Cyclists

[Elton]

PS I do use a bike, myself, sometimes.

[Leon Roskilly]

Recently, as I stood waiting for friends, a blue mini pulled up at a pedestrian crossing (well back) to allow a young lady to cross.

 

The pedestrian didn't start to cross until the car was at a standstill.

 

There was a terrible screeching of brakes as the driver of the following vehicle, busy chatting on his mobile, saw that his way was blocked.

 

His vehicle slammed into the back of the mini, which was sent careering across the pedestrian crossing straight at the hapless pedestrian (who managed to avoid the full force only with some deft footwork), to end up on the other side of the crossing.

 

The poor lass driving the mini was in quite a state as the driver who piled into her cursed colourfully.

 

I took some pictures and gave a witness statement to to girl's insurance company.

 

er, Your point is Tog?

 

ps I see plenty of motorists trying to beat the lights and ignoring pedestrians waiting to cross at crossings! If you don't you must be blind!!

[darrell.cook]

Tog:

Recently I witnessed a dopy cyclist race through a red light and hit a van on it's nearside as it turned left into a gateway on the other side of the lights.

When the lights changed and I LEGALY crossed to where the incident had occured I stopped and spoke to the parties involved, The cyclist was ranting as per about drivers not watching what they were doing while talking on HIS mobile (which he had been using as he hit the van!) as I offered my 'witnessability' to the van driver the cyclist became even more abusive (police etc) I told him to call them - I saw it all and hoped he would get done for the many 'offences' he had commited - he then walked away (front wheel buckled) still going on about ****ing car drivers!

Seems most car drivers respect traffic lights/ crossings etc - most cyclists don't.

I guess there will always be examples to prove either side of this argument. I'm intrigued by Tog's tale. I see this potentially happen quite often. Like it or not large numbers of cyclists I see take no notice of red lights - they seem to flit between being road users / pedestrians etc. at will. Question - who pays for the damage to the van ? no question as I see it who was to balme - the cyclist, but how can they be made to pay ? Assuming they do not have insurance ?

[Leon Roskilly]

argyll:

A few years back I watched my part of South London sprout cycle lanes by the dozen (this was when they ran out of roads to put humps onto)and after a particularly enthusiastic Council Member though it a good idea (rather than use the money to fill potholes) and convinced the planning committee that they would be immortalised as the last word in environmentally friendly Councils.

What a waste of space on already overcrowded roads.

Our local authority has a growing problem.

 

Traffic is getting heavier, pollution is getting worse, congestion is making journies longer (and more expensive) (and therefore vehicles are taking up roadspace for longer on every journey, compounding the problem), and the towns are running out of the parking spaces that generate economic activity (shopping etc!).

 

And it's going to get worse, by quite a lot!.

 

Even the most modest traffic growth predictions are frightening - you ain't seen nothing yet!

 

One of the problems are 'crunch points'.

 

These are places where, when traffic volumes reach a certain level, then the traffic stops.

 

And because these are on routes, the whole route comes to a stop (as do intersecting routes -gridlock!).

 

True, these crunchpoints can be engineered around, but that's mostly been done now. (Often moving the crunch point along a few miles or a few hundred yards).

 

Now we have to start considering tunnelling or property demolition to double-deck highways etc.

 

That's really not economically/socially feasible when so many crunch points are likely to become overwhelmed together!

 

And we are starting to see this happening now; delays coming more often, taking longer to clear, traffic moving slower, more junctions with red lights, more roundabouts.

 

And still, you ain't seen nothing yet!

 

Now, 12 cyclists take the roadspace occupied by one car driver.

 

And where they can be moved off the carriageway onto a cycleway, they don't take any additional roadspace, especially if the cycle path is off-road.

 

(Incidentally, many of those 'pavement cyclists' are cycling quite legally.

 

There are a lot of 'shared paths' nowdays.

