in todays Pravda on deh Cumberland, because their son was killed on a bike while studying in Germany and because a friend of a friend fell off a Harley Davidson. :banghead: The editorial editors should just put some simple statistics after such a letter to give the reader the real statistics, as as it stands, the thing simply serves to fuel the already hostile environment for cyclists around here.
The local cyclists need to take some responsibility of course. Had a couple blast right in front of me last night at a 4-way stop, as I was about to accelerate. No lights either. I turned around caught up with them and yelled, "do you have a f*cking death wish?". Ugh, a lot of these riders are making a bed that us responsible types have to sleep in.
/rant
I have a feeling that cyclists might have to take a cycling proficiency test before long. TBH I have seen several doing stupid things such as riding the wrong way up a one way street and doing wheelies in a pedestrian only area.
most cyclists are just one stop below 90% of the muppets on mopeds !
Im happy for them to push to the front in a trafic jam / at the lights.... Ill even move over a bit if I can to let them through....
but I had to overtake some muppet 3 times the other day, at every set of lights hed pull right infront of me, then once we got going id have to pull into the outside lane and overtake him, then move in later on... next set of lights same thing.... next set, he bloody well did it again !
little ****, felt like pulling hp ahead and kicking him off as he rode past.
A lot of cyclists need someone walking in front of them with a red flag. Most of em are complete eeeeejits.
The cops should just issue citations, its within their right. I mean, let folks slide that run a red after a stop, as the bike doesnt set off the sensor, but cite them for reckless endangerment if they blast through a 4-way intersection without slowing down. Funny thing is, Im the only person Ive met in town thats gotten a ticket on a bike, and its because the cop thought I was gay and wanted to f*ck with me. :roll:
Quote from: knightymost cyclists are just one stop below 90% of the muppets on mopeds !
Im happy for them to push to the front in a trafic jam / at the lights.... Ill even move over a bit if I can to let them through....
but I had to overtake some muppet 3 times the other day, at every set of lights hed pull right infront of me, then once we got going id have to pull into the outside lane and overtake him, then move in later on... next set of lights same thing.... next set, he bloody well did it again !
little ****, felt like pulling hp ahead and kicking him off as he rode past.
I am posting this when its hurting me to sleep let alone type this.
It is safer for a cyclist to be at the front of any traffic when its stopped.
Theres a reason behind the ASLs existing. Granted he could take a position behind the car in the queue but when Ive sat there and watched a little bastard drive in the gap I had left as clearance so I could see both a buses mirrors (the national standard recommends this). Its just safer to be at the front.
Cars will have to pass cyclists and thats just the way it is, he didnt inconvienence you beyond making you overtake him a few times, didnt really add any time or distance onto your journey.
Also kids doing wheelies and cyclists cycling on the pavement, and cyclists flying through red lights, arent cyclists... they are pedestrians who woke up a little confused in the morning and got on a pushbike with no clue how to ride it responsibly.
If you want to read about how cyclists are meant to act on roads and act junctions, get a copy of Cyclecraft, it costs like Ã,£8, and its a good read.
Personally Ill just stick to the path, there are very few roads around here that I would ride on. Im happier, so are the motorists. More importantly Im a heck of a lot safer.
Pfff, its pedestrians who f*** about IMHO. I get cut up more times in a day by peds crossing roads without looking than I do by other cyclists in a week. And when it comes to cars, I hold my own. Ill push infront of them at junctions, because they dont have a hope of catching me once the lights change. I can make the dash down the main roads to the gfs overtaking cars all the way, theres really very few places near my uni where a car can touch a cyclist.
Gets the taxis riled too 8)
Quote from: CypherPersonally Ill just stick to the path, there are very few roads around here that I would ride on. Im happier, so are the motorists. More importantly Im a heck of a lot safer.
lol... your not safer mate. Your in more danger.
Pedestrians do not expect bikes to be behind them, Ive almost had an elbow in my face when a guy was swinging his arms around as I was filtering through traffic... and I was on the road.
Riding on a pavement is more dangerous for you, and can be lethal for pedestrians.
Not to mention the Ã,£60 minimum fixed penalty notice you get for doing it if your over the age of 10yrs old.
Oh and cars arent that scary either :) I ride down a 40mph dual carriageway on my commute in to work. I may be doing 25mph or so, but cars give me plenty of room when they pass me. You soon learn to completely zone out the cars around you, and concentrate on where your going. Granted a quick look over your shoulder every now and again is prudent and definately worthwhile, but its no effort at all.
Roundabouts suck however, mainly because on some with an adverse camber, its an absolute arse to keep signalling, accelerating, and turning around a damn corner, oh and stay on the bike.
Even when given an off road cyclepath I definately prefer the road, its just so much faster than any pavement.
Quote from: M3ta7h3adQuote from: CypherPersonally Ill just stick to the path, there are very few roads around here that I would ride on. Im happier, so are the motorists. More importantly Im a heck of a lot safer.
lol... your not safer mate. Your in more danger.
Pedestrians do not expect bikes to be behind them, Ive almost had an elbow in my face when a guy was swinging his arms around as I was filtering through traffic... and I was on the road.
Riding on a pavement is more dangerous for you, and can be lethal for pedestrians.
Not to mention the Ã,£60 minimum fixed penalty notice you get for doing it if your over the age of 10yrs old.
TBH, I have never in my life seen a policeman stop someone for riding on the pavement. I doubt I ever will.
I know Im not safer, but I feel it. Im fully aware of the dangers of riding up close to a pedestrian, I never get up close unless I can see a route around them when I do get up to them. Thats why I was allways walk my bike through town centres, far to congested.
