Do cyclists have a date with death?

[snowdog]

You seem to forget cyclists have to pedal again to accelerate though, while in a car it's as easy as lifting the clutch and pressing the throttle. It's a pain to brake and then accelerate because a stupid traffic light is stuck on red while there's no other traffic, it might rain and storm outside too. In a car you still sit in a dry and comfortable climate controlled shell on a comfy seat blasting your music so it's not such a pain to waste time and brake and reaccelerate at a stupid traffic light...

 

[stockhausen]

I think motorists that don't cycle on the road can be a pain as they don't have enough understanding of road awareness etc.

Funnily enough, the Dutch don't seem to have the same problems with cycles that motorists in the UK do . . . I wonder why that might be

 

[tom_e]

I had some daft bint try and pull out across me this morning when I was out riding, does this mean car drivers are morons?
No it means 1 car driver was half asleep and didnt realise how fast my pace was, it doesnt means I want to whine and moan about all car drivers

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

I cycle and drive.

When I am driving, I come across poor cyclists. If I did not cycle myself, I would probably assume all cyclists were muppets. Drivers don't notice the decent cyclists, as they don't give them any issues.

When I am cycling. I get passed by hundreds of drivers on the way to work, most are brilliant. However, occasionally I encounter an idiot, funnily enough they are the ones I remember. If I was not a driver also, I would probably assume all drivers are idiots.

However, I do not agree with the riding through red lights. Traffic laws apply, and because I am on a bike does not mean I can ignore them.

Helmets are sensible. If people wearing them saves a few lives a year, then its no bad thing that they are law. Especially when we are in an environment that is not as familiar with cyclists compared to, say, the Netherlands.

 

[Janesy B]

I've been hit by cyclists twice, speeding through a red light at a crossing, one want barreling into the curb and chipped a tooth. Serves him right, had he of been driving a car, I would have been toast. They even do it in front of the police and nothing happens! Also it really annoys me when they insist on riding on the road, when councils spend hundreds of thousands on nice separate tracks and paths on the side of the road for them. I think cyclists should be a damn sight more thoughtful before slagging off car users.

 

[Jonny ///M]

The cycle paths are stupid though! There is on my cycle to work that gets me confused. Directs you from the road round the roundabout and you have to stop and cross the individual junctions. How hard is it to pick a lane and ride round in at least half the time!

Regarding helmets,they are only tested at around 12-14mph impact speeds so if some **** hits you in a car then it isn't going to work very effectively. Most people buy cheap helmets too,I'd rather mine met the snell standard.

I never go through red lights, just asking for trouble! As i said before just slowing down in advance and not unclipping means I can pull away quicker then cars up to certain speeds.

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

Grrr, iPhone double post.

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

Errr they have the right of way, you are the one turning off the road, wait until they pass you near the kerb or if they are still far behind you signal that you turn right and already start turning right.

What!?!? You're saying that if I indicate and move into the middle of the road to turn right then the cars behind me have right of way and I should wait for them to overtake before I turn?

If those are the rules of the road you obey then no wonder there are so many accidents.

Edit: just noticed your location and realised there may be some confusion over the rules.

 

[iaind]

So cyclists should be allowed to go through red lights because your chosen method of transport means you need to put effort into pulling away again, which you cant be bothered doing?

Several times I've nearly gone into a cyclist when I've gone through a green light and a cyclist has come from another direction. Its a good job I pay attention to whats been going on, unlike the cyclists who do that!

I say the same thing to motorcyclists - yes, it will be much worse for you than the car driver if there's a collision, but they often forget that the effect on the driver is quite significant too. If a cyclists goes through a red light and gets hit by a car, I'm going to feel sorry for the driver rather than the cyclist - it was the cyclists own bloody fault but the driver didnt deserve the trauma and financial cost of such an accident.

 

[matt_fsr]

If a cyclists goes through a red light and gets hit by a car, I'm going to feel sorry for the driver rather than the cyclist - it was the cyclists own bloody fault but the driver didnt deserve the trauma and financial cost of such an accident.

Very true, there's an awful lot of anger on here about cyclists, but by the sounds of it most of it is their own fault. I've been cycling to work for the last 7 years, but as a driver as well I at least have some idea of what cars expect.

And yes, any cyclist that doesnt use a cycle lane when one is provided should be given an on the spot fine - just wish I had the luxury of cycle lanes!

Sod that, I'd rather cycle on the path, and go slow past pedestrians - most have enough brains to realise why you're doing it.

 

[rsatd]

***CYCLIST RAGE***

Despise the gits so much, desite the fact that I am a cyclist myself for a year now. Work is so close that using my motorbike takes longer then cycling. Actually my main hate for cyclists is when they jump red lights. I don't mind too much the rest of the crap they do, but red light jumping... Is it bad that I wish that those would get run over by a truck?

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

Redlight jumping is despised by most cyclists too. If you were to read the commuting section of Bike Radar it's full of threads slagging off other cyclists for not stopping at lights.