 

Look for the blue circle on lamposts etc that show a cyclist above an adult holding the hand of a child - many motorists and pedestrians fail to spot those signs, and just assume that the cyclist is acting illegally!)

 

And parking a bike in town, frees up a precious car parking space for a motorised shopper/business person.

 

'What a waste of space on already overcrowded roads.'

 

er, just the reverse!!

 

What a sensible use of road space to free up road and parking space for those who really do need to use their cars, by encouraging as many people out of their cars and on to bikes as possible!

 

The trouble is, is that there is a huge number of selfish drivers, who could leave roadspace for the use of those who really need to travel by polluting motorised vehicles, but choose not to.

 

That costs us all, in unnecesary congestion, health costs, and a less pleasant land in which to live!

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Leon Roskilly]

darrell.cook:

Question - who pays for the damage to the van ? no question as I see it who was to balme - the cyclist, but how can they be made to pay ? Assuming they do not have insurance ?

If you are involved in an accident with a cyclist, assuming that you have insurance for your vehicle, you claim off your own insurance.

 

If the cyclist is to blame, the insurance company will then pursue the cyclist for the costs, through the courts if necessary.

 

Most adult cyclists will be covered by third party insurance, one way or another.

 

If they cannot pay, the bailiffs will be sent in to knick their telly and their bike!

 

But don't forget to get their registration number before they ride off!

 

 

 

Tight Lines - leon

 

ps In most instances of collision between cyclists and other vehicles, it's usually the vehicle driver who is at fault.

[Colin Brett]

Just spend a hour or two in Cambridge, where you can see cyclists committing every offence possible on a bike. Not just one or two cyclists but hundreds of them. However bad motorists in Cambridge may be the cycling community have them well beaten. Yet the cyclists always have an answer and take the moral high ground. The largest part of my Council Tax goes to policing, not proper policing, but that bl**dy helicopter that spends most hot nights hovering over my house at 1 o'clock in the morning. Get rid of that and put more coppers on the beat, then they can target not only criminals but bad cyclists and bad motorists.

 

Rant over!

 

I'm just back from Tofino on Vancouver Island, where they run on "Tofino time", "Half the speed, twice the pleasure".

 

Colin

[Newt]

Colin Brett:

where you can see cyclists committing every offence possible on a bike. Not just one or two cyclists but hundreds of them.

If they are committing some 'offenses' I can think of, that should be quite a sight.

[Jim Roper]

Are mudguards still compulsory?

Is it still a requirement to have about 9 ins of white painted rear mudguard?

Must you still have a bell on a bike?

Does your front light have to be mounted on the bike or your head?

[Leon Roskilly]

Jim,

 

Mudguards and bells not legally required.

 

(Road Racing bikes have no place for mudguards, mountain bikes have crud catchers - 'mudguard' very difficult to legally define - bike innovation has moved on)

 

Bells are lethal!

 

On a cyclepath, with pedestrians ahead, it's best to plot a course to go round them, the very last thing you want is for them to start behaving unpredictably!

 

By the time they are close enough to hear the bell, you are almost upon them. They stop, slowly look back (always the wrong way!), at the same time stepping backwards into the path you have chosen - Bang!

 

(I do have a bell, and use it very seldomly, only when I'm sure that I know what is going to happen next!).

 

Bells are mostly drowned out by the sound of traffic, car radios, and someone talking on their mobile.

 

A loud shout from the rider is usually far louder and much more effective than the unnoticed tinkling of a bell!!

 

There is little space left on the handlebars these days for anything not essential!

 

Legal Lights have to be afixed to the bike, but extra lights can be worn by the rider also.

 

(Flashing lights are currently illegal if fixed to a bike, but there is no law that prevents them being attached to a person! Though they are so much more effective from a safety point of view, most cyclists have them set to flash anyway - it's a remote possibility of a fine versus likely sudden death thing! - a bit like pavement cycling)

 

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Zigs]

someone nicked my bike tonight, sugarbabe.