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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:
BoneyBackJefferson · 05/04/2016 22:06

53rdAndBird

The clue is the word cyclist.

53rdAndBird · 05/04/2016 22:08

Cycling on the pavement really annoys me, though. Pavement is for pedestrians. If you don't feel safe cycling on the road, you can jump off and push the bike and be a pedestrian for a bit too! I still do this to get past one really nasty junction on my cycle to work.

53rdAndBird · 05/04/2016 22:12

The clue is the word cyclist.

How does that make sense? You might just as well say "the clue is the words 'red light'", and say that the thread is really about people jumping red lights, no matter what kind of vehicle they're in.

LoveBuzz · 05/04/2016 22:14

So why is it apparently okay for a cyclist to deal with their own fright by simply passing it on to someone even more vulnerable?

It's not okay. Unless the footpath is a shared-use path.

But pedestrians who get hit by bad cyclists tend to get hurt; cyclists who get hit by bad drivers tend to get dead.

Yet the focus of vitriol is always on the rogue cyclists endangering pedestrians, whereas the rogue drivers endangering cyclists are forgiveable. Why? Because everyone can identify with the position of drivers, because everyone drives; the same cannot be said of cyclists. Cyclists, as I said above, are perceived as "them", not "us".

BoneyBackJefferson · 05/04/2016 22:17

53rdAndBird

You are really trying to stretch the point, the truth is that cyclists do bad things and when somebody has the audacity to say something about it, some people get the hump.

Zampa · 05/04/2016 22:17

CockacidalManiac I disagree that a lot of cyclists break the law but can agree that some do. No law breaking is excusable. But rather than just complain about the law breaking, it seems sensible to look at WHY cyclists break the law. That, to me, is not "Whattaboutery" but the logical way to reach a solution that encompasses the needs of all road users.

Puzzledandpissedoff It is not "okay for a cyclist to deal with their own fright by simply passing it on to someone even more vulnerable". But again, why do cyclists use the pavements?

As I've already posted, the way to prevent accidents and promote safe driving/riding is to understand other road users and their needs. Investment in better infrastructure would be great but mutual respect would help.

So, sure, let's agree that the OP is reasonably allowed to want to throttle cyclists who go through red lights. But can we now direct that ire where it really matters?

Zampa · 05/04/2016 22:20

Well said LoveBuzz.

backwardpossom · 05/04/2016 22:23

Given that the thread is about what dickhead cyclists do

It's not though. It's about dickhead cyclists who cycle through red lights.

53rdAndBird · 05/04/2016 22:24

You are really trying to stretch the point, the truth is that cyclists do bad things and when somebody has the audacity to say something about it, some people get the hump.

I'm not "getting the hump". I've said about four times now that cyclists shouldn't go through red lights, that it's dangerous and inconsiderate.

I'm pointing out that it's unfair of you to expand the topic from "cyclists jumping red lights" to "cyclists doing any dickish thing", then criticise other posters for not being on topic when they talk about cars going through red lights.

BoneyBackJefferson · 05/04/2016 22:27

and yet its still about cyclists, the criticism for going off topic or derailing the thread is valid.

53rdAndBird · 05/04/2016 22:30

It's about cyclists going through red lights.

You are talking about cyclists doing bad things in general. That is related to what the thread was originally about.

Other people are talking about non-cyclists going through red lights. That is just as much related to what the thread was originally about.

What you're basically saying is "I just want to talk about cyclists." Which is fine, but it doesn't make you any more on topic than somebody saying "I just want to talk about going through red lights."

BoneyBackJefferson · 05/04/2016 22:32

53rdAndBird

If you say so, but other posters have pulled the thread back to stupid things cyclists do, Because that is what they want to talk about.

Is that so wrong?

53rdAndBird · 05/04/2016 22:33

(speaking of which, if the buses round here would stop driving on to a pedestrian crossing when there's stationary traffic ahead so that they block it for all the pedestrians once the lights change, I would really sodding appreciate it. Grrr.)

53rdAndBird · 05/04/2016 22:34

*If you say so, but other posters have pulled the thread back to stupid things cyclists do, Because that is what they want to talk about.

Is that so wrong?*

I'm not the one complaining about people going off-topic! I'm happy to talk about other bad things cyclists do - and about other bad things drivers do, too. Both fine by me.

AgentCooper · 05/04/2016 22:36

I wonder if OP lives near me? There's a busy junction with several pedestrian crossing points just outside a primary school on my way to work and cyclists constantly run the red lights. It's scary. It didn't actually bother me that much until one day one of them hit my mum and didn't stop.

BoneyBackJefferson · 05/04/2016 22:39

I'm not the one complaining about people going off-topic!

But you are, you are complaining about posters talking about cyclists doing stupid things other than going through red lights.

Pipbin · 05/04/2016 22:43

everyone can identify with the position of drivers, because everyone drives;

No they don't.

53rdAndBird · 05/04/2016 22:45

But you are, you are complaining about posters talking about cyclists doing stupid things other than going through red lights.

I never said that. Are you mixing me up with another poster?

Like I said, I'm fine with posters talking about cyclists doing other bad things. Just like I'm fine with posters talking about drivers doing bad things, or general road infrastructure, or how traffic lights work, or whatever else.

You were the one talking about "whataboutery" and people not being "on topic".

Pipbin · 05/04/2016 22:46

I think the difference between a cyclist going through a red light and a car is that I have witnessed a number of cyclists going through red lights where there are a large number of people crossing already. They force their way though scattering people trying to cross.
I have also seen drivers fail to stop as the lights turn red but I have yet to see a driver go through a red light when there are already people crossing. It might well happen in big cities where drivers are twats stressed but I've not seen it.

CockacidalManiac · 05/04/2016 22:50

I've never seen it either

BoneyBackJefferson · 05/04/2016 23:46

53rdAndBird
But the thread already includes lots of people bleating on about other grievances they have against cyclists. You can't really say "this thread is about cyclists jumping red lights, therefore it's fine to talk about cyclists doing other stuff, but not to talk about other people jumping red lights."

This would be you complaining about posters bleating on about cyclists.

InsufficientlyCaffeinated · 05/04/2016 23:53

Only if you do the same to the many more drivers who do it, or who text while driving, drive over the speed limit. Especially the 2 drivers just last week who hit and run leaving children seriously injured.

I wish people would get irate about drivers more often. Yes the cyclist was wrong but I'm sick of how we just accept deaths & injuries by drivers yet the second a cyclist does something wrong it's front page news & they're a menace to society

fingles · 05/04/2016 23:54

Nor I. Cyclists round us in London (SE) do it daily, though.

Am surprised by the earlier poster's assertion that 25% of London traffic is cyclists. It really doesn't look like it.

InsufficientlyCaffeinated · 05/04/2016 23:55

Pipbin I've had drivers just carry on driving at me while blasting their horn while I've been crossing. Had many a near miss on zebra crossings. Drivers don't stop at them unless you step out and few people will step in to moving traffic.

Pipbin · 05/04/2016 23:56

Only if you do the same to the many more drivers who do it, or who text while driving, drive over the speed limit.
They can all be tracked by their numberplate and ticketed. Granted it doesn't happen often but in theory it can. They have licences, they are accountable - theoretically.

Serious question - can cyclist who cycle at night without lights be prosecuted?