Why do some cyclists use the entire lane, use fog horns, and flashing lights?????????

Keep_pedalling

I'm one of those cyclists who take prime position when it calls for it. I ride there because riding close to the curb allows idiots in cars or even worse vans to overtake when there is not enough room to do it safely. Riding close to the curb also means you have to negotiate dodgy drain covers and all the crap that makes its way to the edge of the roads.

I don't use them myself but horns are used instead of bells because people can actually hear them including people in cars and pedestrians using headphones. I just prefer to shout when needed.

boliston

trinidadone wrote: »

There is in london

Are you talking about roads made narrower purely due to parked motor vehicles on each side? If this is the case then the cyclist is only really using less than a third of the road.

Tobster86

trinidadone wrote: »

uses the entire lane and holds the traffic up while cycling in the middle of the lane

Reasons:
-Turning right (fairly obvious).
-Passing parked cars (to avoid being 'doored').
-Passing junctions (more visible to people in the junction).
-In multi-lane one way systems, debatably including approaches to junctions (you have other lanes in which to pass if you need to).
-Approaching pinch-points, or other places where it's not safe to overtake (this showing of intention is actually of benefit to car drivers as it discourages an unsafe manoeuvre).

If the average speed for cars in London is 10mph, cyclists are not holding cars up; it's the other way round!

trinidadone wrote: »

Some Cyclists are now using fog horns, what has happoned to the tradional bell?

I've always thought of these as a bit daft, but then again; you won't hear a bell if you're driving a car, and many pedestrians lost in their iPod don't either. Also I've considered small, car-style EM horns; so each to their own I suppose.

trinidadone wrote: »

Why the flashing rear and front lights at night, cant cyclist just have ordinary cycle lights like before, do the ordinary ones not work???

This one gets debated to death and, the few rather less stringent regulations aside; I use a solid and powerful white light from the front; and combination solid & flashing lights on the back (two for redundancy as I can't see them).
My theory is that it's beneficial to be identified as a cyclist from the back, but not from the front.

27col

trinidadone wrote: »

hello all,

Often during one lane traffic, u see a lone cyclist who uses the entire lane and holds the traffic up while cycling in the middle of the lane, why do cyclists do that?

Some Cyclists are now using fog horns, what has happoned to the tradional bell?

Why the flashing rear and front lights at night, cant cyclist just have ordinary cycle lights like before, do the ordinary ones not work???

I'm just guessing here. But perhaps it's so that people like you don't run them down.

[Deleted User]

I've not cycled for a good few years, but I had an air horn when I did. I swear it saved my life on one occasion - being able to alert a distracted driver that I was there; since it's about as loud as a car horn.

Found it - it was like this one - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Generic-Air-Zound-Rechargeable-Horn/dp/B00JQN1ED4

At 115db, they are as loud as a car horn

trinidadone

boliston wrote: »

Are you talking about roads made narrower purely due to parked motor vehicles on each side? If this is the case then the cyclist is only really using less than a third of the road.

no, just a one lane road

trinidadone

27col wrote: »

I'm just guessing here. But perhaps it's so that people like you don't run them down.

And what is "people like me"

Prothet_of_Doom

I fell off my bike twice today. No cars or Pedestrians were involved, just mud, rain and an optimistic view, of the grip available at a stupid angle of lean.

I've never fallen off on the road. I keep away from the curb, and try to use roads where there is less traffic. In busy traffic, I tend to be overtaking most of it a lot of the time. But I'm a motorist too. I give bikes about a 4 foot gap when I overtake. And I indicate to show the cars behind that I'm overtaking a slower vehicle, so that maybe they can give them some room too.

One question to the OP ? Do you use indicators when you blast past the push bike ?

Prothet_of_Doom

trinidadone wrote: »

And what is "people like me"

Who knows? Only a period of contemplation and self analysis with enlighten you as to what is "you" .

Nobody cares, but we assume you are very busy and want to get somewhere faster than the roads and traffic allow.

Try doubling your estimated journey time. Last time I went to London I estimated 8 hours. I mean it's 240 miles, so that's about right, on our rubbish roads. Strangely I did it in 5 including a stop. So relaxed because I arrived 3 hours early.

trinidadone

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

I fell off my bike twice today. No cars or Pedestrians were involved, just mud, rain and an optimistic view, of the grip available at a stupid angle of lean.

I've never fallen off on the road. I keep away from the curb, and try to use roads where there is less traffic. In busy traffic, I tend to be overtaking most of it a lot of the time. But I'm a motorist too. I give bikes about a 4 foot gap when I overtake. And I indicate to show the cars behind that I'm overtaking a slower vehicle, so that maybe they can give them some room too.

One question to the OP ? Do you use indicators when you blast past the push bike ?

what do you mean "when i blast past" the push bike?