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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to throttle cyclists who run red lights?

241 replies

Millionprammiles · 05/04/2016 11:26

Just that really. Am sick of dd being narrowly missed when crossing at a green man (outside a primary school ffs) . Small children are especially at risk as cyclists can't see them when they're coming up on the inside of cars, so they assume its clear.
Not one cyclist has stopped to apologise.

I can't take a licence plate number. Unless one of them actually hits her I'm guessing the police won't be interested in looking at CCTV. Which is why cyclists continue doing it, day after day.
I think I'm in danger of running after one of them and pushing him off his bike.
(And yes its always been a male cyclist).

OP posts:
mrsjskelton · 05/04/2016 15:26

It could be fatal to a small child. Try and push them over and walk away whistling Wink

Voteforpedr0 · 05/04/2016 15:31

Chicken korma - yes cyclist are hazards, if a driver has to give that much space, time and caution to something or someone on the road they are deemed a hazard. Of course my point is relevant as I'm pointing out that even being an experienced and capable driver, I still have had to hammer on the breaks or to sound the horn due to cyclists wobbling everywhere or following the rules of the road.

Voteforpedr0 · 05/04/2016 15:32

*Or not following the rules of the road

SoupDragon · 05/04/2016 15:37

OTOH 90% of motorists ignore the 'cycle box' markings near traffic lights. Just as bad as cyclists jumping red lights

Again, how is that relevant to a thread specifically talking about cyclists who have nearly hit the OPs DD?

So the comparison with the behaviour of car drivers is extremely relevant and has nothing to do with tigers hmm.

No, what car drivers do is completely irrelevant on a thread complaining about specifi incidents with cyclists just as talking about tiger attacks would be irrelevant on a thread about dog bites.

Chilver · 05/04/2016 15:38

Firepower - cyclists have as much right to be on the road as a car and take up as much space as needed, or as a complete t driver did you forget that bit of the highway code?

And to the op who said 'those cyclists who sneak up on the left hand side' - that is usually where they are forced to funnel in by the existing cycle infrastructure. I agree though that they shouldn't be on the inside, they should, as per highway code, be smack bang in the middle of the lane taking their rightful place in the road, but then they'd be seen as a 'hazard', right?? Caught between a rock and a hard place aren't they?

But, I agree with the OP that no-one should run red lights, cyclists or car,/horses/ pedestrians.

Chilver · 05/04/2016 15:39

Oops, not firepower, voteforpedr0!

Crabbitface · 05/04/2016 15:41

To suggest that pedestrians are as dangerous to cyclists as cyclists are to pedestrians is ridiculous and symptomatic of a self-righteousness that many (NOT ALL) cyclists seem to have.

There seems to be a belief that because cyclists are not emitting any pollution they get to have the moral high ground in all discussions like this. Well, pedestrians don't cause any pollution either but we seem to be the ones that come off worse in all situations - we are not safe on roads or on pavements, when crossing at lights or on sustrans paths. And instead of offering sensible solutions, cyclists become defensive and shift focus on to cars/pedestrians/their own persecution. Cyclists are going to keep coming against negative attitudes whilst they are not willing to have a sensible discourse.

betsyderek · 05/04/2016 15:52

ncidents do get reported. A little while back near where I live, Cyclist A pushed Cyclist B into a canal - incident reported, incident ended up in court, Cyclist A fined (and rightfully so)

Grin I wish I had seen that. How could anyone write that without chuckling? MN is so bloody earnest sometimes.

Voteforpedr0 · 05/04/2016 15:54

Chilver - what even with the unpredictable wobbling and randomly pulling out with no hand signals ? I don't think they should be on roads without cycle lanes no. Pedestrians are different as they usually cross at crossings and don't run around the roads jumping out in front of cars when they feel like it (well not that I've seen)

Pipbin · 05/04/2016 15:56

Some drivers run red lights

I see cyclist run red lights nearly every day.
I can't recall the last time I saw a driver do it.

Not all cyclists are dicks, far from it, but some seem to think the rules don't apply to them and they are a danger to all.

