Cyclists

[fidget]

Cyclists should have to have some form of number plate and insurance policy.

Several years ago, a "militant" cyclist filtered through between two lines of traffic in Manchester City centre, he purposely smacked my and several other door mirrors off with his hand - it cost me £150 to get it fixed (too low to be worth claiming on my own insurance).

Despite calling the police and Greater Manchester police having a CCTV camera per square metre, they didn't see him so he got away with it - just as most other poor cyclists do daily because they cannot be ID'd.

 

[bam0]

As a cyclist and a motorist I would like to see proper cycle lanes and driver education and awareness like they do for motorbikes.

I disagree, cycle lanes are generally rubbish, the ones where you share an area of the pavement with pedestrians are dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists can't go a decent speed. And the ones where they mark off a bit of the road are always at the kerbside full of debris and drain covers, additionally because they are marked cars assume that the width of the cycle lane is all the room they need give you when they come past.

As the OP showed lots of drivers think they actually pay for the roads and that gives them some greater entitlement to use them than anyone else.

 

[VeNT]

lol love all this cyclist hate.
it's nearly as funny as my boss pulling out of a junction into my bike on the way to work.
atleast she stopped and gave me a lift to work, even if the bikes a write off.
you would have thought the neon yellow jacket and lights would make you more visible not less.

edit
and on the subject of cycle lanes, ours are shared with buses.
if anything, they are worse than cars! often get clipped by the wing mirrors when they pass and I'm not even that tall!

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

I intentionally haven't read the thread and wanted to see how well I know this topic and the frenzy that GD/Motors get into when it's raised.

1. Road tax was mentioned.
2. Cycling tests (possibly annual) were mentioned.
3. Insurance for bikes was mentioned.
4. CO2 emissions or the 'green angle' was mentioned.
5. State of public transport was mentioned.
6. Each side blaming the other.

How many did I get right?

 

[Cosimo]

How many did I get right?

You forgot the hate exuded by each group.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

You forgot the hate exuded by each group.

Oh, but that's a given

 

[joemo13]

Cyclists should have to have some form of number plate and insurance policy.

How could you possibly police something like that though?
I can just see the police going up to a toddler on a tricycle and asking to see their license!

The other week I was forced to ride on the pavement by a stupid car driver who suddenly decided to try to turn into me as we were side by side and there was no way I could have braked in time!

I see far more silly drivers than cyclists. Motorists have always hated bikes, even when cars first came out.

 

[Participant]

"People on foot damage cars too".....?? People on foot are NOT road users...I thought that to be painfully obvious!

"People on foot are NOT road users"...are you sure? What's painfully obvious is that you aren't the sharpest tool in the box. I already mentioned people running on the road in my previous post? Why should they not be 'taxed' and require insurance for this heinous activity?

The funny thing is that the demographic of society more prepared to hop on a bike, are those more likely to be more wealthy and therefore contribute more in the way of income taxes, national insurance, and also to have more expensive cars sitting in their garage for the weekends than the plebians that think cycling is for losers. We have two cars actually, but I still cycle and leave the bike in the garage as I enjoy it.

Therefore wrong uns like the OP should be thanking cyclists for being upstanding members of society, that pay more for his daughter's NHS treatment than he probably does. More cyclists on the road makes your daughter's world a safer place to be, as for each cyclist there's one less car likely to cause a serious metal vs. metal accident.

Regarding cycle paths, don't forget that there a lots of paths that may look like cycle paths but are not. Therefore cyclists can't legally use them.

Cyclist insurance / tax would discourage people from getting on their bike, a healthy and fun activity. You'd effectively be penalising people for reducing emissions and being more fit, hardly a sensible action if you've studied tax theory.

There's a fundamentally flawed culture within the minds of commuting motorists, that they absolutely must get wherever they're going as quickly as humanly possible. To acheive this, they must drive as aggressively as possible. This morning, Mondeo man overtook two cars on a single track road only to discover what he already knew; a queue of ten more cars all doing 50mph that he couldn't overtake. So he gained two places. It's this attitude that's running through people like the OP and lolasim18.

Read this
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/aug/10/cycling-boom-survey

 

[Andy]

If i jump on the pavement at a light it is only so i don't hold up traffic with my poor acceleration.

I have been cycling to work for a month now and the number of people who pull out on you and/or don't indicate, i have almost resorted to carrying rocks in my pockets.

I actually go out of my way to avoid a certain mini roundabout.

Damn inpatient motorists...

PS i do drive

 

[markk]

Ah, another OCUK anti-cyclist thread, is it that time again so soon?

