Some of us are more prone to stupid acts than others although theres always that one moment of stupidity that spectacularly surprises us all.
Genetics, evolution, nature vs nurture etc will dictate how uniquely we conduct our everyday lives and respond to situations that may at best be a little tricky at worst down right dangerous. Our own actions can either neutralise the situation or enhance it to degrees of imminent doom.
So put a cyclist having a good day with an average degree of intelligence and skill with a truck driver of equal measure and theres unlikely to be any situation that cannot be resolved with some mutual understanding and compliance ensuring a safe progression of travel.
But its not a perfect world and we have to deal with moments of madness as best we can this may entail doing nothing or having to react in a positive way to protect those in a more vunerable situation.
The onus is always on the heavier vehicle with the more secure occupant to try and protect those of the sweaty arse brigade who may have moments of pure stupidity or lack of understanding of whats going on.
Its no doubt a few that spoil it for the many but time to get cyclists away from larger vehicles and a rethink.
A cycling ban in areas of high risk is a good start.
What will never get reported is how many cyclists are saved from injury by drivers of larger vehicles reacting or assisting them during their occasional moments of lunacy. But thats our job so no thanks needed…
Edit: Written as a LGV C + E operative and proud member of the sweaty arse brigade (unless its raining).
To many belive the hell driver image a myth up there with every paddy is doing a 30 hour shift at 90mph with 20 ton of steel on the floor and a load of beef on and stobarts is owned by the mormons.
Plenty of ■■■■■■■■ driving by all sorts.
Dipper, I agree with most of that, I just think any ban would be forced upon the truckers, for better or worse, before the cyclist. I don’t drive or cycle in London, M25 from M11 to dartford crossing is my closest, so any ban wouldn’t bother me. There has already been talk of a ban for hgvs, covered in other threads on here, so I could see that coming in. The cycling lobby are definitely more vocal than any transport one currently. And let’s face it, how many truckers have won the Tour de France lately?
Slackbladder:
It’s not a “fact” that generally cyclists are a bunch of suicidal nutcases, it’s your opinion. I know you won’t admit to it carryfast, you are so one eyed when it comes to truck driving it’s no surprise you don’t drive them anymore, but some of these incidents just might be the drivers fault. I would suggest that, if you drive around London and don’t expect to see cyclists on the road, and drive accordingly, then maybe you shouldn’t be driving large vehicles. If all cyclists are raving lunatics, as you often suggest, then how come it’s not carnage all over the country everyday?
Anyone who’d want to ride a bicycle,using the road,in situations which put them into conflict and competition with trucks and buses for the limited road space available such as in this case,instead of using the massive amount of free space available on the pavement in the same way as a pedestrian would,is a suicidal nutcase.The reason as to why there’s not carnage all over the country on a similar basis,as is obviously happening in London on an ever increasing basis at least,is simply the law of averages.IE more trucks and buses + more cyclists,all competing for the limited road space available = more hit cyclists.
As for the incidents being the driver’s fault if that was really the case then we’d obviously expect those same driving standards to result in flattened cars,motor cyclists,and street furniture at even more of a rate considering that the combination of all those far outweigh the amount of cyclists on the roads.
The main real issue in this case being the one of those suicidal cyclists seeing no danger in undertaking large vehicles in dangerous situations and competing with large vehicles for limited amounts of road space,when there are much better and safer alternatives on the pavement.
Slackbladder:
Dipper, I agree with most of that, I just think any ban would be forced upon the truckers, for better or worse, before the cyclist. I don’t drive or cycle in London, M25 from M11 to dartford crossing is my closest, so any ban wouldn’t bother me. There has already been talk of a ban for hgvs, covered in other threads on here, so I could see that coming in. The cycling lobby are definitely more vocal than any transport one currently. And let’s face it, how many truckers have won the Tour de France lately?
I think that says everything about the raving logic and agenda of the cyclist lobby.I’m sure that most truck ( and bus ) drivers,who are unlucky enough to have to work in London would be happy to not ever have to work in the zb hole again.Wether the place would be able to work without any trucks or buses on it’s roads is a different matter.
Maybe it’s time for the raving militant cyclist tendency to realise that the world doesn’t revolve around them and those road closures for the Tour De France are actually just a temporary inconvenience.
Slackbladder:
then maybe you shouldn’t be driving large vehicles.
Just as well he hasn’t then, for a long time now. But he still has all the answers it seems.
No surprise that you’ve missed the point that I’ve probably driven trucks for longer and over more miles than you have including in inner London without wiping out any cyclists.Probably because then as now I’ve always viewed them in general as suicidal idiots who aren’t bright enough to ride on the pavement as I did when I used a bicycle.However as always it doesn’t matter how good a driver is eventually the law of averages means that someone is going to be unlucky enough to be driving the vehicle that one of those suicidal idiots throws themselves under.
Slackbladder:
then maybe you shouldn’t be driving large vehicles.
Just as well he hasn’t then, for a long time now. But he still has all the answers it seems.
No surprise that you’ve missed the point that I’ve probably driven trucks for longer and over more miles than you have including in inner London without wiping out any cyclists.
Well to be fair it’s fairly easy to miss a point you didn’t make. I know you voice your opinions endlessly over and over but I can’t read your mind yet.
But now you’ve made your point, I wouldn’t bet on it. I’ve driven for longer and for more miles than most people think I have. After all you didn’t have the most varied career in the world either.
