Bicycle Lorry deaths

[SueEllen]

This with so many bells on it could be a church

He's got one with pedestrians crossing the road in stupid places, and another with scooters.

Basically showing all vulnerable road users can be asses.

[original PM]

and while I am here do not get me started on those tools on 'fixies' where if they try and stop quickly the laws of physics (conservation of angular momentum I think) means the back wheel is going to keep going anyway - probably making the rider face grind under the wheels of said truck turning left.

on the flip side there are tools in cars, vans , lorries and in fact any other mode of transport - main problem is the bike is kind of vulnerable.

[original PM]

and also they say they are green - evidently not understanding that making a petrol driven vehicle slow down and stop is going to more damage to the environment than them slowing down...

except for their putrid farts from the garlic lentil bake they ate last night cos they are bound to be vegan too.

[bobspud]

He's got one with pedestrians crossing the road in stupid places, and another with scooters.

Basically showing all vulnerable road users can be asses.

But why does that motorcycle guy know that all of those things are stupid but the most vulnerable road users don't see it?

[original PM]

But why does that motorcycle guy know that all of those things are stupid but the most vulnerable road users don't see it?

Because he see's himself as a road user as every other motorist does

Bikers think that because they do not have engines they are not motorists therefore not a road user?

but you get my drift!

It's a bit like power gives way to sail

but if you are in a twelve foot dinghy it's folly to think the supertanker is going to be able to move quick enough to not hit you and if it does you are probably dead - so you make sure you do not get into that situation.

[vetran]

I'm all for fining cyclists and trying to educate them but lets be honest they aren't registered so there is nothing you can do to manage them effectively.

Take their bike off them if they have no lights at night. Impound their bike and charge them £200 for jumping a red light etc.

go for it but the solution to vehicles that kill so many more cyclists & pedestrians proportionally than cars is to fix their issues.

[SueEllen]

I was watching a documentary the other month about electric assisted bikes and one of the things the reviewer said was that because it was not such an issue to get back up to speed if you have to stop and therefore she felt safer at not having to try and maintain momentum in potentially dangerous situations.

Add into that that a lot of the cyclists I have observed in Amsterdam tend to be on the sit up and beg type of bikes and not trying to beat a world speed record getting to where they are going.

There is a different attitude between car drivers and cyclists in Amsterdam and a lot of other European places.

So in Amsterdam and a lot of European countries if someone is riding a bike in front of a car the car drivers don't get frustrated and do something like this:

The infrastructure is designed so that cyclists and pedestrians have priority in urban areas, and that on many occasion means excluding vehicles completely. Every time they propose that in a UK city taxi drivers, hauliers, shop keepers etc get up in arms.

A lot of people I see are on racing style bikes with racing style lycra and THEY ARE STUCK TO THEIR BIKE WITH THE PEDAL CLIPS and they are not just using it to commute to work they are almost using it as a gym workout/timetrial.

If I put slicks on my motor and straightened every corner I would probably crash but hey that appears to be everyones else fault for not getting out of my way.

The reason they wear all that gear and are clipped in (- you can easily twist in and out of them if you practise enough plus learn to track stand - ) is so they can keep up with traffic so people like that "lovely well-spoken" lady in the video don't try and kill them.

I am not saying that therefore motorists should not care but there is only so much you can do about some lycra clad bradley wiggins wannabe doing 35 down the inside of stationary traffic.

There is a difference between doing that, and going down the side of a bus or lorry at a junction which may turn and squash you.

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

If you're turning left across a mandatory cycle lane, the cyclists have priority, not you. Indicators do not give you the right to go. You should use your mirrors and wait for it to be clear. I assume you wouldn't just turn left across a bus lane without checking for a bus.

(Couldn't be bothered to quote bobspud properly on my phone)

Along numerous parts of CS2 especially down Stratford high street there are several side roads - numerous times I have seen and also been on the receiving end of cars just overtaking and turning across the cycle lane. The cyclists aren't undertaking or either filtering, they are simply using their lane. Drivers need to wait.

[bobspud]

If you're turning left across a mandatory cycle lane, the cyclists have priority, not you. Indicators do not give you the right to go. You should use your mirrors and wait for it to be clear. I assume you wouldn't just turn left across a bus lane without checking for a bus.

(Couldn't be bothered to quote bobspud properly on my phone)

Along numerous parts of CS2 especially down Stratford high street there are several side roads - numerous times I have seen and also been on the receiving end of cars just overtaking and turning across the cycle lane. The cyclists aren't undertaking or either filtering, they are simply using their lane. Drivers need to wait.

Can you find me the Highway Code reference that says that?

[darrylmg]

If you're turning left across a mandatory cycle lane, the cyclists have priority, not you. Indicators do not give you the right to go. You should use your mirrors and wait for it to be clear. I assume you wouldn't just turn left across a bus lane without checking for a bus.

(Couldn't be bothered to quote bobspud properly on my phone)

Along numerous parts of CS2 especially down Stratford high street there are several side roads - numerous times I have seen and also been on the receiving end of cars just overtaking and turning across the cycle lane. The cyclists aren't undertaking or either filtering, they are simply using their lane. Drivers need to wait.

That sounds like sense to me.
I don't ride, but I wouldn't even consider it. I drive motorways and the number of times I see cars entering down the slip road and just pulling onto the motorway expecting the existing motorway traffic to get out of the way, is unbelievable. Some motorists just have no clue about the rules of the road. Astounding, but I think it's complacency brought on by the numerous safety gadgets fitted to modern cars.
Especially those super empowering orange lights on both sides of the car! Move first, then signal to cover your arse, seems to be the rule.