How is it not safe? How is it safe to drive over a tonne of metal at 30mph but not a bike at less than that?
Why does the UK hate cyclists?
- Thread starter rIcK
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They should require a licence or registration, some way to report them, they can drive on pavements, no handed, ignore lights and there is no responsibility, no punishment unless they accidentally kill somebody.
It's pretty crazy really.
It's pretty crazy really.
I don’t know what it’s like in the rest of the UK but you’ve got to be a nutter to cycle on London’s roads. I don't think it's surprising that a lot of cyclists in London are hyper-aggressive and ignore red lights/pedestrian crossings.
It's a shock visiting a bicycle-friendly city like Copenhagen. Cyclists there are so polite and obey the rules.
It's a shock visiting a bicycle-friendly city like Copenhagen. Cyclists there are so polite and obey the rules.
The roads are designed to accommodate cyclists. It’s totally different. Here all provision for cyclists is at best half arsed.
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No, certainly not! I see enough modified cars in my job without looking at them in my spare time <LOL>
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I only have an issue when they don't use lights when its dark, driving to work the other day, turning around a corner and there he was... Luckily i missed him 
That does strike me as suicidal and it really irritates me. Riding round in dark clothes with no lights... stupid. It’s not like it’s a hard rule to follow.I only have an issue when they don't use lights when its dark, driving to work the other day, turning around a corner and there he was... Luckily i missed him
I only have an issue when they don't use lights when its dark, driving to work the other day, turning around a corner and there he was... Luckily i missed him
Had this a couple of times now near where i live and on a windy derestricted non-lit b road in the middle of the night : /. Complete death wish.
Soldato
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One thing I don't understand as a cyclist is the increasing popularity of riding stealth ninja black bikes, while wearing stealth ninja dark clothes over the last ~10 years... I don't wear a fluro yellow helmet and jacket, plus neon blue baggie shorts and dayglo orange thin gloves to look fashionable in dull/dark conditions!
I dislike them on the road. Getting stuck behind a cyclist is beyond annoying, and it feels risky every time you want to overtake one leaving 'enough room' to be safe.
I would much rather they didn't clog up the roads and instead had to use the pavements/cycle paths. When I was young people would ride their bikes on the pavement without crashing into pedestrians (bells for warning) so I'm not sure why they now have to screw up road drivers.
I would much rather they didn't clog up the roads and instead had to use the pavements/cycle paths. When I was young people would ride their bikes on the pavement without crashing into pedestrians (bells for warning) so I'm not sure why they now have to screw up road drivers.
Deleted member 66701
Deleted member 66701
My cycling clothes are black trousers (dark blue goretex if it's wet) and a black down jacket or a dark grey Neoshell jacket if it's wet. My bike is black as are all the accessories. It's a myth that high viz makes cyclists more visible.
However, I do use good lights, even during the day outside of the summer months.
Meh. I find cars really get in my way when I’m trying to cycle, but I’m a grown up so I have to deal with it.
Soldato
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I think the most import part of that Grauniad article is this:
That said, the lessons only pertain to daylight hours. Virtually all high-vis items have reflective patches or strips, which are, without doubt, a boon after dark.
That said, the lessons only pertain to daylight hours. Virtually all high-vis items have reflective patches or strips, which are, without doubt, a boon after dark.
Not sure if you're actually serious or trolling? If you're being serious, my gosh.
Cyclists can be caught in exactly the same way as drivers can, by the police! Fair enough without any identification markings dash cam evidence, speed cameras and red light cameras are pretty useless but then it still isn't that common that dash cam footage is used by the police to hand out fines to vehicle drivers for eating, using their phone, smoking, reading whilst driving, ignoring red lights etc.
Just mute point after mute point posted. I wish we could all just get along
I do wonder whether there could be some form of licence for cyclists for which you'd have to pass a highway code test. With regards to children until they are capable of passing said test, as per when learning to drive, they'd have to be accompanied by someone who has passed the test and they are their responsibility. At least that way some form of education on how to use the roads in the correct manner will have been put across.
The reason the UK hates cyclists, is because the average driver in the UK is thick as pig ****. You only need to drive on the motorway and see the vast majority can’t even drive in the correct lane and only utilise 66% of the road to see their opinion isn’t worth ****.
Deleted member 66701
Deleted member 66701
That's kinda what I was getting at, there is a difference between high viz and reflective. My tyres are reflective, as are my gloves, spokes, pedals, jacket and hat - but none of them are bright yellow/orange etc. Numerous studies have shown that colour of clothing makes no difference to visibility.
My bike lights are not weedy though.
So how do you explain away the fact that numerous studies have shown that colour of clothing makes no difference to visibility. Remember, do not confuse high viz with reflective.
Not an interpretation ami, just a truthful observation, come to civilisation, and check it out yourself.
Can’t argue that if a car runs a red, the potential for a lethal result is more likely, but percentage wise, one hell of a lot more cyclists do it than car drivers, doesn’t matter, they’re ALL wrong to do it.
I’ve seen quite a few near misses, when a cyclist has run a blatant red, and a car/van/taxi has had to brake or swerve to avoid hitting them, causing other vehicles to take emergency action to not get involved.
I saw a cyclist run a red at the lights above the Euston Underpass, causing a motorcyclist to brake and swerve, but still hit the cyclist, causing both riders to come off their machines.
The motorcyclist went to the cyclist, helped him up, said something inaudible to him, them smacked him straight in the mouth.
I don’t have faux rage when I see cyclists running reds, it’s real annoyance, and it’s not because I wish that I could do it and get away with it, I don’t do it, because I don’t want to get hurt, or nicked by the police.
As for the experiments in letting cyclists pass lights at red, let’s see how it pans out, doesn’t sound sensible to me, but I’m open to be convinced if they can show that it’s safe.
As a lifelong Londoner, and Southwark resident, I can assure you that Narj speaks the truth.
Northumberland? Thank God for the roads out.
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