Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Jul 2009
- Posts
- 16,234
- Location
- Newcastle/Aberdeen
Why do we hate cycling in this country?
- Thread starter FishFluff
- Start date
I bet all the cars stacked up behind you don't
No cars behind me. No car can go where I go...
The roads are which is what I meant. Anywhere you need to go can be done without touching a "car" road. The same can not be said for the UK.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 29 Mar 2003
- Posts
- 57,732
- Location
- Stoke on Trent
And what makes you think you have more right to be on the road than him?
Why are you so righteous?
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Jul 2009
- Posts
- 16,234
- Location
- Newcastle/Aberdeen
Well, absolutely, but that doesn't mean we couldn't reach a similar position with proper cycle infrastructure planning and funding.
I do both: cycle and drive and, by far, motorists are the most entitled man-babies around (check Pistonheads for the den of righteous indighnity). Yeah, so a cyclist holds you up a little... big deal. Leave a minute earlier instead of lying in bed, contemplating hauling your bloated, stinking carcass to wherever supplies you money to feed your pie hole.
But, also, cyclists shouldn't adopt a holier-than-though attitude. Fair enough - you may have a physique of a god(dess) and live to 150 years old, unless mown down by a pie-eater. However, you do look a little bit of a plonker with a Team Sky kit on, Boardman bike and a helmet-cam. Oh, and you stink of sweat. But, in fairness, you are taking up less room, contributing less to traffic and, oh boy, an ass is an ass and I care little what gender it is in lycra. You're mine to oogle.
Summary: cyclists are generally sexier than car drivers. More cyclists please. Even the chunky ones get hench after a while.
There. Debate solved. Nimps.
Quick question, What's the other half if all your family is Dutch?
Well, I'm technically completely Dutch, Dutch passport and all my family in Holland but I was born and raised in South Africa and that's a heritage I refuse to let go so I like to say I'm 50/50 Dutch / South African
Agreed. The problem, here in London at least, is space. There's simply not enough of it.
There's plenty of space, it's just most of it is taken up by 2 lanes of road where only 1 would suffice.
Soldato
- Joined
- 20 Jun 2004
- Posts
- 5,962
- Location
- Essex
Nope, I still don't get it.
Why can't cyclists / bikers ride in the middle of the car lane, in a consistent fashion with all other vehicles. That way they aren't at risk of getting up alongside someone during turning and if holding up traffic can be safely overtaken by faster moving vehicles.
Why can't cyclists / bikers ride in the middle of the car lane, in a consistent fashion with all other vehicles. That way they aren't at risk of getting up alongside someone during turning and if holding up traffic can be safely overtaken by faster moving vehicles.
Soldato
- Joined
- 19 Dec 2008
- Posts
- 3,499
- Location
- London, UK
Well, I'm technically completely Dutch, Dutch passport and all my family in Holland but I was born and raised in South Africa and that's a heritage I refuse to let go so I like to say I'm 50/50 Dutch / South African
Ahhh a fruit salad now i understand, i'm actually a fruit salad myself
Speed difference.
You mean instead of riding in the gutter, therefore encouraging dangerously incompetent overetaking by eejits?
Now, that'd make sense.
Ride about a metre away from the kerb, giving you a 'bail-out' zone in case you need it and make them think when overtaking.
It's what I do when cycling and what I expect when driving. On the motorbike, I just take one lane.
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Jul 2009
- Posts
- 16,234
- Location
- Newcastle/Aberdeen
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/k...izn20130830-Effective-traffic-riding-part-1-0
Explains it well. Take the lane when there's a hazard approaching or when you're travelling at the same speed as the traffic. Move over into secondary position when it's safe to do so. Which for me is usually roughly where a car's left tyre would be.
Explains it well. Take the lane when there's a hazard approaching or when you're travelling at the same speed as the traffic. Move over into secondary position when it's safe to do so. Which for me is usually roughly where a car's left tyre would be.
Not really, with some minor modifications to infrastructure in most places it would be fine. We don't need segregated areas for cyclists. Leave the dual carriageways and motorways for motorists and then have shared use roads everywhere else (they are already shared use but people need to be reminded). There is no reason on the majority of roads in the UK motorists, cyclists, horse riders etc cannot coexist peacefully. Better attitudes, more relaxed/slower driving, less cars (fewer short journeys by car).
It's attitudes that need to change, not so much the infrastructure.
That's a very "modern" view. People should be able to cycle around wherever they want (rules permitting). It's how it used to be, unfortunately the attitude of motorists has changed. Perhaps we should be looking at motorists and how to change attitudes rather than forcing others away from places they are allowed and have used for years? Roads are for multiple users, not just motorists.
A few segregated cycle roads to bypass the busiest motor roads, modifications to a small number of junctions and you'd be just about there. Cycling on most roads in the country is fine - residential and county lanes make up a significant portion.
I actually grew up in a new town, which was designed around dual carriage ways and cycle "roads". It was great for cycling, except the people on the cycle tracks constantly. The segregated areas were parallel to the dual carriage ways so you didn't need to get on the most major roads, but could quite happily link between residential road, side road, cycle road, residential road. It's what is needed and not really a major project in most towns. We don't need entirely segregated roadways.
Well, I'm technically completely Dutch, Dutch passport and all my family in Holland but I was born and raised in South Africa and that's a heritage I refuse to let go so I like to say I'm 50/50 Dutch / South African
Doesn't that mean you're Afrikaans?
Ironically many of the car drivers in these threads complaining about cyclists needing to take lessons wouldn't like the outcome. "What do you mean you were taught to take control of your lane, so I can overtake you without giving you space?"
The "attitude" change is required by a minority on both sides. Both sides should remember that cyclists are soft fleshy things that don't react well to fast moving metal objects and, for the vast majority they do and everyone gets along but there's is always a minority that are morons
The insurance issue becomes "you damaged my car by riding into it so why should I have to pay for your mistake".
Currently, someone with no formal training on the roads (no license), no check of the mechanical safety of their vehicle (no MOT) and no cover for any damage they may cause (no insurance) can legally join a 60mph A-Road and potentially cause an accident because they have no idea what traffic signs are or they have no brakes fitted etc.
If you use the roads, at a minimum, I think there should be some form of license to ensure that you at least have some knowledge of how to use the roads safely (similar to the Theory driving test). I also think, after seeing HGV's roar past three 5-8 year olds following their Mum on the 60mph A20 in Kent, no-one under 16 should be allowed to cycle on a road with a speed limit over 30mph, just to protect them.
Soldato
- Joined
- 7 Jul 2009
- Posts
- 16,234
- Location
- Newcastle/Aberdeen
This at least would be a technical impossibility because you can't prosecute under 16s for traffic offences. That's how they're able to ride on pavements, which is probably a good thing.