Motorists - What annoys you most about cyclists

arcon5

What annoys me as much as cyclists is a lot of young moped riders who have no awareness of safety...

In the last week...

Undertaken around a left bend with railings in a residential zone by a moped.

Cyclist going through a red light at about 5mph wih no lights or high-vis. I go through green bearing left. Then has the audacity to put his finger up at me for some unknown reason.

Many more

interstellaflyer

Tilt wrote: »

I would think that most left turning vehicles would be indicating their intention. In which case a cyclist should not be positioning themselves on the n/s of said vehicle. But, alas, they still do.

Yep, get this all the time, traffic moving 15-20 mph and idiots on cycles charging up the inside and thinking they can beat the vehicle indicating and about to turn left seen a few near misses, what cyclists fail to understand is that when they do this in the dark and especially if it's raining, their lights do not stand out from the lights of the other traffic so by pulling these incredibly dangerous stunts they are putting themselves in danger.

Also, something mentioned in another thread, a gripe about motorist easing out from side roads blocking the cycle lane, sometimes this is necessary in busy towns and cities, if you don't do this you will never get out of the side road at at all, this is not endangering the cyclist, it's causing them a minor inconvenience, big deal, in traffic we're all inconvenienced to some degree, live with it. The motorist is not putting the cyclist in danger, the cyclist has options, he/she could stop and let the motorist complete the maneuver, which would take all of 30 seconds of their time, the cyclist could dismount and walk round the back of the motorist or if there's room cycle round the back, however cyclists often when faced with this choose the option of putting themselves out into the road where the potential danger is. Of coarse the other option the cyclist could and probably should be doing is not riding down the inside of the traffic in the first place, IMHO these narrow cycle lanes that go down the inside are dangerous, in most town/city traffic the cyclist should take a position out from the kerb and use the option of filtering, but filtering out to the right, not going down the inside of vehicles as this is where they are in danger.

MrsE_2

What is the law re cyclists & cars turning left? Who has right of way? I've been prevented from actually turning because a cyclist is blocking me & I have to break on the main road because I can't turn into the side road.

Norman_Castle

With respect, I don't see no where as many motorists driving at night without lights, drive the wrong way down one-way streets, run red lights, drive on footpaths... etc etc etc as I do cyclists.

Yes, there are those motorists which do drive as you say. But if we were to make a comparison of how many cyclists (of all ages) break the law against an equal number of motorists, I reckon it would be the cyclists which would be the highest offenders.

Even including teenage cyclists, who are the joyriders of cycling, motorists are still the highest offenders thanks to speeding. Motorists who stick to speed limits, especially on urban roads, are treated with the same contempt as cyclists, by motorists who insist on driving above speed limits whenever possible. The limiting factor is based on the likelyhood of getting a fine and points.

Norman_Castle

MrsE wrote: »

What is the law re cyclists & cars turning left? Who has right of way? I've been prevented from actually turning because a cyclist is blocking me & I have to break on the main road because I can't turn into the side road.

Its no different to the law regarding cars.

Paradigm

MrsE wrote: »

What is the law re cyclists & cars turning left? Who has right of way? I've been prevented from actually turning because a cyclist is blocking me & I have to break on the main road because I can't turn into the side road.

If you know or think you can't make the turn then stay behind them until they clear the junction.

It might cost you a couple of seconds but everyone gets home safe.

MrsE_2

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Its no different to the law regarding cars.

But in a single lane of traffic (or being in the left hand lane) you wouldn't have another car blocking you from turning left.

Cyclists are often sliping up on that side.

Or cycling so s l o w l y up a hill that you have to dally ages as they pass the turning.

MrsE_2

Paradigm wrote: »

If you know or think you can't make the turn then stay behind them until they clear the junction.

It might cost you a couple of seconds but everyone gets home safe.

So they have right of way.

Paradigm

MrsE wrote: »

So they have right of way.

That's not what I said.

brat

interstellaflyer wrote: »

Yep, get this all the time, traffic moving 15-20 mph and idiots on cycles charging up the inside and thinking they can beat the vehicle indicating and about to turn left seen a few near misses, what cyclists fail to understand is that when they do this in the dark and especially if it's raining, their lights do not stand out from the lights of the other traffic so by pulling these incredibly dangerous stunts they are putting themselves in danger.

No argument - I think city cyclists are probably more likely to do this stuff, especially if they feel further protected by riding in their cycle lane with an ASL. A motorist also has a duty to ensure that he is not going to conflict with a cyclist when turning left.
HC211 "It is often difficult to see motorcyclists and cyclists, especially when they are coming up from behind, coming out of junctions, at roundabouts, overtaking you or filtering through traffic... Be especially careful when turning, and when changing direction or lane. Be sure to check mirrors and blind spots carefully."

interstellaflyer wrote: »

Also, something mentioned in another thread, a gripe about motorist easing out from side roads blocking the cycle lane, sometimes this is necessary in busy towns and cities, if you don't do this you will never get out of the side road at at all, this is not endangering the cyclist, it's causing them a minor inconvenience, big deal, in traffic we're all inconvenienced to some degree, live with it. The motorist is not putting the cyclist in danger, the cyclist has options, he/she could stop and let the motorist complete the maneuver, which would take all of 30 seconds of their time, the cyclist could dismount and walk round the back of the motorist or if there's room cycle round the back, however cyclists often when faced with this choose the option of putting themselves out into the road where the potential danger is.

Thankfully, this is your opinion, and it's not backed in law. If you pull out from a junction and in doing so force another road user to alter course or speed, that is 'careless driving'. You must agree such a move with other road users, who will mostly accommodate your predicament.

interstellaflyer wrote: »

Of coarse the other option the cyclist could and probably should be doing is not riding down the inside of the traffic in the first place, IMHO these narrow cycle lanes that go down the inside are dangerous, in most town/city traffic the cyclist should take a position out from the kerb and use the option of filtering, but filtering out to the right, not going down the inside of vehicles as this is where they are in danger.

They have their benefits, and their dangers, it's not as prescriptive as you make out.