Motorists - What annoys you most about cyclists

Tilt

Well while I am typing this, I am looking out of my large lounge window overlooking a round-a-bout on a main road and I have just seen a youth on a mountain bike ride the wrong way around the island and then cycle for about 50 yards on the wrong side of the carriageway to mount the pavement on the other side of the road (there is a skate park over there).

My point? You don't often see a car doing the same thing. Some offences or bad driving are pretty much routine to a poor driver because the lack of driving skills and I would certainly agree that some drivers appear to have won their licences in a luck dip. Most of us fellow motorists will either laugh at them or rant at them but the point is, we are use to seeing such things.

But when we see cyclists committing offences which obviously even a poor driver would normally not do, (i.e. purposely go through red lights, travel the wrong way down one-way streets, travel on the n/s of vehicles indicating left, intentionally travel at night without lights etc etc), the annoyance seems greater because unless such behavior causes an accident, they always seem to get away with it. Poor drivers do it because they are poor drivers and know no better. Most cyclists do it because they think they are not subject to the same traffic laws even though they know it is wrong but don't give a dam.

custardy

Tilt wrote: »

Well while I am typing this, I am looking out of my large lounge window overlooking a round-a-bout on a main road and I have just seen a youth on a mountain bike ride the wrong way around the island and then cycle for about 50 yards on the wrong side of the carriageway to mount the pavement on the other side of the road (there is a skate park over there).

My point? You don't often see a car doing the same thing. Some offences or bad driving are pretty much routine to a poor driver because the lack of driving skills and I would certainly agree that some drivers appear to have won their licences in a luck dip. Most of us fellow motorists will either laugh at them or rant at them but the point is, we are use to seeing such things.

But when we see cyclists committing offences which obviously even a poor driver would normally not do, (i.e. purposely go through red lights, travel the wrong way down one-way streets, travel on the n/s of vehicles indicating left, intentionally travel at night without lights etc etc), the annoyance seems greater because unless such behavior causes an accident, they always seem to get away with it. Poor drivers do it because they are poor drivers and know no better. Most cyclists do it because they think they are not subject to the same traffic laws even though they know it is wrong but don't give a dam.

like the taxi driver who left me for dead on the road?

Tilt

custardy wrote: »

like the taxi driver who left me for dead on the road?

Unfortunately yes. Difference being though it is easier to identify a motor vehicle than a cyclist because a motor vehicle should have licence plates. I would of hoped that in your case, the incident may of been picked up by CCTV in which case the driver should of been adequately prosecuted.

custardy

Tilt wrote: »

Unfortunately yes. Difference being though it is easier to identify a motor vehicle than a cyclist because a motor vehicle should have licence plates. I would of hoped that in your case, the incident may of been picked up by CCTV in which case the driver should of been adequately prosecuted.

well it wasnt, and there have been many cases(and this is from friends) where the Police aren't interested when helmet cam footage has been provided.let alone CCTV

JQ.

Tilt wrote: »

Unfortunately yes. Difference being though it is easier to identify a motor vehicle than a cyclist because a motor vehicle should have licence plates. I would of hoped that in your case, the incident may of been picked up by CCTV in which case the driver should of been adequately prosecuted.

My understanding is that around 2,800 people are killed on our roads every year. How many of those are killed by unidentified cyclists? It must be a huge number if a system of registering every bike in the country is required to rectify this massive problem.

Limey

custardy wrote: »

fat tyres and sit up style, make them stable and easy to handle
So its not so clear cut
thin road tyres/gearing are great in certain set ups,but have their down sides too
a slide on 700cc wheels and thin tyres isnt much fun

:rotfl:I hear you on that front I slid for a good few yards sideways after having to slam my brakes on on a hill. Ended up with some tasty grazes. My fault for not anticipating a car in front braking for a speed bump that I usually flew over, doh!

Would love to get some decent brakes on my old Pug Carbolite, it scares the **** out of me riding in the rain. :eek::rotfl:

On the other hand I hate riding my Dad's mountain bike as top gear is about the same as my mid gear on the road bike.

