Cyclists: Run em down

[rypt]

I'm all for smashing off a few wing mirrors when cars drive in my cycle lane or cut me up. All good fun. I have no sympathy for cyclists that run red lights though.

Most cycle lanes are not no entry ones, but shared space ones - meaning cars have as much right to be there as the cycle.
I'm all for providing a proper cycle network around the UK, provided it is not funded from roadtax or fuel duty but funded though say a tax on cyclists

I always cycle a meter from the curb. Tends to really annoy the most impatient motorists.

That is exactly the type of cyclists I give LESS space, as they often make a simple passing manoeuvre where you can fit a cyclists and a car going each way impossible thus making me wait for a gap in the traffic coming the other way.

I'm sure you "****ing hate" motorists and pedestrians who don't obey the highway code and cause a danger to themselves needlessly too.

Cycling would be great without muppet car/van/lorry drivers who don't know the highway code and assume the road is for them alone. And I speak as a cyclist who can quite happily maintain a good speed, not one of those muppets who wobbles all over the place doing 4 mph. I also drive by the way.

Highway code also states that if you are travelling far slower than the limit and are holding people back then you should pull over and let the people behind you past, something I doubt cyclists have ever done despite at time travelling well below the limit.

 

[Freefaller]

I'm sure you "****ing hate" motorists and pedestrians who don't obey the highway code and cause a danger to themselves needlessly too.

Cycling would be great without muppet car/van/lorry drivers who don't know the highway code and assume the road is for them alone. And I speak as a cyclist who can quite happily maintain a good speed, not one of those muppets who wobbles all over the place doing 4 mph. I also drive by the way.

Yup, it's not unique to cyclists, I ride a motorbike so can relate to the 2 wheel plights. However, I have speed and acceleration on my side. A cyclist doesn't - and in London they seem to have a deathwish or seem to be above the law when clearly, they are not. Problem is, it's always the car driver that gets the blame even if the cyclist was being a muppet.

Besides my post was meant in a jocular way with a taint of truth twisted within it.

 

[Murf]

That is exactly the type of cyclists I give LESS space, as they often make a simple passing manoeuvre where you can fit a cyclists and a car going each way impossible thus making me wait for a gap in the traffic coming the other way.

Thanks. A perfect example of exactly what I was talking about.

So you're saying you're impatient, and you'd rather I weave in and out from the curb, avoiding drains, stones, and parked cars (I need to leave enough space for a moron not looking to open his door, as I found out 6 months ago) etc? Not only that, but you'd intentionally give me less space? To do what? Prove a point? It's just stupid as I could move slightly from side to side for loads of reasons, burst tyre, or something running into the road etc. But it's ok, because you're only squeezing past me because I didn't ride on top of the curb, and you have to get where you're going as fast as possible.

Honestly, people should just relax and leave the house 10 mins earlier if reaching their destination as fast as possible is so important.

 

[Ahleckz]

If you need them to pull over for you to overtake, then it's not safe for you to do so as you obviously cant see the road ahead. Wait, and don't be an idiot with someone elses life.

I stated when there's three beside each other, which is common on the Lomond roads.

 

[rypt]

Thanks. A perfect example of exactly what I was talking about.

So you're saying you're impatient, and you'd rather I weave in and out from the curb, avoiding drains, stones, and parked cars (I need to leave enough space for a moron not looking to open his door, as I found out 6 months ago) etc? Not only that, but you'd intentionally give me less space? To do what? Prove a point? It's just stupid as I could move slightly from side to side for loads of reasons, burst tyre, or something running into the road etc. But it's ok, because you're only squeezing past me because I didn't ride on top of the curb, and you have to get where you're going as fast as possible.

Honestly, people should just relax and leave the house 10 mins earlier if reaching their destination as fast as possible is so important.

You want to have better facilities provided for cycling? Start paying some cycling tax

And for the record, highway code suggest that slow moving vehicles holding others up behind them should pull over periodically and let people though

 

[Daegan]

You want to have better facilities provided for cycling? Start paying some cycling tax

There are too many cars on the roads already, and our reliance on them isn't desirable or sustainable. We're doing you a favour, be grateful

 

[rypt]

There are too many cars on the roads already, and our reliance on them isn't desirable or sustainable. We're doing you a favour, be grateful

There is nothing wrong with cars, and with adequate planning there is no reason why we cannot have even more cars.
There is nothing unsustainable ever, once we move onto alternative power cars that is - be it electric or other.

 

[CooK1E]

You want to have better facilities provided for cycling? Start paying some cycling tax

And for the record, highway code suggest that slow moving vehicles holding others up behind them should pull over periodically and let people though

You'll find that quite a lot of cyclists own a car so already pay road tax.

I tend to cycle about a metre from the kerb, but will move in to allow traffic to pass. The amount of idiots that refuse to pass unless they can get on the other side of the road is ridiculous, if I've waved you pass then I appreciate that you might be a bit close..!

 

[rypt]

You'll find that quite a lot of cyclists own a car so already pay road tax.

If I own two cars, I would pay road tax twice, if I own a car and a motorbike I would also pay road tax twice.
Why is it that if you own a car and a cycle you only pay it once?

 

[sswats]

I've had far more close calls with pedestrians than with cars.
I've been driving for a long time so i can read what most car drivers plan to do, and act accordingly, you can tell a dick car driver a miole away.
Pedestrians on the other hand are just wholly unpredictable and generally idiots and suicidal.

But when cycling on the road you do have to keep at least a door length away from parked cars. I know its an inconvenience but drivers opening in their doors without looking is a very common experience driving in london.

