Which side of the road?

Tobster86

Some points;

A pedestrian can usually step off the road fairly immediately regardless of roadside terrain. No 'vehicle' can normally do this.

Many construction and use rules do exist for bicycles. I would advocate these rules being more heavily enforced than they are now.

I also advocate licensing, registration and insurance for bicycles; they can cause a lot more harm to people and property than someone simply running into someone or something on foot; and their safe use on the road requires considerable knowledge & skill which in my opinion parallels the requirements to drive a motor vehicle (those though I think should be much more stringent).

I think the general disregard for speed limits is due to their abuse as a political tool. I'd advocate a 20mph residential speed limit, 30/40 on other urban roads according to suitability, and no national speed limit. Strictly enforce the urban ones according to density of hazards. More strictly enforce careless/dangerous driving laws.

High quality cycling infrastructure already exists; they're called roads. I much prefer using them to 'shared spaces'; the only workable solution to these for everyone would be to legislate a required level of attention from pedestrians, which is unreasonable.

modsandmockers

Tobster86 wrote: »

A pedestrian can usually step off the road fairly immediately regardless of roadside terrain. No 'vehicle' can normally do this.

You are correct. But a cyclist can...

Tobster86

modsandmockers wrote: »

You are correct. But a cyclist can...

Not really. Unless he's either going very slow or happens to be right alongside a dropped kerb (which would still normally require a brief swing into the road), he can't for the same reasons other vehicles can't.

modsandmockers

Tobster86 wrote: »

Not really. Unless he's either going very slow or happens to be right alongside a dropped kerb (which would still normally require a brief swing into the road), he can't for the same reasons other vehicles can't.

A cyclist using a road without a cyclepath needs to consider his/her position as carefully as a pedestrian using a road without a footpath.

On busy single carriageway roads, especially going uphill, it is common for a long queue of motor vehicles to build up behind a panicking cyclist who is pedalling like a bat out of hell whilst losing more and more speed and making increasingly desperate eye contact with the increasingly impatient driver of the motor vehicle sitting on his/her right shoulder.

It would be better for everybody if the cyclist were to wheel the bike across the road and start to walk or pedal at a comfortable speed towards the oncoming traffic, thus giving him/herself a much better chance of being able to jump out of the way of the occasional arsole motorist.

RichardD1970

I'd just ride down the middle of the road. Problem solved. Best of both worlds.

modsandmockers

RichardD1970 wrote: »

I'd just ride down the middle of the road. Problem solved. Best of both worlds.

It's a good idea - all your confrontations would be with other cyclists coming towards you.

Tobster86

modsandmockers wrote: »

It would be better for everybody if the cyclist were to wheel the bike across the road and start to walk or pedal at a comfortable speed towards the oncoming traffic, thus giving him/herself a much better chance of being able to jump out of the way of the occasional arsole motorist.

To be honest, I don't disagree; at an unsustainable pace where you're an unnecessary obstruction to a high volume of traffic (because you'd make as much progress pushing the bicycle as attempting to ride it); the safest thing to do may be to remove yourself from the situation.

This does NOT however give anyone an excuse to drive dangerously. There is no excuse, ever.

I can't say I've personally experienced that circumstance before though. Without blowing my own trumpet too much, I'm yet to find a hill that's defeated me; and I make a rule of sustaining at least 10mph up the hills I do face.

frisbeej

Slow moving trucks should also move to the right side of the road


and milk floats


and wide loads


horse drawn caravans


cars made before 1998


French cars


motorbikes with too much chrome


cars driven by balding men with pony tails


cars with more than 3 squashed flies on the right headlight


all vehicles between 3:32 and 5:15 am


and every 4th mile everyone should switch to the opposite side