Mike Ward asks: What sort do you think I am?

[Easy 10]

Cycling: it just so happens that I was nearly knocked off my bike by a car door opening today on the road side. Three days ago I was nearly killed by a motorist jumping a red light and then turning without signalling and driving on the wrong side of the road. What did I do. I got out of the way and watched out to see if two cars had decided to jump the lights at the same time as it often happens.

By last crash was when I was hit head on by a Police car driving on the wrong side of the road without lights.

I have also been hit head on by a car driving along a cyclepath.

Every day I see over 30 cars on pavements in five minutes.

Yes, but you're forgetting that people are actually after you, Perseus.

 

[Gwylan]

As for seeing two cars a day run a red light within a 5 mile journey - well, you must regularly travel amongst a bunch of absolute nutters, because I see nothing like that number and I do about 40 miles a day. It does happen of course, but I can categorically say I do NOT see 2 cars a day running a red.

This was in south London. Traffic lights and give way signs are regularly seen as street decorations rather than instructions.

I must say that since I've been in Brighton, I've seen a lot less bad driving, certainly nothing to match the bloke driving on the right-hand side of the A24, who brightened up one of my last weeks as a London cyclist.

 

[Gwylan]

Yes, but you're forgetting that people are actually after you, Perseus.

 

[clapham_gull]

I'm always having this argument. I am always almost getting knocked over by cyclists.

I don't own a car (am very anti-car before someone pigeon holes me) but cyclists are a nightmare.

Here is the single most dangerous thing they do.

I cross at a pedestrian crossing on a major road, its a T junction so not only do I have to look left and right but also over my shoulder.

A cyclists comes whizzing past through the red light.

( They always ignore the lights on that junction - I have NEVER, seen a cyclist stop at the red light there. That's quite a statement isn't it ? )

Anyway, you assume wrongly that the lights have changed. You now hestitate - wondering whether to go back or try and make it to the other side.

I made "the wrong decision" once - tried to get back to where I had come from, the lights had then been in the process of changing and I nearly got knocked over by a car ( who ignored me because motorists tend to think that amber means - run over pedestrians )

The cyclist had stopped further up the road. I caught up with him and asked him if he knew the highway code.

I got called a Wanker.

These fast racing bikes should be registered to the owner and they should be made to pay insurance, they are as dangerous to pedestrians as motorists !!

 

[bhaexpress]

I'm always having this argument. I am always almost getting knocked over by cyclists.

I don't own a car (am very anti-car before someone pigeon holes me) but cyclists are a nightmare.

Here is the single most dangerous thing they do.

I cross at a pedestrian crossing on a major road, its a T junction so not only do I have to look left and right but also over my shoulder.

A cyclists comes whizzing past through the red light.

( They always ignore the lights on that junction - I have NEVER, seen a cyclist stop at the red light there. That's quite a statement isn't it ? )

Anyway, you assume wrongly that the lights have changed. You now hestitate - wondering whether to go back or try and make it to the other side.

I made "the wrong decision" once - tried to get back to where I had come from, the lights had then been in the process of changing and I nearly got knocked over by a car ( who ignored me because motorists tend to think that amber means - run over pedestrians )

The cyclist had stopped further up the road. I caught up with him and asked him if he knew the highway code.

I got called a Wanker.

These fast racing bikes should be registered to the owner and they should be made to pay insurance, they are as dangerous to pedestrians as motorists !!

 

[Gwylan]

..
Here is the single most dangerous thing they do.

I cross at a pedestrian crossing on a major road, its a T junction so not only do I have to look left and right but also over my shoulder.

A cyclists comes whizzing past through the red light.

( They always ignore the lights on that junction - I have NEVER, seen a cyclist stop at the red light there. That's quite a statement isn't it ? )
...

The cyclist had stopped further up the road. I caught up with him and asked him if he knew the highway code.

I got called a Wanker.

These fast racing bikes should be registered to the owner and they should be made to pay insurance, they are as dangerous to pedestrians as motorists !!

I hit a pedestrian on a crossing yesterday who decided that a green light for road users meant he should cross - so it's not just cyclists who ignore red lights.

But I agree with you. I think it's shocking how badly some cyclists ride and how rudely they behave. I'd actually be in favour of compulsory insurance if, in return. there were better cycling lanes.

 

[Turkey]

I have no problem with cyclists on pavements if they're sensible. I walk to Uni every day and there are loads of bokes about. Cars though seem to be so horrible to cyclists. I regularly see them getting real close and tooting - they seem to think cyclists aren't allowed on the road - pedestrians dont want them on the pavement. And yet those on the pathways into Uni always come flying along and scare you shitless. They just need to be sensible - as do car drivers.

 

[Bobby's Gull]

Fair play for cyclists, they're doing good for the environment. But when they don't have a frigging clue what they're doing just wobbling about in the middle of the road and not having any lights etc. Then they piss me off.

 

[clapham_gull]

I am also constantly having run ins with motorists...

I'm walking on the pavement parallel to the main road.

I cross over a minor road (that runs into the main road) - the road is clear.

I get half way across and a motorist turns OFF the major road - RIGHT and into the minor road.

I don't walk onto the road as I see the car turning (I'm not that stupid), but apparently I'm expected to stand in the middle of the road so the car can then make his turning.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I'm only a humble pedestrian. I don't mind it in the least when cyclists do that wiggle across pavements and through red lights thing, which is after all only an extension of what moter-bike folk do when zapping between lanes and nipping down the wrong side of the road just because they can. All fair do's to them cos that's what bikes is for, more or less. Like cars - only thinner!

But just spare me their self-righteousness, their tendency to lecture in a pompous way any pedestrian who doesn't move in a thoroughly predictable way - and most of all their highly-dubious love of ill-advised and garishly-coloured stretch lycra. Hm....

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

If we adopted the totally sensible road law they have in the States where you can turn right (left over here) on a red light if there is no oncoming traffic it would save a lot of traffic (whether cyclists, motorbikes or cars) sitting frustrated at junctions when there is no oncoming traffic. This wouldn't apply to major junctions (in the States these junctions display 'No Turn On Red' signs) and seems to work perfectly safely over there.

 

[bhaexpress]

If we adopted the totally sensible road law they have in the States where you can turn right (left over here) on a red light if there is no oncoming traffic it would save a lot of traffic (whether cyclists, motorbikes or cars) sitting frustrated at junctions when there is no oncoming traffic. This wouldn't apply to major junctions (in the States these junctions display 'No Turn On Red' signs) and seems to work perfectly safely over there.

That doesn't apply in all states and is also liable to different interpretations depending on the judgement of individual drivers. It's not as good an idea as it sounds. Bear in mind that many intersections have no sign posting even though you're supposed to stop.

Remember too that many big highway intersections are not lit unlike ours. The only thing that makes US road better is the fact that speed limits are far more rigidly observed due to the fact that US police forces are heavily reliant on traffic fines for funding.

 

[perseus]

In some United States bicycle lights are not required. The motorist is required to have lights and look where they are going.

Lights are still recommended for cyclists though, because reflectors can fail to reflect to light from car headlights, and so that the cyclist can see where he/she is going (which on Sussex roads is pretty much essential).