Bloody cyclists..

[Joeman]

I've been known to ride my motorbike through the middle of a pack of cyclists..

if they want to share the road with other road users and its ok for them to ride 2, 3 or 4 abreast, then its fine for me to pass between them right?

but it does seem to make them a bit angry lol

[Joeman]

Some of what they do is illegal, a lot of what they do is just rude, selfish and discourteous. THAT'S why people don't like them. Plus it's the majority, not the minority of cyclists I see on the roads that behave badly.

 

and they NEVER shoulder check before changing lane position. they just stick out an arm (if you're lucky) and them swerve across the road...

they seem to think that just because they have indicated, its clear for them to pull out...

[fq-craigus]

Quite a lot of hate for the cyclist.

Road tax is emissions based. since a bicycle puts out no emission, they pay no tax. also they would do very little damage to the road fabric. Further there are some cars that pay no road tax. That argument is moot. Please stop using it!

Insurance. Some cyclists do have insurance for their bicycles if they are involved with an accident. It's simply not a legal requirement because generally speaking, in a bicycle vs car incident, the bicycle comes off worst, therefore good cyclists avoid collisions!

finally - riding 2 abreast. It's not illegal. A cyclist may ride where they damn well want in the road as they are a road user, just the same as you or me. It may be a little inconsiderate sometimes, but illegal it is not.

Cyclists disobeying red lights. Not all cyclists disobey red lights - just the same as not all bikers rev the nuts off their bike and ride around at 100mph in 20 zones - as most people would have you believe. Just because a few do it, doesn't mean that all do it. The ones that do are tools.

Cyclists pulling out into roundabouts - again see the point above. you can't tar all cyclists with the same brush.

Quite frankly all the arguments above are childish and a bit pointless.

 

It's an offence to obstruct the highway. So riding two abreast although not written down to the word is illegal if they are causing other road users to adjust their speed direction eat. If the limit is 30 and the bike is doing near on that given the conditions then yes they can ride where they like and two or three abreast but along a country road where it's national limit no they can't.

On the whole cyclists are a neusence and if it weren't for the rest of the road users knowing this then there would be a lot more accidents.

Problem we have is a lot of cyclists with no or very little road training, no thought or consideration to other road users. At least as bikers here we do all we can to make our selfs seen by cars and lorries ect, pushbike a on the whole don't.

Round here in Boston lincs we have a real problem with pushbikes. Riding against the flow of traffic in a cycle lane that is with flow and not contra flow, and just pulling round vehicles parked in the bus lane therefor right into your path. Riding without being clearly visible ie lights or apropriate clothing. Another one is headphones in, the amount of times a bike will be riding along the path then without warning or looking just pull into the road in front of you..... And then there is MOST of the bikes I see jumping red lights, riding wrong way down one way streets. The list goes on.

Top gear hit the nail on the head when they done the show about cycling in London, they come to the conclusion that the problem isn't cars and buses but the cyclists themselves, yet we as vehicle users are painted to be the demons when it comes to this subject and in an accident more than likely we would get the blame.

[Joeman]

its because of the cyclists complete lack of road sense that lorries now have to have talking indicators... "This vehicles it turning right"... now if only the cyclists had eyes and could see the big flashy yellow lights, trucks wouldnt need to talk....

[Penny]

That Top Gear episode was amazing where they made the cycling adverts

[Six30]

And whose come across this on a Sunday ....

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q620/toothless44/9D5DC7F9-89C5-4DB7-9562-46DFFFB2499D.jpg

[Bogof]

They go through red lights because it's too much hassle to take their clip-on shoes out of their peddles.

Don't give way at roundabouts as they don't want to lose speed.

Jump on and off the pavements at will depending on what is most convenient for them.

Overtake or undertake and weave out of traffic depending on what is most convenient for them.

Ride two/three abreast so they can talk to each other.

 

I do most of that on my motorbike. Does that make me a bad person?

[Six30]

They go through red lights because it's too much hassle to take their clip-on shoes out of their peddles.

Don't give way at roundabouts as they don't want to lose speed.

Jump on and off the pavements at will depending on what is most convenient for them.

Overtake or undertake and weave out of traffic depending on what is most convenient for them.

Ride two/three abreast so they can talk to each other.

 

I do most of that on my motorbike. Does that make me a bad person?

