cyclists on the road-test or no test?

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233

Soldato
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now dont get me wrong theres some knowledgable people out there on push bikes, there is also some complete berks - jumping redlights scaping cars riding like tubes


does anyone think that it should become compulsory for anyone using the road - in this case cyclists - should have to undertake a basic training course something similar as to what bikers do with a cbt?



personally think it would be great- making sure that all road users are at least aware of the rules of the road and have a basic understanding of what the laws are.

anyone else think the same or otherwise?
 
paradigm said:
Cycling proficiency, something which was thrust upon me at a young-ish age.

It should be mandatory.
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Indeed.

I incorrectly assumed it was mandatory, I asked my daughter (13) if / when she had taken her Cycling proficiency test and she looked at me as if I'd gone mad (nothing unusual there!) :o:D
 
in an ideal world yeah that'd be great, cyclists do deeply annoy me and anything to give them some more road awareness/sense would be amazing

My mine gripe with them as i live in the country is the road cyclists on NSL country roads.

Come round a bend and theres some guy weaving all over the road looking like he's having a heart attack doing 10mph or even worse when they insist on riding side by side, i don't understand how they arn't killed in their hundreds each year :confused:

I am a cyclist myself, i do quite a bit of mountain biking and i enjoy riding in cities or example as its a quicker way of getting around as long as you have your wits about you. I could never cycle on an A or B road though as i just wouldn't feel safe!

But rant over, would be good but no idea how it would be implemented or policed
 
sovietspybob said:
But rant over, would be good but no idea how it would be implemented or policed
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Just make it part of the basic curriculum, much-like drivers-ed is in the USA.

Yes it wouldn't mean that every cyclist on the road has the training, but at least most new riders would end up being competent.
 
Shock horror, but most cyclists other than kids DO actually drive as well. Some of us even drive and ride motorbikes! Poeple know the highway code, they just abuse it as much as they can get away with, whether they are in a car or on a bike.

As for the comment above about the country lanes, perhaps its you that needs a highway code refresher, as its perfectly acceptable to ride 2 abreast, and represents no more of a hazard than a horse or tractor.

Edit - as far as I know cycling profficiency is part of the curriculum, at least it is in all the schools around here.
 
I agree that they should know the rules of the road, but fining cyclists would be much simpler. I cycle, and drive, and always follow the rules of the road. They are there for a reason. I done a cycling proficiency test at school, but cannot remember a thing about it.
It always seems to be one of 2 types of cyclist, the one that cycles with hands in pockets, not caring that he has just narrowly missed the person in the buggy, cycles across busy roads, down the wrong side of the road etc. (Scum basically).
Or the other, the semi professional cyclist who jumps red lights because they think they know better. You know the one, all the gear, but a complete lack of grey matter between the ears!
 
like a driving test, people do well to pass it but then turn into idiots afterwards. so whats the point?
 
Sagalout said:
Shock horror, but most cyclists other than kids DO actually drive as well. Some of us even drive and ride motorbikes! Poeple know the highway code, they just abuse it as much as they can get away with, whether they are in a car or on a bike.
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Agreed, the vast majority of cyclists are good, all road users are the same, the are the good ones and the bad ones (negligent, unobservant, aggressive, etc) the road belongs to us all we should share it and treat each other iwth respect.


Sagalout said:
Edit - as far as I know cycling profficiency is part of the curriculum, at least it is in all the schools around here.
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It was in North Wales too when I was in school.


Sagalout said:
As for the comment above about the country lanes, perhaps its you that needs a highway code refresher, as its perfectly acceptable to ride 2 abreast, and represents no more of a hazard than a horse or tractor.
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Yes and No, you see as always its very hard to understand anything written by a government body and if you check the highway code:

66
You should
  • keep both hands on the handlebars except when signalling or changing gear
  • keep both feet on the pedals
  • never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
  • not ride close behind another vehicle
  • not carry anything which will affect your balance or may get tangled up with your wheels or chain
  • be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted

What it doesn't explain is what constitutes a busy road, and its entirely up to the digression of any passing copper, some will only stop you for it on an A road, some will stop cyclists for doing it on A and B roads, some will just drive past ignoring it so they can find a motorist to persecute, its entirely random.
 
