously they should display registration plates (front, rear and quite possibly side) and hold mandatory insurance so that any damage they cause can be paid for. Fines should also be made a possibility for bad/dangerous behaviour (crossing red lights, to name an example).

Now, with a website like moneysaving expert you would have thought cycling would be popular as a healthy, moneysaving activity. Nope! Down with the tax avoiders and benefit cheats!

Of course motorists never break the law at all...

rev_henry

Wig wrote: »

But most of that is an open cycle lane where vehicles are allowed to cross it, enter it or sit in it if they wish to. The only part where I thought "ok that is illegal" is the Astra on Zig Zags, The Merc on Double yellows, and the minicabs parked in a compulsory cycle lane, the rest was legitimate.

But I would wonder if the zig zags would stand up to the TSRGD anyway.

Yes I realise that, that section of cycle lane is just a stupid design I think. If there's no bus in the bus stop you cycle across the bus stop, you don't follow the markings between the bus stop and the cycle lane, and if there's a bus in the bus stop (which there usually is) it'll be blocking the cycle lane so you use the main carriageway. My main concern is the illegal parking really. Though iirc the exact wording of the highway code is something like 'do not enter advisory cycle lanes unless necessary'; obviously the bus needs to pull out but just cutting the corner is not necessary. On the extremely rare occasion I drive up (actually I never do anymore because I hate doing so) there I can manage to drive around the cycle lane markings so I don't see why other cars can't.

custardy

vax2002 wrote: »

I was in a que of traffic turning left, indicator on when the traffic began to move, on the inside not in any bike lane came flying mr Political aggressive cyclist, I stopped so he edged down the inside grabbed my mirror and ripped it off shouting obscenities.
Now he should not even be overtaking moving traffic on the inside.
So I caught up with him for a quiet word about why he had smashed my mirror for no other reason than aggression, he had not collided with it, so I asked for his details, he threw his bike on the verge spat in my face and swung a left hook!
So I decided to play his game and sat him on his !!!!.

overtaking?
well what do you mean
going along the inside of the lane?
in one of those pointless little cycle 'lanes'?
are you saying cycle lanes are illegal given the are on the inside of the lane?

rev_henry

custardy wrote: »

overtaking?
well what do you mean
going along the inside of the lane?
in one of those pointless little cycle 'lanes'?
are you saying cycle lanes are illegal given the are on the inside of the lane?

I once got talking to another cyclist at traffic lights who told me, amongst other things, that I shouldn't be undertaking at all, despite there being a, erm, cycle lane for my entire journey and the traffic being at a virtual standstill. I politely thanked him but took no notice - not quite sure what he was on about...

Strider590

rev_henry wrote: »

I once got talking to another cyclist at traffic lights who told me, amongst other things, that I shouldn't be undertaking at all, despite there being a, erm, cycle lane for my entire journey and the traffic being at a virtual standstill. I politely thanked him but took no notice - not quite sure what he was on about...

A lot of people think that the rules for cars, should apply to cyclists......

And it does, but most folk seem to think that overtaking on the inside is illegal, despite doing it all the time themselves:

163

Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so. You should

- not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake

- use your mirrors, signal when it is safe to do so, take a quick sideways glance if necessary into the blind spot area and then start to move out

- not assume that you can simply follow a vehicle ahead which is overtaking; there may only be enough room for one vehicle

- move quickly past the vehicle you are overtaking, once you have started to overtake. Allow plenty of room. Move back to the left as soon as you can but do not cut in

-take extra care at night and in poor visibility when it is harder to judge speed and distance

-give way to oncoming vehicles before passing parked vehicles or other obstructions on your side of the road

-only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so

-stay in your lane if traffic is moving slowly in queues. If the queue on your right is moving more slowly than you are, you may pass on the left

-give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 211-215)

Now, cyclists move at between 10mph and 20mph, this means you'd pretty much have to be stuck in traffic (or incompetent) for a cyclist to even be in that situation.

But also when motorcyclists are filtering, there is no restrictions (none that I can find) on doing so on the left/right of the traffic. Biker regularly drive down between lanes of stationary traffic where there are two or more forward lanes.

What does happen, is people who "think" they know the law, may then try to enforce their version of said law, using 2 tonnes of metal as a road block.
I've witnessed drivers/passengers opening doors into the path of cyclists/bikers and then hurling abuse at the them for "overtaking illegally".