To ask how we stop dangerous cyclists

Another cyclist bashing thread. Judging cyclists by different standards from car drivers. About 25% of car drivers are unfit to have a licence, either medically or because of their conduct behind the wheel.

Discrimination or victimisation, I am not sure which.

That’s kind of like blaming lions for eating the people that waved a steak while dancing around in their enclosure though.

Will keep saying this

Don't blame the people who are getting killed

Blame the killers

There are roadworks where I live restricting access to an A road for 3 years. However there are recent notices to warn cyclists who are crossing the blocked off route to avoid the diversion causing risk of death to themselves and motorists following the rules. Why do cyclists think that rules don't apply to them?

If you’re talking about a narrow country lane with only room for a car in one direction that’s different. I clearly mentioned a white central line, so two carriage ways.

I accept on a narrow country lane it’s more difficult all round. If I’m with friends and it’s safe for the car to overtake we’d definitely go single file. If it’s too narrow for a car to squeeze past when we’re single file we’d stay in pairs to prevent a dangerous overtake. Personally I’d pull us all in at the first wider point/gateway as I don’t particularly want a car behind us for ages. But guess it depends on the road. Maybe I know after five mins we’re turning off or the road gets wider in which case I may be more inclined to think they can wait. Depends how busy the road is. I’m not pulling in every two minutes 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I’m talking about in the middle of the whole road. Ie both sides of the centre line. That does not happen. I explained in my previous post why cyclists ride 2 abreast taking up their carriageway which they are entitled to do and is safer. I’m not going to make myself less safe and encourage cars to squeeze by unsafely. It’s me that will be killed.

if a pedestrian didn’t do this and blocked a path by continuing in the middle of the path this would be the equivalent of two or three cyclists riding side by side, centred on the white line and not allowing cars past in either direction. Never seen it. Can’t imagine it happening

You really can’t even imagine people doing this? It happens frequently where I live. Cyclists often ride two or three abreast and even in bigger groups. All down winding country lanes where you can be waiting to pass them for miles because there’s no safe place. Selfish wankers, all of them.

I’m one of the ones that carries my kids around in a cargo bike at about 11mph in an area of London where the average speed is about 8mph. Constantly being cut up or overtaken by aggressive wankers only to have them stop at a light or turn left immediately.

Next time you get stuck behind a cyclist, remember that they are delaying you by seconds - maybe minutes. Is your time really so precious you’d risk the lives of a fellow human for a minute or two?

Doubtful.

It doesn't matter who causes the most irritation

It matters who causes the most death and injury through their self righteousness ans arrogance and their large heavy fast and poorly controlled car

But hey someone feels upset - poor diddy dums

I couldn't disagree more, by far the most annoying vehicles on the roads are cars - lethal, dangerous, noisy, polluting, dominating, and aggressive

I was in stop start traffic the other day, moving and a cyclist going much faster than all of us cars came out of nowhere and tried to squeeze past my car on the left as I was moving. He then had the audacity to bang on MY window and scream "you nearly hit me!". I didn't. I was simply driving at about 5mph in a straight line keeping up with the rest of the traffic and he wanted to get past. admittedly there was not enough space for a bike to squeeze past but that's because traffic was moving on the other side of the road so I couldn't leave a 1.5m gap for bikes to squeeze past (no cycle lane). I didn't say to him that it was also his responsibility to not try and squeeze between the curb and my car from behind but he didn't seem to think that was his issue at all. Ultimately it wasn't dangerous just so annoying to be told I was doing something wrong when an aggressive cyclist couldn't be bothered to wait in traffic like everyone else so tried to push through.

