Topic: Bicycles

[flowerofshona2007]

What really annoys me is the constant moaning about cyclists when every day I see drivers that don't indicate, ride me into the pavement, pull out without looking, have only one headlight working or no brake lights, produce a cloud of smoke and fumes to rival bonfire night, do indicate and dont turn, open their bloody doors without looking...

But if caught doing any of that they are sorted out by the police ! and any defects on a car are sorted at the MOT but bikes dont even have to be checked over !
And if bike riders thought before they rode down the inside of cars and shot off pavements there would be less accidents !
Another thing that gets me is there are cycle lanes here and do they use them ..........Ummmmmmmm NO !
Having been a bike rider for years and a moped rider who was shunted around a rounderbout by a car on my back i do understand bikes and do allow for them but none of that explains why all new bikes can not have lights fitted !!! if you take them off and dont ride at night fine but if you get caught without them in the dark you get a big fine, simple !

[ACE]

I don't suppose there is any gain for the police to stop some of the dangerous antics of the inconsiderate cyclists. It will not enhance their clear up record, I don't suppose it is crime, although minor motoring offences are. But if they can take the time to target motorcyclists (for their own safety) they should do the same for those motorless tread irons.
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/General-news/2009/November/nov2009-police-target-riders-not-wearing-hi-viz/?R=EPI-120315

We have a school a few streets away and they run a safety scheme for young cyclists, I do not think they can ride into school without their cyclists proficiency pass. It was way back in the dark and distant past, I remember taking the same test at least 50 years ago. My point here is surely every cyclist on the road  has taken this test. If not they should not be allowed on the road and their bike conviscated if they are caught in contravenance of the highway code.

There should also be a law against wearing lycra cycling shorts. The men should be banned for being a show offs and the ladies for being a distraction to elderly gentlemen who should know better, especially one in particular who would love to reach out of the window and give that tight little  bu.................Ah! well, yes as I was saying............

[tonybloke]

if ALL cyclists had to DRIVE a CAR for 1 week per year, and ALL drivers had to RIDE a CYCLE for 1 week per year, perhaps everyone would be a bit more understanding of the others perspective??
(as someone who rides a 1985 raleigh winner, and drives a 190 LWB transit, I think i have a pretty good idea of both perspectives!!  ;))

[BarriedaleNick]

ACE - Totally agree about the lycra.  Grown men should not wear lycra or if they do they should cover themselves in a nice sensible pair of shorts.

I drive a car and I ride a bike.  As a driver I have never had a problem with cyclists but as a cyclist I have lost count of the number of times I have been squeezed off the roads, smashed in to doors that are flung open, suddenly found a car pulling out in front of me etc.  I have a good perspective on both and in general it seems that cars cause far more problems that bikes.

@flowerofshona2007 - where I am I supposed to ride my bike.  My journey to work on my bike is solid with traffic all the way - if I ride on the inside then I find the traffic right on the curb so I go round the far side only to find myself squeezed out into oncoming traffic.  If cars just gave a little more concideration then I could quite happily ride on the inside which is perfectly legal and sanctioned by rule 151 of the highway code .  Also I have never seen any car stopped for failure to indicate or driver arrested for opening car doors in traffic.  The old bill seems less than interested in dealing with errant drivers - the idea that all these drivers are been caught and dealt with is laughable - In London it seems entirely optional for cars to indicate.

[mummybunny]

Must say car's not indicating is very irritating both as a cyclist and a driver. Some drivers can be very stupid at times. I live on a main road while on the way to collect the kids from nanny's the other day a car was right up my back side and because i refused to break the speed limit of 30 mph on a very busy road he over took me right into on coming traffic  :o then continued to drive through a red light. Unbelievable !!!

[flowerofshona2007]

if ALL cyclists had to DRIVE a CAR for 1 week per year, and ALL drivers had to RIDE a CYCLE for 1 week per year, perhaps everyone would be a bit more understanding of the others perspective??

Ok so if i take the lights off my car, ride on the pavement when i feel like it, undertake add lib and wear tight lycra shorts for a week it will solve the problems of bike with no lights ????
Ok bring it on pass me the lycra!!!
In a 5 min journey we saw 23 bikes with no lights now imagine if that was 23 cars ??? And on the subject of indicators i can't remember the last time i saw a hand signal from a cyclist that was not rude !
This was about lights on bikes !!! I have to wear a seat belt in a car and motorcycls have to wear a helmet and they DO get stopped for that but 23 cyclists can break the law and nothing is done about it, i agree with Ace its all about money its much more profitable to catch a speeding car !

