Cyclists and the Highway Code

[Jemima232]

Huh. Just Huh.

And Wow, too.

So now we have to be careful not to knock cyclists over, when driving past them.

Of course, they don't have to be careful not to knock anyone over when they go through red traffic lights, do they?

As if they need more legislation in their favour. It absolutely enrages me.

[FiddlesticksAkimbo]

Huh. Just Huh.

But then more!

So now we have to be careful not to knock cyclists over, when driving past them.

Political correctness gone mad, isn't it?

[RedSheep73]

You're so far beyond unreasonable, you are being a total dick. You weigh your slight annoyance at someone riding through a red light as more important than than right of a human being not to get mashed by a car. Shut up and grow a brain.

[Jemima232]

RedSheep - it isn't my slight annoyance. It's the fact that cyclists run people over and kill them. That is my point.

And even if they didn't run people over and kill them, it's illegal to go through red lights.

[CuriousaboutSamphire]

Pardon?

You object to having to avoid killing someone with your car? You object to a fine being introduced to try and make drivers do what the Highway Code tells them they should be doing anyway?

You think cyclists are allowed to cycel through people?

OK! [backs away slowly]

[echt]

Of course, they don't have to be careful not to knock anyone over when they go through red traffic lights, do they?

Everyone has to be careful at red lights.

[SinisterBumFacedCat]

I’ve seen cyclists cross red lights and weave their way through school children at a pedestrian crossing before. Of course I always give them space when passing in my car but I do wish they would extend the same courtesy to pedestrians crossing the road or walking on the pavement.

[SomewhereInbetween1]

A cyclist has significant less protection in their clothing than you do in your big metal box. Don't be a dick just because driving around them requires a little more concentration than you're apparently used to.

[Jemima232]

No, I do not think that drivers of vehicles should be allowed to drive through cyclists.

I meant that if we need to be reminded that we shouldn't drive through cyclists,, then cyclists should be reminded not to drive through and kill pedestrians at red lights.

It seems idiotic to introduce legislation to protect cyclists, when pedestrians are not protected from cyclists who plough through them and cause injury and death because they feel entitled to go through red lights, as they cannot be arsed to stop.

[echt]

OP, would you care to cite the number of people in the UK killed by cyclists in........whatever?

[CuriousaboutSamphire]

Figures released by the Department for Transport (DfT) lasy year:

• the number of pedestrians hit by cyclists has increased from 466 in 2013 to 531 last year – a 13 per cent increase.

• the number of pedestrians involved in cycle collisions last year represents 162 people per billion miles walked.

• those seriously hurt has jumped from 93 to 122

• those killed has dropped from six to three.

DfT notes that the ncreases could be caused by a dfferent method of collating data, a similar change was noted in car related accidents and deaths

There is also a consultation on reducing dangerous cycling.

What else wold you like to see any government do in response to changes in how we use the roads?

[echt]

It seems idiotic to introduce legislation to protect cyclists, when pedestrians are not protected from cyclists who plough through them and cause injury and death because they feel entitled to go through red lights, as they cannot be arsed to stop

In what world are people killed by cyclists not protected to the same extent as those killed by motorists?

[PaddyF0dder]

Ignoring the rather ineffectual trolling of the original poster (oh noes! I’m not allowed to hit cyclists!) the issue is poor infrastructure.

Cycling infrastructure should get the same priority (or ideally greater priority) than car infrastructure. It doesn’t. So cyclists are left to make do with sharing the road with car and buses.

Rather than indulge in this silly motorists vs cyclists dichotomy bullshit, people should instead put the energy into demanding proper separate cycleways that make cycling a truly viable and safe form of transport.

[sunshinefordays]

More cyclists on the road is better for public health and the planet. I agree that cyclist should follow the Highway Code.

In my experience drivers cause more traffic jams, deaths and often conduct themselves with more aggression than your average cyclist.

[Jemima232]

Echt - of course cyclists should be protected from injury. I would not deliberately try to injure a cyclist, as it is dangerous and illegal to do so.

But cyclists do not try to protect pedestrians from injury. That is my point.

And I think that legislation needs to address this point. I do not know how this would be policed but I would like to see cyclists have to face the same penalties as all road users.

[echt]

So now we have to be careful not to knock cyclists over, when driving past them

Oh. My. God. That's new?

[sunshinefordays]

I would also like to add that pedestrians can be in the wrong too for walking out without looking.

This happened to me when I was cycling through central London and a woman looking down at her phone walked straight out into me. I had no time to avoid the collision. She was unhurt but ran off and left me in the road to be taken to hospital in an ambulance.

All road users can endanger each other, but cars/buses/lorries are the most likely to cause fatalities.

[CuriousaboutSamphire]

But cyclists do not try to protect pedestrians from injury. That is my point. Ludicrous!

And I assume you will continue to ignore any posts containing information that show it to be so!

[echt]

But cyclists do not try to protect pedestrians from injury. That is my point

Some evidence would help here. And not anecdotes, please.

[Faffette]

I don't know what you think bikes are made of Jemima, but if I ploughed through a pedestrian, I would most likely seriously hurt myself. So funnily enough, I try to avoid them if possible. I suspect the same for other cyclists.

[Jemima232]

I don't think I was clear in my original post.

I do not think that motorists should have the right to endanger cyclists on the road. Obviously not. I have actually taken the number of divers road users who have deliberately tried to run cyclists off the road.

I would just like to know what the government intends to do about the blatant disregard the vast majority of cyclists have towards the safety of other road users, particularly pedestrians.

[LordEmsworth]

In 2016, 3 pedestrians were killed by cyclists. 289 were killed by drivers. 102 cyclists were killed by drivers.

You seem to be suggesting that cyclists deserve not to be treated with consideration by drivers, because cyclists are a significant cause of pedestrian deaths. That argument is factually untrue.

fullfact.org/health/cyclist-deaths/

You seem to think that all cyclists are reckless therefore it's your duty as a driver to try to take them out, in order to protect pedestrians. Alternatively you could try looking to control your own behaviour and aggressive tendencies maybe?

[RedSheep73]

Jemima232 I've never heard of a cyclist killing a pedestrian at a red light, though I'm happy to stand corrected uf you can give proof. I have however known of a depressing number knocked down and injured or killed by motorists. What I'm saying is, it is not equivalent. It is not relevant.

Cyclists are also bound by the highway code you know, and they are not allowed to run through red lights. But even if some if them do, that in no way gives any driver any right to put any cyclists' their life in danger in any way whatsoever.

Some dogs bite people - so that means its ok for me to run over dogs, yeah? and how dare you suggest I go out of my way not to run them down, they bite people! That's what you just said - only you're taliking about running over actual people.

What you said just makes you look like an idiot, but I know you aren't the only one who thinks that. My dh still has the scars from 1 of the bastards running him off the road.

[echt]

I would just like to know what the government intends to do about the blatant disregard the vast majority of cyclists have towards the safety of other road users, particularly pedestrians

Evidence please, or it's just you bleating.

[kingsassassin]

There already is legislation to protect pedestrians from rampant cyclists. See www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/18/cyclist-charlie-alliston-jailed-for-18-months-over-death-of-pedestrian

This cyclist will have significantly more time in jail than for many motorists convicted of causing death by careless driving. www.roadpeace.org/2018/08/20/death-by-careless-driving-ten-years-on/