Bike lanes

HAz · 9 Dec 2011 at 13:53

What is the point in them if Mr **** in his silly tight Lycra and his stupid bike with its small thin tyres, rides in the middle of the road ignoring the perfect cycle lane to the left?

I keep seeing this more and more at the moment and the only reason I can think is that during the winter the cycle lanes may get a bit rough with some leaves and small stones an their stupid bikes with their small thin tyres may slip or cause a speck of mud to fly off and spoil their Lycra attire.

It was only last week I had to beep at one for his dangerous antics on a busy road outside of the cycle lane, to only be given a hurl of foul language and abuse as we met at a red light!

And then today I hear an on call fireman asked a group of them to move so he can park his car in the fire station on call parking spaces, to be told no and why should he? He then explains that he is responding to a fire call and needs to park his car. Then the guy tells him cant he park it over there?
The attitude of some of these people is unbelievable at times.

I do find that it makes me quite mad as I'm also a cyclist who will always use a cycle lane even when they merge into a pavement for cycles/pedestrians, tho I do ride a mountain bike which may be the reason why I'm not an ass like most of this crown appear to be.

any way rant over had to get that off my chest. :mad:

[Damien] · 9 Dec 2011 at 13:56

HAz said:
What is the point in them if Mr **** in his silly tight Lycra and his stupid bike with its small thin tyres, rides in the middle of the road ignoring the perfect cycle lane to the left?

Replace 'perfect' with 'full of potholes, road debris and water, as well as drainage grids that are sunk too low and can buckle wheels' and you have your answer.

grudas · 9 Dec 2011 at 13:56

oh yeah lets park our cars on the cycle lane.. just so cyclist get into more danger.. oh yeah lets try and over take them on tightest part of the road because if i don't IM GUNNA BE LATE INIT>>>>>

we have rubbish cyclist the same as drivers and pedestrians go figure.

neil_g · 9 Dec 2011 at 13:58

problem is cycle lanes often consist of sunken drain covers which are equally as dangerous if you hit one and end up over the bars.

but please dont assume that as a few cyclists have a bad attitude all cyclists do. its the same with everything including drivers.

londonbairn · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:02

Pointless, predictable argument that always comes up from the same boring angles.

There are equally bad drivers, bad cyclists and bad pedestrians, all causing each other problems.

Just as much as I have a gripe with a pedestrian walking out on their red light, or a car pulling out in front, there will be a pedestrian with a gripe with a cyclist breaking a red light, or a car breaking a zebra crossing, or a driver with a gripe with a cyclist cycling erratically, or a pedestrian crossing on a red etc.

If all road users regardless of how they use the road followed the highway code etc, then we would all be happier.

With regards to cycle lanes, in my opinion many of them are more of a danger as outlined above. Badly designed drains and potholes, plus some of them are really thin, so some drivers will drive right on the edge which makes it dangerous.

Kazz · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:13

HAz said:
Mr **** in his silly tight Lycra

HAz said:
his stupid bike with its small thin tyres

HAz said:
their stupid bikes

HAz said:
spoil their Lycra attire.

Hmm, go on...

HAz said:
tho I do ride a mountain bike which may be the reason why I'm not an ass like most of this crown appear to be.

...and now it all comes together.

HAz said:
The attitude of some of these people is unbelievable at times.

Oh the ironing!

grudas · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:15

Kazz said:
Hmm, go on...

...and now it all comes together.

Oh the ironing!

lmao +1

londonbairn · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:15

Haha was just going to say that! The OP's gripe is more with roadies

Jay794 · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:19

Bike lanes do annoy me, mostly because, as you say, cyclists don't use them and they only seem to be for small stretches of road, not all the way along, I've always been an advocate of riding on the pavement, I feel safer and I'm less likely to get hit by a car lol.

What annoys me is when cyclists ride next to each other when the law states they should be single file.

And don't get me started on red lights, every day I drive to work I see at least 3 cyclists go through red lights. Red means stop, for EVERYONE!

Wolfe777 · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:23

TC is correct in making this point.

I commute to work and ride a decent Kona Hardtail mountainbike.

There's virtually nothing that makes we leave my lane - potholes, uneven surface, drain covers, barely anything impedes my progress and I don't get in the way of motorists.