I always stick up for cyclists, as I have upthread, due to their vulnerability on the road. But my experience as a pedestrian with cyclists has not been good. My partner was hit very hard by a cyclist on the towpath near us. He shouted for us to move at the last minute and we panicked a bit. DP went one way and I went another, so the cyclist ended up ploughing into DP. DP's leg had a huge gouge out of it. There was no apology. He said he had warned us. Yeah, when he was practically on top of us. I am normally very passive but was absolutely raging. The Tour de France might have been mentioned. And how the council had made it very easy for him to understand the rule to give way to pedestrians - by providing a FUCKING SIGN. Grrr. Still pisses me off years later. We have had many near misses too. One man nearly smashed into us when we had our children with us. DP shouted after him and he came back for a confrontation. Turned out to be a man DP was in the next bed to in hospital a couple of years before. So they were all happy and blokey with each other and I had to zip it or look like a killjoy spoiling their reunion😆

"Too scared to ride on the road"

And why might that be ?

Could it be that the chance of a cyclist being injured or killed by a car is much higher than the chance of a pedestrian being killed or injured by a cyclist ?

Until we control the car drivers better cyclists will be forced to chose - illegal or dead

I work in London and most cyclists are great, they even call our other cyclists but the ones who aren't are awful. I have to cross Oxford street and it's mainly the food delivery bikes and people on the Boris bikes that ignore the lights I cross at. To be fair twice I have seen the police pulling over every cyclist going through a red light.
I have more of a problem with the bikes being on the pavement. I can't hear well and I am not expecting a bike behind me on a busy Oxford street. Most of them seem to be tourists, too scared to ride on the road or thinking it's legal to ride on the pavements.
The police don't have enough resources for everything and I think pedestrians have their part to play to get off their phones and be aware when crossing a road. A green light isn't a guarantee nothing will be there.

I'm pretty sure that the drivers complaining about cyclists, would complain just as loudly about the traffic congestion caused if all the cyclists were driving instead.

Not even night time. All low cloud days, late morning and afternoon particularly in the countryside when you are passing in and out of tree canopies. Goes for dog walkers and runners as well.

The worst is when you are walking in a narrow pedestrian marked lane and a cyclist wants to overtake another cyclist, or pass head on. The number of cyclists who think you should just get off your side of the path to let them do so, rather than them wait until the path is clear, is frustrating.

I get cycled straight at when I'm on my side. I stand my ground as much as possible though.

People need to learn what bloody signs mean. Drives me mad!

TBH anyone in dark clothing at night.

Decades ago there was a govt. ad on TV - ‘Wear something light at night!’ Time to revive it? - not that I expect many would take any notice…

I tried sticking to the marked side yesterday and some woman had a go at me.

Cyclists are the main problem on shared paths here, thinking they own it and the pedestrians shouldn't be on it. Barely any stick to their marked side, and they travel at significant speed too.

I wouldn’t expect a pedestrian to move out my way if there isn’t space to do so. What I’d like is on a wide shared use path is that when a bike approaches they take one step to the side allowing both themselves and the bike to pass/continue. I don’t think that’s too much to ask and all the pedestrians I pass seem very happy to do this. I slow down to pass safely and say thanks to them. They smile and often say thanks. Everyone is happy.

if a pedestrian didn’t do this and blocked a path by continuing in the middle of the path this would be the equivalent of two or three cyclists riding side by side, centred on the white line and not allowing cars past in either direction. Never seen it. Can’t imagine it happening.

yes at some times cyclists may be two abreast on their side of the road but there is still space to pass when there’s no oncoming traffic. The same as if overtaking a car. Drivers don’t seem to realise the important safety aspect of cyclists staying two abreast. If we went single file a car behind could try and squeeze past even when there’s oncoming traffic. It’s not safe and puts us at risk. It’s also quicker and easier for a car to pass 3 pairs of cyclists than 6 bikes in a line, the car is overtaking for a shorter distance when the cyclists are in pairs.

This is everything and more

Lol this

This thread has reminded me that a significant minority of people dislike cyclists regardless of whether or not we obey the rules.

I’ve been shouted at for legitimately ringing my bell but also for using “excuse me please”. Pedestrians walking on the wrong side of a marked split path always think they’re in the right. Ditto if they have let their dogs wonder all over the path and I ask them to move.

I don’t think I’m morally better because I cycle. I obey signs and the Highway Code. Sod it- maybe I’ll just give up and start jumping red lights.