Safe Speed Forums

yes it is but the vast majority are motor vehicle accidents, whether solo or otherwise, so in that context to start complaining about cyclists being the number one menace on the roads is a little churlish.

Ah! But many in a crunch will leap out of cars and immediately accuse person they hit - even if they rear ended them or cut in front of them.

But in many cases (rear enders, singles, ill and defectives apart) - both parties have made error which created the circumstances which led to the accident.



Yep And if pulled they'd fail they'd check too no doubt. Have my eyes tested every 12-18 months.

But some - look anywhere but at the traffic around them. Ironically though - they nearly always see the camera - hidden or visible....and then run you over into the kerb after the markings Happens every time I ride there ...



Well -I always carry a spare battery in case and a spare light bulb - in case. In fact - I have spare bulbs in the car - in case.

Not exactly rocket science or some great chore to carry on bike.




Except that the 9 year old is still very ill in hospital and the person who did this appalling act did so after a drunken row with his girlfriend. And the other cases as read in papers -similarly worse for wear after drink and storming off after a row.

In the case of the cyclist in this case - was he in a similar state? Doubtful.

My sister regularly tells me of cyclists riding across a pelican and then up the wrong side of a dual carriageway to beat a non-turn right at the lights on a main road near her home! There have apparently been collsions and it is seriously dangerous because of a bus stop lay-by

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

yes, but then you're sensible and this was a suggestion to get people who think it's ok to ride without lights to use them.


no, this was an 82 year old man who was 'confused' by the snow.


once again you're telling us about a few idiots on the road. What does the fact that they happen to be cyclists have to do with it? Shall I start listing the countless number of people I see driving down the wrong side of the road regardless of what happens to be coming the other way - I bet I can list more than you can. Back to the busses, just think what people do when one stops.

johnsher
"once again you're telling us about a few idiots on the road. What does the fact that they happen to be cyclists have to do with it? Shall I start listing the countless number of people I see driving down the wrong side of the road regardless of what happens to be coming the other way - I bet I can list more than you can."

You are very biased toward cyclists, most of whom do not deserve or warrant your 'sticking up' for them. From over 3m miles of experience, believe me, the MAJORITY of cyclists should not be let anywhere near a road

(mutters:- Probably why most of 'em ride on the pavements!)

John - it has plenty to do with it when we are talking of these idiots being amongst the more vulnerable on the road.

As for the 82 year old - backs up need to assess properly But dangerous as it was and definitely highlights a need to formerly assess our elderly - not the same as "deliberate" and in these cases we are talking "deliberate"

Now already posted that seen a worrying trend in driving over the white divide line and not just on rurals around here either. I'd love to know why people have started to do this. More to the point - love to see a nab them for it.

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

one that has nearly run me down was a police van...


vulnerable they might be but who's going to do the most damage, an idiot on a bike or an idiot in a motor vehicle? I know who worries me more.



No, I would like to see bad cyclists treated in exactly the same fashion as bad drivers, what I'm against isridiculous comments such as this:

for starters you could say the same thing about any other group of road users. It would seem the only reason people pick on cyclists is because (a) they don't ride themselves and (b) like any other minority group they're a nice easy target.

Could it just be that you don't notice the good ones because they do nothing to attract attention to themselves?

That's a question with an astonishing answer:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/pedrisk.html

Road safety is full of surprises.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

on that page you're only talking about risk to pedestrians. What about risk to other road users? If you want to look at it from the pedestrians point of view they're a few hundred times more likely to be killed by a motor vehicle. If my memory is working, even on the footpath about 30 or 40 pedestrians are killed each year by motor vehicles.

edit: I would also suggest that the section "Why are motorbikes (relatively) so dangerous to pedestrians?" applies even more to pushbikes as for those who like to cross roads without looking a pushbike can't be heard.

Sorry if you didn't get the point of my post.
Maybe this will illustrate it better.

