Cyclists apopletic about law being applied to them

This driver was zoned out. Lets assume that the cyclist didn't change their road position; the driver was approaching way too fast. With their speed the only outcomes was either a dangerous overtake or having to brake hard to not hit the rider.
A poor standard of driving and just shows that just because you are driving at the speed limit (or below) doesn't mean you are driving safely.
yes, but cyclist inexperienced/lacking-training too - you don't leave gaps for close overtakes near islands, cyclist should have also heard the motor approaching much sooner ( ev @30-40 pretty quiet though) and taken better position. .... adage PPPP planning prevents - death
 
I never understand why cyclists don't use a small bar end mirror.

He wasn’t looking behind him at traffic, he was looking across the road at another cyclist who just stacked it to make sure they were ok. A mirror would have no chance of seeing that.

As someone said a few posts up, looking to the side and riding your bike straight is a very difficult skill and ultimately the cyclist pulled towards the middle of the road as he did that and slowed down. I’m certain the mechanism of applying the front brake would have made it worse as that’s also controlled by the right side (correct me if I am wrong there, it’s been awhile!).

The driver just barrelled up behind the incident unfolding in front of them and pretty much had zero cares despite their protests that they did. They were always going to perform a dodgy overtake due to the traffic island despite the road being otherwise clear on the other side.
 
I’m certain the mechanism of applying the front brake would have made it worse as that’s also controlled by the right side (correct me if I am wrong there, it’s been awhile!)
I don't think there is a hard rule for pedal bikes that front brake is the right lever. I know mine are setup like that in preparation for getting a motorbike, I can't remember if it came with them switched though.
From memory I remember seeing something about the setup being related to how you give hand signals and which side of the road the country drives on.
 
I’m sure the U.K. is front (primary) brake on the right and the continent tend to do it on the left. But yeh, they can be either way, it’s just the default/traditional side.
 
I used to cycle into Canary Wharf through SE London 5 days a week, and to be honest I always thought that the standard of driving was generally decent. As long as you're aware that you're hard to spot as a cyclist and act accordingly (the old 'ride as if you're invisible'), generally speaking I found that most drivers respected me. Of course, doing that for a few years I came across my fair share of idiots and I did get put in hospital once (got taken out by someone turning right at a crossroads as I went through a green light the other way - 100% my right of way), but that's just people for you. I also saw plenty of cyclists act as if they were trying to end their own life ASAP, so pointing the finger at either side is (as usual) completely pointless. What I would say in general is that the roads around here are just too busy for cycling to be fun these days - I only really go out on Sunday mornings now when it's pretty quiet.
Cycling into a busy town or city is something that only experienced cyclists should be doing TBH. Anyone who doesn't have good bike handling and road awareness is going to get themselves into trouble.
As there seems to be a debate heating up about which side the front brake lever is on, every bike I've ever bought (all in the UK) has had it on the right :p
 
Last edited:
What I would say in general is that the roads around here are just too busy for cycling to be fun these days

Something I've been saying for awhile - these days there is just such an increase in both vehicles and other road users like cyclists in some places it is getting ridiculous and there isn't an easy solution especially as despite all the talk about the environment there never seems to be the will or money to improve the cycling infrastructure in any meaningful way.
 
looking it's not a difficult skill to learn - the issue if anything is lack of education that, like a car driver, you should be looking behind you - otherwise you are a bit like a dumb (sorry horses) wearing blinkers, with no one at the wheel.

.. countersteering on the other hand - probably not in this life
 
looking it's not a difficult skill to learn - the issue if anything is lack of education that, like a car driver, you should be looking behind you - otherwise you are a bit like a dumb (sorry horses) wearing blinkers, with no one at the wheel.

.. countersteering on the other hand - probably not in this life

I used to hate wearing a helmet when I cycled to work as it made it harder to keep my head on a swivel so to speak. At least back then I could never find something which stayed in place perfectly with rapid head movement of that nature.
 
Yes I noticed, except they proceed even if you're walking across the road at the time so you literally have to run for it

Some 40 years ago I turned right at a junction with a green light in midtown Manhattan NYC and pedestrians were crossing the road, I slowed right down but threaded through them.
About 15 metres along the street a cop waved me to a stop and gave me a volley for not stopping and giving way to them.
I said that as I’d turned on a green I thought that I had the right of way, but he said, “It’s obvious by your accent that you didn’t know, but it’s on you to learn the regulations when you come to another country.”
Next time I did it I slowed to a stop, then nearly went deaf from the horn of the yellow cab behind me!
 
:confused:
Did you mean i was correct?
As i just been out to bike shed and when in the saddle(ooh errr )the left brake lever is the Front brake
Bit confused with your reply :)
EDIT just noticed i put the wrong smilie in my post,so that it looked like i was confused....whoops
"British Standards - that means that the front brake is on the right and the rear brake on the left."
 
What would you class as "mere miles" for something like work?

2-3 miles each way. I think that's achievable to a lot of people.

What about the vile toxins you have contributed to by having that phone, computer and ordering online etc :)
When you spout crap like that you'd better be clean.

Are you seriously questioning my impact on the environment, motorist?

I mean, you can't even be bothered to recycle, lol.
 
Doing a shoulder check while not deviating from your line is a skill that takes a lot of experience too. It is very easy to put weight on the outside drop bar and cause you to swerve towards the centre of the road. Like this: https://twitter.com/petemorristwit/status/1368017933818028039
Driver in wrong for starting an overtake without enough space.
Cyclist swerving like that obviously isn't safe and could lead to an accident but you can see it wasn't intentional.

Arguement from the driver about there being a cycle path the cyclist could have used is irrelevant.


https://twitter.com/1Fubar/status/1493148511277576193?t=Vdy9-mSNLUtW5Srm5LzJiw&s=19
Shared by the person you linked to above.

This is just weird one as the cyclist looks drunk.
 
:confused:
Did you mean i was correct?
As i just been out to bike shed and when in the saddle(ooh errr )the left brake lever is the Front brake
Bit confused with your reply :)
EDIT just noticed i put the wrong smilie in my post,so that it looked like i was confused....whoops

Curiosity got the better of me and I went out and checked the 3 we have in the garage and all 3 have the front brake on the right. That was a Cube road bike, Giant hybrid bike and some generic step through thing my wife sometimes rides.

I expect if your bike has been set up for 'racing' or by someone who is into 'racing' it will have the front brake on the left as all the pro's have it that way but as others have said that's because almost everywhere else drives on the other side of the road.

All mine were bought from mainstream cycling retailers 'off the peg' and thus are set up with the standard British layout.

EDIT:

https://twitter.com/1Fubar/status/1493148511277576193?t=Vdy9-mSNLUtW5Srm5LzJiw&s=19
Shared by the person you linked to above.

This is just weird one as the cyclist looks drunk.

What a complete muppet :cry:
 
Driver in wrong for starting an overtake without enough space.

Driver didn't approach that right at all but I think they interpreted the movement to the left by the cyclist as a deflection to let traffic past after the island... still not good driving to try and go with the proximity to the traffic island.

Won't say my own driving is perfect, though I do try, but I've found lately you have to be a bit dominant with your driving (and the same would go for cycling though being more vulnerable it is harder) these days to influence other people's behaviour or you end up dealing with all kinds of silly things, not that it eliminates it but it definitely cuts it down. One of the reasons I prefer driving larger vehicles these days even when I don't have to, while not perfect it does tend to as a generalisation make people think twice before doing silly things, although that only works to an extent as LGV drivers will attest :s
 
Back
Top Bottom