A lot of drivers do have a bad attitude towards pedestrians but at still on the road , the problem Is people - car drivers, van drivers, truck drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, a lot of people these days are selfish, dangerous, careless or just don’t care about the consequences of their actions
A lot of drivers do have a bad attitude towards pedestrians but at still on the road , the problem Is people - car drivers, van drivers, truck drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, a lot of people these days are selfish, dangerous, careless or just don’t care about the consequences of their actions
******* in the wind as far as the day to day problems on the roads go, though. It's not going to change problem cyclists' attitudes in the slightest. It's also not as if all taxed and licensed motorists are saints when it comes to pedestrians, either. Just that the behaviour has been normalised to a certain degree. How many drivers have gambled on amber at a pedestrian crossing, conveniently not seen someone stepping on to a zebra crossing and carried on regardless, or have parked across the pavement...I'm pretty sure most problem cyclists know that riding on the pavement is illegal, and skipping red lights is also illegal. Making them sit a test that says this is not going to change anything imo (unfortunately).
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Soldato
I disagree with that. Making them sit a test will educate them and ensure they meet a minimum standard. It will also underline the fact that the road is a dangerous place and cyclists need to take responsibility. People who fail their driving test simply shouldn't be on the road - we need a similar filter for cyclists.
And yet look at the number of people killed by cars vs cyclists. Clearly the test doesn't work that well.
Whilst I'm all in favour of sorting out moronic cyclists it's totally pointless. We have laws in place already that don't work and aren't properly enforced. How's this going to be any different? What we need is a better police presence and application of judicial punishment.
Whilst it may weed out total morons it won’t weed out **** holes that just don’t give a damn, same as every other test out there ,people will do what is required to get their license then revert back into their selfish **** hole ways.
Soldato
The law for cyclists does need looking at because it needs up dating as it’s well out of date but the focus is all wrong. When 99.4% of all pedestrian road deaths are caused by drivers, the law needs to be updated so drivers are punished far more severely as the punishments are currently a joke for drivers causing road deaths.
You can also see the level or lack of intelligence of people when they make comments about cyclists not paying tax or not having licences. To spell it out for you so there can be no doubt.
1. Vehicles are currently taxed based on emissions and a bicycle emits no emissions, surprisingly enough zero emissions cars don’t have to pay tax either.
2. Driving is not a right but a privilege which is allowed under licence which can be removed. It is everyone’s right to ride a bicycle which includes children, only drivers make the roads far too dangerous for children to enjoy that right.
3. Cyclists do have the same rights to use the road as drivers, the only case where it doesn’t apply is on a motorway. Only on a motorway you can feel all pompous about not having to share the road with cyclists and can concentrate on driving in the wrong lane.
On a motorway we can complain about trucks instead of bikes !
Soldato
Haha absolutely. I genuinely get the annoyance people feel about certain cyclists. I am a pedestrian, cyclist and motorist and in truth all of them can be really annoying, but the road is a shared space for all. We just have to be more thoughtful and show more patience to other road users, our own journey isn’t the only one that matters.
The key thing here being that the roads cyclists typically use are funded through general taxation, which they will (for the most part) be contributing to. Otherwise it can sound like cyclists just want a free ride funded by motorists.
Soldato
Given the number of cars on the road v the number of cyclists, and taking into consideration the difference in speed... the statistics simply aren't comparable.
I would urge you to remain respectful, there's no need for personal insults. You disagree with someone else's point of view, it's no reason to foam at the mouth. The point of discussion is to exchange knowledge, opinion, point of view... not insults.
Point taken.
You would encourage a child to ride a bicycle on the road, and then blame the driver of a car for the inevitable fatality? Was that comment tongue in cheek?
Soldato
I get that, but that angst from a certain section of the driving community is caused by their own stupidity and nothing else. As you say, the roads are paid for through taxation. Major roads are paid for through general taxation whereas local roads are paid for by council tax.
Soldato
People who stop at the top of escalators should be banished from all public appearances.
Soldato
The number of vehicles compared with cyclists is almost irrelevant. The likelihood of a cyclist killing a pedestrian is very low, whereas the likelihood of being killed by a motorised vehicle is pretty high. It’s the difference for potential harm which the two are incomparable and not taken into consideration which is wrong with the review you mentioned. Without doubt a section of the cycling community are an absolute nuisance whereas drivers are potential danger to life, some perspective needs to be shown.
No foaming at the mouth here, I’ve just seen the same tired arguments trotted out untold amounts of time rolled out from clueless morons who would solve a lot of their own anger if they educated themselves of what they are talking about. If you aren’t one of these angry cyclist hating people then I can only apologise for offending you.
No, if you read what I wrote I said everyone has the right to cycle on the road even children, only drivers make it far too dangerous to do so. There is supposed to be a childhood obesity problem which being able to cycle would potentially help to reduce. I used to ride everywhere as a child but now it’s far too dangerous for children to do so, even the police recognise this and allow people to ride on the pavements. The road is supposed to be a shared space yet drivers seemingly think it is their own space because they pay tax.
Soldato
I normally get that happening at Luton airport and then they wonder why I shove them in the back. Where are you expecting me to go, there are people behind me.
Cyclists are not "Zero Emissions"
Each time an HGV has to slow to pass a cyclist and get back up to speed it will consume around half a Litre of fuel that would not otherwise have been consumed.
(The same apples to cars, though the amount of fuel wasted is rather less. But, Cyclists hold up far more cars than HGV's so the global effect is not at all insignificant)
If a cyclist has this happen two or three times during the course of his ride, he would have generated less emissions by driving a car.
Each time an HGV has to slow to pass a cyclist and get back up to speed it will consume around half a Litre of fuel that would not otherwise have been consumed.
(The same apples to cars, though the amount of fuel wasted is rather less. But, Cyclists hold up far more cars than HGV's so the global effect is not at all insignificant)
If a cyclist has this happen two or three times during the course of his ride, he would have generated less emissions by driving a car.
Soldato
Emissions is based on the vehicle not on how they affect the flow of traffic so nice try. If it was based on how it affects the flow of traffic the all motor vehicles should be charged more VED because most cars sit in traffic regardless of there being no cyclists about.
In fact if every cyclist dumped their bike and drove a car instead, it would cause more congestion creating more emissions and slowing traffic even further
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Nevertheless, Traffic on a highway with Cyclists on it will (globally) consume more fuel and generate more emissions than one where there are no cyclists..
Claiming that Cycling is a "Zero emission" activity is just wrong and trying to encourage people to cycle rather than drive on that basis is also wrong and counterproductive.
Cycling is only a "Zero Emission" activity if it is done on segragated cycle paths where cyclists do not hold up other motorised traffic.
Soldato
The number one hold up for other motorised traffic is other motor vehicles, the queues of traffic which goes on for miles I see travelling southbound on the M1 when I’m heading northbound on a Monday morning is ridiculous and it isn’t caused by cyclists. If every cyclist drove a car instead then it would add further congestion which is counter productive. The extra emissions caused by bikes compared with all the ridiculous tailbacks on most of the most used motorways like the M1, M25, M6 etc isn’t even comparable, you are clutching at straws.