cyclists

[peet]

I just hate everyone else on the road it's easier... 

[Graham0127]

Horses.....beautiful creatures .....especially when chasing round the field, tails held high and nostrils flared.

The spectacle and atmosphere of a hunt , breathtaking (please bring it back)

But on some of our roads, verging on suicidal.

Wife and daughter ride , my son a natural but not as keen....all things in moderation......it's purely the poo thing that really winds me up......especially being a motorcyclist.

That's one thing in favour of the cyclist........don't see 'em pooing on the road very often.

Tomorrow we can all talk about the.......errrrrrr........ Election !

[KugaWestie]

The difference is control and speed and 2 tonnes of metal.

I'd say 80% of drivers can't even park.

The idea of one doing 40mph 2 inches from your arm, is very scary indeed.

Not quite what I was getting at.

 

My point is cyclists are quite happy to underpass stationery or crawling traffic in minimal gaps, but then as the traffic starts to move again or increase in speed they expect massive room.

 

Also - who pays RFL and who does not 

And yes, I expect many cyclists do have cars as well

[Davemk1]

My pet hate with cyclists is the fact that they are happy to ride through a narrow gap between the kerb and cars when cars are stationary waiting for traffic lights etc, but then don't like it when cars drive by them leaving the same or slightly larger size gap.

I am a sports car guy, a Westfield owner, a retired professional cyclist, and make my living in the bicycle business. I feel your frustration and think that many riders are their own worst enemies and do themselves few favors..........and............at the same time........I need to say that your logic makes no sense.

 

Let's change a few things in your scenario.........in your scenario the rider is doing 15 mph and passing traffic is going 50 mph for a speed difference of 35 mph. The rider is being passed by a few tons of steel at an approach speed of 35 mph. No one wants to feel that driver a foot away from them as they pass by at 35 mph.

 

Now let's say your child or wife is walking down (maybe they ran out of gas or had car trouble) the same road at 5 mph and the same car drives by at 40 mph (for the same speed delta) and comes within a foot of your loved one as they pass. Would you be cool with that? I won't put words in your mouth but I doubt you would.

 

Here in the USA many states have the "3 foot rule" saying that drivers need to give the rider 3 feet as they pass them regardless of the speed delta. Would you be OK with walking down the road and having cars go past at 65 mph within 3 feet of you as you walk? Again - I doubt it and with good reason. Any reasonable person would say that isn't safe. But it's the law. Heck - most people can't even tell you how much space 3 feet is when standing still let alone at a closing speed of 40- 50mph.

 

I always urge drivers to think of the person they are passing on the road as a loved one. Think of their kid or wife or brother and see how much space you give them. These riders who frustrate you and who you feel get in your way are someone's kids, brothers, mothers. They are people and not inanimate objects determined to make you 30 seconds late for work. They are just trying to ride their bikes and some do stupid stuff just like you and I and our family members do. 

 

Do cyclists do a lot of rude and stupid stuff? Absolutely. But it's not like driver's don't ever do something stupid. Give us some room please.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

dave

[Lyonspride]

Well, here's the thing. The highway code tells us to give them as much room as a car, so thus means crossing the white line, in which case it doesn't matter if they're cycling two abreast.

Plus to be honest I'd rather overtake 4 riding in two blocks two abreast, than overtake 4 riding single file.

From their POV, they don't want a driver getting half way past and then cutting in for an oncoming vehicle.

I lost a cousin many years ago, he was clipped by an overtaking car, lost balance and ended up under the truck behind him. I've also been hit by cars as they passed me to get to the traffic jam ahead of me, completely pointlessly endangering my life to gain nothing at all.

But for as tolerant as I am toward them, sometimes they do the most stupid of things, like undertaking cars that are turning left.....

[KugaWestie]

I am a sports car guy, a Westfield owner, a retired professional cyclist, and make my living in the bicycle business. I feel your frustration and think that many riders are their own worst enemies and do themselves few favors..........and............at the same time........I need to say that your logic makes no sense.

 

Let's change a few things in your scenario.........in your scenario the rider is doing 15 mph and passing traffic is going 50 mph for a speed difference of 35 mph. The rider is being passed by a few tons of steel at an approach speed of 35 mph. No one wants to feel that driver a foot away from them as they pass by at 35 mph.

 

Now let's say your child or wife is walking down (maybe they ran out of gas or had car trouble) the same road at 5 mph and the same car drives by at 40 mph (for the same speed delta) and comes within a foot of your loved one as they pass. Would you be cool with that? I won't put words in your mouth but I doubt you would.

 

Here in the USA many states have the "3 foot rule" saying that drivers need to give the rider 3 feet as they pass them regardless of the speed delta. Would you be OK with walking down the road and having cars go past at 65 mph within 3 feet of you as you walk? Again - I doubt it and with good reason. Any reasonable person would say that isn't safe. But it's the law. Heck - most people can't even tell you how much space 3 feet is when standing still let alone at a closing speed of 40- 50mph.

 

I always urge drivers to think of the person they are passing on the road as a loved one. Think of their kid or wife or brother and see how much space you give them. These riders who frustrate you and who you feel get in your way are someone's kids, brothers, mothers. They are people and not inanimate objects determined to make you 30 seconds late for work. They are just trying to ride their bikes and some do stupid stuff just like you and I and our family members do. 

