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Fogmeister
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:35 pm Posts: 6580 Location: Getting there
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I was just saying that you can complain about cyclists but there are drivers in all forms of transport that are guilty of being dickheads on the roads. You can't condemn one type of driver while ignoring similar things that other drivers do. I've had to pull someone out of the way of being hit by a bus when crossing a road with a green man in the past  Similarly I've nearly run over pedestrians that have walked out on to a busy road with headphones on and texting on their phone. I nearly ran him over. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:29 pm |
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oceanicitl
Official forum cat lady
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:04 am Posts: 11039 Location: London
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Pedestrians can misbehave on the roads too? Shocker lol 
_________________Still the official cheeky one 
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:30 pm |
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TheFrenchun
Officially Mrs saspro
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:55 pm Posts: 4955 Location: on the naughty step
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The title of this thread is : "Sabotage and hatred: what have people got against cyclists?" My problem with cyclists is that anyone can get a bike, ride like a competitive road champion and go out there and severely injure someone because they are behaving twats in the public realm. And close calls and accidents frequently happen. There is no necessity to learn the highway code to ride a bike and it becomes a free for all. It is a different problem to drivers as they have had training and know better and can be heavily prosecuted for it. There is an inherent issue with the fact that currently you are making quite fragile road users ( Cyclists, motorbikes, pedestrians at crossings) share the road with tougher ones in congested conditions. That leads to anger in all parties which cannot be resolved as long as the situation lasts.
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:40 pm |
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Fogmeister
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:35 pm Posts: 6580 Location: Getting there
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I think that's the main issue too. The problem is not necessarily the car drivers or pedestrians or cyclists. It is the infrastructure hat has been designed with nothing other than cars in mind. Everything else is just a side thought and a white line isn't going to stop a car from hitting someone. Lol!
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:51 pm |
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oceanicitl
Official forum cat lady
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:04 am Posts: 11039 Location: London
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I guess you haven't heard of the cycling proficiency test
_________________Still the official cheeky one 
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:17 pm |
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TheFrenchun
Officially Mrs saspro
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:55 pm Posts: 4955 Location: on the naughty step
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:25 pm |
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saspro
Site Admin
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 5:53 pm Posts: 8603 Location: location, location
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Nope, most schools don't even bother doing it either
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:32 pm |
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Fogmeister
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:35 pm Posts: 6580 Location: Getting there
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Passing a test means nothing though. I'm a much better cyclist on the road than many people are drivers.
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:34 pm |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm Posts: 17040
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There's a road I drive down near where I work - Grovesnor street near MMU, for those that know the area - that has physically separated (i.e .a massive kerb in the way) cycle lanes on both sides, despite it being a one way street for cars. Yet I still quite frequently see cyclists in the unsegregated 'share your space with cars and vans' parts instead. You can build all the infrastructure you like, but it still requires people to use it. Until we take the belligerence out of the equation on all sides, you're fighting the people you're trying to help.
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:44 pm |
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paulzolo
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:27 pm Posts: 12251
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Ok - driver and cyclist here. I co e across all kinds of nutters as we all do when on our travels. They don't do cycling proficiency in schools now. It's called Bike Ability, and it is a more advanced, defensive way of riding bikes. They take kids out in roads, not just trundling around the playground with toy road signs. https://bikeability.org.uk/Cyclists in the middle of the road? Well there are two riding positions on the road that we take. There is Primary and Secondary. Secondary is about a meter from the kerb. Cyclists should not ride in the gutter, and it's safer for them to avoid iron work. Primary position is the middle of the lane. This is to be used when the cyclist feels unsafe. For example, you are riding down a road with speed chicanes. What you really don't want is for some motorist to squeeze past, clipping the handlebars. If you've ever had that happen, it's scary. You could end up under a vehicle. Motorists should give a cyclist as much space when passing as they would when overtaking anther car. ( https://www.gov.uk/using-the-road-159-t ... 162-to-169 - rule 163) Also, when riding along a road with a load of parked cars, a cyclist will find that doors will open, cars pull out. This is because people don't check. Again, advice is to ride a bike at least an OPEN car door's width away form the car. Just in case. The aim is to ride defensively. Now there have been times when I have been on my bike and I've run into what I define as the "Lycra louts". These tend to by cycle clubs who wil, barge you off the road. This has happened to me a few times on some cycle paths through the the parks here, and you have to wonder why they do that. Well worth watching this video, BTW. http://youtu.be/lJHXzt7TC2k
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:30 pm |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm Posts: 17040
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Well in quite a lot of places round my way that places you in the opposite lane riding into oncoming traffic. Doesn't seem particularly good advice.
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Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:16 pm |
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Fogmeister
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:35 pm Posts: 6580 Location: Getting there
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you are aware that people have eyes and can use them to do things like survey their surroundings and make decisions based on what they see? Of course you're not going to ride head on into a car coming the other way but you have to take precautions where possible. Your comment just seems to completely miss any point that was made and seems to just be trolling. When driving your car down this lane. I presume you just plough though all the parked cars because you don't want to get hit by oncoming traffic? Or do you also move over when there is space and safely pass the parked cars? Also, unless you're scraping all the wing mirrors hen your car is further over the oncoming lane than a cyclist giving one door length of gap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 12:11 am |
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jonbwfc
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:26 pm Posts: 17040
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Not entirely. Merely illustrating that the 'the advice says this so that is what I will do and you have no right to make me do anything else' attitude that is quite prevalant among the cyclists I know (ref: the whole single file argument) is often nonsensical. Yes, obviously, you should apply common sense and consider other road users. It seems to me surprisingly few people actually do that. Quite a lot of people seem more interested in what they think they have a right to do than what the actually should do. I don't insist on leaving a massive space between me and the parked cars on the off chance an idiot might open their door. Yes, with a straw man in the passenger seat. Jon
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:27 am |
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Fogmeister
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:35 pm Posts: 6580 Location: Getting there
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How is that a straw man? You made the point that ricin at a safe distance puts you into the oncoming traffic. All I said is that your car would be further into the oncoming traffic.
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:39 am |
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Fogmeister
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:35 pm Posts: 6580 Location: Getting there
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In your car you don't need to worry about doors being opened on you. If they were then your car would be damaged. Their car would be damaged. That about it.
For a cyclist it's different.
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Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:40 am |
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