Nice people thread part 8 - worth the wait

lostinrates

GDB2222 wrote: »

I am amazed by cyclists and runners dressed in cool, stylish, but hideously dangerous black when it's dark and raining. Visibility is seriously impaired in those conditions.

When the first thing I see of a runner is his trainers, that's seriously daft.

I saw a cyclist recently in black with reflective skeleton on it. It was actually quite funny.

It's the same with riders. Its just 'not cool' to reflect up, but outside of the best conditions it is so important. I am so frustrated with clients I leave my stuff out for them to use but I am thinking of having some sets made with the address and phone number in case of accident....

bugslet

Generali wrote: »

. I'd ride naked with my ar53 painted pink if I thought more cars would see me!

You could try it and see if you thought they did:rotfl:.

I posted the tfl video a few weeks back, it's my favourite for the self-righteous breed of cyclist;)

lostinrates

bugslet wrote: »

Not sure why you are restricted to the UK lj, but have you ever thought of the Channel Islands - are you OK on boats if flying is a no-no? Visit other islands, the climate is pretty good, usually warmer than the UK, reasonable amount to do and some very nice places to eat.



It's amazing how many people have no idea of the blind spots on a truck, I've often said as part of the driving test, people should spend an hour in a truck on an old airfield to get some idea of what it's like.

As for the tribal bit - we all have to co-exist and most of us manage pretty well, as you say Gen, it only takes a few road users to become overly trenchant and it becomes an us and them situation.

Very famously, this appeared on youtube. The traffic commissioner for the North west cleared the truck driver of any wrongdoing. It really demonstrates the blind spot at the front of a truck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMaAww8N7wE

I hate being hooted at when towing or driving a lorry with horses on, round a roundabout is because I have live animals on board and am trying not to unsettle them.....not to be a pita to everyone else.

Spirit_2

On a work trip to London 2 years ago I came upon the immediate aftermath of a cyclist having been knocked off his bike and killed.

It was quite near a Hospital and the passersby who were tending to him seemed to be staff. It was tragic to see him - he looked quite a young man and he was needlessly gone in an instant.

On another occassion a motorcyclist on a roundabout was hit by a vehicle leaving an M27 slip road. I watched the driver drop to her knees with her head in her hands as it was confirmed the motorcyclist was dead.

As a driver I treat cyclists and motorcyclists as if they are made of glass. I wish they would all treta themselves teh same.

Related is the seemingly harmless sport of road racing on bikes. Where this is on public roads there needs to be consideration of other road users. These can and do spook horses - my daughters friend suffered a broke neck falling near our road when 'pursued' - and cycle marshalls do not instruct riders to slow down for horses. This is a real problem on the road I live on where the road is used by both - and it does bother me. It makes me and my family want to park our cars to create 'pinch points' or do something elses that disrupts teh speed or crowding.

We don't but it is how I feel.

Generali

Spirit wrote: »

On a work trip to London 2 years ago I came upon the immediate aftermath of a cyclist having been knocked off his bike and killed.

It was quite near a Hospital and the passersby who were tending to him seemed to be staff. It was tragic to see him - he looked quite a young man and he was needlessly gone in an instant.

On another occassion a motorcyclist on a roundabout was hit by a vehicle leaving an M27 slip road. I watched the driver drop to her knees with her head in her hands as it was confirmed the motorcyclist was dead.

As a driver I treat cyclists and motorcyclists as if they are made of glass. I wish they would all treta themselves teh same.

Related is the seemingly harmless sport of road racing on bikes. Where this is on public roads there needs to be consideration of other road users. These can and do spook horses - my daughters friend suffered a broke neck falling near our road when 'pursued' - and cycle marshalls do not instruct riders to slow down for horses. This is a real problem on the road I live on where the road is used by both - and it does bother me. It makes me and my family want to park our cars to create 'pinch points' or do something elses that disrupts teh speed or crowding.

We don't but it is how I feel.

If roads are going to be used for racing then there should either be a rolling road block or proper signage to warn users (like horse riders) that it isn't a suitable day to be out between certain hours.

My experience of road racing signage in the UK is a generic sign is put up a few days or a couple of weeks before with no dates or times and then some are taken down but most are left to blow away a few months later. That's not good enough IMV.

I'm not a racer and never have been but it is a reasonable sport to pursue as long as you do it reasonably. They're not going to slow down for a horse any more than a rally car would, they do need to give you proper warning of when they're coming through.

lostinrates

Spirit wrote: »

On a work trip to London 2 years ago I came upon the immediate aftermath of a cyclist having been knocked off his bike and killed.