Slackbladder:
then maybe you shouldn’t be driving large vehicles.
Just as well he hasn’t then, for a long time now. But he still has all the answers it seems.
No surprise that you’ve missed the point that I’ve probably driven trucks for longer and over more miles than you have including in inner London without wiping out any cyclists.
Well to be fair it’s fairly easy to miss a point you didn’t make. I know you voice your opinions endlessly over and over but I can’t read your mind yet.
But now you’ve made your point, I wouldn’t bet on it. I’ve driven for longer and for more miles than most people think I have. After all you didn’t have the most varied career in the world either.
To be fair a day’s work driving a tipper or an artic in London is probably going to put a driver at more risk of colliding with a cyclist,amongst other things.I’m guessing you won’t be wanting to take up driving a truck in London any time soon at least if you’ve got any sense.In this case at least one cyclist would still be alive if they’d have read and acted on my supposedly repeated ‘opinions’.
Now you’re falling into the trap of making assumptions Carryfast, about my experience. Put it this way, if it came down to a ‘who’s willy is the biggest’ competition on who’s driven large vehicles in Central London most, you’d probably lose.
switchlogic:
Now you’re falling into the trap of making assumptions Carryfast, about my experience. Put it this way, if it came down to a ‘who’s willy is the biggest’ competition on who’s driven large vehicles in Central London most, you’d probably lose.
Whatever.The important thing is though as I’ve said if the cyclist in question in this case at least had read and acted on all those ‘repeated’ ‘opinions’ of mine they’d still be alive.So all that ‘experience’ of yours seems to have taught you absolutely zb all.Unless that is you actually agree with what I’m saying and you’re just arguing for the sake of it as usual.
They where talking about all these cyclists being killed on the radio today ( another one killed today ) they spoke about every thing but educating riders more
Slackbladder:
It’s not a “fact” that generally cyclists are a bunch of suicidal nutcases, it’s your opinion. I know you won’t admit to it carryfast, you are so one eyed when it comes to truck driving it’s no surprise you don’t drive them anymore, but some of these incidents just might be the drivers fault. I would suggest that, if you drive around London and don’t expect to see cyclists on the road, and drive accordingly, then maybe you shouldn’t be driving large vehicles. If all cyclists are raving lunatics, as you often suggest, then how come it’s not carnage all over the country everyday?
My sentiments exactly. Putting the word “fact” in a sentence does not make it true …
chester1:
They where talking about all these cyclists being killed on the radio today ( another one killed today ) they spoke about every thing but educating riders more
The problem in this case being that those doing the ‘educating’ will be the same bunch of idiots who painted the blue cycle route on the road where the cyclist was hit instead of on all the spare pavement space off the road.While even if they did the cyclists then wouldn’t want to use the new improved safe option on the pavement because it wouldn’t fit their agenda of their continuing their ‘rights’ to use the road.
Slackbladder:
It’s not a “fact” that generally cyclists are a bunch of suicidal nutcases, it’s your opinion. I know you won’t admit to it carryfast, you are so one eyed when it comes to truck driving it’s no surprise you don’t drive them anymore, but some of these incidents just might be the drivers fault. I would suggest that, if you drive around London and don’t expect to see cyclists on the road, and drive accordingly, then maybe you shouldn’t be driving large vehicles. If all cyclists are raving lunatics, as you often suggest, then how come it’s not carnage all over the country everyday?
My sentiments exactly. Putting the word “fact” in a sentence does not make it true …
And I’d bet that you’re also one of the same lot who thinks that it’s better to put cyclists in harms way on the road at the place in question than to get them onto the pavement where they’d be safe.
CF, you’re starting to make some rather offensive assumptions. And repeatedly referring to the recently deceased cyclists as “suicidal nutcases” probably isn’t helping you to stay on the moral high ground. I’m not going to post any more on this topic as you’re obviously not actually reading my arguments (or if you are, you’re not responding to them), preferring instead to peddle your own vehemently anti cycling agenda. But you only have to google “cyclists off pavements” to see just how unpopular your idea would be with pedestrians.
Slackbladder:
It’s not a “fact” that generally cyclists are a bunch of suicidal nutcases, it’s your opinion. I know you won’t admit to it carryfast, you are so one eyed when it comes to truck driving it’s no surprise you don’t drive them anymore, but some of these incidents just might be the drivers fault. I would suggest that, if you drive around London and don’t expect to see cyclists on the road, and drive accordingly, then maybe you shouldn’t be driving large vehicles. If all cyclists are raving lunatics, as you often suggest, then how come it’s not carnage all over the country everyday?
My sentiments exactly. Putting the word “fact” in a sentence does not make it true …
And I’d bet that you’re also one of the same lot who thinks that it’s better to put cyclists in harms way on the road at the place in question than to get them onto the pavement where they’d be safe.
You don’t need to bet on it, just read my posts in this thread. My point is that cyclists on the road don’t need to be in danger if they ride carefully, and if those around them drive carefully. Sadly neither of these things can be relied upon, hence my call for more education of both parties.
So you think cyclists that ride at 15 to 25 mph will mix well with pedestrians walking at 2 to 5 mph on the pavements?
Ban the cyclists and then there will be thousands more cars on the road, the roads can’t handle what’s there now!
Most so called cyclists are pedestrians on bikes, ride where they want, don’t have lights and have very little idea of how to use the roads, they defiantly need educating about the road.
Most serious cyclists are also drivers and know how to ride on the road and are riding from choice