There is a thread about M4 VSL signs, with a link to the Highways Authority website, where they are explained. http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4691.aspx
Now just suppose I had not seen the link, or didn't post here even, and I have never bothered to buy an UP TO DATE highway code since I passed my test Thirty years ago, and I am going to visit friends who live close to the M4.
How will I ever know what the signs mean when I encounter them?
There have been no informative adverts, I have not seen any leaflets in servie stations (believe me, I look for leaflets out of a personal interest), the only thing I can say in MY defence would be I would be cautious and attempt to negotiate the new system without causing any hinderance, but there will be many drivers who seeing those signs will not know what the hell they are doing, let alone what the signs mean.
That is just ONE aspect of keeping road users informed.
ALL road users need to be reminded of a raft of matters, because of the few, who by their behaviour at best inconvenience other road users, and at worst endanger others by their actions.
At least if cyclists were registered via an excise tax, they could get updates with their reminders! It's just a shame we could'nt catch the pedestrians the same way!

_________________
Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

johnsher, it's obvious that you've got your blinkers on, so it's no use talking to you.

Those statistics probably don't include one major danger that some
cyclists pose to pedestrians. Elderly people are easily distracted and a
cyclist riding along a busy pavement that can distract elderly pedestrians
about to cross the road; the OAP then steps in front of a car.

At one time I worked close to a busy road-junction in Central London and
I always suspected that this was a substantial cause of the accidents
there.

Most cyclists act in a very responsible way but in London NW10, where I
live, a substantial minority of them have absolutely no regard for other
people's safety.

I'm sure the problem is with the riders of stolen bikes: the riff-raff who
have either stolen bikes or who knowingly buy stolen machines. Official
statistics say that 80,000 bikes a year are stolen in London.

I've started a thread on the Cycling sub-forum to suggest that bikes
should carry Licence Plates.

as do you and, unfortunately, most motorists when the dreaded c word is mentioned.

yes, the majority of them but that doesn't mean I'm denying that there are bad ones out there. Again, as stated before it's the ridiculous "ALL cyclists are !£)%*!"£%*" "ALL motorists are !"£%)*!"%*)" arguments that get us absolutely nowhere.

"ALL cyclists are !£)%*!"£%*"


I didn't say all, and I speak from over 50 years of driving.

When did anyone last see a cyclist look over his shoulder and give a hand signal before manoeuvring?

About 1966 for me!

Oscar does have a bit of a point there - I might be generous and say I saw someone do this a few years back

oh ffs, do I really have to answer this rubbish. Every cyclist I know does this and there's over 100 in my club alone + friends etc etc. I wouldn't like your chances of survival if you didn't do this.

I agree. First clue that a cyclist is going to change directions/lanes - s/he stops pedalling. Second clue, a look over the shoulder, frequentl;y accompanied by a wobble, usually but not always in the direction of intended future travel. Third clue, out goes the arm.

Sorry Roger, but in general that is just not my experience - I'm not by nature a judgemental person - but what I normally see is:

First clue that a cyclist is going to change directions/lanes - s/he stops pedalling. Second clue, a look over the shoulder (now and then), frequently accompanied by a wobble, then by a change a of direction. I honestly haven't seen hand signals from cyclist where I live in eons...

I have to tell it as I see it - I'm not anti cycle - I think they are fine used properly, I used to ride one myself, so did my missus. When I was at school we were all leaned on very heavily to take cycling proficiency tests, not one has even mentioned the concept to my sons...

Sorry, edited to add, johnsher - what percentage of cyclists are in clubs - maybe you are talking about the cycling equivalent of the IAM?

The "arm out" bit may also have a postcode bias? Also I may be imagining it - seriously. I have typically from the previous telegraphy decided with some certainty of the cyclist's prpoposed trajectory, and may have imprinted the "arm out" in my mind so that I can scan for other hazards.

no idea what percentage are in clubs and not all the cyclists I know are in a cycling club - but really I was refuting the notion that just because you don't come across a lot of cyclists on free flowing roads, an even smaller number of which are will actually be turning right at the time (and crossing your path), that cyclists don't indicate.