To think if you dive a car, you are an idiot

[jam17]

In reply to 'cyclists having a deathwish'. All these things have happened this week, no wonder we're an angry bunch! I cycle everyday to work and drop DS (18mo) off at nursery on the way

• IF I INDICATE RIGHT, DO NOT THEN OVERTAKE ME ON MY RIGHT HAND SIDE! thanks. If one more person overtakes me on my right hand side when i've indicated, i will purposefully fall off my bike and claim then knocked me off and sue them

• A cycle lane is for me to cycle in, not for you to park.

• a woman doing her make up in her mirror at 7:30am drove through a red light, when me and DS were trying to cross the road at the green man and clipped our back wheel, sending us flying. He is fine, thanks to a helmet. (cycle on the pavement at busy times when I have DS and pavements are empty)

• If you insist on driving your little darlings to school in a fucking ridiculous 4x4, it's not my problem to make way for you and you should drive behind me sensibly until it's safe to overtake and not drive me into the pavement

• When there are road works blocking half the road, i am infront of you and have right of way. I shouldn't have to stop and wait for their to be a gap so I can overtake roadworks, you go after me and don't try and run me over

-Me and DS always have helmets and lights on. BUT if i have cycled by myself to the gym in the evening, i may not have a highvis jacket on or lights because I was expecting it to be dark. You're issue, i'm going down a road with fucking lights everywhere, it's not an excuse not to see me. I shouldn't have to paint mysef flurouscent just because you're distracted.

• Crossroads? Deathroads. I have to wait for a car going the way i'm going to cycle alongside and guide me across safely, or i would be pummeled.

-If you are on your phone. text/talking, you deserve to be shot.

• Mostly, I am on a bike. You are on your ass in a car. I am cold. It is usually wet too. I have a baby on my bike. GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK AND LET ME CYCLE!

• If you ever shout at me out the window for being a good human being and not poluting the planet and excercising, unlike you lazy bastards in cars, then i will remember you. Just because you can drive off afterwards, doesn't mean you get the last word.

I can't even explain my fury, I am so angry at the other thread. i'm sure i've missed some off.

Eternal Hope:
Highway Code also mentions single file on busy or narrow roads IIRC. When on the road and having a natter with a mate, we'd always switch back to single file when a car was heard.

The narrow winding road thing does bother me though. The implication is that a driver should be able to make progress regardless of visibility. So, perform dangerous overtakes into oncoming traffic? Or squeeze the cyclist into the hedge?

ivykate44 - you spurred me on to check it out: it'll be cheaper for me to continue with the CTC family membership (£66) and pay for ds' Silver membership separately (£36). As far as I can make out, BC doesn't do a "Family" option.

Ds is 12, so the upgrade to the Full Racing Licence will be free as he is still a "Youth" (up to age 15, they don't pay).

This racing lark is becoming expensive though - I've just had to shell out for some Look keo compatible shoes as our lovely new velodrome only provides shoes down to a 37 (and ds is still only a 35.5) and keo cleats (have borrowed some pedals for next week when ds is going to use his club's track bike rather than the velodrome's hire one at the Youth Omnium being held during the Scottish Track Chamionships at our fantastic new velodrome).

We are not encouraging him to get into CycloCross which would entail new wheels and tyres for his Islabike. Road and track will be enough for now . Fortunately, he's not keen on getting muddy and falling mountain biking

Did I mention we had a brilliant new velodrome?!

"never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends"

highway code section of cyclists

I've been teaching ds to ride well out from the kerb and parked cars - at least a metre. The way I explain it to him is that it doesn't matter who is right or wrong - if someone/thing/car/car door gets in his way he needs to have a choice of escape route/room in which to manoeuvre.

It also keeps him away from the crud at the side of the road and the worst of the potholes (also gives him a choice to swerve inwards if he comes across a pot hole in the carriageway).

We allow him to cycle around the neighbourhood on his own now (as part of his "training") - but he has been taught to respect the Highway Code and when dusk apporaches, is wearing high viz clothes and has good lights.

