to think some cyclists appear to have a death wish

[whoneedssleepanyway]

last night it was dark and rainy I was turning right into a residential street with cars parked both sides so only room for one car and as I am turning suddenly a cyclist comes into view coming out from behind parked cars, no lights and wearing a dark jacket...I nearly knocked him off.

If I had would it have been my fault, I am guessing it would have...? But I can't understand why someone would cycle in the dark and rain without the proper equipment (lights and visible clothing...)

kekouan, I think that cycling in Oxford is particularly bad at the moment because it's the start of a new academic year. This means that there are hordes of undergrads on the road who have just acquired brand new bikes and have no idea how to cycle properly. I see it every year at this time. People cycling in the dark without lights, people cycling maddeningly slowly and in the wrong lanes or in the wrong direction or in pedestrian-only areas, people making all sorts of unexpected manoeuvres without signalling, people cycling while they talk on their mobile phones.

As a safety-conscious cyclist who cycles all over the city (often with my DC in tow), I am driven half mad by these people. Some of them do seem to acquire better habits as the year goes on (and as the police hand out fines to cyclists without lights), but every October is a nightmare thanks to Cyclists Who Have No Bloody Idea What They're Doing.

YANBU - Some cyclists do appear to have a death wish. Also, a lot of them think everyone and everything should stay out of their way. I have lost count the number of times I have witnessed their refusal to slow down before approaching corners, perhaps they have a unique ability to see round bends. They would happily knock you down. Some of them are plain pig ignorant and dangerous.

I agree Marfisa and Kekuoan! I cycle a lot in Oxford and also drive. When I cycle, I have a set of dynamo lights plus other lights, high vis everything and I become 'small car' whenever I think I need to. The mentality that you shouldn't be in the gutter is a pretty major one though.

I did have a shock this afternoon when confronted With a cyclist charging straight towards me in the wrong side of the very narrow road. Luckily i was only going about 15mph so could brake. I wish the colleges/ universities would insist everyone sat through a basic cycling safety briefing before they're allowed out.

Maybe we should suggest it to Oxford University?

That would be a brilliant idea - I don't know how the university could enforce it though!

I have seen posters in some colleges and university buildings here reminding cyclists that it's illegal to ride at night without lights. However, there are a lot of cyclists out on the street at the moment who don't seem to have got the message.

Oh, and that's an awful story, azazello.

I think it's probably Brookes that you'd need to contact about the kamikaze cyclists

you could have two sides together

A billboard with think motorist think cyclist

Spot the cyclists without lights easycycling.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lights.jpg Surely your life is worth something?

then on the other side this

I cycle on a bakfiets to bring the kids home from nursery - so a massive great bike with a wooden box on the front, which I have covered with bits of chopped-up reflective sam brown. I wear a hi vis vest. I have lights.

Yet still three days last week cars nearly killed me and my daughters at the roundabout near our home. It is a main road with an on-road cycle lane, next to which at the roundabout is a left-turn filter for cyclists, so they can carry on to the road on the left without having to wait for a space in the traffic. I was in the going-ahead section, so clearly not going to turn left. Three days in a row a car pulled up next to me, not indicating in any direction so reasonable assumption is that they is going straight on. Wait for a space, car and I pull out simultaneously, car immediately turns left, still not indicating. Surely the drivers in each instance were aware I was there and not going to turn left - they had to pull up next to me at the stop line and in any case should be indicating. What else am I supposed to do to protect myself and my children in a situation like this?

Jump - is it obvious to the drivers that you're in the straight ahead lane? (can't envisage it myself) or is it the same as the left only lane?

I would say move over into the actual lane and take up more space so the cars have to treat you more like a car and less like a bike to squeeze past?

Yes - the turning left section has a low-level wall. The cycle lane comes down the road, then the straight-on bit stays next to the road, the left bit turns off and there's one of those reflecty bollard things on a raised triangle in the road, which I normally rest my left foot on.

Fair enough I can move out, I still think cars should be indicating though!

SugarPastePumpkin - perhaps it could run along the idea - if we can't see you we can't give you three feet and really put the two things together

Go Skippy go. And ivykaty. I am a driver and a cyclist. Both can be idiots but cyclists have a much rougher and more dangerous time.

It's completely irrelevant when you are hit by a car whether or not you are wearing a helmet certificated to help you a little if you fall off at 5 mph. They are not designed to afford any protection in collisions with other vehicles.

My nephew was killed by a driver going through a red light on a green man crossing. Yes, it's a personal anecdote but I do not believe anyone has ever being killed by a bicycle at a pedestrian crossing in the UK - cyclists are much slower, multiples lighter and usually acutely aware of their surroundings and other road users (otherwise they die). Please link to any news report that can find an instance if you know of one....

Jump Jockey of course, if you pull out and take a more primary position on the road, which is safer for you, you will now and again get sworn at by drivers telling you to use the cycle lane (trust me, I have been there). You should still do it though - it's better to be sworn at than run over.

YY Agree with Sugar. Car drivers can be dim (this much has been established ) and probably don't look/think.

My friend had her leg broken and her pram tipped over with 6 month old baby in it by a cyclist.

Just because you do less damage on a bike is no excuse to ignore red lights.

Defending people who break the law and risk injuring others is poor form and some might say that it would make you as much of a twat as tge people that do it.

Cyclist killing pedestrian when jumping red light (by going on pavement): www.metro.co.uk/news/719063-cyclist-is-jailed-for-killing-by-1861-law

American instance: abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=8700349

From the Times: "Of pedestrians injured by red-light jumping, 4 per cent are hurt by cyclists, 71 per cent by cars." Really wondering what jumped the red light and hurt the other 25%????? (Nothing to say anyone was killed by a cyclist though).

lorries and buses (possibly road sweepers and golf buggies) could make up the other 25%

That figure was for London though - not the rest of the country I thought?-

Jump Jockey - I think I read in the CTC stuff they send me about woamn being more prone to gutter accidents - men are more foreful on the road and sit out further and this is safer

Poster, no-one is disagreeing that cyclists should obey traffic laws. The point is rather that if someone disobeys them, there is more likely to be a casualty/fatality if that disobedience is comitted by a driver.

Motorised vehicles are the most dangerous things on the road, and should be aware of that fact. I remember the first time I ever drove a car, being absolutely terrifed and thinking "I'm in control of a killing machine" - I am no longer terrified of driving, but I still think of cars in those terms.