What Do Cyclists Have Against Cycle Tracks ?

Johno100

brat wrote: »

Motorists can and do get frustrated by the actions of other road users, I agree. Cyclists and other road users do too, so I'm not sure why you wish to single out car drivers. It's well known that anonymity or a sense of security can encourage people to react more bravely, But to suggest that nice people become "frothing at the mouth lunatics" as soon as they get into the drivers seat suggests a tendency to prejudge and exaggerate, which, as I said, is neither truthful or helpful, making you part of the problem, rather than the solution.

Tired soundbites like yours are usually wrong.

Totally agree, if someone is a frothing mouth lunatic behind the wheel of a motor vehicle why would they become a zen like being the moment they jump on a bike. And what is it something like 80% of cyclists are also drivers so it stands to reason that some driver/cyclists will be frothing mouth lunatics.

ab1982

brat wrote: »

Motorists can and do get frustrated by the actions of other road users, I agree. Cyclists and other road users do too, so I'm not sure why you wish to single out car drivers. It's well known that anonymity or a sense of security can encourage people to react more bravely, But to suggest that nice people become "frothing at the mouth lunatics" as soon as they get into the drivers seat suggests a tendency to prejudge and exaggerate, which, as I said, is neither truthful or helpful, making you part of the problem, rather than the solution.

Tired soundbites like yours are usually wrong.

Right and wrong at the same time, Ill have to play again :beer:

Or maybe you just took my hyperbole literally.

brat

Strider590 wrote: »

IMO cycles lanes are a bad idea full stop, they encourage this idea that cyclists shouldn't be on the road and this leads to a lot of road rage incidents with self-entitled drivers.

I used this cycle path yesterday. It's grand if you're out for a pootle with the family, but can you imagine trying to commute on something like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd3D9TIkL_8&feature=youtu.be

[Deleted User]

This is just another re-run of numerous other similar threads. If the usual suspects didn't listen to the answers they got previously they're not going to listen now either.

On at least three previous occasions I have posted a long list of research finding that cycle paths are less safe than riding on the road, but nobody takes any notice because cycle paths are about serving the wants of impatient motorists, not about the safety of the cyclists.

Nasqueron wrote: »

single file encourages car drivers to try and race past leaving 1 foot of space due to oncoming traffic

Like this.

Enterprise_1701C

jack_pott wrote: »

This is just another re-run of numerous other similar threads. If the usual suspects didn't listen to the answers they got previously they're not going to listen now either.

On at least three previous occasions I have posted a long list of research finding that cycle paths are less safe than riding on the road, but nobody takes any notice because cycle paths are about serving the wants of impatient motorists, not about the safety of the cyclists.



Like this.

That is horrifying, also made me think of all the car drivers that seem to think I should cycle approximately an inch from parked cars! I have twice had people open car doors when I have been forced to stop with nowhere else to go because of traffic. Ironically both those car door openers were police officers. I managed to stop in plenty of time on both occasions, but no-one was going to give me any space to move over in the next lane.

glasgowdan

The people in car rage against people on bikes is so 1990's. Stop being dinosaurs...We're all normal people. Live and let live.

Throbbe

molerat wrote: »

The other day whilst driving home during peak period came across 3 lycra fetishists without a single piece of hi viz between them riding along the single carriageway A road holding up a massive queue of vehicles that could not overtake. There is a proper tarmacced cycle track running along that road, the scene of many accidents, put there because of the danger to cyclists but this bunch of morons decided that the road was the place to be. WHY ? :mad:

Having made a facetious comment, that happily was spotted by all as tongue in check I should perhaps offer a genuine answer.


My decision to use, or not use, a cycle facility is based on a number of factors, including but not limited to safety, convenience, speed, smoothness and the type of journey I'm making.


On a 60 mile Sunday ride by myself where I'm looking to be travelling around 20mph I'll rarely use cycle paths, trading off the proximity to cars against the convenience of not having to hop on and off cycle facilities regularly and/or slow down to safely pass pedestrians.


On a 2 mile ride to the shops with my primary age children, then I'm travelling at a far more appropriate speed to mix with pedestrians, and I'm happy to accept the inconvenience of having to give way at side roads to be in a position where the children are separated from cars.


Making the decision entirely about safety (and indeed, someone else's perception of my safety) is nonsensical. We make the same tradeoffs of convenience against safety for car journeys, or else we'd still be tootling along with a man carrying a red flag in front of us.


The argument that money has been spent on cyclists so they should use it is also incorrect. The cycle routes provided are typically (but not always) focused on slower, recreational riders and those not confident in traffic, which doesn't suit my requirements. A similar argument would be to ban the use of non-trunk roads where there is a motorway or trunk road made available at enormous expense. Some people will prefer the back road, for all sorts of reasons, and the overall road network is provided for all sorts of drivers.


The tl;dr version is that essentially everyone makes choices based on their own requirements, and cyclists and drivers are no different in that respect. Someone thinking differently from you doesn't mean that they are a moron (although it doesn't mean they're not either!)

[Deleted User]

CHRISSYG wrote: »

Can I ask the cyclists a question ?

When I was younger it was a "rule" that you should ride in single file has that changed over the years ?

Speaking as a motorist my only frustration is when a pack of cyclists take over the whole road and seem oblivious to the chaos they are causing presumably its just the motorist who has to be aware of others around them.

Chaos ! thats a strange word to use for a group of cyclists making their way legally along the road. Maybe its a good idea to pop along to the doctors and get your blood pressure checked if you get wound up so easily to complain like that. The highway code gives a guideline of two abreast but its not actually a legal requirement.
If the doctor does find that your blood pressure is high or possibly you may have to lose some weight to lower it , then cycling is a great way to lose weight.Then you too will be able to sample how pig headed, selfish and ignorant many of today`s motorists are when they are denied going along at top speed for a few minutes.

suited-aces

Altarf wrote: »

So you trust your life to what someone else shouldn't be doing.

Either brave or stupid.

You do that every time you're near a road, no matter if you drive, cycle or walk.

hugheskevi

I do wonder how big an issue cyclists 'holding up' motorists on minor roads really is.

I holiday a lot in UK, and usually spend at least 10 days a year driving around a lot of minor roads. The most I have ever been held up by cyclists is perhaps a minute at a single time, and maybe 5 minutes over the course of a week or so.

In comparison, traffic jams of 2+ hours are not uncommon, and it is almost certain that on a long journey in Wales or Scotland I'll spend at least 10 miles ambling along behind a car doing 40mph in conditions where it is safe to do 60mph but overtaking is not possible due to visibility.

Tractors are likely to cause a big tail-back at some point, and lorries driving side-by-side at 56mph will doubtless add to the minutes lost.

Cyclists hold me up for a fraction of the delays caused by all the above, I am surprised so many seem to get so het up about it?