Is dangerous cycling a problem?

[sten_super]

All of this positivity and happiness is boring, what we need is a good old cycling debate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13040607

Personally I don't think the new law is needed, and I don't think it'll do anything to encourage sensible behaviour from the small minority of people on bikes who act stupidly and irresponsibly. However I do think it would be good to tackle this behaviour, as it only serves to endanger the idiot and other cyclists and cause stress and anger in other road/path users.

 

[beorhthelm]

this really isnt what i want MPs to waste time over. 18 people have tragically been killed in Cycling accidents over the pat 10 years, but that doesnt tell us anything about the circumstances. how many people die as a result of being pushed by other pedestrians? surely manslughter adequatly covers such accidents and the guidence on how such issues are pursued by CSP is all that needs to be address, not legislation. has "death by danergous driving" solved anything?

 

[public school boy]

Spending alot of my time driving (70,000 miles per year) I would say that cyclists \are a menace due to their stupidity. Shooting red lights, riding on pavements, riding the wrong way up one way streets, no jokes about poofs please, riding whilst listening to their ipods/mp3's, riding whilst using their mobile phones, riding whilst drunk, riding side by side, not using hand signals, bad positioning on the road, undertaking, overtaking when a motorist is signaling to turn right, riding without lights at night, not wearing reflective clothes at night, not wearing helmets etc etc. An example of an accident that recently happened in Twickenham.. A woman cyclist shot a red light and was hit by a car and she ended up with two broken legs. Who will pay for the damage to the motorist's car? Cyclists should be made to have insurance, should have to show number plates and should have to pass a cycling test. Motorists should be more aware of cyclists and except that cyclists have as much right to use the roads as they do.

 

[bhaexpress]

There are dangerous cyclists but there are also far too many dangerous drivers and let's face it, car verses bicycle, who comes off worst ?

 

[Acker79]

Dangerous cyclists, dangerous pedestrians, dangerous drivers are all a problem.

 

[tubaman]

Total waste of time. Can't they find something useful to discuss?

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

Cyclists are a pet hate of mine, in town there are few problems due to cycle lanes. The problem I have is with the weekend cyclists who think they are in the tour de france often riding side by side blocking country roads. Riding side by side or riding in the middle of the road creates a slow moving obstacle, as a driver you have 2 choices, drive behind them for 4/5 miles at 15mph or overtake with the risk of a head on collision.

 

[Pantani]

Cyclists are a pet hate of mine, in town there are few problems due to cycle lanes. The problem I have is with the weekend cyclists who think they are in the tour de france often riding side by side blocking country roads. Riding side by side or riding in the middle of the road creates a slow moving obstacle, as a driver you have 2 choices, drive behind them for 4/5 miles at 15mph or overtake with the risk of a head on collision.

They are allowed to ride side by side, they are allowed to take up whichever position in the road they please. It might annoy you but it is allowed. They should move over, or go single file, so you can overtake but some cyclists holding you up by a few seconds surely is not a major problem. Maybe you should try and be a bit more patient.

 

[bhaexpress]

I had one of these weekend Lance Giibbs yell at me the other day, I had slowed down for a horse, I had to question his heritage.

 

[happypig]

whatever next ?
Causing Death by running too fast ?
Malicious jostling ?
Causing death to someone with a weak heart by shouting "BOO!" ?

As stated above, existing laws adequately cover such things.

 

[Seagull Steve]

It is a waste of time and money. I do however wonder why I see red lights from my car, but they completely seem to disappear for cyclists.

 

[alofbrighton]

Spending alot of my time driving (70,000 miles per year) I would say that cyclists \are a menace due to their stupidity. Shooting red lights, riding on pavements, riding the wrong way up one way streets, no jokes about poofs please, riding whilst listening to their ipods/mp3's, riding whilst using their mobile phones, riding whilst drunk, riding side by side, not using hand signals, bad positioning on the road, undertaking, overtaking when a motorist is signaling to turn right, riding without lights at night, not wearing reflective clothes at night, not wearing helmets etc etc. An example of an accident that recently happened in Twickenham.. A woman cyclist shot a red light and was hit by a car and she ended up with two broken legs. Who will pay for the damage to the motorist's car? Cyclists should be made to have insurance, should have to show number plates and should have to pass a cycling test. Motorists should be more aware of cyclists and except that cyclists have as much right to use the roads as they do.

Lots of the bad behavior you mention applies to motorists as well
70,000 miles per year of your life driving - that would leave me severely depressed.

 

[Gangsta]

Sorry I don't really have any opinions about cycling, just trying to escape from all the Murray/CPFC threads.