Trust me, drivers around here are extreemly impatient and will put you in danger so they are not inconvenianced, i.e so they dont have to risk giving way to the car that is coming up on the other side, they will get ludicrously close at times. There are a lot of narrow roads. Its the effect of living near coventry.
I wish there were more official cycle routes around here, would make me much more willing to go cycling more often. There is only 1 that leads 2 1/2 miles from town centre to my area. Apparantly that route is being developed for Stratford - Warwick - Kenilworth - Coventry - Nuneaton. Route 52. I would love to do that route.
There are only two completed National Cycle Network routes in Warwickshire atm. :?
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/B78D9DBA66F2474480256FAB0058FC0EI forget what the website was for the cylce network, been meaning to look at it.
Took cornholio on a 6-7 mile bike ride today. I ended up doing about 9-10. Christ I was knackered by the end of it. :D
Pschaw, treat a bike like its a vehicle, and folks treat you the same back. I take the lane at intersections and use turn lanes. I can get up to 20mph as fast as the average city driver. Once Im clear of the intersection, I yield to the side so that faster traffic may pass. Ive been complimented many times by motorists that are surprised to see a sane cyclist. :lol: I have no fear of traffic, but I guess a short stint as a messenger in downtown Chicago solved that. :lol: There is NOTHING like taking a shortcut under the city on one of the service roads that few folks know about, its totally Blade Runner. :D Only thing that really yanks my chain with motorists are those that honk and yell and demand to pass, even though youre going the same speed as the car ahead. Hiding by the side of the road in such situations is about the most dangerous thing a fellow can do. :P
Tbh, I harrass cyclists when driving more than most do--if the riders are behaving like twats of course. :D
Quote from: CypherQuote from: M3ta7h3adQuote from: CypherPersonally Ill just stick to the path, there are very few roads around here that I would ride on. Im happier, so are the motorists. More importantly Im a heck of a lot safer.
lol... your not safer mate. Your in more danger.
Pedestrians do not expect bikes to be behind them, Ive almost had an elbow in my face when a guy was swinging his arms around as I was filtering through traffic... and I was on the road.
Riding on a pavement is more dangerous for you, and can be lethal for pedestrians.
Not to mention the Ã,£60 minimum fixed penalty notice you get for doing it if your over the age of 10yrs old.
TBH, I have never in my life seen a policeman stop someone for riding on the pavement. I doubt I ever will.
I know Im not safer, but I feel it. Im fully aware of the dangers of riding up close to a pedestrian, I never get up close unless I can see a route around them when I do get up to them. Thats why I was allways walk my bike through town centres, far to congested.
Trust me, drivers around here are extreemly impatient and will put you in danger so they are not inconvenianced, i.e so they dont have to risk giving way to the car that is coming up on the other side, they will get ludicrously close at times. There are a lot of narrow roads. Its the effect of living near coventry.
I wish there were more official cycle routes around here, would make me much more willing to go cycling more often. There is only 1 that leads 2 1/2 miles from town centre to my area. Apparantly that route is being developed for Stratford - Warwick - Kenilworth - Coventry - Nuneaton. Route 52. I would love to do that route.
There are only two completed National Cycle Network routes in Warwickshire atm. :?
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corporate/pages.nsf/Links/B78D9DBA66F2474480256FAB0058FC0E
I forget what the website was for the cylce network, been meaning to look at it.
Took cornholio on a 6-7 mile bike ride today. I ended up doing about 9-10. Christ I was knackered by the end of it. :D
there are several websites you should look at.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp - im a member of sustrans now, after seeing a ranger actually making a difference on the route i commute to work on. They supply good waterproof maps covering all of the national routes.
then theres...
http://www.everydaycycling.com/latest-routes.aspx - which provides routes, and also ride logging facilities and some interesting links to other sites.
then theres...
http://www.thenationalbyway.org/welcome.asp - 4000 miles of cycling routes through country lanes and nice cycle friendly areas.
then theres...
http://www.ctc.org.uk - Ive joined these guys too, you get free 3rd party liability insurance to the tune of er.. a few million pounds I believe, so if you have a crash or cause a crash, your covered against claims against you, you also get access to free online and postal route maps including international ones.
http://www.audax.co.uk - organised long distance cycling. They will be on road however, but the 50 - 100k ones may give you something to do on a weekend :) I am certainly going to enter into a few next summer. And riding with a group of people is said to be quite a buzz.
http://www.cyclingplus.co.uk/forum - a UK centric forum about cycling :) However admit your a pavement dweller and youll get flamed to hell and back.
Quote from: M3ta7h3adI am posting this when its hurting me to sleep let alone type this.
It is safer for a cyclist to be at the front of any traffic when its stopped.
Theres a reason behind the ASLs existing. Granted he could take a position behind the car in the queue but when Ive sat there and watched a little bastard drive in the gap I had left as clearance so I could see both a buses mirrors (the national standard recommends this). Its just safer to be at the front.
Cars will have to pass cyclists and thats just the way it is, he didnt inconvienence you beyond making you overtake him a few times, didnt really add any time or distance onto your journey.Quotethe pooblem is, when you let them infront of you, then the dawdle along right in the middle of the road... if it has been busy Id have been stuck behind him all day
Fair enough, the correct way to behave would be to take center through the junction, then as max says... yield to the cars. So you head to about 60cm from the kerb, or I prefer to ride on just outside the yellow lines mainly because riding over drains just does your head in when your on a bike :D
There is also a law against what you describe.
"Inconsiderate Cycling" - means if the cyclist is getting in the way of drivers when there need not be any issue, he can be fined, and charged with that.
Your only meant to take the centre of a lane when travelling at the road speeds, or when negotiating a junction/roundabout.