Off to find some big Lycra shorts and wiggle my azz at traffic (this may cause a big pile up in Dorset so avoid the area).:lol

[Vony]

I noticed the other evening a chap/woman going off on his bicycle in full camouflage gear to a T.A meeting goodness knows how I managed to miss them as it was an unlit road with woods either side, talk about asking for trouble.

[BarriedaleNick]

Flowers - Undertaking is perfectly fine on a push bike - As I asked before - where so you want us to ride? 
I actually agree that cyclists should all have lights and they cant moan if they get hurt if they don't but it's up to them if they want to break the law- much as it is for drivers who likewise never seem to get done.
I just don't get this attitude from drivers about cyclists - I see drivers shouting at cyclists all the time for not having lights  I see hundreds of minor traffic violations every week but dont feel the need to shout at cars.  Also if they can see them to shout at them and you can see them well enough to count them then surely the problem is pretty minimilistic...

[ACE]

We don't really have a problem over here, most of them seem to want to go off road. I have read somewhere that the isle of wight is on the wish lists of quite a few 'pleasure cyclists' whatever that means. Pleasure and cycling are a very odd couple ;D. My oldest boy is into competetive cycling and spends quite a bit of cash on the right machine for the job but safety comes first.

I did have disagreement with a sunday cyclist when we were in Devon last year when this lycra clad lout came screaming up to me in a car park saying that had just overtaking him as he was doing some sort of speed trial. I must admit I did overtake a few cyclists that day, but I know I did not put anybody at risk by doing so, I pointed out to him that perhaps public roads were not the best place to pursue his hobby and he got even more abusive. A quick knee in the groin sorted the problem out. I didn't really mind him his hobby, but shouting at me whilst clad in lycra, that really was inviting trouble especially with the target area so well defined. ;)

[tonybloke]

Flowers - you can see them well enough to count them then surely the problem is pretty minimilistic...

about sums it up?

[flowerofshona2007]

No as it was a well lit road !! and its ILLEGAL ! and what happens when they are in a side road that is not well lit or is it ok for me to drive around with no lights on then ???
Im not against people riding bikes and as i said at the start the more the merrier it helps the enviroment BUT why should car drivers have to have night vision glasses to see idiots who dont have lights on their bikes ????? Its your life but dont ruin mine by riding on a public road illegally in dark clothes and be suprised if you get killed !
Get the point ITS ILLEGAL to ride a bike on the pubic highway without lights on front and back ! And congrats to parents who allow their childern to do this you must be so proud !

[Pesky Wabbit]

I'd just like to speak up for cyclists, having been one for longer than I've been a driver and thats 30+ years.


1. Cars having lights/ bicycles not - Does speed/stopping (thinking) distance not come into this, whats the maxi speed/stopping distance of a bike ?

Whats the stopping (thinking) distance on a motorway ?

If cars actually obeyed the speed limits in built up areas, they would have time to see cyclists, lit or not. But that is still no excuse for not having bike lights. As the majority of children that ride bikes, do so to/.from school, is it not part of the schools responsibility ? or in these days of fear of litigation, is it anything to do with them ?

The police do stop cycles without lights, but as the majority are children, what can they do. The under 20's do appear to have a seance of immunity against all forms of danger - that one reason why the young get sent off to war.

2. Brightly coloured clothing. Anyone been to the shops recently. The only colours you can get a coat in are black and dark navy. I was told "its the fashion, its what people want". Bull.

3. Undertaking etc. When I worked in London, I used to cycle in from Surrey to Blackfriers everyday, some 20 miles. A good percentage was down the centre of the road as that was the safest area. Cars will happily scrape along the kerb/ parked cars, but are much more frightened of on coming traffic and so leave a bigger gap in the middle . Also, you dont get hit by cars shooting outof sideroads, and vehicles that turn right are much more likely to check their mirrors and indicate that those turning left.

