To ask how we stop dangerous cyclists

Hopefully they’re not deaf! I have now fitted an alarm which goes off like a rape alarm on my commuting bike. Normal bell first and then the rape alarm siren. People hear that! 😁

Pedestrians aren’t responsible for getting out of the way of cyclists. Cyclists are supposed to slow down and wait to pass safely.

That's the usual source of MN 'stats'! Even those by 'experts' are usually a joke, it's possible to find an 'expert' to back up whatever opinion you may hold.

Quite. I’m a cyclist myself and believe me, pedestrians are not the problem on shared paths!

Maybe there needs to be a legal distance at which a cyclist can overtake a pedestrian on the 'shared' paths. If the cyclists don't like that then they can use the roads, where they should be anyway.

How do we stop dangerous motorists?

I totally agree, just wasn’t sure why you quoted a poster talking about why they ride on the roads and then saying they need to be careful of footpath users. They won’t be on the footpath.

obviously any cyclist who is on a shared use path needs to be careful of pedestrians who are the more vulnerable out the two. I’d always slow down, use my bell, stop if I have to.

Yet that doesn't change my response.
A cyclist still has a personal responsibility to other users.

Absolutely agree with this.

When I'm driving I'm worried I could kill one of the young lads on a Deliveroo or Just Eat bike, dressed in black with no lights, weaving around.

I'm also worried one of their e-bikes will hit me or my kids when walking.

These massive companies should be made to take responsibility. Both for the safety of the delivery rider and the safety of others. They are raking it in and just washing their hands of the delivery methods.

This is exactly what I was going to say!

The minority of cyclists ride like idiots, the same way the minority of car drivers drive like idiots too but there are considerably more motorists and their vehicles are more dangerous.

. because many of the cycle lanes are badly maintained with overhanging trees and cracks, and you are continually having to giveway where they bisect side roads. On the road you just keep going as it's the main roads priority. That's why.
Maybe give it some thought . . ..

that’s what they said. They are saying why cyclists use the roads because the cycle lanes are badly maintained. Ie they don’t use cycle lanes whether that’s a shared cycle lane on a footpath or a none shared lane. So if they’re using the road they won’t be affecting footpath users.

100% agree! I am genuinely afraid for my children walking to school. I no longer let them walk independently.

I do agree that a lot of the bad cycling comes from “non cyclists”. Which I know sounds stupid but there was a post on here only last week from someone who was going to buy a bike, with a kiddy wagon and ride on the pavements.

When told she shouldn’t ride on the pavement her reply was something like “of course I’m not going to cycle in the road, I’m not a cyclist” 🙈🤷‍♀️😁

I cycle, road cyclist. I’m a qualified cycling instructor. I cycle thousands of miles every year. Often in groups. I’ve never once held a car up “for miles”. Occasionally cars have to wait a short while until it’s safe to pass. It’s why we cycle in pairs not single file, to protect ourselves and prevent close passes. Cars need to wait until there’s no oncoming traffic, same as if they were overtaking a car. So the cyclists being two abreast makes no difference to the car, unless the driver was planning a close and illegal overtake. I’m talking normal size roads here not a single track lane.

Friend of mine was killed while out cycling a few years ago. Someone overtaking in the opposite direction hit her head on.

other friends of mine got road raged by a 4x4 driver who turned his vehicle around after a close overtake and purposefully hit them. They got 9 points on their licence, lost their licence, lost their professional driving job, massive fine and compensation.

so let’s stop the dangerous drivers too.

The person that i replied to was talking about cycle lanes, around here that also means share lanes one the footpath.

They were talking about using the road rather than a cycle path. So nothing to do with footpath users.

The amount of times I used to have cars and vans trying to squeeze past as I went between traffic islands was ridiculous. For that very reason I now cycle through them bang in the middle. No doubt some drivers think I am being selfish but far better that than risk getting squished.

100% this.

If all drivers spent a bit of time cycling on our roads they would have a completely different outlook on cyclists. I started cycling about 7 years and my feelings towards them has completely changed.

Now when I observe cyclists I generally see them doing things that are for their own self preservation that you simply do not understand if you have never ridden a bike. Yes there are some idiots on bikes like there are in all walks of life but unless you have spent some time on a bike yourself OP you have no business at all to get so high and mighty.

If every cyclist out there suddenly gave up the bike and used a car the amount of traffic would increase significantly.

Yabu. Please ask how we stop people behaving dangerously- whether cyclists, motorists or for that matter blokes down the pub.

Ignoring the rules of the road and being inconsiderate is not something restricted to cyclists. We've all seen cars jump red lights, drive 100mph along the motorway and go round the outside of roundabouts.

I now have a new source of road-using angst besides selfish cyclists. The drivers of the new wide-bodied, often EV large cars that just try and plough through the older cars for which my local roads were designed.

Just fuck off with your ugly-assed, dalek-looking ridiculous cars.

As a regular cyclist who obeys the rules, as well as a driver and pedestrian in London the situation is a bit more nuanced than some posters think.

1. Quite a lot of cyclists are sensible and obey the highway code.
2. therecsre a number of cyclists who don’t - some are mamils who think they know best.
3. Hiwever the worst cycling comes from delivery drivers - just eat or deliveroo. Rarely do their lights work, rarely do they have helmets and often they are dressed in dark clothes. They usually cut lights and I’ve seen them on the wrong side of the road and/or on pavements. I’ve never seen anyone stopped by the police.

while I agree a crackdown on rogue cyclists would be sensible and a good start, I think regulation in the delivery drivers would be the best place to start. They should confirm they understand and will follow the highway code. They should have an identifying number. If they break the rules they should face action as should their employer. Just Eat etc should ensure all drivers have lights, helmets, bright clothing. And not have illegal bikes. As well as cycling properly and sensibly.

My big ask of cyclists is to make yourself visible. All too often they are out wearing dark clothes with no lights on. They have no idea how invisible they are on a dark overcast day.

Yes I do know that if I hit them whilst driving that I am at fault but that’s not much use to the mangled cyclist.

I should add - FLYING ROUND THE CORNER ON THE PAVEMENT

The difference between a dangerous cyclist and a dangerous car drivers is Darwinism.

The thing that annoys me with cyclists is they are quite happy to hold up streams of cars on roads that are too narrow to overtake them. But heaven forgive if you are a pedestrian on a shared path - the cyclists isn't going to patiently wait behind, they'll shout out and push you off the path as they squeeze past.

yeah we urgently need to stop all the dangerous cyclists who cause virtually no deaths rather than drivers who cause thousands