Cyclists safety.... again!

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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So Wiggo and Team GB cycling coach Shane Sutton get knocked off their bikes and the the nation’s scratching its collective navel to find out how we can make Britain’s roads safer for cyclists! Again!

I’m sorry for anyone who has an accident on Britain’s roads, no matter what they drive/ride, and I’m certain there are many thousands of numpties both in motorised vehicles and on bikes, who contribute to their own misfortunes.

But especially the cyclist riding slowly down the B1332 today. Covered in dayglo lycra and oblivious to the half mile queue of traffic behind him that couldn’t get past because of oncoming traffic. And equally oblivious to the 10’ wide, cycle track right beside him, specifically built to enhance his safety and the convenience of other road users.

How can we make Britain’s roads safer for cyclists? Make it an offence for cyclists to use the road where a suitable cycle track exists!

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EastAnglianTrucker:
Make it an offence for cyclists to use the road where a suitable cycle track exists!

I agree

3

ROG:

EastAnglianTrucker:
Make it an offence for cyclists to use the road where a suitable cycle track exists!

I agree

So do I, and I also think that those cycle time trials/races should be banned on public roads!!

4

Was the tour de france in scotland last saturday? Cause it felt like it on the a977, loads of the bastarts and fully loaded with a heavy load trying to overtake 30 or so of them is pretty tough. Then when you do… you feel all chuffed with yourself then you get round another bend and there is another group of 20 of the buggers :cry:

I dont mind cyclists usually only behind them for less than a minute but in large groups on twisty roads its murder.

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merc0447:
Was the tour de france in scotland last saturday? Cause it felt like it on the a977, loads of the bastarts and fully loaded with a heavy load trying to overtake 30 or so of them is pretty tough. Then when you do… you feel all chuffed with yourself then you get round another bend and there is another group of 20 of the buggers :cry:

I dont mind cyclists usually only behind them for less than a minute but in large groups on twisty roads its murder.

Could well be an Audax event, long distance rides arranged by local clubs throughout the year and all parts of the UK.

Calender of events can be found on the site, upcoming rides at aukweb.net/events/

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How to improve cyclists safety?

Simples.

Re-establish the idea of natural selection. If that cyclist thinks its a good idea to ride up the inside of your trailer as you’re turned left in the ■■■■■■■ rain like last night then they do need to be removed from the gene pool. For the safety of the species.

And don’t get me started on those that weave around and cycle 3 abreast or move out when u try to overtake them…

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I think that motorists need to look out for cyclists, BUT I also think cyclists need to look out for themselves.

I cycle now and then and try not to put myself in any danger, but it hasn’t stopped me smasing someones drivers side window after they pulled out straight infront of me - I don’t wear lycra, but do have lights on and hi-vis stripes on my bike.

Now, as a truck driver, I’ll pass as wide as I can safely do and when I can safely do it and not before. BUT, if I’ve struggled to get past a cyclist due to oncoming traffic or bollards etc, then I don’t want the ■■■■■■■ idiot coming back up my inside when I get stopped at a set of lights 50yrds down the road that I wouldn’t have got stopped at if I wasn’t stuck behind a cyclist for the last 2 - 3 minutes at 10 - 15mph.
If this happens, the 2nd time I pass is with MUCH less respect.

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weeto:

ROG:

EastAnglianTrucker:
Make it an offence for cyclists to use the road where a suitable cycle track exists!

I agree

So do I, and I also think that those cycle time trials/races should be banned on public roads!!

I don’t.

When I was riding at full fitness, the majority of cycle tracks are not suitable for riding at speed. That is assuming of course that they are regularly cleaned and not full of all the ■■■■ that gets pushed aside by cars and lorries, not to mention the spilt fuel from numpty drivers that overfill the tanks, and the leaves and thorns from cut hedges, and the litter, and the broken glass et al.

I see no reason why TT’s should be banned from public roads, we rarely hold anyone up, and if you can’t be arsed to wait a few minutes to pass someone safely then you shouldn’t be on the road. Call yourselves professionals, my arse. Incidently the average speed in a 10 mile TT is more than you think, so you won’t be held up for long and in general the riders are spaced 3 minutes apart and you’re not allowed to bunch. I don’t recall being held up for long when the Tour of Britain was passing through my route, probably 10 mins at the absolute most. Club rides are different kettle of fish I agree, with anything upto 50 riders in one group so passing can be a pain, and it is education of the riders that will help resolve this but unfortunately if drivers aren’t going to be educated on sharing the road with others than neither are cyclists, thogh ironcially 90% of cyclist are also drivers…

Whether we like it or not, cyclists and pedestrians have equal rights to use our roads, (see your highway code and Traffic Act) and we as trained drivers have full responsibility to ensure their safety. Get used to it as this will not change.

That said, I fully agree that it also works both ways. I will ride defensively to ensure my safety, minor example riding middle of carriageway in single lane roadworks to prevent drivers from squeezing, but in doing this I will also be shifting my arse to ensure I get through as quickly as possible so you are not held up for long.

