Girl hits cyclist then jokes about it on Twitter.

This article from 'Cycling Weekly' seems has some interesting thoughts on the suitability of UK roads for cyclists:

Mike Wilson, a Highways Agency Regional Director, suggested highways engineers are often not trained with cyclists in mind. He said: ''As a highways engineer I spent a lot of time designing motorways and roundabouts, but I didn't spend a lot of time looking at provision for non-motorised users."

Roger Geffen, CTC Campaigns Director, said cyclists are often designed out of road projects. He said: "The Highways Agency seems to be saying: 'We went in [to a site], there were no cyclists, so we didn't put anything in."

Gerhard Weiss, LCC's Cycling Development Officer, said under current Department for Transport (DfT) guidelines, cyclists who don't ride confidently on the carriageway are left with complex junctions which are difficult and intimidating to navigate.

Phil Jones, Managing Director of Phil Jones Associates, highlighted that DfT guidelines for cycling infrastructure are produced every few years, compared to guidelines for motorised traffic infrastructure, which are updated several times a year.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/536814/cyclists-are-designed-out-of-uk-roads.html

So it seems, at least in this day and age, the roads aren't designed for cyclists? Not surprising, I know, but a lot of people seem to think the roads are designed for both.
 
As a driver I'd love improved education before people were using bicycles on the road, but frankly until car drivers learn to use their signals, not overtake dangerously, learn road lanes properly and to be more considerate of others - I don't think we're in a position to preach other road users.

Car drivers seem to use indicators less and less these days, my driving instructor was also my Karate instructor and would give me a dead arm anytime I forgot to use mine!
 
But you would rather take on countless tonnes of metal on a daily basis? Go figure...

Haha, seriously thats how you think of cyclists. That they are taking on cars. There is no reason for motorist to make it dangerous for cyclists.
 
Haha, seriously thats how you think of cyclists. That they are taking on cars. There is no reason for motorist to make it dangerous for cyclists.

Cyclists seem to think that most motorists are bad drivers...Drivers know that ALL motorists are bad drivers :o

As a driver, there is no way in hell id be a road cyclist.
 
Cyclists seem to think that most motorists are bad drivers...Drivers know that ALL motorists are bad drivers :o

As a driver, there is no way in hell id be a road cyclist.

I don't think we do. I would say its a rather small number of motorists that are dangerous drivers but when you see someone being a pillock from the seat of a car you don't really bat an eyelid. When someone overtakes 6 inches from your handlebars then cuts across you to turn, it has a way of making your blood boil.

p.s. I'm not misinterpreting your point here, merely saying that cyclists don't think that most motorists are bad. Its just that when something happens that is dangerous, its a lot more relevant to cyclists.
 
I am not so worried about how roads are designed personally. I go over busy roundabouts with many lanes etc, positioning is of the utmost important for me. For example going round Shepherds Bush roundabout looks daunting for many cyclists (which is why most go round the cycle paths) but it is actually fine, as long as you position yourself fine. The earlier sour grapes of why cyclists go to the front would be a bad idea here. This is a situation you have to be at the front.

The key to me is confidence (not cockiness) and making drivers aware of you. To this end I always signal, look round to make eye contact as much as possible if I need to say pull out and always say thanks when they let me out etc. This to me is important to dispel the myth that all us cyclists are lycra louts.
 
I don't think we do. I would say its a rather small number of motorists that are dangerous drivers but when you see someone being a pillock from the seat of a car you don't really bat an eyelid. When someone overtakes 6 inches from your handlebars then cuts across you to turn, it has a way of making your blood boil.

p.s. I'm not misinterpreting your point here, merely saying that cyclists don't think that most motorists are bad. Its just that when something happens that is dangerous, its a lot more relevant to cyclists.

Interesting :o maybe its just me then..cos i hate most motorists and really believe that at least 75% of drivers have no business being on the roads :o I take your point about it being more dangerous for you guys on two wheels.
 
Going back to this situation about this girl, I am more sickened that she found it morally acceptable to just continue driving away after knocking someone down, never mind boasting about it!
 
Its called road safety, if the cylist is in a row of cars, where the cars are grouped together, cars other than the ones closest to the cyclist can have no idea they are there. When they attempt to change lanes because they want to turn left, have no idea the cyclist is there, and try and cut in then smash into a cylist, its bad.

The cyclist is the most in danger, so getting to the front of the queue gives him the safest way to get across a junction because the drivers in the lanes at the front will see him and cyclist gets pretty much to get across the junction before being overtaken, with most relevant cars knowing where he is. Past the junction with less/no turns, traffic as spread out, the cyclist is more visible and is in less danger.

