Do cyclists have a date with death?

Firegod

Firegod

Firegod

Soldato
Joined
12 Sep 2003
Posts
11,296
Location
Newcastle, UK
Rant time again. Normally I see only a few cyclists on my journey to work and back, but the last week or so has been a bit crazy. To the point where I've arrived at my destination annoyed by some of their antics.

I don't mind saying, I don't agree with them being on the road. They don't pay tax and they don't have insurance. Stick them on the pavement, they're wide enough and even though there are pedestrians it's a lot safer than cycling on the road.

So what's annoyed me lately, some cyclists just seem to have no care. Or, it could be a mixture of smugness (intentionally holding cars up). They know they are holding you up, but don't care. We all know the type, the one's that seem to wiggle around like a fatty on a pogo stick. No where near the curb and by wiggling so badly, it makes overtaking safely a nightmare. I ended up following one tonight at a speed barely comfortable in 2nd gear with no safe gap to overtake on the other side of the road. Footpath = empty!

Second one was I flashed a car out of a junction only to have 4 cyclists suited and booted like it was bloody Tour de France! I never let them out, but they just shot out as well. And no, not in single file, but side by side! No one could pass them as it was rush hour traffic (moving, but heavy in both directions).

The final one the other day, going down a two lane stretch of road on quite a quick downwards hill with a slight curve. I say two lane, it also has a bus lane on the inside. This bloke comes up behind me so I move over to the left of my lane as much as I can so that I can see him in my right hand mirror (he's not near the curb, but cycling down the middle of the lanes).
He comes past me, then cuts very close to the car in front's back end, swings into the other lane then at the very bottom, cuts back across all three lanes behind a bus. Bus has no way to see him at all.

I was thinking, it'll just take one car to move across without looking and he's off! He was just weaving back and forth. Totally irresponsible.

So yeah, getting pretty fed up with them now. Also, at lights, it really annoys me. They hold you up all that way and stop at some lights, only to then go on to the footpath for the rest of their journy. Either stay on the road or not at all!!

Sigh. Anyone else feel the same? It's hard enough trying to negotiate busy traffic, not having to worry about if some Lycra clad pansy is going to clatter in to me.
 
Busa said:
As a cyclist all I can say is....oh well..never mind.
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Hmmm, if I've interpreted that the way it was meant, then you've just proven my point about the attitude some cyclists have. If I've misunderstood... oh well, never mind. ;)
 
Jonny ///M said:
Try cycling on a pavement and see the abuse you get from pedestrians,it's pretty shocking sometimes.
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See that's really bad that. I don't mind cyclists on the pavement at all, they come past, all is good. I don't see why people have to give you grief for it. :confused:

It's like when I go jogging, there are loads of cyclists out on the pavement using the same route along the river front. No one says a bad word to either and everyone one is considerate and moves over to let either a group of joggers past or a cyclist.

There's just not enough space (or should that be "safe" space?) on the roads for cyclists and vehicles imo. And the bad cyclists just make it worse.
 
Cycling on footways (a pavement at the side of a carriageway) is prohibited by Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835, amended by Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1888. This is punishable by a fixed penalty notice of £30 under Section 51 and Schedule 3 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.
Cyclists have no right to cycle on a footpath away from the road but only commit an offence where local by-laws or traffic regulation orders create such an offence
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Now that I disagree with. It should be fine to be on the footpath, fine to be on the road as long as you have some sort of tax or insurance for the bike. And finally, illegal on the road if you don't have this.
 
Jonny ///M said:
Oh lovely,the road tax argument. Most 'proper' cyclist I know who use the roads own cars and pay road tax....
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That's road tax for the car. Just like if I owned a bike and a car, both need tax. I can't say "oh but I own a car so I don't need to tax my motorbike". Same should be if you cycle on the road.
 
PhillyDee said:
I see more arrogant/dangerous car drivers than bad cyclists. I do both. You even get swore at for riding on the cycle lanes on the pavements. Damned if you do . . .
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I think this proves 'Snax's' point about each group having it's own "bad apples". I'm not dangerous when I finally pass a cyclist. I wait until the road is clear, straight (i.e. not on a bend) and give plenty of space. I feel that some cyclists just take the pee out on the roads.
 
MrMoss said:
Facts please: at the risk of confusing everyone, car/lorry/etc. drivers don't pay road tax (look it up if you want) and require a license to use the roads. Cyclists, pedestrians and horses have a right to use the roads.
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What do you mean drivers don't pay road tax? Should I call it car\vehicle tax will that be OK then? Either way, cyclists don't have this.
 
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