It was quite near a Hospital and the passersby who were tending to him seemed to be staff. It was tragic to see him - he looked quite a young man and he was needlessly gone in an instant.

On another occassion a motorcyclist on a roundabout was hit by a vehicle leaving an M27 slip road. I watched the driver drop to her knees with her head in her hands as it was confirmed the motorcyclist was dead.

As a driver I treat cyclists and motorcyclists as if they are made of glass. I wish they would all treta themselves teh same.

Related is the seemingly harmless sport of road racing on bikes. Where this is on public roads there needs to be consideration of other road users. These can and do spook horses - my daughters friend suffered a broke neck falling near our road when 'pursued' - and cycle marshalls do not instruct riders to slow down for horses. This is a real problem on the road I live on where the road is used by both - and it does bother me. It makes me and my family want to park our cars to create 'pinch points' or do something elses that disrupts teh speed or crowding.

We don't but it is how I feel.

Yes, cyclists are a real threat to horses. The quiet approach, the speed, to a horse they seem a deadly predator. Calling ahead is really helpful 'cyclist approaching your rider'

It's though for other road users who do not know horses. For example, hovering behind slowly might seem respectful, but actually can make a horse edgy....pass when it's safe. Turn your radio down as you approach and until you pass.

Airbrakes......I have been in some tight situations with air brakes, though not much can be done about that.

Similarly, I am afraid there are occasions where I do not abide by the Highway Code or riding and road safety guidelines, because I think it's safer not too.


Riding two abreast looks rude, but is better than someone's wing being dented by a nervous horse or unsettling a you g one learning that roads are safe. I always over egg road signals, even though mostly we are not meant to give any. I almost never tell a my one to pass me (clamp culture) but I do ask people to slow down when needed, and I always thank enthusiastically, even though its not advised, because courtesy breeds courtesy I hope.

It's harder when long reining on roads, and dealing with people who think they must be the first to pull along side and say 'your meant to be riding that, you are doing it wrong'. Oh what wags (miss that roll eye smilie). Because you need your hands more for communication than you do under saddle.

Best experience on the roads was a few years ago when riding special girl from one yard to another and ended up in the middle of a biker procession, literally hoards of them appeared round a bend and coming down a hill behind us. And then around us. Years of training meant that she was excited but safe and almost intrigued, and the bikers were awed by her sense and respectful. People took pictures and I was so proud of her and it gave a great buzz because that's what all the years of training before hand make possible.

Spirit_2

Generali wrote: »

If roads are going to be used for racing then there should either be a rolling road block or proper signage to warn users (like horse riders) that it isn't a suitable day to be out between certain hours.

My experience of road racing signage in the UK is a generic sign is put up a few days or a couple of weeks before with no dates or times and then some are taken down but most are left to blow away a few months later. That's not good enough IMV.

I'm not a racer and never have been but it is a reasonable sport to pursue as long as you do it reasonably. They're not going to slow down for a horse any more than a rally car would, they do need to give you proper warning of when they're coming through.

Soemtimes there are signs - dated but not ususally timed - but they are often left up as you describe. Avoiding the 'risk' then is something taht should be shared by the horse riders, the problem being that there are races on consecutive weekends and that horsey properties (yards and houses with stables) and bridleways are off these roads. So it does put 'leisure pursuits' in competition.

GDB2222

DW very nearly killed a motorcyclist who crashed into her. It wrote the car off, and fortunately two things happened: a) he survived, although it was touch and go for a while, and b) there was an independent witness who was sure he had gone through a red light.

What happened was that she was waiting at traffic lights to turn right. When the lights turned red, she set off - straight into the path of the motorcyclist, who had not yet reached the lights when they turned red but was apparently going too fast to stop. He had been betting on DW, seeing him coming, judging that he was not able/going to stop, not worrying about the traffic coming from the other roads, and letting him go through. In other words he was betting his life on DW being a better driver than she actually is.

Generali

Spirit wrote: »

it does put 'leisure pursuits' in competition.

It does rather.

lostinrates

Spirit wrote: »

Soemtimes there are signs - dated but not ususally timed - but they are often left up as you describe. Avoiding the 'risk' then is something taht should be shared by the horse riders, the problem being that there are races on consecutive weekends and that horsey properties (yards and houses with stables) and bridleways are off these roads. So it does put 'leisure pursuits' in competition.

Beyond that, you might not have the luxury to just ' not ride' that day. If you are prepping for some competition yourself, of you are being paid to ride the horse (particularly to make it road safe) or bring it on. Or to deal with certain injuries and rehabs, There are things that cannot be done in a school or field in all weather conditions but they still have to be done.