Biggest Threats to Cyclists?

custardy

Tilt wrote: »

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

http://youtu.be/PIZDKIjYUUo

really. Are we just going to trawl Youtube and post videos?

This one is from a licenced car driver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gq5WqzUJbI

WiggyDiggyPoo

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.

And like I also said there should be some kind of tax/licence on cyclists then they could be indentified and brought to rights for bad cycling.

I'm more than happy to pay VED on my bicycle based on the level of exhaust emissions it puts out. So that will be £0.

Also I passed my driving test several years ago, as did many cyclists. Most of us do drive, we just prefer our bikes.

Lastly I don't see why I should start self policing behaviour of other people just because we share a mode of transport.

AndyBSG

Nice little discussion on cycling on the Politics Show which is on iPlayer.

It starts around the 30 minute mark but what makes it priceless is what happens at 34:15

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03kkgmr/Daily_Politics_26_11_2013/

4 coppers one being interviewed the other three standing around and not reacting in any way to the Transit van speeding through the red traffic light...

hugheskevi

I go through that junction every day - saw a guy get a ticket for entering the ASZ earlier this week.

On one hand, he did enter the ASZ, broke the law, and was clearly guilty.

But, I can't help but have some sympathy - it was after the morning rush hour so there weren't many cyclists about, and he was over on the right hand lane where there are few if any cyclists anyhow.

Given that enforcement of ASZs is almost none existant, it felt a little harsh that he gets a ticket when every day I see at least 5 vehicles in ASZs where they are in the way of large number of cyclists (often between about 10-20 cyclists, which get scattered all over the place if the ASZ is blocked). If police are only going to give out occasional tickets, I'd prefer them to only give them to those who are causing real inconvenience and increasing danger on the roads.

The other reason I felt sympathy was that immediately round the corner there is another set of lights with an ASZ - half-filled by a police car waiting at the red light

Tilt

custardy wrote: »

really. Are we just going to trawl Youtube and post videos?

This one is from a licenced car driver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gq5WqzUJbI

At least he gave the cyclists plenty of room AND stopped at the red light.

There are 40+ videos on "silly cyclists", each containing 10 clips and about 80% of them show cyclists jumping red lights. The most concerning thing though is the amount of cyclists who put themselves in danger... particularly undertaking vehicles which are already indicating to turn left.

custardy

Tilt wrote: »

At least he gave the cyclists plenty of room AND stopped at the red light.

There are 40+ videos on "silly cyclists", each containing 10 clips and about 80% of them show cyclists jumping red lights. The most concerning thing though is the amount of cyclists who put themselves in danger... particularly undertaking vehicles which are already indicating to turn left.

You think I cant match that for cars etc?
stopped at the red lights,is that some amazing feat whilst eating breakfast?
Gave plenty of room?
So overtaking a cyclist as the cyclist is coming up to a parked car
in the zizags of a pedestrian crossing
whilst eating breakfast. one hand on the gearstick and the other with the bowl

You will also note the poor road surface on the centre of the road

I have seen this guys videos. he is very fit and cycles fast (faster than me for sure!)
however the Astra driver was in a rush so couldnt wait to pass the cyclist.

Tilt

custardy wrote: »

You think I cant match that for cars etc?
stopped at the red lights,is that some amazing feat whilst eating breakfast?
Gave plenty of room?
So overtaking a cyclist as the cyclist is coming up to a parked car
in the zizags of a pedestrian crossing
whilst eating breakfast. one hand on the gearstick and the other with the bowl

You will also note the poor road surface on the centre of the road

I have seen this guys videos. he is very fit and cycles fast (faster than me for sure!)
however the Astra driver was in a rush so couldnt wait to pass the cyclist.

And what about the cyclists who cut each other up? And push through cyclists who have stopped at red lights? And come straight off a pavement without looking?

Yes, I freely accept that eating a bowl of serial was not the brightest thing to do but your Silly Cyclist buddy seems to show that there are far too many bad cyclists who give you good cyclists a bad name.

Would you seriously put yourself in some of the positions shown in a lot of those clips?

kinger101

Le73Uq86Uv wrote: »

If you chose not to use what has been privided for cyclists dont complain when you get hit down buy a car when using the road.

If you want better cycle paths pay for them like car drivers pay for the roads, i.e a road bike tax.

So I guess you've never been on a bike. Many cycle paths in the UK are not fit for purpose. Examples include;

(a) being next to poorly maintained roads, and hence being covered with loose slippery gravel, which is not safe to cycle on;
(b) being shared with pedestrians......pointless, and a recipe for disaster;
(c) having give way signs every 10-20 metres, this seems to give some drivers carte blanche to accelerate, overtake and turn left on the assumption that the cyclist has 360 degree vision (we have these where I live, and I'd very much like to take the guy who designed these into a darkened room where "!!!! most definitely happens")

You're a sick !!!!!!! for saying people shouldn't complain if they get hit by a car. You should be ashamed of yourself. If you can't share the road, you don't know how to drive.

Car tax does not exist. It's VED. The amount levied in no way even near compensates for the costs of our road infrastructure.

custardy

Tilt wrote: »

And what about the cyclists who cut each other up? And push through cyclists who have stopped at red lights? And come straight off a pavement without looking?

Yes, I freely accept that eating a bowl of serial was not the brightest thing to do but your Silly Cyclist buddy seems to show that there are far too many bad cyclists who give you good cyclists a bad name.

Would you seriously put yourself in some of the positions shown in a lot of those clips?

lets not digress
lets stick to your points
so you are happy with the overtake on that video, regardless of the drivers other actions?

AndyBSG

custardy wrote: »

lets not digress

Unfortunately, this thread is full of the good old "Dead Cat On The Table" tactic that Boris himself has been employing with his comments on helmets and headphone, or as I like to call it the "Look over there so you can't see what's actually going on over here" method.

The facts are simple.

- 6 cyclists have been killed by HGV's in 14 days.
- A helmet would have saved none of them.
- None of them were jumping red lights.
- None of them were wearing headphones.

Yet this thread is full of people alluding that cyclists are the problem because they don't wear helmets and jump red lights.

Also amusing to see the people criticising cyclists are basing their criticism on youtube videos and public opinion rather than actual cold hard facts and statistics.