Biggest Threats to Cyclists?

hugheskevi

Ah, another commute, another cretin.

Tonight's particular cretin was a van driver at these traffic lights.

Traffic is crawling along at about 5mph. I'm cycling, and filtering along right hand side of traffic (due to left turn and buses) and continuing straight on.

Van driver in traffic queue decides to not allow me to merge with traffic to go around the pedestrian island by accelerating to drive on the bumper of the car in front and keeping right, close to the island to block me off when if he had driven normally I could have pulled in front of him for literally 2 seconds as after the island I can either continue filtering to right, or there is a bus lane.

Then he pulls to left slightly (now enough room to pass him), winds down window and starts ranting about how I need to learn how to drive. Not sure what rules he thinks I have broken, since filtering is legal and I was fully aware of all traffic around me as demonstrated by not pulling across into the side of him when he decided to prevent merging. If he had continued driving normally there would be no incident nor delay for anyone.

I'd have liked to have argued with him, but I had a nice clear path ahead (unlike him) to continue, so simply said "byeeee" and went on.

Within 20 seconds he was a long way behind, now stuck in stationary traffic

NormW

To sum this one up in one sentence, it is in my opinion:

"Individuals with a cavalier attitude to their own safety and the safety of others, who believe they hold no responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others."

I avoid roads on my commute wherever possible, but one a short stretch near work I have to use the road. I cross a large 2 lane roundabout in the primary position as there is always a queue of traffic after the roundabout. Now despite this on several occasions the car behind me as I join the roundabout decides I'm in their way and they're going to overtake and cut me up as we join the queue. They gain maybe a car length then I sit behind them all the way until I turn left off the main road. I say behind them, as they have gone in the right hand lane, pulled alongside me then indicated left and then continue to move left until I have no option but to yield the primary position or go under their wheels as they continue to move into my lane. I also stay behind as I do not feel safe filtering and would rather wait in the queue of traffic.

There's a traffic island where the same happens, I cycle in the primary to deter an unsafe overtaking manoeuvre, if they can pull alongside before the island they do and then move left until they force you to yield or go under their wheels.

There's no dealing with this mentality where they are basically playing a game of chicken with you, from the security of their 1ton metal box. To be honest I've also suffered a similar situation driving a car.

To motorists, we are a slow moving object in their way and they cannot be behind you even in traffic. Getting to their destination 30s quicker than if they waited for a safe point to overtake you is more important to them than the danger the overtaking manoeuvre is to the cyclist.

Pedestrians don't help themselves on dark nights, I'm cycling along shared paths wearing bright yellow with one solid and one flashing light on the front and will ring my bell if I can see them to warn of my approach. As the fashion seems to be to dress all in dark clothing is it any wonder I sometimes don't see them in time to ring the bell?

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...

DomRavioli

geri1965 wrote: »

Well, no, because if the lights were green for pedestrians then a lorry wouldn't be coming the other way.

You've obviously never been to Manchester at rush hour then...traffic does as it pleases.

DomRavioli

Norman_Castle wrote: »

This is interesting. Please tell us more. What did the police say about his cycling and your actions?. How long did they take to arrive?. What was he charged with?. Why did the police "take him off"?.

The lovely police took him off to be questioned, and subsequently cautioned (with a view to charging if the victim wishes to press charges). He had already hit someone not a minute previously to the incident with myself, and that person ended up in hospital (so I found out today) and it was put down as assault.

They took around 3 minutes to arrive (they were on their way after the previous collision not 300 metres down the same road), and they had nothing negative to say; I work with the police on a daily basis, and did nothing wrong; I am glad i did apprehend this silly person, as they will have a criminal record if the poor person who was hurt (in exactly the same circumstances!) decides to press full charges.

I would do it again in a heartbeat if it means another human being not getting hurt, be them cyclist, pedestrian, driver, passenger or whatever - nobody should have to have it happen to them, and hopefully they have learned their lesson.

WiggyDiggyPoo

NormW wrote: »

To sum this one up in one sentence, it is in my opinion:

"Individuals with a cavalier attitude to their own safety and the safety of others, who believe they hold no responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others."

