Soldato
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By that logic, cyclists should treat pedestrians like posh china then? They don't.
Stupid Cyclist
- Thread starter support_bae
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Watched this after reading all the comments and fully agree with the above. The van driver was driving aggressively and when he got out of his van was clearly in a fit of road rage. People like that bully other road users and don't consider the fact that they 'could' kill someone.
Soldato
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I'm amazed by how much vitriol there is in this thread caused just by the mode of transport someone happens to be using at the time they do something stupid 
Cyclists are people; drivers are people. If you gave a "normal" driver a bike he would, on average, do exactly the same stupid things as the average cyclist does – this is because they are statistically the same person. The fact that a person happens to ride a bike does not somehow put them in a different class of people with different mental processes.
You get bad cyclists, bad drivers, and bad pedestrians. If a cyclist does something idiotic, it's because they're an idiot, not because they're a cyclist. If someone is stupid, he'll be stupid whether he's on a bike, in a car, or in foot.
It's astonishing how irrational people are about the whole issue and how little they've actually thought about it. Also, remember that most cyclists probably also drive cars too.
Cyclists are people; drivers are people. If you gave a "normal" driver a bike he would, on average, do exactly the same stupid things as the average cyclist does – this is because they are statistically the same person. The fact that a person happens to ride a bike does not somehow put them in a different class of people with different mental processes.
You get bad cyclists, bad drivers, and bad pedestrians. If a cyclist does something idiotic, it's because they're an idiot, not because they're a cyclist. If someone is stupid, he'll be stupid whether he's on a bike, in a car, or in foot.
It's astonishing how irrational people are about the whole issue and how little they've actually thought about it. Also, remember that most cyclists probably also drive cars too.
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Many thanks
I shall check the forums and some rides out. Need to get my confidence back I think.
Soldato
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Riding two abreast is perfectly fine according to the highway code.
As a cyclist, I must confess that I have occasionally gone through red lights, but only on occasions when drivers have taken over the ASL or pulled up behind/beside me and left so little room that moving off early represents the safest option.
.... and they all blame each other. Nothing changes.
I still hear "stay left" in that BBC video, opened youtube to see if there is clearer copy of it and instead discovered "lair of green vigilantism" - some guy posting daily records, with log of number plates and petty crimes "four motorbikes used my ASL" etc etc - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWq3HL-EI6c ...
Now, that is just...
Now, that is just...
Many thanks
Come out on Sunday from The Gateway, hilly ride.
If it's a 9:00 ride from there, set off at 8:30, 9:30 rides, set off at 9:00 from your place.
Soldato
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That's as you're not a ****.
Soldato
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I'm amazed by how much vitriol there is in this thread caused just by the mode of transport someone happens to be using at the time they do something stupid
Cyclists are people; drivers are people. If you gave a "normal" driver a bike he would, on average, do exactly the same stupid things as the average cyclist does. The fact that a person happens to ride a bike does not somehow put them in a different class of people with different mental processes.
If all cyclists behave badly on the road (which they don't), then even an otherwise careful driver would, given a bike, behave badly.
It's astonishing how irrational people are about the whole issue and how little they've actually thought about it. Also, remember that most cyclists probably also drive cars too.
Quoted for truth and sense!
The anti-cyclists comments on here are pretty disgusting really,
Cheers for the offer, I'm off home this weekend for a bit of walking
Least my legs will get a bit of a stretch.
Soldato
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I don't really mind cyclists on the road, their mistakes there are outnumbered by motor vehicles (hello, roundabout! -> indicate please).
However, the second they mount the pavement, or jump a red light I reserve the right to hate on them, and I'm awaiting the day I can open fire.
Soldato
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The problem is the mindset that someone who happens to be riding a bike is a "cyclist" and not a normal human being. Therefore, this particular type of human being can be generalized against as being stupid or inconsiderate.
The crucial fact that people miss is that a "cyclist" is actually just another road user who's on a bike, and that if you were to take one of the other car drivers on the road and put them on a bike, they'd do exactly the same stupid things.
The crucial fact that people miss is that a "cyclist" is actually just another road user who's on a bike, and that if you were to take one of the other car drivers on the road and put them on a bike, they'd do exactly the same stupid things.
Soldato
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Of course, I understand that when a cyclist doesn't follow the highway code then they deserve to be hated as much as anyone else on the road who doesn't follow it.
What I hate is when people hate cyclists because they believe they have no right to be on there because they are a cyclist or because they do not pay road tax (which of course doesn't exist as it is VED tax). Also I saw a post about someone who contemplates knocking a cyclist over with a car, I don't know if they are joking or actually being serious.
Soldato
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Bus drivers. They hate cyclists!
