Biggest Threats to Cyclists?

WiggyDiggyPoo

NormW wrote: »

Then consider this, I am the vulnerable road user and as such have made significant effort to ensure my safety such as wearing bright reflective clothing, being well lit and positioning myself appropriately. This is why I expect to be treated as such.

Pedestrians wearing dark clothing make no such effort, yet they still expect to be treated as such. It all boils down to "Be safe, be seen".

I wouldnt call your effort significant, seems pretty normal for many cyclists to be honest.

Could you tell me when exactly you dont manage to see people in time to ring your bell, your either traveling in pitch darkness, your lights don't work very well or you ride with your eyes closed;)

NormW

WiggyDiggyPoo wrote: »

I wouldnt call your effort significant, seems pretty normal for many cyclists to be honest.

Could you tell me when exactly you dont manage to see people in time to ring your bell, your either traveling in pitch darkness, your lights don't work very well or you ride with your eyes closed;)

Pitch darkness, it's a gated road where motor vehicles are prohibited that goes between the fields. No street lighting in the area.

WiggyDiggyPoo

NormW wrote: »

Pitch darkness, it's a gated road where motor vehicles are prohibited that goes between the fields. No street lighting in the area.

Then your lights aren't good enough or your traveling too fast for the lights you have. Regardless of what you may expect people to wear if your lights dont show enough of the road ahead without additional help then you should maybe change?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=cree+bike+lights&!!!!!googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=28727140208&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2817053971046351240&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7611qocoa0_b

All of those are perfect for the unlit conditions you describe and will let you see plenty regardless of what someone or something is wearing.

caringa

interstellaflyer wrote: »

Impatience is the biggest threat to cyclists and it works both ways, far too many motorists are impatient, however, on the other hand, far too many cyclists are impatient, especially in urban areas.

Totally agree - I almost had an accident with an impatient cyclist this morning whilst driving my car. The road was clear ahead of me and a cyclist was on the pavement, cycling towards a pedestrian crossing in the same direction as me. I assumed he would either press the light or wait until I had passed - how wrong could I be. He decided to cross the road before he got to the lights and right in front of me! I was doing nearly 50 miles per hour (the speed limit on this stretch of road) and had to swerve into the path of oncoming traffic which I narrowly avoided!!

SidP

NormW wrote: »

Mind tonight I shouted "lights!!!!" at two idiots on the cycle path with no lights on and cyclists without helmets don't get me started...

Whilst having constant beam lights front and rear is a legal requirement for cyclists, helmets are not. If you feel strongly about the latter, sign the petition.

When I was cycling along a shared cycle/pedestrian path, someone cycled past and shouted arrogantly, "Keep to the left!" There's no legal requirement for cyclists (or pedestrians for that matter) to keep any side on the path I use.

If you're going to get angry with other cyclists, as this guy did, be justified. Otherwise, you're just something else we have to contend with.

Heycock

I was knocked off my bike for the first time in 40 years...the offender? Another cyclist riding like a madman. He didn't stop. I doubt he stops at red lights or crossings either. Too many of them now and they give us all a bad name.

hugheskevi

Seen lots of inconsiderate cycling this week - many cases of cyclists undertaking other stationary or slow cyclists at speed (usually either to jump a red light, or charging through as lights turn green and traffic starts to pull away). As well as the normal ignoring of red lights, and also ignoring of pedestrians at zebra crossings. And plenty of bikes with no lights after dark. Not very much cycling on the pavement though. Most memorable effort amongst the routine stuff was the guy who entered busy lights at Stockwell this morning on the other side of the road, then proceeded to weave through traffic coming from the right to proceed - if you must jump the red light, there are many phases when it is safe(r) to do so, so good to see the extra effort being made to save about 20 seconds there.

Tonight I was following a bus through Westminster, where there are solid barricades to the left (about here). Bus doing about 10-15 mphs as in traffic, so going slower than ideal but no significant delay. There was about a bike and a half's width to the left of the bus. I did briefly consider undertaking it, but didn't give it serious thought. I wouldn't have undertaken even if there weren't solid barriers to the left, all ready to crush you in the event of the bus pulling left for any reason. Then a cyclist came up alongside me, sure enough the cyclist happily decided to undertake the bus.

There was also a typically stupid moment from a couple of drivers too a few miles further on. As a road merged from two lanes to one, an Audi decided to block a small van from merging, despite the van being half in the lane and merging normally. In frustration, the van then accelerated and veered hard back to the right (over white lines, which demarcate an area to wait in for those coming from the other direction and turning into a side road across traffic) to try to get past the car and gain the place. I'm certain he didn't look before the erratic move despite it being a very normal place for cyclists and motorcyclists to be filtering past to the right and if I'd been about 3 or 4 metres further forward he may well have have swerved straight into me whilst accelerating.

I think the Audi won that particular battle in the end, and gained about 3 metres, so it was well worth risking causing an accident

Norman_Castle

When I was cycling along a shared cycle/pedestrian path, someone cycled past and shouted arrogantly, "Keep to the left!" There's no legal requirement for cyclists (or pedestrians for that matter) to keep any side on the path I use.

I don't think there are any rules, but keeping to the left where possible makes sense as it matches on the road behavior.

armyknife

Heycock wrote: »

I was knocked off my bike for the first time in 40 years...the offender? Another cyclist riding like a madman. He didn't stop. I doubt he stops at red lights or crossings either. Too many of them now and they give us all a bad name.

Good grief, I hope you're all right.

I had a close shave with someone on a bike a couple of weeks ago. I'm cyling down one side of a old railwayl ine, where it narrow because of bushes a bloke on a mountain bike steamed past me at about twice my speed, I was doing about 12 mph at the time.
He headed off into the distance, but appeared to slow.
I picked my pace up a bit and within 400 yards I'd caught up with him. So I asked him why he'd passed my so close at speed, nearly brushing me. He said the reason I'd so easily caught up with him was because he'd slowed the cycle path was more difficult, bumpier. Which is odd as he was on a good looking mountainbike and I was on an old knackered hybrid.

I think what happened was he saw another cyclists and thought "I'll burn past him, let him eat dirt and impress him with my speed/manliness" ?

However if he'd misjudged it, or I'd moved slightly to the left on the path, hed have crashed into the back of me and sent us both crashing. I wonder who the lawyers would think at fault ?

Heycock

Armyknife #100

That's what happened to me. Had no idea he was steaming up behind me, brushed me only lightly but my reflexes caused me to twitch slightly to the left and it put me in a patch of gravel in the gutter ....I couldn't straighten up and hit the kerb, going A over T. I'd have gone after him and put his lights out but I was too busy reinserting my shoulder into it's socket. I think he saw me... no helmet, ordinary clothes, battered old 70's Dawes... and thought he'd have some fun with an old school low-life. Suffice to say he was fully fitted out in all the gear on his state of the art £2000 Boardman. All the right gear apart from a brain.