My comment was not exclusive to junctions though, i meant all red lights as well.

Also why is the cyclists any more visible at the very front than he is in front of a row of the cars, but in the middle of the queue ??
 
On a road with more than one lane, you run a large risk, especially on a roundabout, of someone cutting lanes without checking their blind spot. At the front you are mitigating that risk.

Just believe me/us - it's about protecting ourselves, not to annoy you specifically....
 
Because lots of cars have a tendancy to run cyclists over when turning left...

If the cyclist is in front they can get away first before the car has a chance to turn into them.

Again, this is not exclusive to junctions where there is a left turn. Also, as long as the driver has overtaken sensibly and the cyclist stays behind the car turning left, like a car would, that situation should not happen.
 
On a road with more than one lane, you run a large risk, especially on a roundabout, of someone cutting lanes without checking their blind spot. At the front you are mitigating that risk.

Just believe me/us - it's about protecting ourselves, not to annoy you specifically....

Why though?

You would be simply infront of a queue of cars but in the middle of a larger queue, rather than at the front of the whole queue? If you were in the middle and stayed in the middle of the queue, the cars in front will set off in front of you so they are no threat..unless as the cyclist you start undertaking cars as soon as the lights go green....
 
Going back to this situation about this girl, I am more sickened that she found it morally acceptable to just continue driving away after knocking someone down, never mind boasting about it!

Seems that's the current attitude of selfishness that's in existence among some people. Maybe it began with Thatcher, but today's celebrity culture and obsession over being the first, best, or top in whatever TV rubbish show certainly doesn't help foster a climate of empathy towards others.

I'm personally all in favour of compulsory driving re-tests, but as for posting that on Twitter, and having pictures of speeding + dangerous driving and bragging about it? A spectacularly new level of retarded has been created today.
 
I don't think I am being a tool (as you so eloquently put it) at all, although perhaps labouring a point somewhat because I do not feel I should back down in a discussion (not argument) where cyclists have come back with the excuse that cycling on a dangerous dual carriageway is somehow more acceptable than having to cycle on a path that has been provided for them.

Adults can generally have a discussion without having to resort to the insults. Come now grudas surely you can step up to the place? :)

What do drivers do when they are presented with a surface that is in poor condition and of danger to their car? Slow down, that's what they do, so do it on your bike on YOUR cycle path.

I once again feel the need to stress that this is on particular roads I am talking about here, not roads in general. I have no problem with cyclists, I really don't.

there's quite a bit of difference between hitting a pothole on a bicycle and doing the same with a car :)

the fact that i don't want to damage my bike and i'd have to swerve to avoid a pothole puts me in more danger.

id love to have a nice cycle path but sadly i don't so i do what ever the safer for me, even if it causes some driver behind me to sit there doing 20 for a few seconds :)
 
I think what gets people more aggressive is the potential embarassment, that you might be holding up the traffic by not overtaking a cyclist (insert horse/tractor etc) quick enough, and other drivers bad mouthing you. Drivers do get weird.

I've only had one confrontation with a motorist, and he was giving me grief because I didn't pull away quick enough at lights for his liking when he was turning left. Total prat. So yes, I gave him grief back. I've watch drivers almost munch across other cyclists several times because they were not looking properly... and I always look for an indicator and try to wait at the back of a car rather than being by the side etc.

If someone cuts a corner in a car on a blind turn, there is not a lot you can do. I would however like to see the corner in this story.
 
The same as if your in your little fiesta and a 44ton HGV is coming the other way.

I take it if you see a HGV coming round a tight corner and he has to take up some of "YOUR" side of the road you would position your vehicle so he has to stop and can't complete his turn.

More often than not, they tend to do just that!!

Unfortunately, the vast majority of car drivers are oblivious to the room required by such a vehicle, usually carry on until the point of near collision and then have a rant at the **** truck driver!

As a professional driver, said trucker has to allow for such cretins and resist the urge to "put them right"..... ;)

As for the OP, the idiocy of this bint astounds me!

Annoying as they can be, cyclists have as much right to use the road as anybody else. I do however wish there was compulsory training for them, for their own sake!!
 
Last edited:
Surely the Police can slap her with a Hit and run based crime, she knowingly hit someone and drove off, isn't that a ban and a massive fine.
Plus all the incriminating evidence on her twitter, hopefully the dumb cow get a prison sentence with some butch dykes, might open her eyes a bit :D
 
Back
Top Bottom