 

Do cyclists do a lot of rude and stupid stuff? Absolutely. But it's not like driver's don't ever do something stupid. Give us some room please.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

dave

 

See my post 19, this further clarifies the point I am trying to make.

 

I think what cyclists seem to forget is the roads are getting busier and more congested, and there are risks in road travel, by whatever means.

Everyone has to accept these risks or not use the roads, simple.

 

And yes, cyclists that do not use designated cycle lanes on roads or cycle paths are plain stupid

[Davemk1]

See my post 19, this further clarifies the point I am trying to make.

 

I think what cyclists seem to forget is the roads are getting busier and more congested, and there are risks in road travel, by whatever means.

Everyone has to accept these risks or not use the roads, simple.

 

And yes, cyclists that do not use designated cycle lanes on roads or cycle paths are plain stupid

I hear you.

 

FWIW - most cyclists that move at more than a walking pace will stay away from dedicated bike paths because they are ironically too dangerous. Bike paths are full of walkers, moms with strollers, people walking dogs with long leashes talking on the phone....etc............and to try to move along a a reasonable pace on a bike path is futile. Head on collisions are very common as rider's try to get around walkers who don't think anything about walking down the middle of the path. Bike paths statistically more dangerous than riding on the road in open traffic with cars.

 

One thing that drivers forget is that, at least here in the USA, the cyclist has the right of way. Here walkers have the first right and cyclists need to yield to walkers and drivers need to yield to cyclists. It's the law. Common sense might say that despite the law it's a bad idea but that doesn't mean much. There are roads I'm legally entitled to use but will never ride because common sense says despite the law giving me the right-of-way I feel the risks are too high. I'll bet some of the riders that frustrate you are not using that common sense. But many others are not. they are just trying to pick the safest way to stay thin, keep their gas costs/parking cost down by riding to work, can't afford a car....etc so they use the same road you use. And it is their right to and your responsibility to give them room. I suspect you don't like it and I respect that..........I don't like having a driver give me no room to make a point as I obey the law and do what I have the right to do.

 

You might not care if I get hit but my mom would, my wife would...........just as your family would if I ran over you.

 

dave

[KugaWestie]

I hear you.

 

FWIW - most cyclists that move at more than a walking pace will stay away from dedicated bike paths because they are ironically too dangerous. Bike paths are full of walkers, moms with strollers, people walking dogs with long leashes talking on the phone....etc............and to try to move along a a reasonable pace on a bike path is futile. Head on collisions are very common as rider's try to get around walkers who don't think anything about walking down the middle of the path. Bike paths statistically more dangerous than riding on the road in open traffic with cars.

 

One thing that drivers forget is that, at least here in the USA, the cyclist has the right of way. Here walkers have the first right and cyclists need to yield to walkers and drivers need to yield to cyclists. It's the law. Common sense might say that despite the law it's a bad idea but that doesn't mean much. There are roads I'm legally entitled to use but will never ride because common sense says despite the law giving me the right-of-way I feel the risks are too high. I'll bet some of the riders that frustrate you are not using that common sense. But many others are not. they are just trying to pick the safest way to stay thin, keep their gas costs/parking cost down by riding to work, can't afford a car....etc so they use the same road you use. And it is their right to and your responsibility to give them room. I suspect you don't like it and I respect that..........I don't like having a driver give me no room to make a point as I obey the law and do what I have the right to do.

 

You might not care if I get hit but my mom would, my wife would...........just as your family would if I ran over you.

 

dave

 

Dave 

 

I am happy to share the road with cyclists if they behave and follow the rules of the road.

 

Unfortunately the majority of city cyclists where I live think they own the road and disregard common sense!

[Davemk1]

Dave 

 

I am happy to share the road with cyclists if they behave and follow the rules of the road.

 

Unfortunately the majority of city cyclists where I live think they own the road and disregard common sense!

Once again - I hear you.

 

I think many cyclists would say the same thing and flip it since in most places the bikes have the legal right of way - "I'll be happy to share the road with motorist when they start obeying the laws".

 

Sorry for the pun but it's a two way street.

 

dave

[SteveD]

when I was about 11 or 12 I was hit by a mk3 Cortina while cycling along a main road , hit square from behind my new bike went under the car and I went over the bonnet and through the windscreen I landed on the passengers lap

the car swerved across the road and hit the canal bank I flew out off the passengers lap onto the canal bank and stayed there until the ambulance arrived with my mother not far behind

so I know all to well what its like to be hit by a car while cycling ,still cyclists do themselves no favours by swerving all over the road like numpties and not using cycle ways that are provided

[bhouse]

That's one thing in favour of the cyclist........don't see 'em pooing on the road very often.

 

What about female marathon runners?

[Paul Gibney - Lancashire AO]

When horse riders and cyclists start paying road tax maybe I will give them a bit more room,,,,,,,,,,

[Graham0127]

What about female marathon runners?

Didn't you know......they're not women... Honest !

[Dibby]

Nice Paul, wheelchair users too?

 

 

 

Roadies call us downhill mountainbikers crazy for the jumps and drops we take on but if I come a cropper I've got nobody to blame but me. I've ridden through central London and that was the most generally frightened I've been on two wheels. I'll throw myself down an Alp any day rather than ride through London again. 

[Graham0127]

When horse riders and cyclists start paying road tax maybe I will give them a bit more room,,,,,,,,,,

I will second that Paul.

Guess I'll have to cough up for the wife and kids ...