I still don't get this constant argument and moaning about cyclists damaging cars. I cycle to work and I drive my car in and around London. I've never once damaged a car, nor has my car been damaged by a cyclist. I've also never seen much more than the odd wing mirror scrape which does no damage.

So your saying that because you have not had an accident or damaged a car that it does not happen?

At the end of the day, any kind of serious physical damage to a car is likely to mean the bicycle and cyclist is going to be the worse off.

And it does not matter if a cyclist does damage a car because he will be worse off?

 

[grudas]

Argh cyclists make me rage so bad.

• Wait for an opportunity to overtake.
• Overtake.
• Get caught in traffic/lights
• Cyclist filters through.
• Wait for another opportunity to overtake.

The cycle goes on and on. Why don't you just **** off

why don't cars just blow up then? the road would be empty and we wouldn't need to filter through the traffic.. you sound like a little ragging idiot tbh.. exactly the idiot that would annoy someone on the road

 

[Hatter The Mad]

...

You're more of a danger to others and yourself than the BMXer was. Also, you shouldn't be on the road.

People on foot are NOT road users...I thought that to be painfully obvious!

Having read Andy's post I've started wondering if there ought to be an IQ component to the driving test. It seems to assume common sense is innate

 

[OG]

I think if you both cycle and drive then you appreciate both sides of the argument. I am a keen cyclist and drive, I cycle on the road as if I drive and stop at red lights etc etc; but yes there are some complete brain dead cyclists who have no consideration for anyone else on the road and expect cars to move out of the way for them... the number of times I have seen cyclists run a red light at a cross road without so much as slowing down and not even bothering checking for traffic!

 

[platypus]

Sounds like the OP needs to calm down, like most motorists.

Not only is riding side by side allowed, its encouraged to make cyclists feel safe. Or, like the majority of motorists, and cyclists, have you not read the highway code, and indeed know little about what is contained within? Article 66: "when cycling, do not ride more than two abreast."

Argh cyclists make me rage so bad.

• Wait for an opportunity to overtake.
• Overtake.
• Get caught in traffic/lights
• Cyclist filters through.
• Wait for another opportunity to overtake.

The cycle goes on and on. Why don't you just **** off

The archetypal raging motorist. Grow up, learn some patience, relax, and the roads will be a safer place for all users around you. There are crap drivers, there are crap cyclists. The difference being you're in charge of half a ton, plus, of metal which can do significantly more harm.

I think if you both cycle and drive then you appreciate both sides of the argument.

Indeed.

As ever, road users need to calm down, learn a bit more respect for each other, and remember that everyone is making their own journey. Getting angry is both pointless and dangerous.

 

[alx]

Argh cyclists make me rage so bad.

• Wait for an opportunity to overtake.
• Overtake.
• Get caught in traffic/lights
• Cyclist filters through.
• Wait for another opportunity to overtake.

The cycle goes on and on. Why don't you just **** off

Where's a mac10 when you need one.....

(or have I got the wrong poster??)

 

[leaskovski]

You're lucky he didn't report you to the police imo

What made me laugh about this, is that a pedestrian would have right of way at this.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070332

 

[Cuchulain]

As a driver and cyclist, I think cyclists should be forced to have some form of third party liability insurance and the Police should take a break from standing in the shadows with speed cameras and start enforcing the law against cycling on the pavement.

 

[Delvis]

Yes because no car drivers cut corners on T-Junctions
Yes because no car drivers pull out in front of you from a junction when your doing 60 odd

In fact, I prefer cyclists half the time, less hassle, far fewer of them on the road at any given time.

Some are annoying, some aren't...Same with car drivers basically

 

[platypus]

You're lucky he didn't report you to the police imo

Agreed, and with any luck Aero would have gotten 3 points on his licence and a fine, and the cyclist a fine. No room whatsoever for that kind of behaviour on both parties. Shameful.

What made me laugh about this, is that a pedestrian would have right of way at this.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070332

Indeed, it's a simply rule that most people don't seem to understand: always yield right of way to the more vulnerable party, regardless of what you think your right of way is.

But then, how many people actually know the highway code? I wish it was a mandatory part of the driving test, rather than the pathetic theory test. On the flip side of this I realise you can't test cyclists, but I wish there was some way of enforcing knowledge of it for cyclists as well.

 

[Aero]

Agreed, and with any luck Aero would have gotten 3 points on his licence and a fine, and the cyclist a fine. No room whatsoever for that kind of behaviour on both parties. Shameful.

I agree, I regret what I did and have learnt from it. I'm a cyclist myself.

Not a proud day.