Cyclists in the road when there is a cycle lane

[Nibble]

I was pulled up in traffic in Kew and saw a man saying goodbye to his wife at the door. He was dressed head to to toe in lycrs/spandex tight onesie thing with brand names all over it, helmet, those spaccy metal clip things on th ebottom of his shoes and a fannypack. He said goodbye and left. He couldnt see but th elook on his wife's face was one of 'I'll never sleep with that idiot again".

 

[Kazenga <3]

Surely if they're catching you when you're stuck in traffic it means the overtaking manoeuvre is pointless? Any why are you annoyed by other people's clothing choice? Maybe you need to chill out a bit...

I stopped dressing up like a power ranger when I was about 6

If you ask me there is something weird about blokes wearing that sort of thing for a casual cycle round the block. Perhaps there should be some sort of register for these freaks

 

[Stuart Munday]

I've used them on journeys to the Amex. However there are one or two bus passengers jumping off buses with their ipod's on or texting that I've nearly hit. One girl I just saw about to step in front of me who I shouted at so loud that she jumped about 10ft in the air. She blushed, I smiled as I had saved her getting flattened. She'll be looking in future, but people getting off the buses have seriously got to get used to looking for bikes now.

Fair point, I know its been done to death but whoever came up with the Lewes Road scheme should be shot. Im not sure about the new bus stops as you say they seem to make it dangerous for cyclists as people getting off the bus just seem to carry on regardless although I've never seen them anywhere else so perhaps they don't realise there is a cycle lane there. Also if a bus is stopped and another bus comes up behind it then has to join the main traffic to get past which doesn't seem very effective, I would of thought the old stops were alot better for buses and bikes.

 

[tinycowboy]

I got hooted on my bike yesterday by a white van driver who was behind me and waiting to turn left. He hooted because I didn't signal that I was going straight on (we had some gesticulations). Also yesterday got swore at by a pedestrian for not ringing my bell at him while he was wandering in the middle of the road. I don't usually have this much fun in one day, but when you're cycling, it seems like you can be a magnet for nutters...

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Totally with you, don't listen to this bunch of Wiggans wunnabes

If there's one thing that annoys me (actually there are thousands of things that annoy me of which this is but one!), it is cyclists who insist in using the road when there is a perfectly good cycle path.

The cycle path is for cyclists (hence the name) so fricking use it when it's there and stop snarling up the traffic for us car drivers.

I usually give such morons a blast on my horn as I sail past and get a one or two finger salute in response. At least I'm getting my message across.

 

[northernseagull]

Totally with you, don't listen to this bunch of Wiggans wunnabes

Its Wiggins you fkin idiot

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Its Wiggins you fkin idiot

I couldn't give a fk what the name is

 

[Bold Seagull]

There is a village missing someone I think....

 

[northernseagull]

I couldn't give a fk what the name is

Wow you're so inspiringly rebellious, let me guess your life is going in totally the wrong direction

 

[Prettyboyshaw]

Cycle lane along the seafront must be the most dangerous one around. Constant pedestrian (not always their fault you don't really expect a bike lane there) and narrowing with random signs in the middle of the path plus currently have to come out in the road by the West Pier.

No wonder we/they use the roads and if highway code is used then that's fine. Plenty of wanker drivers and plenty of wanker cyclists but that's just society in general plenty of wankers!

 

[The Large One]

I couldn't give a fk what the name is

Then your grizzling basically loses its entire meaning.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Wow you're so inspiringly rebellious, let me guess your life is going in totally the wrong direction

hahahaha good one, quite the opposite actually - don't go getting hit by a truck for not using your lane will ya

 

[W.C.]

If there's one thing that annoys me....

dangerous drivers.

Yep. Agree. Complete *******

 

[TheMajor]

Can we widen the debate.

I see that the Tories are considering allowing cyclists to cycle along the promenade. I like to take a stroll along there and enjoy the beautiful views etc however without fail some tw@t on a bike will ignore the numerous "No Cycling" signs and endanger everyone else in their selfish pursuit. If your enjoy a good argument/punch up just ask one if they can read? I can ensure you that they will dismount and immediately lose their superficial calmness.

 

[Stevie Boy]

i have to say its been 4 pages of laughter reading everyones views on this, keep it up lol

 

[goldstone]

i have to say its been 4 pages of laughter reading everyones views on this, keep it up lol

I do like to start threads that will make people laugh. Too much gloom and doom in the world today.

 

[northernseagull]

I do like to start threads that will make people laugh. Too much gloom and doom in the world today.

I hope this is bad sarcasm...

 

[Stevie Boy]

I do like to start threads that will make people laugh. Too much gloom and doom in the world today.

 

[perseus]

http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/adviceandinformation/cycling/facts-figures.aspx

In collisions involving a bicycle and another vehicle, the most common key contributory factor recorded by the police is ‘failed to look properly’ by either the driver or rider, especially at junctions. ‘Failed to look properly’ was attributed to the car driver in 57% of serious collisions and to the cyclist in 43% of serious collisions at junctions.

Other common contributory factors attributed to drivers are ‘poor turn/manoeuvre’ (in 17% of serious accidents involving a cyclist) and ‘careless, reckless, in a hurry (17%). Cyclists are more likely to suffer serious injuries when a driver is judged to be ‘impaired by alcohol’, exceeding the speed limit’ or ‘travelling too fast for the conditions’.

The second most common contributory factor attributed to cyclists was ‘cyclist entering the road from the pavement’ (including when a cyclist crosses the road at a pedestrian crossing), which was recorded in about 20% serious collisions (and over one third of serious collisions involving child cyclists).

The most common vehicle involved in collisions with cyclists is a car or taxi, with the rider usually being hit by the front of the vehicle. In a quarter of fatal cyclist accidents, the front of the vehicle hit the rear of the bicycle.

However, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) present a particular danger for cyclists, especially in London where around 20% of cyclist fatalities occur involve an HGV. These often occur when an HGV is turning left at a junction’. About one quarter of accidents resulting in serious injury to a cyclist involved an HGV, bus or coach ‘passing too close’ to the rider.

I looked at the figures for earlier years when cyclist deaths were about two a week. The figures then said the motorist was responsible for 66% and 68% of the cyclist accidents. But that did not mean the cyclist was entirely responsible for the other 32% or so. Lots of other reasons were responsible like bad road surfaces. Still the gist is there, most of problems occur at junctions (75%) and I thought 57% was a more accurate figure anyway. But it still does mean that the rest are the cyclist mistakes, often neither or both were to blame or there was no blame ascertained.

My surmise was the motorist was responsible for about 57%, the cyclist about 10%, and 33% no blame was apportioned. The reports did not give the figures other than when the motorist was blamed. It cannot be assumed that the cyclist was to blame for all the others.

 

[perseus]

Cycle lane along the seafront must be the most dangerous one around. Constant pedestrian (not always their fault you don't really expect a bike lane there) and narrowing with random signs in the middle of the path plus currently have to come out in the road by the West Pier.

No wonder we/they use the roads and if highway code is used then that's fine. Plenty of wanker drivers and plenty of wanker cyclists but that's just society in general plenty of wankers!

I agree. Don't put a cycle lane when people are moving at at tangent of the main traffic (cycle) flow. Collisions occur 75% at junctions or tangents.