Reply to: Cyclists Again

[BigRed]

First, a cycle lane isn't just to restrict the cyclist to it and leave the road free for motorists. Second, as a motorist I hate 'bus' lanes as a driver and love to hold up the buses when I am on my bike. They are actually for buses, taxis and cyclists.

On a serious note, cyclists are extremely vulnerable, I saw two accidents in a week, the first was a woman walking across a road of stationary vehicles straight into a bicycle in it's bike lane, second was a bus flattening a bike at a roundabout, the bike should have owned the lane in my opinion.

There is a serious problem where I live (Peak District) where we have 30+ groups of cyclists flogging their way up hills at 5mph and groups of motorcyclists zooming past so you can't overtake them.

[vetran]

the left turn cars normally get a flat handed slap on their bodywork, they panic & stop because they think their car has been hit, I just cycle past giving them the bird.


Frankly though having been walking a lot recently i'm surprised most cars make it to their destination a good quarter of them are on the phone texting mainly.

Pedestrians step out in the road or barge past you, either I'm getting old or everyone else is fecking rude.

You step aside to let someone past and 50% just ignore you. People barge into it seems like the tube has expanded to Budgens.

[Dallas]

FTFY!

Agree with you and the OP though - the most stupid thing to do.

And those new suited commuters going to the station on those foldaways - they don't survive long..

+1
chappy at work spent hundreds on gear, hangng around in his hi-viz and assos gear talking about cycling all day. turned out his foldup took him from liverpool st to waterloo every day

on the flipside there are sooooo many types of cyclists you can generally see the muppets a mile off

[SueEllen]

Moving off on green at the lights indicating and turning left as the dickhead on two wheels undertakes trying to beat me to the turn.

I suspect he's a casualty waiting to happen and probably not before time

I move my car as close to the left as possible on many junctions if myself or the vehicles I can see in front of me are signalling to turn left.

Sooo many cyclists are confused by this.

If however the cyclist has sense and takes the middle of the lane in front of me because they got there first I leave them to it.

I simply have better things to do with my time then call an ambulance for them and wait around to talk to the police.

[Cliphead]

That's probably what CH is calling undertaking.

Moving off on green at the lights indicating and turning left as the dickhead on two wheels undertakes trying to beat me to the turn.

I suspect he's a casualty waiting to happen and probably not before time.

[mudskipper]

Next time a cyclist tries to undertake as I'm indicating while turning left I'm not gonna hit the brakes.

idiot motorists who hare past you and then brake sharply before turning across right in front of you.

That's probably what CH is calling undertaking.

[quackhandle]

There's an odd chap who rides his bike down my road (v busy A-road) one handed with the other one (elbow on handle bar) supporting his chin. Most peculiar.

I thought he can't be that mad, but then I spotted him a week later doing the same thing on the dual carriage way to Manchester.

qh

[hyperD]

3. It's worse when you are on a bike yourself. Especially when following behind a shapely young lady in tight shorts. It gets very distracting

Totally. But it does add great value to the commute. However, gets embarrassing when they know you are following them deliberately and they stop to let you past with a look of disdain.

I always say "Good morning!" as I pass though.

Honestly officer.

[SueEllen]

Are you sure about that? Only if it is signed that the pavement is dual-use.

The pavements are signed as dual-use.

Hence my initial point about some cyclists not reading road signs.

Also one of the dual carriageways is dangerous i.e. lots of accidents, so even if you can't see a road sign you wouldn't cycle on the road if you valued your life.

There is another road which has a bridge over it. Unofficially everyone is advised to cycle on the pavement unless they want a trip to the local A&E.

In both cases the pavements are rarely used by pedestrians.

[AtW]

What damage would your mobility scooter do to a cyclist though?

It's his guitar that's dangerous...

[DaveB]

My pet hates are:-

1. The cyclists who refuse to use perfectly good cycle paths and instead insist on riding on the duel carriageway holding up traffic.

2. The mad buggers cycling along Embankment who think the other cyclists in the blue lane are too slow so they cycle in the car lanes pulling sharply in front of cars.

3. When I am walking; female cyclists with very short skirts who distract me and cause me to bump into lamp posts.

1.

I do this. Mainly because those cycle lanes are usually full of detritus, pot holes, parked cars, or pedestrians milling about.

Also

What b0redom said. The Cycle Superhighway lanes ( the blue ones) are normally clean and relatively smooth. Get out onto the older lanes though on the smaller roads though, and some of the are dreadful.

2. I'm usually one of the quicker riders on the road, and I do overtake other cyclists in the blue lanes, but I don't just pull out without looking. I always check over my shoulder and signal first. There are occasions though when the nodders on the Boris bikes or the suited idiots on their bromptons will do something stupid and you have no choice but to swerve to avoid the buggers. (like the one who stopped dead and then got themselves sideways on in the cycle lane, facing into traffic with a bemused look on their face.)

3. It's worse when you are on a bike yourself. Especially when following behind a shapely young lady in tight shorts. It gets very distracting

[Ticktock]

More likely you don't know that you are allowed to cycle on the pavement

Are you sure about that? Only if it is signed that the pavement is dual-use.

Cycling on Pavements | Cycling UK
Cycling Myths Busted
Is it illegal to cycle on the pavement in the UK

And point 64 here:
https://www.gov.uk/rules-for-cyclists-59-to-82

[MarillionFan]

Next time a cyclist tries to undertake as I'm indicating while turning left I'm not gonna hit the brakes.

Carry on.

What damage would your mobility scooter do to a cyclist though?

[DaveB]

FTFY!

Agree with you and the OP though - the most stupid thing to do.

And those new suited commuters going to the station on those foldaways - they don't survive long..

You are supposed to sit on a saddle you know, not just on the post!

[SueEllen]

I do this. Mainly because those cycle lanes are usually full of detritus, pot holes, parked cars, or pedestrians milling about.

More likely you don't know that you are allowed to cycle on the pavement.

I noticed where I live there are plenty of clean cycle routes that are on the pavement and don't have any pedestrians on, but some cyclists like some motorists don't read road signs.

They therefore cycle along a 40-60 mph single and dual carriageway when they could be safely on a clean, empty cycle path.