So I think we have concurred that

Car drivers are idiots/Car drivers are not idiots
Cyclists are idiots/Cyclists are not idiots
Pedestrians are idiots/Pedestrians are not idiots
Horse riders are idiots/Horse riders are not idiots

Overall, is it fair to say that whatever means people employ in getting from A to B, some of them are idiots?

By the way, I am a pedant and it's brake not break when you put your foot on the pedal/s to slow or stop your vehicle/cycle.

Wow, this is a stunner!

No lights when its dark
No high vis clothing when visibility is poor
Breaking the law

And blaming every single car driver in the country.

Well done OP, you get an award for being the biggest asshole I have ever encountered

I've just done my bikeability training course, (replaced the cycling proficiency) it was a real eye opener as a car driver.
I think all drivers should be educated on how to drive around cyclists and what to expect from them
I also think all cyclists should complete their bikeability training. Learning to ride safely on the road will save your life. A helmet won't.

I think YABU. I am both a driver and a cyclist. I am also a horse rider. There are good drivers who are courteous and bad drivers who are obnoxious and don't consider other people's safety; there are good cyclists who cycle sensibly and defensively and wear hi-vis at all times, knowing that blinding sunlight can make you almost invisible, and who thank courteous drivers, and there are bad cyclists who weave in and out of traffic, go through red lights, go up on pavements so they can avoid the highway code, undertake and appear out of nowhere when you're in slow-moving traffic; there are good riders who pull over at reasonable opportunities to allow traffic to pass; there are bad riders who don't thank passing traffic for being courteous.

I think just live and let live, and drive defensively. Bad cyclists pose a danger to drivers and pedestrians; it goes both ways.

This thread has seriously unsettled me now. I'm thinking of an 18 month old young child strapped to this fuming angry stressed cyclist on dangerous roads full of idiot car drivers.

If it's that dangerous, just don't do it.

There's probably a name for me, but I only cycle where I feel safe (occasional cyclist). Just because there's green paint on the road with a bike painted on it doesn't mean it's safe. I don't go anywhere unless I know the route thoroughly, if things get hairy I just get off my bike and walk. But with an 18 month old I wouldn't even get on a bike in the first place.

People can be inconsiderate. It does not matter if you drive, cycle, walk, jog,toddle, everyone can do the wrong thing sometimes out of malice, carelessness or accidentally. OP I guess this excludes you.

I have just experienced a cyclist who made me think of this thread

• in stationary traffic he pushed in front of my car so close he hit it and wobbled

• he then weaved in and out of the two lanes narrowly missing being hit by a bus because he pulled in so dangerously

• he didn't bother to stop at a roundabout when I had meaning another driver had to slam on

• he mounted the pavement and went straight tbough a red light at a major junction.

Actually the only reason he isn't in A and E now is the GOOD driving from the motorists he encountered.

I drive a car and I also cycle sometimes so I can understand your gripe, however not all car drivers in Manchester are bad and Jam if you don't wear hi-viz jackets and have lights how can us drivers see you?

I live in Tameside which has virtually no decent cycle paths (and the ones they do have may as well not be there) but you see people cycling with dark clothing and when it is dusk it is near on impossible, its as if they have a death wish with no helmet and no lights. I see cyclists (grown adults) cycling on the pavement by our school when the children are coming out and also drivers who cannot be bothered to walk a bit further to pick their little darlings up so they park on corners .

We all have to share the roads so we need to learn a bit of courtesy to each other. That includes taxis who I think are some of the worst drivers for flouting the laws.

I agree aside from the bit about you not having lights.
You should have lights. If you go to the gym and do not have lights walk with your bike,
Have you any idea how invisible you are with no lights to drivers. If you cycle with no lights you have a death wish or you are not aware how hard it is for us to see you.

Well I "dived" in my car for quite a while today on the A5 in Germany. There were no cyclists or pedestrians, thank goodness, as they are not allowed. There were a lot of other "divers" who should, in my humble opinion, be relieved of their licences, whatever the nationality.
How difficult is it, when going through roadworks, to understand the speed limit and that you should not overtake other cars?
Luckily most people got out of MY way on the unrestricted bits! LOL

I saw someone cycling today and he was wearing goggles Did one of you send your oh's out wearing goggles just in case I spotted them...?

It did make me laugh