 

[Dogbreath]

Helmet? Appropriate clothing ? No wonder there are so little cyclists in the UK, way too many people who take things way too seriously. I honestly can't see why bother with a helmet on a bike, you usually don't do fast speeds on em anyways. I mean even the law here kind of backs this up, 25 kph moped riders don't have to wear helmets, 45kph moped drivers do... If you don't do high speed don't bother with a helmet if you don't want to look silly.

Does the rest of the traffic magically vanish in the Netherlands when a 25kph moped is on the road?

That kind of speed is easily capable of inflicting a fatal head injury, but moped and cyclists are generally involved in accidents with other vehicles that may be doing a fair bit more than 25kph in the opposite direction. Doesn't take a genius to figure that one out, so I have to wonder about the intelligence of your government.

You seem to forget cyclists have to pedal again to accelerate though, while in a car it's as easy as lifting the clutch and pressing the throttle. It's a pain to brake and then accelerate because a stupid traffic light is stuck on red while there's no other traffic, it might rain and storm outside too. In a car you still sit in a dry and comfortable climate controlled shell on a comfy seat blasting your music so it's not such a pain to waste time and brake and reaccelerate at a stupid traffic light...

It's their choice to use a bicycle. If they don't want to abide by traffic laws because it takes a bit of effort then they shouldn't be on the road.

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

That kind of speed is easily capable of inflicting a fatal head injury, but moped and cyclists are generally involved in accidents with other vehicles that may be doing a fair bit more than 25kph in the opposite direction.

True, but the research that's been done in Australia shows that cyclists who wear helmets are more likely to be involved in accidents simply because drivers give them less room. Same goes for cyclists who hug the kerb, if they don't give themselves road presence then drivers don't give them any space either.

 

[aztechnology]

Last time I looked a pedal cycle didn't emit any CO2

 

[6thElement]

I cycle most days, either for exercise or commuting purposes. I dislike cyclists who blow through lights, drivers who don't give me enough room and pedestrians. Who are worse than cyclists and drivers combined.

I don't blow through lights between traffic, but if it's safe to do so I will proceed. I wish this law was more widespread:
http://www.oregoncycling.org/2008/12/history-of-idahos-stop-sign-law/

 

[aztechnology]

True, but the research that's been done in Australia shows that cyclists who wear helmets are more likely to be involved in accidents simply because drivers give them less room. Same goes for cyclists who hug the kerb, if they don't give themselves road presence then drivers don't give them any space either.

There's loads of research about helmets. Mostly highlighting good and bad points of doing so. Basically they might save you from a few scratches, but will do chuff all on an accident where fatality is likely.

I commute to work on bike and by car (not the same day obviously). I have noticed, the further I'm out from the kerb, the more room I get from passing traffic. (Takes bottle to sit 2m from the kerb on the bypass though, so I have started to avoid it.)

As to riding on the path, I'm not sure old Mrs Robinson would like it when I come past downhill at 50mph.

Really though, get a grip! We all have a right to use the road, and I come across a lot more bad motorists than cyclists on my commute.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

This argument has come up many times before. There are bad cyclists and bad motorists, only difference is the majority of motorists have insurance to cover the damage/accidents they cause.

 

[mrthingyx]

****s on both sides of the argument.

A safe and considerate cyclist is not a problem, in much the same way as a safe and considerate driver.

I'm a cyclist and a driver and like to think I'm reasonably safe at both (don't run red lights, I indicate and give both other cars/etc. a wide berth when overtaking, etc.) and both cyclists and drivers hack me off when they're being inconsiderate or stupid.

I use two routes in to work: a canal towpath and a main road trunk route into Birmingham. The cyclists of n the former are almost all students/etc. who don't know how to set their bikes up, can't hold a straight line and don't pay any attention to... anything. Those on the latter are normally the professional commuters in spandex, who appear to know what they're doing and pay a lot of attention to other users on the road.

I personally have never had a problem with either in either capacity. I have had somebody in a white van try to scare me off my bike whilst riding: he drove up beside me and screamed at me before accelerating off... I don't draw the conclusion that all drivers are idiots based on this event, but I did have to try very hard not to shout back at him as I filtered past him in traffic.

At the person who talked about how much of a pain cyclists are when driving a bus? Now you know how pretty much every other driver on the road feels.

In London, anything goes - cyclists and drivers fly in from left, right and centre to the point where I've almost given up driving into the capital.

 

[platypus]

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.

Yawn, same old same old.

It's illegal to cycle on the pavement. Is it safer? For whom? For you maybe. But it isn't any safer for the cyclist cycling on the pavement then it is on the road, the only difference being the scale of accident on the road is likely to be bigger.

The main problem I find, as a cyclist, is drivers. The main problem I find, as a driver, is other drivers. If we had more driving competency tests and more restrictions on who could drive, the roads would be a lot safer.

And why shouldn't four cyclists cycle together rather then single file in rush hour traffic? It's not like you're going to speed anywhere - is it? Cyclists, especially those likely to ride in a pelaton can easily keep up with rush hour speeds. So why would you be trying to overtake?

Sounds more to me like you need an anger-behind-the-wheel management course, which would help make the roads just a little bit safer. Neh?