 

[Spider]

Spending alot of my time driving (70,000 miles per year) I would say that cyclists \are a menace due to their stupidity. Shooting red lights, riding on pavements, riding the wrong way up one way streets, no jokes about poofs please, riding whilst listening to their ipods/mp3's, riding whilst using their mobile phones, riding whilst drunk, riding side by side, not using hand signals, bad positioning on the road, undertaking, overtaking when a motorist is signaling to turn right, riding without lights at night, not wearing reflective clothes at night, not wearing helmets etc etc. An example of an accident that recently happened in Twickenham.. A woman cyclist shot a red light and was hit by a car and she ended up with two broken legs. Who will pay for the damage to the motorist's car? Cyclists should be made to have insurance, should have to show number plates and should have to pass a cycling test. Motorists should be more aware of cyclists and except that cyclists have as much right to use the roads as they do.

Are you talking about on normal roads? Surely is a cyclist is allowed to pass on the left hand side if a queue of cars is moving slowly? For instance, I swear the advice in London is to get to the front of the queue at traffic lights, which inevitably means undertaking unless all cyclists decide to veer out into the middle of the road.

 

[clapham_gull]

They've just created one of these Japanese style "all the lights go red, pedestrians cross from everywhere" things in Balham. Similar to the new junction of Oxford and Regent is anyone has been up to London recently.

Importantly you can now cross diagonally across the crossing and there are markers on the road to assist.

Anyway - appears to have almost eliminated cyclists jumping the lights since they have far less opportunity to do so.

Bless.

 

[Spider]

They've just created one of these Japanese style "all the lights go red, pedestrians cross from everywhere" things in Balham. Similar to the new junction of Oxford and Regent is anyone has been up to London recently.

Importantly you can now cross diagonally across the crossing and there are markers on the road to assist.

Anyway - appears to have almost eliminated cyclists jumping the lights since they have far less opportunity to do so.


Bless.

They're a good idea, although in the case of Oxford Circus it still doesn't prevent the danger of people who know what they're doing crossing the road when there's no traffic approaching only for dozy tourists to step out in front of an oncoming car! Pedestrians in London are far more annoying than cyclists!

 

[Stat Brother]

Cyclists are a pet hate of mine, in town there are few problems due to cycle lanes. The problem I have is with the weekend cyclists who think they are in the tour de france often riding side by side blocking country roads. Riding side by side or riding in the middle of the road creates a slow moving obstacle, as a driver you have 2 choices, drive behind them for 4/5 miles at 15mph or overtake with the risk of a head on collision.

My problem with your 'pet hate', is how it effects me.
Sometimes it feels like I'm riding around with a target on my back.
We were riding 3 (oh yes three) abreast a while ago.
Yes we know we shouldn't have been but it was a dead straight, clear road, and we did 'wake up' and move into single file pretty quickly, but not before, we were over taken by a tooting gesticulating man, shouting, and swearing his head off.
The thing was it was 8am on a Sunday morning.
I can't help thinking if you're that angry then, you've got issues!

They are allowed to ride side by side, they are allowed to take up whichever position in the road they please. It might annoy you but it is allowed. They should move over, or go single file, so you can overtake but some cyclists holding you up by a few seconds surely is not a major problem. Maybe you should try and be a bit more patient.

Last night me and a mate went out for a 20 mile sprint, coming down into Arundel from Crossbush, a fella drew level with me, (second wheel). He realised the descent backed right off and gave us the full road , at the next roundabout I backed off, waved and gave the fella a thank-you, thumbs up.
Hardly the actions of a TdF wannabe who thinks he owns the road, and deserves to be mowed down

I had one of these weekend Lance Giibbs yell at me the other day, I had slowed down for a horse, I had to question his heritage.

Why were you in yelling distance to 76 year old former West Indian spin bowler? Show some respect.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

They are allowed to ride side by side, they are allowed to take up whichever position in the road they please. It might annoy you but it is allowed. They should move over, or go single file, so you can overtake but some cyclists holding you up by a few seconds surely is not a major problem. Maybe you should try and be a bit more patient.

I am a more patient driver than most, maybe cyclists are allowed to ride in any road position but just as there are bad drivers there are bad cyclists who delibrately ride wide. On narrow country roads there are few overtaking oppurtunities and forcing a driver to go wider to overtake is dangerous for the cyclist and the driver.

 

[mona]

I think the issue is the way a small minority of cyclists treat people(pedestrians) with contempt. The important thing is that it is a small minority. Significantly, I come across more arrogant cyclists in Brighton than in most places.

 

[Stat Brother]

Significantly, I come across more arrogant cyclists in Brighton than in most places.

Is it just cyclists?