I avoid roads on my commute wherever possible, but one a short stretch near work I have to use the road. I cross a large 2 lane roundabout in the primary position as there is always a queue of traffic after the roundabout. Now despite this on several occasions the car behind me as I join the roundabout decides I'm in their way and they're going to overtake and cut me up as we join the queue. They gain maybe a car length then I sit behind them all the way until I turn left off the main road. I say behind them, as they have gone in the right hand lane, pulled alongside me then indicated left and then continue to move left until I have no option but to yield the primary position or go under their wheels as they continue to move into my lane. I also stay behind as I do not feel safe filtering and would rather wait in the queue of traffic.

There's a traffic island where the same happens, I cycle in the primary to deter an unsafe overtaking manoeuvre, if they can pull alongside before the island they do and then move left until they force you to yield or go under their wheels.

There's no dealing with this mentality where they are basically playing a game of chicken with you, from the security of their 1ton metal box. To be honest I've also suffered a similar situation driving a car.

To motorists, we are a slow moving object in their way and they cannot be behind you even in traffic. Getting to their destination 30s quicker than if they waited for a safe point to overtake you is more important to them than the danger the overtaking manoeuvre is to the cyclist.

Pedestrians don't help themselves on dark nights, I'm cycling along shared paths wearing bright yellow with one solid and one flashing light on the front and will ring my bell if I can see them to warn of my approach. As the fashion seems to be to dress all in dark clothing is it any wonder I sometimes don't see them in time to ring the bell?

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...

Consider the story you have told regarding the roundabout and the pinch point - you are the vulnerable user and expected to be treated as such. Now compare it to what you say about the ped's in dark clothing, at that point they are the vulnerable user and if can't see them without them wearing hi-vis or lights, then you are travelling too fast.

My commute is a mixture of roads and shared use greenways, we have to give ped's right of way regardless of wether they are dressed like a ninja or Dynamo from the Running Man

geri1965_2

DomRavioli wrote: »

You've obviously never been to Manchester at rush hour then...traffic does as it pleases.

In which case the lorry would be at fault.

Cycrow

DomRavioli wrote: »

The lovely police took him off to be questioned, and subsequently cautioned (with a view to charging if the victim wishes to press charges). He had already hit someone not a minute previously to the incident with myself, and that person ended up in hospital (so I found out today) and it was put down as assault.

If true, then it shows a serious problem with the justice system.

if a driver runs down a cyclist and kills them, then its classed as an accident and the driver might get a slap on the rist or a small fine.

but a cyclist who hits a pedestrian, only hurting them, its considered assault

WiggyDiggyPoo

DomRavioli wrote: »

The lovely police took him off to be questioned, and subsequently cautioned (with a view to charging if the victim wishes to press charges). He had already hit someone not a minute previously to the incident with myself, and that person ended up in hospital (so I found out today) and it was put down as assault.

They took around 3 minutes to arrive (they were on their way after the previous collision not 300 metres down the same road), and they had nothing negative to say; I work with the police on a daily basis, and did nothing wrong; I am glad i did apprehend this silly person, as they will have a criminal record if the poor person who was hurt (in exactly the same circumstances!) decides to press full charges.

I would do it again in a heartbeat if it means another human being not getting hurt, be them cyclist, pedestrian, driver, passenger or whatever - nobody should have to have it happen to them, and hopefully they have learned their lesson.

I call Bull.

The police wouldn't give you the level of detail they did about action taken on previous alleged incidents, and your own alleged incident doesn't warrant a caution either regardless of what the cyclist allegedly did previously as to the police when they arrive you're two people standing at a red light.

The giveaway is there is nothing in any manchester newspaper regarding the cyclist hitting a pedestrian, although there is a story about a hit and run on a cyclist on a rochdale journalist (although that was in sheffield) http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/rochdale-journalist-rachael-clegg-badly-6140984

NormW

WiggyDiggyPoo wrote: »

Consider the story you have told regarding the roundabout and the pinch point - you are the vulnerable user and expected to be treated as such. Now compare it to what you say about the ped's in dark clothing, at that point they are the vulnerable user and if can't see them without them wearing hi-vis or lights, then you are travelling too fast.

My commute is a mixture of roads and shared use greenways, we have to give ped's right of way regardless of wether they are dressed like a ninja or Dynamo from the Running Man

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".

Avoriaz

DomRavioli wrote: »

The main threat to cyclists is them not following basic road rules.

They are their own worst enemy,

I'm sure 99% of cyclists are safe people, but some are just idiots, and they need to be stopped.

Those points also apply to motorists and pedestrians.