Tilt

custardy wrote: »

well it wasnt, and there have been many cases(and this is from friends) where the Police aren't interested when helmet cam footage has been provided.let alone CCTV

Well obviously this should be taken up perhaps with your local MP. The police should consider any evidence which is available in such circumstances otherwise they are surely failing in their duties.

custardy

Tilt wrote: »

Well obviously this should be taken up perhaps with your local MP. The police should consider any evidence which is available in such circumstances otherwise they are surely failing in their duties.

well time will tell
Edinburgh has quite a vocal cycling lobby(I should link you to the local rags comments section for anti cycling comments by example!)
The local Police have already stated they wont even bother enforcing new trial 20mph zones in the city :eek: so it doesnt really bode well.

brat

Tilt wrote: »

Well while I am typing this, I am looking out of my large lounge window overlooking a round-a-bout on a main road and I have just seen a youth on a mountain bike ride the wrong way around the island and then cycle for about 50 yards on the wrong side of the carriageway to mount the pavement on the other side of the road (there is a skate park over there).

My point? You don't often see a car doing the same thing. Some offences or bad driving are pretty much routine to a poor driver because the lack of driving skills and I would certainly agree that some drivers appear to have won their licences in a luck dip. Most of us fellow motorists will either laugh at them or rant at them but the point is, we are use to seeing such things.

But when we see cyclists committing offences which obviously even a poor driver would normally not do, (i.e. purposely go through red lights, travel the wrong way down one-way streets, travel on the n/s of vehicles indicating left, intentionally travel at night without lights etc etc), the annoyance seems greater because unless such behavior causes an accident, they always seem to get away with it. Poor drivers do it because they are poor drivers and know no better. Most cyclists do it because they think they are not subject to the same traffic laws even though they know it is wrong but don't give a dam.

You don't often see cars doing the same thing, you're right, but motorists do some crazy things.

Only this summer, while cycling through the ped zone, an approaching bus driver decided he would intentionally drive right over to my side of the road and block my path so that I would have to go past on his nearside or get off and go onto the pavement to pass. When I queried his behaviour, he ranted and swore about effing bikes using the pedestrian zone when it was designed for pedestrians, buses and taxis. I visited him and his transport supervisor later that day, and sorted the matter out.

On another occasion I got a cigarette flicked at me from a car passenger. When I pulled alongside at the lights to ask what she was playing at I got another mouthful of abuse from her and the male driver. When I got to the nick I saw the car outside the front office, the passenger was coming in with a producer from an accident she had the previous day. I quickly changed and went down to the counter where I was able to have words, then find two ridiculously bald tyres on her partner's car! Revenge was sweet!

Three years ago I was sent flying from my bike on a one way urban street by an idiot in a Jeep Cherokee who was doing about twice the speed limit. His nearside mirror caught my arm putting me on my backside. I got back on my bike, and tried in anger to get after him to try to get his number, but he was soon out of sight. I didn't have to wait long though because when I rounded the next bend the 4x4 was on its side with wheels still rotating in the air. I dragged the driver out - he was !!!!!! and high. I locked him up for unfit and dangerous driving. I was shaking with anger and the fear of the potential consequence of his behaviour. He couldn't stop laughing!

Tilt

JQ. wrote: »

My understanding is that around 2,800 people are killed on our roads every year. How many of those are killed by unidentified cyclists? It must be a huge number if a system of registering every bike in the country is required to rectify this massive problem.

Not sure this is relevant... I never mentioned anything about people being killed by unidentified cyclists. But as it happens, I do remember of at least one case where a racing cyclists collided with a pedestrian while speeding across a paved area and the pedestrian was killed. The cyclist was prosecuted but not as a motorist would of been (causing death by dangerous driving) but under a draconian and outdated law which hopefully will be changed. Although such incidents are rare, they do happen.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/10/death-dangerous-cycling-law-government-support