Kamikaze Cyclists!

Tilt

jack_pott wrote: »

What you're doing is inviting people to label cyclists as idiots, thereby fuelling the feud, and increasing the risk they're exposed to. Risk taking cyclists are endangering few other than themselves, risk taking motorists endanger most other road users. The only cyclists you see at all are the ones that are not sufficiently risk averse to be frightened way from the roads altogether. I once rode through central London on a coach that was treating every red light as a give way sign, but I don't tar all coach drivers with the same brush.

If anyone wants to see why motorists get so exercised about cyclists, all they need to do is look at the other things that wind motorists up: other motorists, traffic jams, speed cameras, pedestrians, yellow lines, etc. In fact anything that gets between them and what they feel entitled to. What makes the torment even worse is watching how cyclists can often pass freely through the congestion that's holding up the motorists.

It has little or nothing to do with any concern for cyclists safety.

Really? And there was me beginning to think you were coming out with some sensible debate.

The only people labelling these idiots are themselves by riding recklessly through central London during rush hour. How me highlighting the problem is going to "increase the risk they're exposed to" is beyond me and I think is a ridiculous statement to be honest. They don't need my help in exposing them to risk as they are doing a very good job of it themselves! If the obeyed the rules of the road and rode responsibly there would be no "feud" as you put it.

Tilt

fred246 wrote: »

In the UK every year on the road
1850 People are killed
23000 Seriously injured
5000 people die of pollution from vehicles.
What proportion of these are caused by cyclists?

More to the point, how many cyclists are part of your statistics?

But this hasn't really got anything to do with the point of the post unless you are trying to say that riding recklessly is acceptable JUST because they happen to somehow manage to escape being involved in an accident and live another day.

fred246

I am a motorist and a cyclist. I obey the rules of the road. I think speed cameras and traffic light cameras are fine. Anything to improve road safety. Why do so many motorists not like cameras? Because they don't want to obey the rules of the road.

Tilt

fred246 wrote: »

I am a motorist and a cyclist. I obey the rules of the road. I think speed cameras and traffic light cameras are fine. Anything to improve road safety. Why do so many motorists not like cameras? Because they don't want to obey the rules of the road.

I'll give you a thanks for that because I actually agree with you. But you still havn't commented on what I observed in central London last night which is the point of the thread. We sometimes hear about cyclists being involved in collisions and getting killed by larger vehicles in London. Well after driving through there last night, it's not hard to see why it happens. Surely the authorities should be doing more to make sure these incidents don't happen? For example, how often do the police prosecute cyclists for having no lights?

brat

hugheskevi wrote: »

I do love these threads with all the concern for the poor little cyclists who are inevitably going to kill themselves.

So good to see folk care so much about them.

Just a shame the threads can't be a bit more like Christmas and only come round once a year rather than every month or so

This thread is Tilt's Christmas present to himself. A little reminder that his prejudice is still alive and kicking.

Tilt

brat wrote: »

This thread is Tilt's Christmas present to himself. A little reminder that his prejudice is still alive and kicking.

Lol! Hope the tyres on your bike are wider than your minded opinion!

Nebulous2

Tilt wrote: »

I'll give you a thanks for that because I actually agree with you. But you still havn't commented on what I observed in central London last night which is the point of the thread. We sometimes hear about cyclists being involved in collisions and getting killed by larger vehicles in London. Well after driving through there last night, it's not hard to see why it happens. Surely the authorities should be doing more to make sure these incidents don't happen? For example, how often do the police prosecute cyclists for having no lights?

The point of the thread is to come and troll in a cycling forum because you don't like cyclists.

Tilt

Nebulous2 wrote: »

The point of the thread is to come and troll in a cycling forum because you don't like cyclists.

No, I don't like reckless, irresponsible cyclists like the ones I described in my OP. Are you saying that the way they ride is acceptable then?

Nebulous2

Tilt wrote: »

No, I don't like reckless, irresponsible cyclists like the ones I described in my OP. Are you saying that the way they ride is acceptable then?

At some point in the next 2-3 years I'm going to reach the point where I've driven a million miles. I've cycled around 20,000

I've seen some absolutely terrible driving, a fair proportion of it by bus drivers.

In all that time I've never been asked to justify myself as a driver. People are happy to blame the individual errant drivers

Yet knowing I cycle means every bigot on earth feels the need to make me justify the actions of other cyclists. I have enough on my plate looking after myself in the jungle that is our road system without having to carry the weight of other people's actions as well.

fred246

If a motorist drives a 1500kg vehicle stupidly at 60MPH in an urban area I would be disgusted because of the death or injuries he could cause to other people. If a cyclist cycles dangerously I am not that bothered because he is only likely to injure himself. It would be like him doing skydiving or bungee jumping. I wouldn't take the risk myself but if someone else wants to then I am not too bothered. I think what it does illustrate that is sad is that normal Mr Average does not cycle in the UK because of the perceived risk. I think in urban areas it is only young male risk takers that are cycling. In Holland everyone cycles because the cycle paths feel safe and take you from your front door to the shops, your place of work etc.