53rdAndBird · 05/04/2016 16:09

To suggest that pedestrians are as dangerous to cyclists as cyclists are to pedestrians is ridiculous and symptomatic of a self-righteousness that many (NOT ALL) cyclists seem to have.

That isn't what I said, though?

Original poster
Millionprammiles · 05/04/2016 16:10

One of the key problems unique to cyclists at this particular crossing is that when cars are stopped at a red light, cyclists coming up on the inside don't have full visibility of the road and particularly of small children. (Motorcyclists don't have enough space to do the same).
A car going through the red light at this crossing (and whilst I've not experienced it here, it might well happen) would see the road fully and would at least see if it wasn't clear.

I can see that cyclists are tempted to go through red lights when they can fully see noone is crossing but it takes a particular kind of idiot to run a red light, without full visibility that the road is clear, outside a primary school.

OP posts:
Pipbin · 05/04/2016 16:19

OTOH 90% of motorists ignore the 'cycle box' markings near traffic lights. Just as bad as cyclists jumping red lights.

No. No it isn't. Firstly I don't think a lot of people know that the box is for cyclists. They didn't exist when I learned to drive or when I took my cycling proficiency test.

Secondly running a red light and knocking over a pedestrian is a lot more serious than being in the box and pissing off someone.

acasualobserver · 05/04/2016 16:27

I don't think the car v. cyclist argument is particularly helpful

I do. So, indulge me - while you've got the 'logical stats' at your fingertips - how many children are killed each year by cyclists?

Binkybix · 05/04/2016 16:28

Yep, pisses me off. I shouted at one today. At least he looked shame faced :)

Pipbin · 05/04/2016 16:34

I do. So, indulge me - while you've got the 'logical stats' at your fingertips - how many children are killed each year by cyclists?

So it's OK to be a cock so long as no one dies?
FYI a cyclist has killed a child by cycling on the pavement.

It's not an argument of cars vs cyclists.
It's cocks vs everyone else.
I venture that more people are killed by fucking idiots who think that they are beyond all rules than by people who travel with due care and attention. That can be levelled at car drivers as easily as cyclists.

SoupDragon · 05/04/2016 16:36

So, indulge me...

...tell me how the actions of car drivers are at all relevant to a thread complaining specifically about incidents where cyclists have behaved like twats.

Original poster
Millionprammiles · 05/04/2016 16:38

casual - if allowing cyclists to run red lights operated to reduce the risk of children being hit by cars, you might have a point in mentioning it.

As there's no link, I'm baffled why it matters one jot how many kids are killed by cars versus cyclists.

Its a stupid, selfish thing to do and it would be so, so easy for a cyclist to just choose to wait a few seconds and not take the risk. There is no justifiable excuse for being such a monumental idiot.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 05/04/2016 16:41

I remember a thread on MN about the cyclist who, whilst riding on the pavement, collided with a toddler and dragged her along the pavement. There some cyclists on the thread who thought he wasn't at fault. I think some even tried to deflect the blame onto drivers for making the roads too dangerous.

How fucked up is that?

I can't hel thinking some of those posters might be on this thread.

53rdAndBird · 05/04/2016 16:42

Has anyone on this thread defended cyclists going through red lights?

Crabbitface · 05/04/2016 16:42

acasualobserver

If you want to have that particular bunfightdiscussion then you could always start your very own AIBU thread about it. There should be a link at the top of the page that allows you to start one. Have fun.

Chilver · 05/04/2016 16:43

Voteforpedr0 - I agree there should be proper infrastructure for cyclists, be it segregated lanes or other. But there isnt at present, so you think it's ok to force them into the gutter so you don't have to be inconvenienced? Don't you think you're just making a dangerous situation more dangerous for cyclists instead of following the rule of road and giving them their due place on the road (which legally is the same place as cars?)

SoupDragon · 05/04/2016 16:44

I don't think a lot of people know that the box is for cyclists.

They seemed to appear in the roads out of nowhere. Whilst I worked out that they were something to do with cyclists (there is a big picture in them after all!) there was never any explanation of them that I was aware of.