 

[uvarvu]

You want to have better facilities provided for cycling? Start paying some cycling tax

And for the record, highway code suggest that slow moving vehicles holding others up behind them should pull over periodically and let people though

If I start up holding the traffic up then I'll pull over. Otherwise I'll be cycling at least a metre away from the kerb. That only tends to happen on the narrow B roads when I go out biking in Devon and Cornwall though.

 

[xJcBx]

If this was facbook I would give this thread a massive LIKE.

Cyclists have their little bit, not a whole lane, their all obnoxious and arrognat.

[/sarcasm]

But seriously, I don't like them, especially in inner cities.

 

[Redman]

I stated when there's three beside each other, which is common on the Lomond roads.

But still taking up one lane, as would for example a slowing car - in order to go round them you have to go into the other lane irregardless of the number of cyclist. We're not riding in the gutter I'm afraid.

 

[Redman]

You want to have better facilities provided for cycling? Start paying some cycling tax

And for the record, highway code suggest that slow moving vehicles holding others up behind them should pull over periodically and let people though

How would you know whether they pull over or not, you're on their back wheel for 20 seconds until you can force your way past And for what it's worth, as a decent cyclist with a decent bike it's quite often cars holding me up.

I pay road tax, and I pay council tax, I pay tax on my income, I pay tax on my savings and I pay tax on what I spend. Much like you do, lets not give them an excuse to put in another tax eh.

Most of us are talking about two different things. I'm talking about cyclists, most of you are talking about mouthbreathers who happen to own a bike. Those pillocks weaving about causing mayhem at 4mph aren't cyclists, and be grateful, they'd do far more damage in a car.

 

[oddjob62]

You want to have better facilities provided for cycling? Start paying some cycling tax

I'm quite happy with the facilities as they are.

And as for tax, as i'm happily using the roads, I'm quite happy to pay "road" tax at the current rate:

CO2 emissions (g/km): Up to 100
Band: A
Annual rate: Free

Where do i send the cheque?

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

If I own two cars, I would pay road tax twice, if I own a car and a motorbike I would also pay road tax twice.
Why is it that if you own a car and a cycle you only pay it twice?

What's this Road Tax you're talking about?

Do you mean vehicle excise duty which has nothing to do with the upkeep of the roads and is based on emissions? It's your council tax that pays for the upkeep of the roads.

Also, what makes you think that cyclists don't own cars?

I paid £800 in VED last year, how much did you pay?

I paid £2500 in council tax last year, how much did you pay?

If I paid more than you then get the hell out of my way regardless of what vehicle I'm using, bike or car.

Oh, and try getting at least a basic understanding of your own argument.

I cycle around 35 miles a day across London, something which takes about 2 hours of my time. I could do it quicker if it wan't for all the cars holding me up.

As for comments about cyclists in London being a law unto them selves, unfortunately there is a lot of this that happens with red light jumping, using pavements, etc. However, I would say that the percentage of tards is no higher than that of pedestrians or drivers; some people are selfish idiots and some people make mistakes regardless of their choice of transport, the distribution is the same.

Prime example; I was riding up towards Shephards Bush on Friday with every light turning Amber as I went though it. Being a bike and consequently having a relatively long braking distance I couldn't stop in time. Neither, it appears, could at least three motor vehicles, cars and trucks, at ever set of lights. Cyclists are no different from any other road user in London in their abuse of the law (see ASLs). The BBC Inside Out had an article on London cyclists jumping red lights earlier this month and showed footage of a cyclist going straight though a red light with a commentary of disgust; what they didn't comment on was the 7.5 ton luton van going though the red light behind the cyclist.

 

[rypt]

What's this Road Tax you're talking about?

Do you mean vehicle excise duty which has nothing to do with the upkeep of the roads and is based on emissions? It's your council tax that pays for the upkeep of the roads.

Also, what makes you think that cyclists don't own cars?

I paid £800 in VED last year, how much did you pay?

I paid £2500 in council tax last year, how much did you pay?

If I paid more than you then get the hell out of my way regardless of what vehicle I'm using, bike or car.

Oh, and try getting at least a basic understanding of your own argument.

I know perfectly well how VED works, the original idea behind it was that it would pay for roads, now it pays for roads and also is a good money earner, the money councils spend on roads is mainly given to them by central government rather than coming from council tax only.
As I said before, if you own two cars, you pay road tax twice, if you own a car and a bike you pay it twice, yet when you use a car and a cycle you only pay it once.

 

[Sagalout]

Good post oddjob

what annoys me the most (and I drive and ride a motorbike) is the absolute need for most car drivers to need to overtake a bike. When I'm on my roadbike I can happily hold 20mph on the flat, down hill I can break a 30 limit easily.

There's a hill with speedbumps on the way home every day that car drivers insist on overtaking me, doing 30 in a 30 zone, so they are probably doing 40, then they swerve in front of me and slam on their brakes for the speed bumps that I can take at 30, causing me to almost plough into the back of them or take an inside line inches from their precious bodywork. One day I will scrape my pedals down their doors and guess who they will blame?

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

As I said before, if you own two cars, you pay road tax twice, if you own a car and a bike you pay it twice, yet when you use a car and a cycle you only pay it once.

Not true. If I own low emissions or hybrid cars I don't pay it either. Do these vehicles have to get off the road or have special lanes as well?

Your argument is the usual drivel spouted by drivers who don't know what they are talking about.

You want cyclists off the road because they don't pay tax, but I own two cars and multiple bikes and so i pay road tax. In fact, by using my car less I'm reducing traffic and speeding up your journey.

 

[FatBoyObese]

You want cyclists off the road because they don't pay tax, but I own two cars and multiple bikes and so i pay road tax. In fact, by using my car less I'm reducing traffic and speeding up your journey.

Bravo