Driver's Twitter Boast About 'Hitting Cyclist'

[Bold Seagull]

How can that work?

If for instance a motor vehicle goes thought a green traffic light and hits a cyclist that has gone through a red light then the motor vehicle is automatically at fault?

Works in Holland.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Few points as someone who, I think, has e penitence from every angle.

- it is not against the highway code to ride 2 abreast. All road users must not behave dangerously and be considerate to others.

- racing is not illegal on British roads. Road racing takes place on open roads with marshaling and support from police.

- people are very happy to have the massive Olympic success that comes from cycling but that is the top of a pyramid that starts with people riding for enjoyment on our roads.

- commuting on a bike in London is a survival game. Make yourself seen by riding in an obvious manner, getting in front of traffic and staying on the outside of traffic. Evidence from cyclist deaths show this is necessary and a reflection of poor cycle lane provision.

- as many people have said, cyclists aren't one group just as motorists aren't. I wouldn't give you abuse because another driver cut me up.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Works in Holland.

No - it's implemented in Holland. There's no evidence it works - why should guilt of any party be automatically assumed ?

 

[Was not Was]

How can that work?

If for instance a motor vehicle goes thought a green traffic light and hits a cyclist that has gone through a red light then the motor vehicle is automatically at fault?

It's a presumption unless evidence to the contrary. So in your example, no the driver wouldn't be liable. What would change is the endless stream of drivers in the UK who get away with killing and maiming people on bikes by claiming the sun was in their eyes or they didn't see the cycle. Often acquitted in court, often not even charged as many police are sympathetic.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

How can that work?

If for instance a motor vehicle goes thought a green traffic light and hits a cyclist that has gone through a red light then the motor vehicle is automatically at fault?

Obviously not.

Would also apply to cyclists and pedestrians - the more 'powerful' participant is assumed to be at fault.

 

[BadFish]

You really are a pair of brain dead morons aren't you?

Hatred bile and anger has to come out somewhere. Twats like this aren't allowed to hate ethnic minorities anymore (well not openly anyway) so they just pick some other minority of people and ignorantly assume they all act in the same way (of course they all do if that is what you want to see).

 

[Stat Brother]

- racing is not illegal on British roads. Road racing takes place on open roads with marshaling and support from police.

Of course silly me.
It did used to be illegal, back in the day, or is my brain completely out of whack.

 

[Pat McCrotch]

He never had insurance to be on the road to shouldn't be on it as a bike drove into my car and when challenged to **** he gave me wrong details and left me with big bill to get car body work repaired, so fair play to the young girl

****

 

[Stat Brother]

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/...ars-for-killing-bristol-tandem-couple--37415/

 

[BadFish]

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/...ars-for-killing-bristol-tandem-couple--37415/

I ****ing hate Citroen Picasso drivers, they are all scum.....dangerous driving scum.

 

[Bold Seagull]

No - it's implemented in Holland. There's no evidence it works - why should guilt of any party be automatically assumed ?

No evidence, 27% of all trips are made by bikes in the Netherlands. The Dutch enjoy the greatest level of safety for cyclists in the world! This is a combined approach of responsibility and infra-structure which has lead to a coexistence of motor vehicles and cyclists.

I would of thought that with our grossly congested roads, more drivers would want people using their bikes? If the anti-cyclist brigade got there wish and cyclists were banned, would they be happy with the 1000's of extra vehicles on the road!?

 

[Spider]

Few points as someone who, I think, has e penitence from every angle.

- it is not against the highway code to ride 2 abreast. All road users must not behave dangerously and be considerate to others.

It's not illegal but it's a massively prickish thing to do. Driving down a narrow one way street at 2mph is not illegal, but in general road users do what they can to be help others out. Some cyclists seem to enjoy pissing everyone else off because they can/it's not illegal.

 

[Adders1]

The woman who bragged about nearly maiming someone is an idiot, but whether you walk, cycle or drive, there will always be idiots on the road/pavement. Best thing to do when confronted with an idiot, is to give them an ironic round of applause. They don't like that.

 

[Stat Brother]

It's not illegal but it's a massively prickish thing to do. Driving down a narrow one way street at 2mph is not illegal, but in general road users do what they can to be help others out. Some cyclists seem to enjoy pissing everyone else off because they can/it's not illegal.

Again here's the problem.
Through generalisation you've implied all other road users are fine but cyclists are so bad they purposely go out if their way to put themselves in danger.
Clearly that just isn't the case, and I don't think you actual believe that anyway.

You wouldn't say 'in general all road users help each other out, but some black drivers ....', even though the principle is exactly the same.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Again here's the problem.
Through generalisation you've implied all other road users are fine but cyclists are so bad they purposely go out if their way to put themselves in danger.
Clearly that just isn't the case, and I don't think you actual believe that anyway.

You wouldn't say 'in general all road users help each other out, but some black drivers ....', even though the principle is exactly the same.

This.

 

[Garage_Doors]

Works in Holland.

Is it legal to go through red lights in Holland?

 

[teaboy]

Is it legal to go through red lights in Holland?

It is in the USA, and that's motor vehicles!

 

[34064 Fighter Command]

This. That said I drive into town each day via OSR over Dyke Road and down towards Preston Circus. The number of cyclists I see trying to squeeze between the brick pillars and large lorries under the viaduct amazes me. There's no way the driver can see them and they're inches from being crushed between the pillar and tonnes of metal. I do wonder if they actually care about their own safety.

One of the worst things you can do ON ANY ROAD VEHICLE is attempt to jump a queue of traffic, or undertake on the left hand side.

If you're at a queue for traffic lights, and you're behind a number of cars waiting, you should stay exactly where you are, and wait your turn.

I suspect that a lot of cyclists who do this have never actually driven a motor vehicle themselves. What they should be encouraged to do is undertake Road Proficiencey tests, just as I was encouraged to do at primary school. In fact, you were not allowed to ride a bycycle to school until you could display the East or West Sussex Road Proficiency test badges on your handlebars. That required you to undertake the same study of the highway code as a motorist would, and have training in a safe place on how to conduct yourself in traffic, using hand signals, having your bike illuminated in the dark, making sure your bike was roadworthy etc etc.....

The scheme is now run by RoSPA, and should really be made mandatory. And I say that as both a cyclist and a motorist.

 

[Notters]

How much damage can a bicycle actually cause to a car? If he hit you hard enough to dent the body work he was probably quite badly hurt.

Nope. I've got a dent in the side of my car from when a cyclist rode into the side of me by the vogue gyratory. I was stationary. He apologised and cycled off. I didn't know there was a dent till I got home.

 

[Simster]

I appreciate you are a cyclist and you love your cycling, but it simply isn't true to say the vast majority don't need to look at their behaviour. Living and working in London would open many people's eyes to this.

I'll add to the list of people disagreeing with this post. I lived in London for 9 years during which time I used to cycle to work regularly and have worked there for 16 years, and in my experience there is no way on earth you can say that the majority of cyclists need to look at their behaviour, and certainly no more than any other road user.