 

Not really a bad person ...... Lucky to be alive

[onesea]

I live in an area where we famously hate cycles:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604814/Bike-ride-saboteurs-sprinkle-DRAWING-PINS-peaceful-New-Forest-road-local-villagers-complain-scourge-cyclists-tranquil-area.html

With good reason, in the summer you add 50% on top your journey time for bikes and tourists.

Individual events like this are all very good but on the Forest most weekends in summer and the of winter one you have one group or other taking over.

Volkswagen's, landrovers (yes I have one), steam engines, vintage cars, vintage bikes, classic bikes, classic cars and so the list goes on.

Before you even mention routine caravans and motorhomes (which come second only to cycles).

The problem is for the more popular villages there is an event just about every weekend.

Then the of Lycra class wanna bee's trying it on stopping the traffic as they see fit. Randomly all year you can spend 10-15 minutes stuckbehind a group of cyclists.

It can get very frustrating. I don't mind the ones that jump on and of pavements and other other stunts if it helps the flow of traffic. At least there objective is to go from a2b.

Gaggles of them on roads just make you want to......

It comes down to consideration for all road users... And no I ain't perfect I know that

.

[Penny]

They go through red lights because it's too much hassle to take their clip-on shoes out of their peddles.

Don't give way at roundabouts as they don't want to lose speed.

Jump on and off the pavements at will depending on what is most convenient for them.

Overtake or undertake and weave out of traffic depending on what is most convenient for them.

Ride two/three abreast so they can talk to each other.

 

I do most of that on my motorbike. Does that make me a bad person?

 

No comment.

[toniinw2]

It would be nice if other rules of the road were compulsory for cyclists such as stopping at red lights and giving way at roundabouts etc.

[Grumpy Old Git]

It would be nice if other rules of the road were compulsory for cyclists such as stopping at red lights and giving way at roundabouts etc.

 

It is compulsory!!!!

[Pete]

It would be nice if other rules of the road were compulsory for cyclists such as stopping at red lights and giving way at roundabouts etc.

 

It is compulsory!!!!

 

Yep, rules of the road apply to all road users!

As for these points, my thoughts for what they're worth!:

They go through red lights because it's too much hassle to take their clip-on shoes out of their peddles.

- Yeah that's annoying/illegal. Whatever the reason, they shouldn't do it. To be fair though not all cyclists do.

Don't give way at roundabouts as they don't want to lose speed.

- Not sure on this one. If they can get out onto the roundabout without interfering with those on the roundabout then fair enough

Jump on and off the pavements at will depending on what is most convenient for them.

- As long as they dismount and walk along the pavement, what's the issue?

Overtake or undertake and weave out of traffic depending on what is most convenient for them.

- Filtering? Pot and kettle springs to mind

Ride two/three abreast so they can talk to each other.

- Daft and probably asking for other road users to get annoyed, but not sure where the law lies on this one. Wasn't there a thread on here about motorcyclists riding 2 abreast?

In all though, it just comes down to sharing the road space. I don't really care about cyclists, motorcyclists, car drivers, lorry drivers, even tractors (!) as long as there's give and take. Sweeping statements and generalisations are just flawed from the off, no 2 cyclists are comparable. Some jump red lights, some don't. Some wear headphones, some don't. Etc.

[Tango]

Bl**dy reckless if you ask me.......

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-videos/ ... =soc_fcbks

[fq-craigus]

Abolish the pushbike

[Penny]

It would be nice if other rules of the road were compulsory for cyclists such as stopping at red lights and giving way at roundabouts etc.

 

It is compulsory!!!!

 

It would be nice if other rules of the road were compulsory for cyclists such as stopping at red lights and giving way at roundabouts etc.

 

It is compulsory!!!!

 

Yep, rules of the road apply to all road users!

 

I was being sarcastic. I even pointed it out a couple of posts down:

 

(My post may have been laced in sarcasm )

 

As for these points, my thoughts for what they're worth!:

Don't give way at roundabouts as they don't want to lose speed.

- Not sure on this one. If they can get out onto the roundabout without interfering with those on the roundabout then fair enough

 

If they were getting round the roundabout without interfering, I wouldn't be complaining. It's when I have to brake in the middle of a roundabout when it's my right of way because a cyclist hasn't given way to me when he should have done. I can imagine the reaction a cyclist would give it if was a car doing the same!

 

Jump on and off the pavements at will depending on what is most convenient for them.

- As long as they dismount and walk along the pavement, what's the issue?

