Why do we hate cycling in this country?

My 2c's

- We don't really have, or under develop the required infrastructure to accommodate both cyclist and motor vehicle users. However, this is not easy to implement and in some cases, not actually feasible.

- Cyclists are not required to learn anything about the highway code, this causes unpredictability. Anyone can just grab a bike and go cycling in any environment.

- Massive discrepancy in speed. Particularly where I live we have country roads with national speed limit and cyclists doing considerably less.

- Very little rules/regulations for cyclists. No requirement for insurance, tax, safety, education, tests, etc.
 
Its kind of interesting where I live - one side of town has segregated cycle ways - the other you have little option but to use the main road(s) and cycle paths are patchy with a lot of interrupted bits between segments and having to use the pavement or main road a lot. When I was working for a big employer on one side of town quite a few people cycled into work, working for a big employer on the other side of town and only the most diehard cycle - and it does cause massive problems on the main road as well this side of town as even a single cyclist causes massive slowdowns (partly due to lack of sensible passing places).
 
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It's windy and it's scary. Cycled to work everyday on country roads for about a year and I nearly came off so many times because of being blown about its turned me off it.
 
Moses said:
Because circumstances bring the two sides in conflict. The people who talk most on both sides are knobs who are unrepresentative of each whole.
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That is totally true. Every time this issue raises its head the tv companies always drag that cycling berk out who takes photos of everybody to speak for the cycling community. He's a totally idiot and does not represent me, a regular road cyclist.
 
If you want people to get on their bikes properly, you need segregated infrastructure. It's the only way that delivers a real shift. And it has to be decent infrastructure - not narrow cycle lanes with lamposts in the middle of them.

One thing I notice on my occasional cycle commute is that in town (where my average speed exceeds that of cars) drivers are much less accepting of bikes, don't leave space for overtaking, etc. Out in the suburbs (where my average speed is lower than cars so you could argue I am holding up traffic on occasion) bikes and cars coexist far better with nice sensible overtaking, awareness of manoeuvres etc.
 
XeNoN89 said:
And before people say the roads are full of idiot drivers as well - I know but the percentage of cyclists that think they rule the roads is a joke.
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What an ironic statement.

DannyDrama said:
Because a lot of the idiots I have noticed in my town listen to music whilst riding, thus being unable to hear traffic. Four times I have gone to overtake one, only for them to veer suddenly to the right and nearly hitting the side of the car, or leaving me almost unable to brake in time after speeding up for the overtake.
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Cyclists that cycle with earbuds in are dicks I agree, but then I assume from your one sided post you've never passed a car with its radio on? Cars, who's designers spend great efforts from isolating outside noise from the cabin?

physichull said:
That is totally true. Every time this issue raises its head the tv companies always drag that cycling berk out who takes photos of everybody to speak for the cycling community. He's a totally idiot and does not represent me, a regular road cyclist.
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One of cyclings supposed poster boys Bradley Wiggins is an utter idiot when it comes to talking about general/public cycling. Seriously his comments recently..what a moron.

DiscoDave said:
My 2c's

- We don't really have, or under develop the required infrastructure to accommodate both cyclist and motor vehicle users. However, this is not easy to implement and in some cases, not actually feasible.
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Then its about time we started developing to get rid of the car in cities. Build infrastructure around the pedestrian, cyclist, and the bus (or tram etc). We need to change the attitude to Car is NOT king.

- Very little rules/regulations for cyclists. No requirement for insurance, tax, safety, education, tests, etc.
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Insurance, tax (what tax are you referring too here? You're really not one of those "road tax" numpties are you?), safety (not sure what you mean by that - are you suggesting cyclists don't think about safety but motorists do?), education, tests etc. All these things exist for motorists, and yet we see terrible driving as a matter of routine, for example 194,477 casualties last year alone. Do you think by requiring, say, a cycling test, the roads are suddenly going to become safer for cyclists? Or are you just hoping that they'll learn how to keep out of your way whilst you drive from A to B? Because the most important thing here certainly isn't educating cyclists. It's important, yes. Vital in some cases. But it's a damned sight more important to make drivers realise that there is only one outcome of an RTA with a cyclist.

Rotty said:
Insurance and some sort of training needs to be compulsory to ride on public roads
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Second most stupid comment that ever comes out in these threads. Just waiting for the helmet and reflective gear now to call House.

@Op: I doubt you're going to get a rational debate on this in GD.
 
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For what its worth, I commute as often as possible on my bike as its good for your health and often it is quicker than by car as I'd spend most of the journey time waiting in traffic. But I agree, more should be done to get people out on bikes to reduce congestion. Plus, exercise really can be the magic bullet for both physical and mental health.
 
platypus said:
@Op: I doubt you're going to get a rational debate on this in GD.
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It hasn't been *too* bad so far...

