Biggest Threats to Cyclists?

esuhl

Le73Uq86Uv wrote: »

Like I said at the start, CYCLIST are their own worst enemies, you good cyclist need to rein in the bad ones as they are bringing the whole lot into disgrace.

:rotfl: Very funny (although I don't think it was intended that way!)

Well, I'd say the same about car drivers (er... if I wasn't thinking clearly!)... So how are YOU going to rein in the bad car drivers who are bringing the whole lot into disgrace?

Let's assume that you're a good driver. How does being brought into disgrace (as you have been) feel when you haven't done anything wrong? What are you going to do to clear your name, when the deaths of so many innocent cyclists are on your collective conscience? Does this even make any sense, or are you just picking on minority road users because it gives you a rare chance to feel a false sense of superiority over others?

If a black person commits a crime, do you tell all black people that they have been brought into disgrace and it's THEIR job to rein in all other black people...? Why do it to cyclists?

AndyBSG

mgdavid wrote: »

Occasionally dead, but perfectly within the law, so that's OK then.

Darwin rules.

Darwin rules are those who kill themselves as a result of their own stupidity and protect our gene pool.

Not sure how that applies here because in the overwhelming majority of cyclist accidents the person in the car is at fault(Up to 56% according to the Department for Transport report compared to just 6% being the cyclists fault).

Source - http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2012/oct/04/boris-johnson-cycling-accident-statistics-wrong

So the stupid person is actually the one who survived in their mobile metal box, blowing the Darwin theory out of the water

brat

Johno100 wrote: »

Well perhaps pushbikes could have number plates? Bad riders could be shamed on Youtube by camera equipped bikes and motor vehicles and in London reported to RoadSafe.

You never know in the most serious cases social media could be used to identify them and badger their employer into dismissing them.

I'm full of good ideas today;)

You must be posting them elsewhere then...

Avoriaz

Enterprise_1701C wrote: »

Pedestrians that think it is funny to walk five abreast across the path and cycle path and then accuse you of cycling on the footpath when they are actually walking on the cycle path.

I get a lot of that here in Chichester, particularly when school is out in mid afternoon.

I have a pathetic little bell on my bike that, even if I can actually get it to work, makes very little sound and does little to penetrate either the shrieking laughter of a bunch of teenagers or the "headphone wearing, head down, concentrating on mobile phone and oblivious to the world around them" types that I see in increasing numbers.

I'm thinking of getting a loud siren for my bike.

That might make them jump out of the cycle path, if not out of their skin.

Any comments on bicycle sirens?

custardy

Avoriaz wrote: »

I get a lot of that here in Chichester, particularly when school is out in mid afternoon.

I have a pathetic little bell on my bike that, even if I can actually get it to work, makes very little sound and does little to penetrate either the shrieking laughter of a bunch of teenagers or the "headphone wearing, head down, concentrating on mobile phone and oblivious to the world around them" types that I see in increasing numbers.

I'm thinking of getting a loud siren for my bike.

That might make them jump out of the cycle path, if not out of their skin.

Any comments on bicycle sirens?

Get a brass bell
better ring and it has a longer duration

esuhl

Avoriaz wrote: »

I'm thinking of getting a loud siren for my bike.

That might make them jump out of the cycle path, if not out of their skin.

Any comments on bicycle sirens?

I've been thinking of getting one for a while -- I'm pretty sure that drivers wouldn't hear a bell, and grabbing their attention if you can see them about to do something stupid could well be a life-saver...

This is the one I was looking at: http://www.airzound.co.uk/

Strider590

Avoriaz wrote: »

Any comments on bicycle sirens?

I have a 120dB car twin airhorn fitted to my hybrid commuting bike, fed from a small 12v battery and activated with a horn switch from a moped. It should give me around 3mins of constant use.....

Look up "Traffic droid" on Youtube, he's got basically the same thing I have.

Oldfatgrumpy

At one time when cycling in traffic frequently, I used a portable airhorn, in a drink-bottle cage on the downtube. Being a loose fit in the bottle cage meant it could quickly be pointed directly at the offending vehicle when sounded. I have seen drivers visibly surprised when they've tried cutting me up and got a blast from it.

Tilt

Theses clips are a real eye opener. Didn't realise there were so many silly cyclists!

http://youtu.be/PIZDKIjYUUo

hugheskevi

Didn't realise there were so many silly cyclists!

There are lots of them, everywhere. Same as there are lots of silly car and van drivers. Rarer to come across silly bus, taxi (not minicab) and HGV drivers, but they still exist in decent numbers.

The silliest cyclist I've ever come across was one who thought it a good idea to cycle the wrong way down the bus lane across Vauxhall Bridge shortly after the morning rush-hour, when it was still very busy.

It is quite hard to see an oncoming cyclist on the wrong side of the road when in a line of 6 or so cyclists, until the very last second as the line swerves out to avoid them, each cyclist in the line progressively closer to a collision. Closest I've come to a head on crash with any type of vehicle.

In my experience though, the silliest are teenage males who seem unable to hold a straight line or any amount of speed, often riding a bike with the saddle ridiculously low (sort of like you might ride a Harley Davidson) and unlikely to have any lights or visibility gear. They mostly frequent residential areas, and are predominantly a summer species fortunately, and commonly found on the pavements rather than roads. Very unpredictable, and should always be given a wide berth when encountered.