These days I will only use the car after dark, I refuse to cycle, other road users are far too dangerous. The number of times I've had accidents and near accidents when cycling. Ligths or no lights, it makes little difference. Cycling down a busy high street, other road users are far more interested in getting home to see Ann Robinson, that to check for cyclists. They'd much rather knock a cyclist off than move over, possibly into another lane where there is danger of hitting another car. After all hitting a bike causes less damage.

[BarriedaleNick]

"Its your life but dont ruin mine by riding on a public road illegally in dark clothes and be suprised if you get killed !"

If I get killed (I wasnt personalising this but you seem to be...) then I dont think I ll be surprised - Ill be dead.
How will me riding with no lights (which I have stated I do not do) in dark clothes ruin your life?

Persoanally I dont give a stuff about the legalities.  I use lights cos its sensible esp with the idiot drivers I have to contend with on a daily basis but as Peaky Rabbit has said it makes no difference to my chances of survival.  I do it mainly to stop all the  drivers who are all too busy counting cyclists or shouting at them to realise that it's their driving and lack of awarenes that causes the problems.

[flowerofshona2007]

How will me riding with no lights (which I have stated I do not do) in dark clothes ruin your life?

It will ruin anyones life that has to live with the memorys of an accident that could be prevented.
There are bad car drives and bad cyclists but the point is i pass a test to drive on the road, i have insurance, my car is MOT'd every year and i pay tax to be on the road.
Bike have no identification they can be un road worthy and the cyclist can have no idea about the rules of the road but off they go !
I am an advanced driver and would like to see all drives taking the course but all cyclists should take a cycling test and all bikes should have identification on them as they do in Holland and boy do they have some rules over there !!!
Surely its in everyones interst on the roads to be safe and seen, whats the problem with that ????????????

[BarriedaleNick]

We are never going to agree Flowers! 

I think you have it completely absolutely wrong about Holland.  They may love a rule but they have some of the maddest cyclists going over there and there is no compulsory ID scheme for bikes.

Have a look here at what goes in Holland on bikes.  http://www.ski-epic.com/amsterdam_bicycles/ They also have a city designed around the bike (it is small) and have more bikes than people. 

Bad drivers kill people.  Actually quite a lot of people (3K plus each year) and cycling deaths are increasing.  It's quite right that we all should be tested and have our cars tested so that we kill as few people as possible.  All that testing doesnt stop people driving like idiots.

Bad cyclists mainly hurt themselves ( I can attest to that - to my shame and pain) but every now and then they do hurt someone else but really not so much.  I think your proposals will put people off cycling which is maybe the aim and as a consequence will do more harm than good.  I can think of no good reason why I should register my bike apart from theft.

[flowerofshona2007]

Ok im not getting this  ???
So rather than being safe on the roads its far better to ignore common sence and the law ?
Far from wanting to put people off riding bikes as i have said many times im all for more bikes on the roads !!!! but why should one group of road/pavement users flaunt the laws and eveyone else have to follow them ?
Having ridden in holland and loved it having family over there i spent quite a bit of time over there and their cycle lanes are wonderful !!! (but dont try riding the wrong way  :P ).
All im asking for is that new bikes have lights fitted to them, if you take them off thats upto you but don't moan if you get fined.
One less accident on the roads is a good thing.

[BarriedaleNick]

OK OK!

I agree that bikes should have lights and yours is a good idea!
My point is that cars cause much more damage than bicycles - so if we can civilise the idiot drivers then we can all agree, have a drink and cycle home!!!

Right Im off to get on my bike and play with the traffic - I used to be a dispatch rider - Can u tell!??

[flowerofshona2007]

have a drink and cycle home!!!

Hate to say when i lived in Eire i used to cycle 15 miles to the 'local' night club which was up a huge hill, was ok coming home, feet on handle bars and weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee  all the way home sure sobbered me up  ;D that was 30 years ago!

[BarriedaleNick]

Used to cycle home from South of the River to North London after a few dinkies on a friday night.  It was OK as long as we kept going but as soon as we stopped gravity took over.  Toe clips and alcohol comined with gravity do not make a good match!

Those days are long behind me too!

[RobinOfTheHood]

have a drink and cycle home!!!

Hate to say when i lived in Eire i used to cycle 15 miles to the 'local' night club which was up a huge hill, was ok coming home, feet on handle bars and weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee  all the way home sure sobbered me up  ;D that was 30 years ago!

Well I hope you had your lights on.  ::)