Cyclist v trucks & city ban jeremy vine debate

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
41

A lot of people having a go at cyclists for breaking / not knowing the law ‘as usual’

Everyday I see idiots in cars, trucks, busses / coaches, on motorbikes and even the odd cyclist who breaks or doesn’t know the law.

Take the muppet in the transit yesterday, came flying up to the roundabout on my right, but I’ve already crossed the line and am on my way, albeit extremely slowly, so he dives onto the roundabout at approx 30mph and drives towards the side of my slow moving vehicle blaring his horn and on main beam, then follows me around the roundabout to tell me of ‘my mistake’, gets offered to stop and discuss it further (and I DO mean discuss it, because I’d like to educate these morons in the rules of the road) but instead decides to take the nose off my truck and then bugger off.

Now, you give way to the right at roundabouts, to vehicles ON the roundabout, not vehicles approaching at stupid speeds, it’s a give way not a see the future line.

Then there’s basic road craft manners, like the Pentalver 13 plate Scania who refused to allow a ‘zip merge’ due to the inside lane being closed on the A38, everyone else was fine with it, but he made sure he wasn’t letting anyone else out, as did the next 2 cars behind him, causing the traffic that was previously ‘zip merging’ to come to a stop, thereby causing more congestion behind - and he’s supposed to be a professional :unamused:

Then you travel along the A38, A1, A500, A50, A34 - in fact, you name it, pretty much any dual carriageway at 50mph and count how often you get overtook off other HGV’s - the legal limit is 50!!
That’s without the number that’d pass you on a single carriageway.

Now, carry on having a go at cyclists for their law breaking and wreckless nature, but just remember, a cyclist is a human being too, so each 1 is different, the same as every car / truck / coach / bus driver is different, some will obey all the rules, some will ride safely, some will break the law and ride like plonkers - but these latter ones are the ones you remember and tar all others with the same brush

42

I don’t disagree with waynedl, there are loads of ■■■■ poor car AND lorry drivers out there. Difference is we are always held responsible for our bad driving.

My issue with a fair number of cycling commuters is this… Riding a bike amongst motor vehicles on busy congested roads is a dangerous activity, being a vulnerable road user you should be riding with extreme caution always prepared for others to make mistakes. Mistakes will happen, there is often a lot going on and drivers will occasionally miss a cyclist. That’s reality, accidents happen. Motorists should of course also be driving with caution, but its a different ball game to putting yourself amongst it on a pedal bike.

When driving in city centres at peak times I often witness over-confident cyclists cycling at speed, weaving between traffic, disregarding traffic signals and generally taking risks. Then, when they get knocked off it’s “well the motorist should have seen me”… well maybe they should have done but you certainly did not help yourself.

I don’t see how anybody could fail to see it as being reasonable, that motorists (particularly hgv drivers) get sick and tired of seeing all the emphasis being on them and never on enforcing standards of cyclists as well. Road safety is a two way street.

43

I agree with the last two posts entirely.

44

waynedl:
Now, you give way to the right at roundabouts, to vehicles ON the roundabout, not vehicles approaching at stupid speeds, it’s a give way not a see the future line.

This is one of my pet hates, just because I’m slow doesn’t mean you can keep squeezing through :imp:

45

Slackbladder:
Would I be wrong in thinking that any trucker worthy of the title would be looking around throughout the roundabout manoeuvre prior to leaving it? I do it now so it will make little difference to me.

If the trucker has to stop while on the roundabout to “give way” to traffic with priority then how can you combat the blind spot that occurs with an articulated vehicle that is not in a straight line? While negotiating the inner core of the roundabout the nearside is obscured by the trailer. Isn’t that part of the current rationale for priority to vehicles ON the roundabout? I would predict more side impact collisions when vehicle move off in good faith and cyclists run into the side because of the speed that they are travelling.

1000 posts woo hoo. :sunglasses:

46

part of the problem is that cyclists keep changing the rules to suit themselves. one minuit they are a road user,then the lights change to red so they transform into two wheeled pedestrians ,the l/h lane comes to a standstill or slows, simple! cut across the stationary/slow moving traffic into a different lane,no signals,nothing! if the average driver flouted the rules of the road the same way they would be dragged before the bench. as for keeping a eye out for them you need eyes in your arse they are so unpredictable. imho if they simply followed the highway code (like other road users) things would be much safer for all concerned

47

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbcnews.com/51719714#51719714

Not just Trucks causing problems

48

I saw that vid of the road rage tool attacking the cyclist last week. Despite it being on film the police did not charge him, despite him denying it happened at first, then saying he was hit first, when shown the evidence he admitted it, therefore, according to the police, home office guidelines say he cannot be charged. Chris Boardman, former Olympic cycling champ, posted it on his twitter page and the offender has been getting massive amounts of stick ever since, so bad in fact that the chap he attacked has asked people to leave him alone. Apparently his business has been affected and work has almost dried up.
Ho Hum.

