Killer motorists!

zagfles

wheelz wrote: »

They do it to smaller motorcycles too and bigger ones sometimes. And of course smaller cars. I agree with what Strider590 says. The main problem is that there has been no investment and no respect for cyclists. Yes they do get jealous of filtering cyclists and motorcyclists. All I can say get a (motor)cycle yourself if you want to do the same.

That really makes no sense. Why would anyone get "jealous" because someone overtakes them, in the case of cyclists you'll probably be overtaking them again in half a mile when the traffic starts to flow again. Like you say if they wanted to do the same they'd get a bike! They clearly don't!

I read an interesting article the other day. In the Netherlands the law states that anyone who drives into a cyclist from behind is at fault, so if we would have that here, they would be more careful. http://www.theplanner.co.uk/features/bike-ability-are-planners-geared-up-for-the-cycling-revolution

But that's the general case anyway isn't it - you drive into the back of someone and it's nearly always your fault. Hence all the "crash for cash" setups tend to create a situation where you drive into the back of someone so you get the blame.

BeenThroughItAll

Whilst we're tarring large groups with a single brush, I'd like to point out that all cyclists are lycra-clad militants with no road sense, who use no lights in the dark, who run red lights and ride dangerously through pedestrianised areas on their untaxed and uninsured silent death-machines.

brat

This is not an issue that cyclists can do anything about, unless they are prepared to further aggravate motorists by taking the primary position.
Motorists should give a cyclist as much space as they would when overtaking a car.

Why is it that most motorists don't do that?

Marktheshark

The situation was reaching hilarity when the Bus arrived and i had to leave, the cyslist pick the bike up and looked like he was going to slam it on the pavement in anger, but it hit rather a burly looking bloke behind him who was not amused at all.
I wish I had caught the next bus a million times

Johno100

The Lycra Taliban get their own sub-forum on here and they still come and infest this board like a plague of rats (black ones in the OP's case)

wheelz wrote: »

I read an interesting article the other day. In the Netherlands the law states that anyone who drives into a cyclist from behind is at fault, so if we would have that here, they would be more careful. http://www.theplanner.co.uk/features/bike-ability-are-planners-geared-up-for-the-cycling-revolution

Yes that is called presumed or strict liability and is what some cycling activists want here. Worth pointing out that this is about civil liability and not criminal liability, although no doubt some of the extremists want it to be criminal. Anyway by the logic that this should be brought in because cyclists are a vulnerable group of road users who need protecting then this should apply in cyclist vs pedestrian collisions where the pedestrian is the more vulnerable and the cyclist should be assumed to be at fault.

PDC

Most motorists drive far too close to other motorists as well.


As to the other comments, I switched from a driving commute to a walking commute for a couple of years and in that time I was hit by cyclists three times - All three on the pavement passing me at speed form behind. Luckily no serious injuries other than some bruising.

I actually thought walking to an office would be a less stressful commute but uneven pavements, bad parking, people on the school run without a minute to lose - I was glad when I moved offices and was back in the car at the end of it.

hgotsparkle

We don't get a lot of town cyclists our way but what we do get an awful lot of is cyclists at night in no reflective gear, no lights and in the middle of the road on a bend. That winds me up.

zagfles

brat wrote: »

This is not an issue that cyclists can do anything about, unless they are prepared to further aggravate motorists by taking the primary position.
Motorists should give a cyclist as much space as they would when overtaking a car.

Why is it that most motorists don't do that?

Well I give them as much if not more space between their right side and my left side when overtaking.

mcpitman

brat wrote: »

I'm speaking here as a road cyclist who regularly cycles more than 7,000 miles a year on the road. I drive too, in fact I have advanced driving certificates.

But why is it, when we have many stories in the news about cyclists falling victim to motorists who have failed to give enough space to cyclists, that the majority of motorists I witness still drive far too closely past cyclists. Why do they drive too close behind cyclists? You would think that the threat of prison time if they collided with a cyclist because they were driving too close would cause them to see sense, but no, they carry on regardless.

It's really not the minority either. Most motorists do this. Some drink and drive too - a disaster waiting to happen, especially from a cyclists perspective.

It's really little wonder that motorists have a dreadful reputation among cycling groups.

More holes in this rant than any level of twaddle I have ever read on here (and i read some of Darkmatters rubbish!)

When you say "some drink and drive too" are you referring to motorists or cyclists? I assume motorists (in line with your other twaddle).

So a cyclist never drinks and rides then? :rotfl:

Equally (as we are being insulting to each other) why do the lycra clad weirdos always swerve into the middle of the road to avoid potholes, draincovers or even the smallest piece of paper?

Where is your insurance?

Why do you never use lights?

Get back in your box hero cyclist... people like you give myself and other cyclists (I am clearly a motorist) a bad name....

Oh and here's some angels wings for you to wear on your soapbox :A

Joe_Horner

brat wrote: »

Motorists should give a cyclist as much space as they would when overtaking a car.

Why is it that most motorists don't do that?

Speaking as one of the motorists who does do that I'd also suggest that a (thougtful) slow motorist - tractors are generally good at this - will usually pull over and allow a building queue to pass occasionally. I've never yet seen a cyclist do that - even when all they need to do is ride through a layby without slowing.

That doesn't excuse poor driving, but neither does poor driving excuse poor cycling.