From: Graham Harrison on

"GT" <a(a)b.c> wrote in message
news:4c480a32$0$8953$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com...
> "FrengaX" <hnkjqrh02(a)sneakemail.com> wrote in message
> news:434a3a89-0aa4-4601-9161-b43804fb9a64(a)i31g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 21, 3:02 pm, Jethro <krazyka...(a)googlemail.com> wrote:
>> Having just watched a number cars grinding up a hill near me (I was
>> walking) because a cyclist was at the head of the queue, and it was
>> too twisty and narrow to safely overtake, I started wondering about
>> the OVERALL effect cyclists have on carbon emissions.
>
> Why restrict your pointless venom at cyclists? What is the similar
> effect of:
> - buses which crawl along/block the road with long queues of cars
> behind
> - milk floats (if such things exist any more)
> - temporary traffic lights left in place where there is no hazard on
> the road (apart from the lights themselves)
> - People who have accidents on the motorway and cause massive
> tailbacks
> - Gypsies who decide to descend on Appleby in their horse-drawn
> caravans, causing miles and miles of tailbacks on the A65
> - etc
>
> I would stick my neck out and say that most of the drivers in this group
> agree with you, but the original question concerned a particular example
> of cyclist deliberately causing congestion, delay and frustration for many
> other people. Had he moved over or stopped for a short time (as the
> highway code suggests that road users should do when causing queues), then
> the problem would have been alleviated, but alas this rarely happens.
>

Deliberately? The OP said "was too twisty and narrow to safely overtake".
Assume for one moment the cyclist had stopped to let the cars pass; would
that have been safe? Unless the cyclist was able to get right off the road
I would suggest it would make little difference and that it might simply
bring the queue to a halt. There are roads round here that qualify for the
OP description where it would definitely be safer to continue until a safe
pull off rather than stop for the sake of stopping.

And, as for moving over (HC suggestion) I agree with you; I just wish that
all the juggernauts, tractors, 40 mph "Sunday drivers" would also read the
HC.

From: mileburner on
GT wrote:
> "FrengaX" <hnkjqrh02(a)sneakemail.com> wrote in message
> news:434a3a89-0aa4-4601-9161-b43804fb9a64(a)i31g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
> On Jul 21, 3:02 pm, Jethro <krazyka...(a)googlemail.com> wrote:
>> Having just watched a number cars grinding up a hill near me (I was
>> walking) because a cyclist was at the head of the queue, and it was
>> too twisty and narrow to safely overtake, I started wondering about
>> the OVERALL effect cyclists have on carbon emissions.
>
> Why restrict your pointless venom at cyclists? What is the similar
> effect of:
> - buses which crawl along/block the road with long queues of cars
> behind
> - milk floats (if such things exist any more)
> - temporary traffic lights left in place where there is no hazard on
> the road (apart from the lights themselves)
> - People who have accidents on the motorway and cause massive
> tailbacks
> - Gypsies who decide to descend on Appleby in their horse-drawn
> caravans, causing miles and miles of tailbacks on the A65
> - etc
>
> I would stick my neck out and say that most of the drivers in this
> group agree with you, but the original question concerned a
> particular example of cyclist deliberately causing congestion, delay
> and frustration for many other people. Had he moved over or stopped
> for a short time (as the highway code suggests that road users should
> do when causing queues), then the problem would have been alleviated,
> but alas this rarely happens.

Keeping digging into your sad and sorry little hole knobster :-)


From: boltar2003 on
On Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:40:28 +0100
"mileburner" <mileburner(a)btinternet.com> wrote:
>And if there is nowhere to pull over to? If you are heading into a pinch
>point? If the road is narrow and there is oncoming traffic? A brow of a
>hill? Any cyclist who pulls over in these situations is putting themselves
>and others at risk.

Putting others at risk? How does that work then? Is he going to chuck the
bike into the windscreen of an oncoming car in frustration?

If a cyclist is holding up traffic he should move over. End of. If he
doesn't like it thats just tough luck. There are probably 10 or 20 people
behind him who arn't exactly in the best of moods as it is and the more
he pisses them off the more likely one of them will deliberatly do a near
miss as they pass him to teach the tosser a lesson.

B2003

From: mileburner on
boltar2003(a)boltar.world wrote:
> On Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:40:28 +0100
> "mileburner" <mileburner(a)btinternet.com> wrote:
>> And if there is nowhere to pull over to? If you are heading into a
>> pinch point? If the road is narrow and there is oncoming traffic? A
>> brow of a hill? Any cyclist who pulls over in these situations is
>> putting themselves and others at risk.
>
> Putting others at risk? How does that work then?

You really do need some driving lessons if you need to ask.

> If a cyclist is holding up traffic he should move over. End of. If he
> doesn't like it thats just tough luck. There are probably 10 or 20
> people behind him who arn't exactly in the best of moods as it is and
> the more he pisses them off the more likely one of them will
> deliberatly do a near miss as they pass him to teach the tosser a
> lesson.

<yawn>


From: mileburner on
GT wrote:
> "GT" <a(a)b.c> wrote in message
> news:4c48098c$0$8908$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com...
>> "mileburner" <mileburner(a)btinternet.com> wrote in message
>> news:i28le3$tdn$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
>>>
>>> "GT" <ContactGT_rem_ove_(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:4c4774db$0$12279$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com...
>>>> "Bernard" <bernard.x.ramsden(a)x.btinternet.x.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:VMidnWDLFL8W79rRnZ2dnUVZ8hCdnZ2d(a)bt.com...
>>>>>
>>>>> "Jethro" <krazykara0(a)googlemail.com> wrote in message
>>>>> news:6842a0c5-6d67-4d78-a6b5-7ce0b485caa7(a)q35g2000yqn.googlegroups.com...
>>>>>> Having just watched a number cars grinding up a hill near me (I
>>>>>> was walking) because a cyclist was at the head of the queue, and
>>>>>> it was too twisty and narrow to safely overtake, I started
>>>>>> wondering about the OVERALL effect cyclists have on carbon
>>>>>> emissions. Does all the extra carbon produced by cars having to crawl
>>>>>> behind
>>>>>> cyclists cancel out, or exceed the carbon saved by the cyclist ?
>>>>>
>>>>> If a driver is being held up by slow moving traffic and the
>>>>> driver is concerned about their affect on the environment, they
>>>>> they should find a safe place to park, turn off the engine and
>>>>> wait for the traffic to dissipate,
>>>>
>>>> How about...
>>>> If a driver is holding up traffic by moving more slowly than
>>>> everyone else is capable, he should find a safe place to stop and
>>>> let the faster moving traffic dissipate.
>>>
>>> Either way, if they were *that* concerned, they would probably not
>>> be driving...
>>
>> Driving / riding - are you going to argue about a verb now?? Petty!
>>
>> However this 'being concerned and stopping' is precisely the point -
>> cyclists don't care what problems they directly cause. They don't
>> give a damn about what is going on behind them. They are not
>> concerned about the pollution, queues and frustration that they
>> directly cause, they are only concerned with number 1 and things
>> that impact their day directly. This is evident daily on our roads
>> and frequently in this driving group and it annoys me.
>>
>> I have obviously touched a nerve with you, but I wish to point out I
>> am not anti-cycling and I am not anti-cyclist. I frequently enjoy a
>> leisurely cycle at the weekends with my family, when the weather
>> permits. My bugbear is that I hate the 'I'm better than you'
>> attitude that cyclists force on the other users of our public roads,
>> both verbally and physically.
>
> Last sentence - add *some* before 'cyclists force'.

No need. Freudian slip.