Sagalout said:
Shock horror, but most cyclists other than kids DO actually drive as well. Some of us even drive and ride motorbikes! Poeple know the highway code, they just abuse it as much as they can get away with, whether they are in a car or on a bike.
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You've never been to Cambridge have you ?

I'd make a killing in fines if i were a copper !

MW
 
I can't see the point in a test/course as i'll bet 99% of them already know the rules but just can't be arsed to follow them.

I would like to see on the spot fines though for doing stupid or dangerous things.

And violations of road traffic laws ie driving through a red light as mentioned above, if the ciclyst has a bike/car license why can they not have a TS10 applied to it with the relevant points & fine?.
 
People on the roads these days are selfish. Selfish because they know better, or selfish because they just don't have a flipping clue and don't care to be corrected on the matter.

I'm cycling whilst I'm banned, I used to do hundreds of miles a week when I was at school/6th form and never had many issues. Last night I was riding on my usual favorite country road on the way home from work and at a certain point there are two rather sunken manholes where I would be cycling (well tucked up to the edge of the road), sunken enough to never come out of them again! One is on the opposite side of the road, the other on my side and I know cars give them a wide birth so I had a glance forwards and backwards to make sure it was clear.

Sadly, due to the fact I was between two unsighted bends as I pulled right a 4x4 was up my rear end and he gave me an ear full of horn. Fair enough I thought as I pulled back in but then as he's going past me he's learning out of his seat, waving and shouting and doing the rage dance. Naturally I waved back, maybe I knew him but I didn't understand his funny hand signals and he didn't seem to like it when I did the same back and he pulled in further up the road. As I didn't stop and carried on driving towards him, he just drove off.

Who was more dangerous though? Me, moving a few inches or him looking back whilst driving towards an unsighted bend with awkward man holes, waving like a mad man and his shocked looking kids in the back wobbling in their booster seats whilst crossing on the the wrong side of the road? It's this kind idiocy that causes real accidents and if someone was coming the other way we'd all have been in a sorry state.

Oh, and one thing that really annoys me on or off the bike is car drivers who stop at oncoming traffic when there is loads of room, and those who drive completely on the wrong side of the road regardless of there being a blind bend etc when passing me. The sad thing is it's the same people who sit behind a tractor at the same place for miles, but pass me on my bike as they could that tractor!

I think education should hammer in road safety for ALL aspects of the roads and being a pedestrian, not just cyclists and drivers. I've cycled, ridden horses and driven on the roads and they all come with their fare share of challenges but the same old selfish behavior.
 
No test for the simple reason it'd be impossible to enforce. We don't seem to be able to stop people driving cars with out licences and insurance so what chance is there of doing the same to bikes that don't even need to be registered.
 
I don't hold a driving license and I cycle to uni everyday. Tbh I don't obey a lot of the rules of the road, I do get in the right lane at roundabouts and I'll give way when its really bad traffic but most of the time you can just skirt around corners, or hop onto the pavement for a few meters.

I actually find this way safer, when I started I would be stoping at all red lights etc but cars would just cut you up as soon as it turned amber, meaning you can get any speed of the mark, so I couldn't react as fast. Or Cars and lorries just wouldn't see you and get ****y anyway. Doing it slightly illegally makes it easier for me, and easier for other cars to react. and quicker.
 
We didn't have to do Cycling Proficiency, but could opt-in to it. As it was yr6 at Primary School I did it as it was time skiving lessons :D.

I don't cycle much on roads (hence why I bought a Cross-County MTB), but when I do there's some drivers that just give you no room and assume I want to cycle in the very gutter with all the potholes and general ****.

Cyclists ignoring red lights really annoys me though!
 
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