Cyclists above the law
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From: JNugent on 27 Nov 2009 14:51 Peter Grange wrote: > On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:37:18 -0000, "mileburner" > <mileburner(a)btinternet.com> wrote: > >> "Steve Firth" <%steve%@malloc.co.uk> wrote in message >> news:1j9ueyx.1mu5i2w1uedkqdN%%steve%@malloc.co.uk... >>> Tony Dragon <tony.dragon(a)btinternet.com> wrote: >>> >>>> I don't recall being knocked over on the pavement by a motorist, but a >>>> cyclist has managed to do this. >>> Walking on pavements in London I have to dodge a flying cyclist every >>> few hundred yards. Just a walk from place to work to sandwich bar can >>> see me dodging a dozen or more pavement cyclists. Even more galling >>> because there's a cycle lane on the pavement bu the cyclists choose not >>> to use them. I've not had to dodge a single car in the last twelve >>> months. >>> >>> There are also "Give Way" markings for cyclists which are use whenever >>> the cycle lane crosses the pavement. Would you like to guess how many >>> cyclists obey those markings? >> What I have often wondered about those multitude of give way markers on >> cycle routes is who the cyclist is supposed to give way to. The complexity >> of some of them, (where there are pedestrians and traffic at a junction) is >> so great that it is far easier to just use the road, and its safer. >> > Which is one of my objections to most shared-pavement cycle lanes. The > cyclist is expected to stop and give way at every side turning off the > road to which the cycle lane is parallel. Not "expected" - "required". Though "give way" doesn't actually mean "stop". If there is no-one using the crossed route at that particular point and time, it is possible to give way without stopping. > In some cases this means a stop every few yards, Maybe (though rarely). That would be at one end of the continuum. > whereas on the road the cyclist, along with the > motorised traffic, has right-of-way over traffic joining from the side > road. This makes using the cycle lane for commuting, or any other > reason where time matters, a no-no, and puts the cyclist at risk at > each crossing point. There would be an uproar if the priorities were > reversed for motorised traffic, where safety would doubtless be raised > as an issue. Quite.
From: JNugent on 27 Nov 2009 14:54 Adrian wrote: > Peter Grange <peter(a)plgrange.demon.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much > like they were saying: > >>> Except lycra shorts don't have pockets. > >> More bollocks. > > Umm, how many bollocks ARE there in a typical pair of lycra shorts, then? More than one (less than two)? That's on the basis that some of them are worn by women. And did I once read that Hitler was fond of cycling?
From: johnwright ""john" on 27 Nov 2009 15:08 Steve Firth wrote: > Tony Dragon <tony.dragon(a)btinternet.com> wrote: > >> I don't recall being knocked over on the pavement by a motorist, but a >> cyclist has managed to do this. > > Walking on pavements in London I have to dodge a flying cyclist every > few hundred yards. Just a walk from place to work to sandwich bar can > see me dodging a dozen or more pavement cyclists. Even more galling > because there's a cycle lane on the pavement bu the cyclists choose not > to use them. I've not had to dodge a single car in the last twelve > months. You probably have to do this anywhere. I work in a place with 50,000 others making it not all that large but I still almost get run down by cyclists at every apparent opportunity. > There are also "Give Way" markings for cyclists which are use whenever > the cycle lane crosses the pavement. Would you like to guess how many > cyclists obey those markings? None? -- I'm not apathetic... I just don't give a sh** anymore ?John Wright
From: Steve Firth on 27 Nov 2009 15:13 Peter Grange <peter(a)plgrange.demon.co.uk> wrote: > >No, it's just that the majority of cyclists are selfish, stupid > >bastards. You seem typical of the breed. > > There goes the unsubstantiated "majority" word again. The day this becomes a court of law or I get paid to do the research I'll provide the statistics. However on a random sample, the majority of cyclists I encounter are selfish, stupid bastards. Not to mention "holier than thou" and "smug". Here's something you could try to test the theory. Stop the next pavement cyclist that you see and ask them to ride where they belong.
From: Steve Firth on 27 Nov 2009 15:17
johnwright <""john\"@no spam here.com"> wrote: > > > There are also "Give Way" markings for cyclists which are use whenever > > the cycle lane crosses the pavement. Would you like to guess how many > > cyclists obey those markings? > > None? Give the man a cee-gar. They don't even give way to the trucks that are turning into the industrial estate. Despite there being several large signs telling cyclists to stop and look for traffic before crossing the entrance. Note, it says "Stop", not "Give Way". They don't stop. Apparently if a cyclist were to stop in London for a red light or a stop sign their testicles would drop off. |