Stop Cycling up Ditchling Beacon!!!!

[Max Paper]

Should they ban cycling entirely? I think yes

 

[Lankyseagull]

I'd also like to draw the more hard-of-thinking drivers attention to rule 163 of the Highway Code:

163
Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so. You should

•not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake
•use your mirrors, signal when it is safe to do so, take a quick sideways glance if necessary into the blind spot area and then start to move out
•not assume that you can simply follow a vehicle ahead which is overtaking; there may only be enough room for one vehicle
•move quickly past the vehicle you are overtaking, once you have started to overtake. Allow plenty of room. Move back to the left as soon as you can but do not cut in
•take extra care at night and in poor visibility when it is harder to judge speed and distance
•give way to oncoming vehicles before passing parked vehicles or other obstructions on your side of the road
•only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so
•stay in your lane if traffic is moving slowly in queues. If the queue on your right is moving more slowly than you are, you may pass on the left
•give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 211-215)

As we must not be prejudice, some Highway Code for hard of thinking cyclists:

Rule 60: At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp.*

Rule 64: You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement.

Rule 66: You should
keep both hands on the handlebars except when signalling or changing*gear
keep both feet on the pedals
never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
not ride close behind another vehicle
not carry anything which will affect your balance or may get tangled up with*your wheels or chain
be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by*ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted

Rule 68: You MUST NOT
carry a passenger unless your cycle has been built or adapted to carry one
hold onto a moving vehicle or trailer
ride in a dangerous, careless or inconsiderate manner
ride when under the influence of drink or drugs, including medicine

Rule 69: You MUST obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals.

Rule 71: You MUST NOT cross the stop line when the traffic lights are red. Some junctions have an advanced stop line to enable you to wait and position yourself ahead of other traffic (see Rule 178).

In my experience some (not all) cyclists seem to have forgotten that these rules apply to them.

 

[BHAFC_Pandapops]

i've had no problem with it, so long as cyclists have to keep the very left like cars have to, it should be fine. Were they middle of the road without helmets?

 

[Digweeds Trousers]

Last weekend driving over Ashdown Forest I pulled up at a junction. Whereupon six cyclists in their sex-uniforms and special helmets pulled alongside me. One of them was trying to speak to me - so I wound the window down.

He said to me that I had overtaken them half a mile back - I said indeed I had. He told me that, and I quote, f***ing drivers in their sucking stupid cars are making the f***ing country roads a misery for people like him'.

Rather taken aback I suggested that he should not be cycling three across taking up the whole of the road - and with that he spat through the window of the car.

Terrific.

It's one thing being consious and aware of others using the road - its's quite another having to share the road and make way for a bunch tragic middle-aged weirdos who want to fly round Ashdown Forest dressed in Spandex pretending they're Bradley Wiggins.

I know there are many out there who love cycling and take due care and attention. However I really would love to just drive through middle of those sadacts who insist of cycling across the whole road and then getting the hump when you overtake them.

Utter, utter twats.

 

[TotallyFreaked]

Ditchling Beacon represents one of only a few road hills around Brighton that offer a decent distance and gradient for cyclists to train on. Even when I am in the car it's not the kind of hill I speed up as I know a few people who have had collisions being too near the centre of the road. For me it feels much more dangerous cycling up Clayton Hill due to the fast nature of the road than Ditchling Beacon and I have never really encountered any problems with drivers on that road as they seem instead to enjoy the look of pain on my face

BTW I should be climbing it about 4pm today if anyone fancies a bit of 'knock off the cyclist' sport.

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

As we must not be prejudice, some Highway Code for hard of thinking cyclists:

Rule 60: At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp.*

Rule 64: You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement.

Rule 66: You should
keep both hands on the handlebars except when signalling or changing*gear
keep both feet on the pedals
never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
not ride close behind another vehicle
not carry anything which will affect your balance or may get tangled up with*your wheels or chain
be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by*ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted

Rule 68: You MUST NOT
carry a passenger unless your cycle has been built or adapted to carry one
hold onto a moving vehicle or trailer
ride in a dangerous, careless or inconsiderate manner
ride when under the influence of drink or drugs, including medicine

Rule 69: You MUST obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals.

Rule 71: You MUST NOT cross the stop line when the traffic lights are red. Some junctions have an advanced stop line to enable you to wait and position yourself ahead of other traffic (see Rule 178).

In my experience some (not all) cyclists seem to have forgotten that these rules apply to them.

Agreed. Don't get me started on the idiots who give cyclists a bad name at red lights.

 

[Nibble]

These threads always bring to mind that old quote "anyone going slower than you is an idiot, anyone going faster than you is a maniac"

 

[Albumen]

There are drivers that are dicks.
There are cyclists that are dicks.