Now, as a truck driver, I’ll pass as wide as I can safely do and when I can safely do it and not before. BUT, if I’ve struggled to get past a cyclist due to oncoming traffic or bollards etc, then I don’t want the [zb] idiot coming back up my inside when I get stopped at a set of lights 50yrds down the road that I wouldn’t have got stopped at if I wasn’t stuck behind a cyclist for the last 2 - 3 minutes at 10 - 15mph.
If this happens, the 2nd time I pass is with MUCH less respect. I’m afraid its this kind of attitude that we need to change. There is a reason why most lighted junction have cycle boxes, and the cyclist is well within his rights to pass you again, either side, if you are stationary. He doesn’t know that you wouldn’t have got stopped at the lights if you hadn’t been stuck behind him, but then its of no consequence whether he did or not. its the way of the road, and we have to accept it!

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Interesting article on the subject here:

londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilo … -cyclists/

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Roymondo:
Interesting article on the subject here:

londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilo … -cyclists/

That is a really interesting article. I think most lorry drivers do the bit about leaning forward to see around door pillars etc, as we now have so many mirrors in the way! But some fascinating facts on the way we see.

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The whole recent cycling hype calling for growth in the use of cycles and reduction in car use while the opposite is the case in China seems to be part of an economic policy in the west to increase living standards of the Chinese at the expense of ours.

As for the fighter pilot article it seemed to miss out one vital point concerning human perception.A lot of the problem is that if the brain has missed something the automatic impulse and assumption is programmed on the side of go not wait and question what is being seen.It’s surprising how often fighting that impulse and bias,by waiting a bit longer just to make sure,can save a lot of grief.

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weeto:

ROG:

EastAnglianTrucker:
Make it an offence for cyclists to use the road where a suitable cycle track exists!

I agree

So do I, and I also think that those cycle time trials/races should be banned on public roads!!

And so do I, around our way there are a few roads that have a separate cycle lanes running parallel with them and it really gets my goat that cyclists ride on the main carriageway. Cyclist are the first to complain when lorries squeeze past them and I agree, but only if there is no cycle path put in at a cost of hundreds of thousands of pounds right next door.
Cylcist whinge and moan that there are no safe cycle paths in our cities, but ignore them when they are provided.
So if the law won’t make it illegal for a cylcist to use the main carriageway when there is a cycle path next to it, then at least apportion some of the blame to the cyclist if they get hit whilst not using a cycle path.
I think 99% of us give room to cyclists, but do 99% of them obey road rules?

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Most cyclists have little respect for themselves or anyone else on the road…

Respect is earned and a lot of pedal power people do not command respect because of the way they ride.

To the poster that quoted the highway code…we all are aware of it…but, judging by the laws they break, many cyclists aren’t.

Running red lights, riding up one way streets, ignoring no entry signs, no respect for pedestrians…and all this happened in one morning last week…

Cyclists are their own worst enemy…and then try to blame everyone else for their own lack of skill.

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I’ve seen them on Sundays using the stretch of the A50 dual carriageway from Uttoxeter to Blyth Bridge for Time Trials. Don’t know why they think this is a good idea. As a cyclist myself, I would n’t even think about using that road.

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youtube.com/embed/U6GtIdsA3zw
Yes us cyclists are bad at that red light thing, no idea where we get it from.

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ROG:

EastAnglianTrucker:
Make it an offence for cyclists to use the road where a suitable cycle track exists!

I agree

I don’t. I cycle to and from work between Luton and London Colney 3 -5 times a week, heading into work in the evening in fairly heavy traffic and home around 4am when the roads are dead. The section between Harpenden and St Albans has cycle track for most of the way, part of National Cycle Route 6 which you would assume would be suitable. However, the surface is crap, and at this time of year covered in wet leaves making it treacherous, and I can get much faster speeds and therefore shorter journey times by sticking to the road. I don’t put myself in dangerous positions and have only been nearly killed twice so far, both times by cars pulling out of side roads and almost into me despite my lights and bright clothing, one of them was a Smart car and if we had come together I would have made a right mess of it I think. :stuck_out_tongue: Apart from a few very short places on route other road users can easily pass me and in the bits where it isn’t so easy I pedal like [zb] to minimise any delay to them. Some of those sections are in a 30 limit and I’m generally doing in excess of 25 mph at that point so it’s hardly any delay at all. There are two sections of cycle track I use which have as good a surface, if not better, than the road at that point. One of them at the bottom of Drakes Drive turning left into London Street in St Albans also means I can miss out a traffic light and get back in front of some cars which have already overtaken me. :smiley: :stuck_out_tongue:

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So why is it illegal for motorists, horse and carts, motorcyclists to race on the public highway but legal (I assume it is rather than just ignored by the police) for cyclists to race on the same road?

W.

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Those that pay to use the road have more right to use it than the self-rightous licra clad knobs.

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triple-tango:
Those that pay to use the road have more right to use it than the self-rightous licra clad knobs.

I’ve got a car, a motorbike and a truck… OH AND A BIKE…So I have more right than you to use the roads then as I pay more for use of the roads ? What damage does a pushbike do to the road ? What damage does a pushbike do to the environment ? What a stupid thing to say.

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Kerbdog:

triple-tango:
Those that pay to use the road have more right to use it than the self-rightous licra clad knobs.

I’ve got a car, a motorbike and a truck… OH AND A BIKE…So I have more right than you to use the roads then as I pay more for use of the roads ? What damage does a pushbike do to the road ? What damage does a pushbike do to the environment ? What a stupid thing to say.

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