Suicidal Cyclist

brat

robotrobo wrote: »

Cyclists do not want to be told to use alternative cycle routes eg canals , cycle lanes , &other reason being that they want as much road as possible to continue to hold there road racing or time trial events on the open roads,& not to be told that they have to use alternative cycle routes, in the early years raceing on the roads was prohibited & raceing events were held in very high secrecy so that the police didn't find out until the events were
on or over & completed with.
So your are never going to get the cycling officialdom to agree to use cycle ways or roads of safety for fear of loseing the right to use any legal roads.

I've never 'competed' in a time trial or road race in my life. I've no real interest in doing so, although I like to challenge myself on certain hills or iconic routes.
So I don't buy your argument. I ride the occasional sportive - two or three per year, only one of which could be a pita for motorists, with up to 1,800 cyclists taking part, but there is so much prior warning of the route that the vast majority of motorists don't use the roads (all of which are extremely minor roads) that morning and early afternoon.
Cycle officialdom may have issues with wanting races to remain on the road, but I and most of my cycling friends have nothing to do with them. All we want is to be able to go from A to B to C to D to A in peace and at one with the environment.

[Deleted User]

brat wrote: »

.....and to save stopping and starting all the time.

There was a documentary in which they had a few motorists cycling round London to see what it's like. When the taxi driver got of the bike, the first thing he said was "I never realised just how much effort it takes to get going again each time you stop".

You only need to stop about once every 130 yards to double your energy expenditure.

robotrobo

brat wrote: »

I've never 'competed' in a time trial or road race in my life. I've no real interest in doing so, although I like to challenge myself on certain hills or iconic routes.
So I don't buy your argument. I ride the occasional sportive - two or three per year, only one of which could be a pita for motorists, with up to 1,800 cyclists taking part, but there is so much prior warning of the route that the vast majority of motorists don't use the roads (all of which are extremely minor roads) that morning and early afternoon.
Cycle officialdom may have issues with wanting races to remain on the road, but I and most of my cycling friends have nothing to do with them. All we want is to be able to go from A to B to C to D to A in peace and at one with the environment.

I'm not against you , what I am saying that's how it used to be & the cycling body's would not go down the proper safety angle of getting cycling off the roads, them were the days when there was very little traffic on the roads.
Keep your chin up &look after your b/bracket;)

Retrogamer

I almost had an accident yesterday due to an idiot motorist, but not due to not being seen.
I was in a queue of traffic and the car in front pulled away, i pulled away behind them and kept my speed up. Both of us doing about 25mph through town and i'm leaving a 2 second gap in front.

Car from behind me decides they want to overtake. Starts to overtake, realises there isn't enough room to pull back in between me and the car in front, forces their way in and then rams the brakes on and gives me a confused / angry look in the mirror. All that because even though they didn't get any further and i was traveling at the same speed as traffic, some motorists just have a mentality where they can't tolerate being behind cyclists.

peter_the_piper

Could have been nasty, good job you slowed down and let him in.

brat

Retrogamer wrote: »

I almost had an accident yesterday due to an idiot motorist, but not due to not being seen.
I was in a queue of traffic and the car in front pulled away, i pulled away behind them and kept my speed up. Both of us doing about 25mph through town and i'm leaving a 2 second gap in front.

Car from behind me decides they want to overtake. Starts to overtake, realises there isn't enough room to pull back in between me and the car in front, forces their way in and then rams the brakes on and gives me a confused / angry look in the mirror. All that because even though they didn't get any further and i was traveling at the same speed as traffic, some motorists just have a mentality where they can't tolerate being behind cyclists.

Many motorists, especially the less confident ones, feel pressured to pass cyclists. They get worried that they haven't yet managed to get past, and can feel that the motorist(s) behind them are getting annoyed at them for faffing around. This is often the case on many of the winding rural roads I use.
I generally control them, make sure they don't overtake when it's not safe for me, but when there is an opportunity to pass, I facilitate it as much as I can. I then acknowledge their patience as they pass, which often reassures them that they've done the right thing.

Norman_Castle

Retrogamer wrote: »

Car from behind me decides they want to overtake. Starts to overtake, realises there isn't enough room to pull back in between me and the car in front, forces their way in and then rams the brakes on and gives me a confused / angry look in the mirror. All that because even though they didn't get any further and i was traveling at the same speed as traffic, some motorists just have a mentality where they can't tolerate being behind cyclists.

I've often been pushily overtaken by cars who can clearly see the traffic queue 100 feet ahead which they then sit at the back of and I pass them seconds later. Its clueless and pointless. It doesn't benefit them in any way. There is a simplistic mindset with some drivers who cannot think more than 30 feet ahead.

Nasqueron

robotrobo wrote: »

Cyclists do not want to be told to use alternative cycle routes eg canals , cycle lanes , &other reason being that they want as much road as possible to continue to hold there road racing or time trial events on the open roads,& not to be told that they have to use alternative cycle routes, in the early years raceing on the roads was prohibited & raceing events were held in very high secrecy so that the police didn't find out until the events were
on or over & completed with.
So your are never going to get the cycling officialdom to agree to use cycle ways or roads of safety for fear of loseing the right to use any legal roads.

Canal tow paths are inevitably much slower, full of walkers and animals (with added danger of falling into the water) and covered in nasty spiked rocks and other debris causing punctures. They also get boggy in the rain meaning a road bike cannot ride on it without getting stuck.

I cycle to work and for pleasure, I have never done a time trial or race, just a couple of organised rides over a fixed distance. The events I have been on are clearly signed every few hundred meters with clear notices that a driver can see to warn them of a cycling event. Aside from a few organised groups, most people I saw were in 1-2s at most and could easily be passed.

I have a car and pay council tax and have every right to use a road to ride to work (the cycle lane total distance on my commute is about 10m so I couldn't use one if I wanted to)

BillyMansell

Nasqueron wrote: »

Canal tow paths are inevitably much slower, full of walkers and animals (with added danger of falling into the water) and covered in nasty spiked rocks and other debris causing punctures. They also get boggy in the rain meaning a road bike cannot ride on it without getting stuck.

I cycle to work and for pleasure, I have never done a time trial or race, just a couple of organised rides over a fixed distance. The events I have been on are clearly signed every few hundred meters with clear notices that a driver can see to warn them of a cycling event. Aside from a few organised groups, most people I saw were in 1-2s at most and could easily be passed.

I have a car and pay council tax and have every right to use a road to ride to work (the cycle lane total distance on my commute is about 10m so I couldn't use one if I wanted to)

There's no need to respond to robotrobo's deliberate piece of disinformation that is the sort of nonsense that is normally the preserve of the Alliance of British Drivers.

Here's a link to the true history of the ban on cycling racing on the road, brought about by the National Cyclists Union themselves none-the-less;
http://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com/blog/2007/10/23/history-of-british-cycle-racing-part-i-the-ban.html

Retrogamer

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Could have been nasty, good job you slowed down and let him in.

Was pretty annoying. I was already in primary position as well so not like i was out of view or anything.
Best to slow down and let the maniacs in than risk an accident