49

Slackbladder:
I saw that vid of the road rage tool attacking the cyclist last week. Despite it being on film the police did not charge him, despite him denying it happened at first, then saying he was hit first, when shown the evidence he admitted it, therefore, according to the police, home office guidelines say he cannot be charged. Chris Boardman, former Olympic cycling champ, posted it on his twitter page and the offender has been getting massive amounts of stick ever since, so bad in fact that the chap he attacked has asked people to leave him alone. Apparently his business has been affected and work has almost dried up.
Ho Hum.

Oh do they have a home office in America?

50

syramax:
part of the problem is that cyclists keep changing the rules to suit themselves. one minuit they are a road user,then the lights change to red so they transform into two wheeled pedestrians ,the l/h lane comes to a standstill or slows, simple! cut across the stationary/slow moving traffic into a different lane,no signals,nothing! if the average driver flouted the rules of the road the same way they would be dragged before the bench. as for keeping a eye out for them you need eyes in your arse they are so unpredictable. imho if they simply followed the highway code (like other road users) things would be much safer for all concerned

Cyclists are the only group in Britain today that are “above the law”

51

It happened in or near Birmingham, that’s the one in the midlands, not Alabama. Yes cyclists are above the law, that’s why we use the road, it keeps us on a par with motorists. Ever seen a cyclist on their mobile, breaking the speed limit, cycling while banned. Driving must be a chore with that one eyed view of yours.

52

Neither do cyclist keep driving into low bridges causing major gridlock for many.

53

imageshack.us/a/img834/3315/photomay02224131.jpg

Always a first time!

54

Slackbladder:
It happened in or near Birmingham, that’s the one in the midlands, not Alabama. Yes cyclists are above the law, that’s why we use the road, it keeps us on a par with motorists. Ever seen a cyclist on their mobile, breaking the speed limit, cycling while banned. Driving must be a chore with that one eyed view of yours.

When did the people of Birmingham start driving on the right? Think you need to up your meds .
I’ve seen cyclists on phones, also breaking speed limits in town centres, I’ve seen them drunk, with no lights, ride down 1 way streets the wrong way, fail to obey traffic lights ans fail to comply with any other obstacles in the road but yes your 100% right I have never seen a banned cyclist , but maybe that because cyclists are as I’ve already said are above the law

55

We must be talking about different vids, my meds are spot on. I’ve recently moved from cocaine to regained. All the poor driving described has been copied by cyclists off motorists, after all 87% have motor vehicles. Btw cyclists cannot be charged with speeding, the charge would be riding furiously.

56

Slackbladder:
We must be talking about different vids, my meds are spot on. I’ve recently moved from cocaine to regained. All the poor driving described has been copied by cyclists off motorists, after all 87% have motor vehicles. Btw cyclists cannot be charged with speeding, the charge would be riding furiously.

■■■■ me that is the stupidest thing I’ve read this week , first you claim cyclists are ■■■■■■■ angels and break no laws , now your admitting that they break every law but it’s our bloody fault…double them meds you need ■■■■■■■ help.

57

Slackbladder:
It happened in or near Birmingham, that’s the one in the midlands, not Alabama. Yes cyclists are above the law, that’s why we use the road, it keeps us on a par with motorists. Ever seen a cyclist on their mobile, breaking the speed limit, cycling while banned. Driving must be a chore with that one eyed view of yours.

I’ve managed 49 down a hill, but I reckon I can improve on that to 55 mph, maybe with a good slipstream I might just make 61 :laughing:

58

Where did I say cyclist were angels? I’m saying they use the road as both motorists and cyclists, surely it’s possible that if you drive a vehicle like a tool you will do the same on a bike.
stevieboy, that’s impressive, if only.

59

i agree with the maoster,when jeremy vine asks why lorry drivers dont deliver at night,not every lorry driver wants to work at night,they like to go home,watch a bit of telly,relax in general before going to bed ready for the next day,not sure what time vine gets to his studio before his show but his show is only 2 hours long then he goes home or wherever it is he goes,none of these radio presenters work as hard as hgv drivers,have you noticed also when they mention surveys on their shows about stress they allways mention about office work never any other proffession