 

Because they never dismount and walk along the pavement?? Again, if they did I wouldn't have an issue! They ride on the road when it's most convenient for them (even if there's a cycle path) then jump on the pavement and CYCLE ON IT when it's most convenient for them, when the lights are on red etc.

 

Overtake or undertake and weave out of traffic depending on what is most convenient for them.

- Filtering? Pot and kettle springs to mind

 

On the odd occasion I filter, I wouldn't undertake then overtake then undertake and weave in and out of traffic?? And neither do the vast majority of bikers, they filter either in the middle of a dual carriageway or overtake on a single carriageway but have one line and stick to it. They can also out accelerate every other road user and therefore get out of the way of traffic, whereas cyclists put themselves in everybody else's way and don't give two hoots that they've inconvenienced everyone else.

[Tango]

The thing that really gets me is that most other road users have to pass a test in order to use the road......whereas cyclists can just buy a bike and hop onto the nearest road with absolutely no knowledge of the highway code!! And before anyone jumps in and says that most bike riders also own a powered road going vehicle, I would refute that statement. How many school kids own a powered road going vehicle? We live near Cambridge, which is renowned for it's cyclists........how many of those have passed a UK driving test? How many of them have read The Highway Code?

Most cyclists seem to feel that it's the responsibility of other road users to avoid them......even when they do the most stupid things!!

I ride a pushbike.......but I try to use it on dedicated cycle paths and routes as much as possible to limit the danger to myself and cause the least hassle to other road users!!

My personal view is that cyclists should hold a license like any other road user.......and that license should be subject to the same endorsement scheme as all other road users!!

[Guest]

I did my cycling proficiency test in junior school and rode a pushbike until my 18th - when my parents allowed me to have my first motorbike. back then.. in the 70s I wouldn't have dared ride at night without light. because the police took a VERY dim view. Similarly if I had broken a highway code rule = trouble with the law. You could expect the copper to escort you home and then BIG trouble off the parents.

This afternoon I went down to see a mate near leicester.. it was mucky weather as lot of mist and fog about.. at one point I passed a mass group of road racers. dim lights and dark clothes nearly all of them on an unlit road.. the A60 between nottingham and loughborough - unbelievable!!

I have a pushbike now.. but one thing Im really sure of. my lights are BRIGHT... and I wear my think bike rucksack. which is hi-viz and has big reflective stripes - Im not daft. Before I go out after dark.. I always make sure the lights are working and the rear red and front white reflectors are clean. I no more break the rules now than I did as a kid. I have far too much a sense of 'self preservation' to get up to the kinds of nonsense I see on an almost daily basis.

[fullscreenaging]

I'm old enough to have done my cycling proficiency too [emoji15]

[fq-craigus]

I had to do my proficiency in high school, your wasnt allowed to ride and park the bike in school without one, funny thing is the local council or anyone didnt put on the course...... So my mum being my mum went to the school kicking up a stink because she had to pay for a bus for me when i wanted to ride and would save money.

So my mum was an ex driving instructor and offered to provide the training at the school with one of the teachers, this ran for 3 years and was very successful, and all of a sudden a load of kids rode bikes all eith the basic training needed.

[Grumpy Old Git]

My personal view is that cyclists should hold a license like any other road user.......and that license should be subject to the same endorsement scheme as all other road users!!

 

Horse Riders?

Note: I do agree with you in principle but, it's never going to happen!

[Bogof]

My personal view is that cyclists should hold a license like any other road user.......and that license should be subject to the same endorsement scheme as all other road users!!

 

Pedestrians too?

[essbeebee]

My personal view is that cyclists should hold a license like any other road user.......and that license should be subject to the same endorsement scheme as all other road users!!

 

Horse Riders?

Note: I do agree with you in principle but, it's never going to happen!

 

Horse do very well at the practical, but they're lousy at the theory test.

[Joeman]

Something that really annoys me about cyclists is the increasing number who ride about with a whistle in their mouth and who blow the whistle at any available opportunity to get attention from pedestrians as they come steaming through, not wanting to slow down for anyone...

[The Hitcher]

Sadly I live near where the Olympic cycling route went past and every weekend the roads are at a stand still due to the Lycra Mafia peddling around clogging up the roads, cyclists, f***king hate most of them to be honest.

The ones that ride to work etc tend to be much more courteous it's the weekend ones that are annoying.