Road bikes and racers are simply not up to the job of riding on your average bike lane, which despite perceived wisdom makes them absolutely the worse choice possible for commuting.

.

twozeronine · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:26

Jay794 said:
Bike lanes do annoy me, mostly because, as you say, cyclists don't use them and they only seem to be for small stretches of road, not all the way along, I've always been an advocate of riding on the pavement, I feel safer and I'm less likely to get hit by a car lol.

What annoys me is when cyclists ride next to each other when the law states they should be single file.

And don't get me started on red lights, every day I drive to work I see at least 3 cyclists go through red lights. Red means stop, for EVERYONE!

Actually, no. The highway code states that it is legal to ride two-abreast. It also states that cyclists don't have to use cycle lanes if they don't want to. I agree with you on red lights though. As a cyclist I usually shake my head when I see other cyclists go through them.

yer_averagejoe · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:33

At the end of the day you might not like it but the cyclist has as much right to take up the same amount of space as you do if he doesn't feel safe riding at the side of the road. Beeping at him for being in front of you just because he's a cyclist is akin to beeping any car in front of you. In fact, here's an exercise that might help you understand the laws a bit better:

Every time you see a cyclist on the road, just in your head overlay the image of the cyclist with an image of a car instead. Then overtake him just as you would a car, being careful to not hit those boundaries that you created in your head.

Just act like any sane, rational person and take the next safe opportunity to overtake, as you would if any other car was going "too slowly" in front of you.

Ahleckz · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:34

I don't like cyclists either. They are suicidal maniacs in my experience. However, I always respect them and make sure I give them plenty of space if I need to overtake them. It's a shame that they can't do this to me, either when I'm walking on driving.

Ascendancy · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:36

Oh a cyclist hate thread. Is it that time of the month already?

NeverWinter · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:37

Does not bother me as much as a disregard for traffic lights and junctions... "Oh, red light you say? I'm just going to inch over the line and round the corner or just go on the pavement!"

Castiel · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:41

twozeronine said:
Actually, no. The highway code states that it is legal to ride two-abreast.

That isn't true either. They must not ride more than two abreast and in single file on single lane, narrow or busy roads or when riding around bends. When riding two abreast the offside cycle must give way to traffic coming from the rear when safe to do so.

And let us not forget rule 169, and that as slow moving vehicles, cycles are required to give way to vehicles trying to pass as soon as it is safe to do so, they must not cause an obstruction for traffic wishing to pass, even if that means slowing down and pulling in to allow the traffic to pass.

Personally as long as cyclists follow the HW code I think they have a much right to use the roads as anyone else, and I always give them plenty of room and show a little patience when attempting to pass them. Unfortunately some Cyclists seem to feel they own the road and are not required to follow the HW code and it is these cyclists that need to be targeted by the Police and fined more regularly.

Jay794 · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:42

My opinion, the road is for engine's only

yer_averagejoe · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:43

Ascendancy said:
Oh a cyclist hate thread. Is it that time of the month already?

More like time of the week these days.

1) Op complains about the cyclist doing something entirely within the law that he doesn't like

2) Other drivers come in to justify the OP's deluded opinions with anecdotes of cyclists doing something clearly illegal and therefore because they "saw this guy doing this thing one time", cyclists should be banned.

3) Drivers conclude that all cyclists are idiots

4) Cyclists conclude that some drivers are idiots and some cyclists are idiots

5) Thread is devolves into rants and arguments about road tax and insurance.

6) Everyone's had their say, time to leave it till next week.

Edit: Forgot to add: the whole thread is scattered with equally idiotic posts like mine which arguably, just help to fuel the fire.

Ascendancy · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:43

Ooh i'm all tingly, I can almost hear the epic fail of the road tax argument coming.

gropingmantis · 9 Dec 2011 at 14:48

This is not a US only issue. I have been stopped by the police for riding on the pavement in London because the cycle lane was full of parked taxis and the cycle lane on the dual carriage way on the way into uni in Brighton was so full of broken glass and busses and vans and cars and roadworks that you were hardly even in the bike lane.

Car drivers can STFU. Dont talk about it till you have had to do it.