There are however more drivers than cyclists. As a unified community we should respect the minorities because statistically the majority of the dicks are in a car.

 

[Deleted member 18477]

i bet you're a fatty.

Why? cycling isn't the only form of exercise you know? Plus it's calories that make you fat not lack of exercise...

 

[Uncle Buck]

Why do cyclists not pay some form of tax to use the roads?

 

[Lankyseagull]

How many toddlers and kids would be done by the police if they enforced this one rigorously!

Common sense would need to prevail here. Toddlers and kids under the age of about 10, understandable (I was 8 when I passed my cycling proficiency test at school enabling me to cycle on roads - admittedly there was less traffic in the late 70's), however it should be enforced for reckless teenagers and adults who seem to think its acceptable to tear through pedestrians on a pavement!

 

[Uncle Buck]

Common sense would need to prevail here. Toddlers and kids under the age of about 10, understandable (I was 8 when I passed my cycling proficiency test at school enabling me to cycle on roads - admittedly there was less traffic in the late 70's), however it should be enforced for reckless teenagers and adults who seem to think its acceptable to tear through pedestrians on a pavement!

That sounds like Tufty on a bike...

 

[wehatepalace]

However, I did see a lorry reverse over a bike in Ditchling High Street this morning.....

He's my hero.

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

Why do cyclists not pay some form of tax to use the roads?

I reckon the majority probably do via the road fund licence on their cars.

 

[Lankyseagull]

That sounds like Tufty on a bike...

I always thought Tufty was more of a unicycle man myself.......

 

[gazingdown]

Why? cycling isn't the only form of exercise you know? Plus it's calories that make you fat not lack of exercise...

hmmmm. Did you know that the top cyclists (Wiggins etc.) all consume somthing like 8/9000 (that's about FOUR times the recommended daily average) when training/racing.

Anyway, calories IN exceeding calories OUT makes you fatter. To lose weight you either UP the exercise (in any/all it's forms) or DOWN the calories (or a combo of both). Depending on your metabolism, you may NEED to do exercise to realistically lose weight. Some eat loads and never put on weight, some eat not a lot yet can't shift those pounds. Also, as you get older your metabolism can slow down. That's why you get fatter in your 30/40/50/60s even though you may not eat any more (and/or exercise any differently) than you did in your 20s.

 

[Albumen]

Why do cyclists not pay some form of tax to use the roads?

Unless you want to start taxing farts there isn't a lot of greenhouse gases being emmited from bikes. The road tax rates are primarily based on CO2, hence why pure electric cars are exempt. There are taxes on trade bikes though.

Anyway the government should be rewarding bike use, not taxing it.

 

[Waynflete]

Should definitely ban cars going up the Beacon before banning cycles. Or at least make the Beacon road a no through road for cars, to stop people using it as a cut through when they could be using the A23.

 

[wardy wonder land]

Ditchling Beacon represents one of only a few road hills around Brighton that offer a decent distance and gradient for cyclists to train on. Even when I am in the car it's not the kind of hill I speed up as I know a few people who have had collisions being too near the centre of the road. For me it feels much more dangerous cycling up Clayton Hill due to the fast nature of the road than Ditchling Beacon .

Totally agree - regular training route out of town up the A23, over clayton hill along underhill lane back over the beacon

dangerous

What we need is 2 new cycle paths just to side of the road (behind the hedge) on the DB hill and on Clayton hill to link Mid Sussex and the down sto Brighton maybe a political party that is intrested in the countryside & enviroment could put some of the excesive council tax towards that propsoal...........would also encourage more "family cylcing" into the city


make that 3 and include Saddlescome hill


He said to me that I had overtaken them half a mile back - I said indeed I had. He told me that, and I quote, f***ing drivers in their sucking stupid cars are making the f***ing country roads a misery for people like him'.


Also :
"Rather taken aback I suggested that he should not be cycling three across taking up the whole of the road - and with that he spat through the window of the car"

why did you not just open your door into the twat ?

 

[The Large One]

What we need is 2 new cycle paths just to side of the road (behind the hedge) on the DB hill and on Clayton hill to link Mid Sussex and the down sto Brighton maybe a political party that is intrested in the countryside & enviroment could put some of the excesive council tax towards that propsoal...........would also encourage more "family cylcing" into the city


make that 3 and include Saddlescome hill

Reasonble points. Sadly, the people of Lewes District Council and Mid-Sussex District Council haven't voted for a party that is interested in the environment, so those sorts of considerations may well fall onto deaf ears.

Luckily, Brighton & Hove City Council is actively promoting cycling and cycle paths, including ones to the Amex.