Caporegime
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Unfortunately its simply misinterpretation, this isn't a camera with zoom looking ahead, all the pictures you showed, none of them show the whole van, NONE of them. Meaning the van wasn't past the bike at any point.
Firstly coming up to a junction where you intend to turn, with traffic ahead, you should never attempt a passing manouvre at any stage, till the corner is delt with. Secondly, he never passes the corner, thirdly the VAN slows down because he's approaching the corner, thats what happens with cars/vans, bikes are more manouvreable, he didn't speed up, he simply wasn't required to slow down as much for the corner.
Bike and van, side by side, bike has the inside lane, van assumes bike will simply slow down and let him pass then stay out the way. One of the reasons to ride a bike in traffic is the fact you can pass cars as they are slower at many points.
Anyway, the van has never overtaken fully at any point, then on the next road he fails to leave clearance. When you overtake another car, its the overtaking cars job to speed up, and get back infront of the vehicle its overtaking SAFELY with enough space. You don't pass a car, ever, and just turn in forcing the other car to break to avoid a collision, you speed up, you pass the car completely then you go on another amount of distance so you can turn back in without effecting the vehicle.
The van driver didn't get a single thing right, and after all that decided to turn into the bike, they stop when HE HIT THE BIKE, then assault the guy.
Yes, the bike could have slowed down at any point, so what, you could slow down and let every single vehicle behind you pass aswell, theres no legal requirement to do this, and judging by the traffic ahead the van has no where to go and the bike will like on the previous corner, be much faster through the traffic.
Even if he HAD passed the bike, the bike would have re-overtaken him at the corner where he is much faster, and the van would be attempting a new manouvre on the next road.
van driver in the OP is a complete muppet tbh
and yes there are many muppets driving cars AND riding bikes
my only gripe with cyclists is that any muppet with no common sense can go buy a bike and ride around where they please. would love the government to introduce a mimimum training scheme for cyclists.
car drivers have to be able to demonstrate a mimimum standard of competency before they get behind the wheel so i really think cyclists should have to do the same. ie show a basic knowledge of the rules of the road, perhaps a mimimum of understanding on the maintenance of a pedal bike and with any luck have to demonstrate a modicum of common sense
anyone else agree?
and yes there are many muppets driving cars AND riding bikes
my only gripe with cyclists is that any muppet with no common sense can go buy a bike and ride around where they please. would love the government to introduce a mimimum training scheme for cyclists.
car drivers have to be able to demonstrate a mimimum standard of competency before they get behind the wheel so i really think cyclists should have to do the same. ie show a basic knowledge of the rules of the road, perhaps a mimimum of understanding on the maintenance of a pedal bike and with any luck have to demonstrate a modicum of common sense
anyone else agree?
As a regular cyclist I thought I'd add my 2p worth to this discussion.
Most, if not all cyclists are also drivers, and therefore do pay some form of 'road tax' (in reality Vehicle Exise Duty weighted against CO2 emissions). Granted this is for their car and not their bicycle, but they have chosen to leave said vehicle at home, thereby allowing car drivers more space on the road - ergo less congestion, freer flowing traffic etc.
I am a conscientious cyclist. I always have working lights at night (or in gloomy conditions), I always wear a helmet (after having a relative killed in a bicycle accident many years ago where doctors said wearing one would probably have saved his life) and I always stop for red lights.
That said, I am in the minority. There are a LOT of muppets on bikes - Cambridge is certainly awash with them - the no lights, black clothes, don't stop for anything or anyone types. It does frustrate me that these people give me a bad name, but at the same time being aware of these prats has made me far more aware of looking out for them when driving. More broadly, being a cyclist and a driver regularly makes you appreciate both sides of the coin, and (at least in my case) promotes being considerate; indicating early, leaving room etc.
Lycra louts and white van men. There's good and bad in both camps!
Most, if not all cyclists are also drivers, and therefore do pay some form of 'road tax' (in reality Vehicle Exise Duty weighted against CO2 emissions). Granted this is for their car and not their bicycle, but they have chosen to leave said vehicle at home, thereby allowing car drivers more space on the road - ergo less congestion, freer flowing traffic etc.
I am a conscientious cyclist. I always have working lights at night (or in gloomy conditions), I always wear a helmet (after having a relative killed in a bicycle accident many years ago where doctors said wearing one would probably have saved his life) and I always stop for red lights.
That said, I am in the minority. There are a LOT of muppets on bikes - Cambridge is certainly awash with them - the no lights, black clothes, don't stop for anything or anyone types. It does frustrate me that these people give me a bad name, but at the same time being aware of these prats has made me far more aware of looking out for them when driving. More broadly, being a cyclist and a driver regularly makes you appreciate both sides of the coin, and (at least in my case) promotes being considerate; indicating early, leaving room etc.
Lycra louts and white van men. There's good and bad in both camps!