About 04:00 this morning I’m driving along a short straight on a B road coming out of a small village deep in the heart of Norfolk… but not far from Norwich.
There’s no moon and it’s a cold an windy night. There are no street lights.
The road appears deserted but I happen to see a small, dim red light wobbling about in front of me. As I rapidly get closer it’s a cyclist. He’s being buffeted by the winds and weaving along in an erratic, not to mention slow manner as he’s battling against a headwind.
Fortunately I thought about the children, moved to the other carriageway and passed him without incident, but what really [zb]'ed me off was right beside him was a purpose built cycle path!
EastAnglianTrucker:
About 04:00 this morning I’m driving along a short straight on a B road coming out of a small village deep in the heart of Norfolk… but not far from Norwich.
There’s no moon and it’s a cold an windy night. There are no street lights.
The road appears deserted but I happen to see a small, dim red light wobbling about in front of me. As I rapidly get closer it’s a cyclist. He’s being buffeted by the winds and weaving along in an erratic, not to mention slow manner as he’s battling against a headwind.
Fortunately I thought about the children, moved to the other carriageway and passed him without incident, but what really [zb]'ed me off was right beside him was a purpose built cycle path! What a ■■■■■■!
I saw one last night in the dark, not a light back or front and dressed in dark clothing from head to foot on an unlit country road. Also a pedestrian on a the same country road,similarly dressed, double white line and walking with his back to the traffic.
In my experiance being on a cycle path is far more deangerous then being on the carrageway, they are often coverd in debris such as sticks, they can be very slippery and often have bad pot holes, If you do come off there is a fair change the traffic hasnt seen you at all and you will get hit, also the cycle paths have a habbite of dissaparing at junctions or taking you away from the carrageway meaning you have to try and rejoin it witch is again mroe dangerous then being there in the first place. You make it sound like he/she put you out in some way by making you change lanes when in truth they had as much right to be there as you
He may have as much right to be there but that thought won’t comfort him when he’s smeared up the side of someone’s cab because of inadequate luminous clothing and lighting.
EastAnglianTrucker:
I’m driving along a short straight on a B road coming out of a small village deep in the heart of Norfolk… but not far from Norwich.
I nearly took one out on Tuesday in Bolton,but he got away
Seriously though their was 2 lanes up to the lights and a sign saying left
lane narrows for road works.
So I see the roadworks ahead and go in offside lane and dumbass cyclist
stayed in nearside lane,good thinking from cyclist.
When i get to next lights he rode across in front of my lorry and started
ranting…You nearly hit me,You nearly hit me!! told him politely to eff
off and he kept ranting. He said that other bloke said it was my fault as
well,(the cyclists fault)
So in the end lights change and I had to threaten to run him over if he
didn`t eff off Im taking your number blah blah blah
I am always careful where cyclists or horses are concerned but this
guy was just a complete arse.Wearing an army tin hat and hi vis gloves lol
Silver_Surfer:
He may have as much right to be there but that thought won’t comfort him when he’s smeared up the side of someone’s cab because of inadequate luminous clothing and lighting.
That’s why people who drive vehicles on the road have to pass a test and are supposed to be competent to do so without causing injury this extends to adjusting ones speed to make sure that the vehicle can be safely stopped in the area of road that is known to be clear
AHT:
That’s why people who drive vehicles on the road have to pass a test and are supposed to be competent to do so without causing injury this extends to adjusting ones speed to make sure that the vehicle can be safely stopped in the area of road that is known to be clear
So what are you saying? we crawl along looking for incompetent cyclists with no lights or high vis clothes?
If they are not properly prepared for night time on the roads I’m afraid cyclists deserve all they get.
Most truckers are to fat to cycle, this is where most of the hatred and jealousy stems from.
AHT does come up with valid points about cycle paths, I use them with my mountain bike chunky tyres etc, but with a lightweight carbon roadbike worth a few grand with slick tyre then no chance, most cycle paths are slippy as hell, with moss and are kept in the damp shade by trees you dont want to be using them whilst you are clipped into pedals.
EastAnglianTrucker:
About 04:00 this morning I’m driving along a short straight on a B road coming out of a small village deep in the heart of Norfolk… but not far from Norwich.
There’s no moon and it’s a cold an windy night. There are no street lights.
The road appears deserted but I happen to see a small, dim red light wobbling about in front of me. As I rapidly get closer it’s a cyclist. He’s being buffeted by the winds and weaving along in an erratic, not to mention slow manner as he’s battling against a headwind.
Fortunately I thought about the children, moved to the other carriageway and passed him without incident, but what really [zb]'ed me off was right beside him was a purpose built cycle path! What a ■■■■■■!
I fully get the point being made about cycleways being just as dangerous as being in the ‘normal’ road.
So what’s the point of cycleways then■■?
And yes I also agree with the sentiment - whats the comfort of being well within your rights when you have been killed by somebody who simply didnt see you when they were driving a vehicle.
YES cyclists DO have an ABSOLUTE right to be on the road, but too many of them don’t display half of the common sense that my pet hamster was born with, and she can’t ride a bike anyway (yet).
cyclists should be made to wear white or easy to see hi-Viz clothing with working Bright liights after dusk. If a copper or a cycle warden sees one without, they should have the power to sieze the bike just like they can for naughty motorists. With the price of scrap metal, weighing in the siezed bikes would cover the wages of a bike warden service.
aht , did it ever occur to you that if you are a pedestrian , cyclist or driver , YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND WELLBEING . why should other people have to be extra careful because the minority are too dumb to look after themselves . oh , by the way , you can’t sue anyone when you are dead .
olz69:
If they are not properly prepared for night time on the roads I’m afraid cyclists deserve all they get.
Many cyclists would agree with you that
I compleatly agree wtih the facts cyclists should have proper lights and highviz clothing, although Even teh best rear lights for bikes can be slightly poor especially in poor weather conditions when they get coverd with mud, I normally try and use 3 or 4 lights but there is still the possibility that one or more can fail.
I was mearly pointing out that it is the drivers responsibility to not hit anything, and at night you should be able to avoid unlit objects, such as pedestrians etc
I have certainly never seen a pedestrian wtih a rear ligth attached
LandyLad:
So what’s the point of cycleways then■■?
So local authorities can use government money and then play top trumps with each other
rigsby:
aht , did it ever occur to you that if you are a pedestrian , cyclist or driver , YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND WELLBEING . why should other people have to be extra careful because the minority are too dumb to look after themselves . oh , by the way , you can’t sue anyone when you are dead .
Everyone is a pedestrian or a cyclist which is a right, being a driver is a privilege that comes with allot of responsibilities, In all the night time driving I have ever done i have never come close to hitting any unlit object or person although i have come across a great many
Silver_Surfer:
He may have as much right to be there but that thought won’t comfort him when he’s smeared up the side of someone’s cab because of inadequate luminous clothing and lighting.
That’s why people who drive vehicles on the road have to pass a test and are supposed to be competent to do so without causing injury this extends to adjusting ones speed to make sure that the vehicle can be safely stopped in the area of road that is known to be clear
And it’s high time the SAME standards applied to other road users i.e. CYCLISTS! Have to pass a test with licence revoked for traffic offences, plus road fund licence, insurance, index number, mot test, lights etc, etc,