Proper infrastructure would solve most of the conflict but how do we pay for it? If I were about to present a budget to the nation it would be easy. I'd pick an aspirational figure for % of journeys made by bike (say 20%) and take that much out of the FIFTEEN BILLION POUNDS that we're set to spend on new roads. £3b would buy an awful lot of segregated infrastructure. Not just in cities but actual cycle roads next to A-roads like they have in Holland.
 
A large majority of road users are dicks what ever form of transport they use, because they think their journey is the only one that matters so no one should impede their progress.
 
platypus said:
What an ironic statement.
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What was ironic about that? I'm saying that the percentage of idiot cyclists is higher than the percentage of idiot drivers.

As other have said there needs to be some kind of test/license for people to ride on roads to increase standards and make sure people know the rules of the road. Also insurance should be required like other road users.
 
asim18 said:
Especially the ones who squeeze to the front of a traffic light queue and then stop. This particular cyclist is the scum of the earth and that's why every single cyclist is a **** because every single cyclist does it. Like it was impossible to stop 2 metres earlier so I didn't have to do 5mph until I can overtake you safely, again.
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That would be precisely the correct thing to do in that situation. If possible it's better to position yourself at the front in the centre. At the front, because it removes the risk of being alongside a car who may not see you when pulling off, in the centre because it stops the car behind going from 0-60 in 3.4 seconds leaving little room.

Once the cyclist has passed the junction they should take a secondary position on the left allowing traffic to pass.

Given the choice, if I can't filter to the front, I'm still going to take a primary position until the traffic is moving again because I don't want to risk being forced out to the curb by somebody who is too focused on braking and changing gear to notice me.

Don't get me wrong, I find it annoying when it happens to me too, but I also understand the cyclists need to eliminate as much danger as possible.
 
platypus said:
What an ironic statement.

Cyclists that cycle with earbuds in are dicks I agree, but then I assume from your one sided post you've never passed a car with its radio on? Cars, who's designers spend great efforts from isolating outside noise from the cabin?
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Very good point but no I haven't. :o


Tuppy_Glossop said:
I'm a cyclist and this infuriates me too. But I only hate on those that do it, not others by association.
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I should have been more clear about that, I don't hate all cyclists at all. :)
 
XeNoN89 said:
What was ironic about that? I'm saying that the percentage of idiot cyclists is higher than the percentage of idiot drivers.
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What you actually said was "I know but the percentage of cyclists that think they rule the roads is a joke."

That is the most ironic thing yet posted in this thread.

As other have said there needs to be some kind of test/license for people to ride on roads to increase standards and make sure people know the rules of the road. Also insurance should be required like other road users.
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As I've already said, there is a test for drivers. Yet last year we had almost 200,000 road casualties. We routinely hear and see about bad driving, and drivers regulary exhibit a lack of knowledge of rules of the road. How do you envisage a cycling road test being any better?

Mandatory Insurance is a stupid idea.
 
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FishFluff said:
It hasn't been *too* bad so far...

Proper infrastructure would solve most of the conflict but how do we pay for it? If I were about to present a budget to the nation it would be easy. I'd pick an aspirational figure for % of journeys made by bike (say 20%) and take that much out of the FIFTEEN BILLION POUNDS that we're set to spend on new roads. £3b would buy an awful lot of segregated infrastructure. Not just in cities but actual cycle roads next to A-roads like they have in Holland.
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I'm quite lucky, I live around and work in Cambridge which is an extremely progressive city in regards to cycling. They seem to manage it by twinning the work with existing development where possible. For instance, they are throwing a few thousand houses on Madingley Road at the moment, they needed to do some work on the road network to deal with that, and took to opportunity to widen lanes and shove in a bit of cycle lane. They also keep cycle traffic at the forefront when making decisions around public transport (floating bus stops etc).

I have to agree the road network in this Country doesn't make it easy on cyclists though, and that tends to feed into the tensions with motorists (mainly due to getting stuck on narrow roads behind a bike).

I'd also love to see red light jumpers prosecuted. As a responsible cyclist it annoys me no end when other bikes just ignore red lights, not just at pedestrian crossing either, it's insane.
 
FortuitousFluke said:
Don't get me wrong, I find it annoying when it happens to me too, but I also understand the cyclists need to eliminate as much danger as possible.
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This is another benefit of getting more people cycling, it improves driver behavior. I used to get infuriated by cyclists holding me up, but now I'm more likely to hold traffic up myself when behind a cyclist as I wait for a safe opportunity to pass. Being on the receiving end of close passes from cars definitely changes your perspective.
 
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