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.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847818308179

Interesting article. Angry drivers who do not perceive people on bikes as legitimate road users make things more dangerous.

If cyclists want a new infrastructure to aid their choice of transport they should contribute to it; perhaps a “road cycling tax”. It may be an old canard but that doesn’t diminish its validity.

Motorists have had nearly a century in which they have made no direct tax contribution to the upkeep and creation of the road network. As mentioned, it comes from central and local taxation, so has been paid for by all taxpayers regardless of whether they own or use a car.

But all of a sudden cyclists, many of whom have spent their working lives contributing to the road network through taxation, need to provide their own extra ringfenced tax fund to make the roads safer for themselves (and by safer we mean protected from the desire of motorists to get past them to the back of the next queue as quickly as possible)

Sounds fair.

I was run over on a pavement by a cyclist. I was nearly knocked over by a different cyclist when crossing a one-way street - he was going the wrong way.
I see lots of cyclists wearing dark clothes, no helmet, no lights after dark, who cycle whilst talking into a hand held phone or texting.

^Maybe I didn’t explain myself properly for those who couldn’t understand. If cyclists want a new infrastructure to aid their choice of transport they should contribute to it; perhaps a “road cycling tax”. It may be an old canard but that doesn’t diminish its validity.
Same for insurance - to benefit both the cyclist and anyone else involved in an accident^

So, from now on, you want motorists to be solely responsible for the upkeep of roads, and you will introduce a new additional tax on car owners, to pay for the roads, yes?

Have fun with that. At the moment, you understand that we all pay for the upkeep of roads from general taxation, yes?

P.S. I already have third-party insurance as a cyclist. As do many others, I expect.

I was nearly knocked over by a different cyclist when crossing a one-way street - he was going the wrong way.

Cyclists are specifically allowed to cycle down many streets which are one-way for motorised traffic the "wrong" way. Pedestrians should always look both ways when crossing a one-way street.

I am perfectly in favour of cyclists who break the law being ticketed, as they can be and are. And incidentally, lights at night is a legal requirement but helmets and hi-viz are not.

The greater benefit of enabling and supporting wider cycling easily outweighs the very marginal gains that would come from enforcing a system of cycle "registration".

I went past the line at a red light on a bike yesterday because a car was in the bike box.
I did stop in front of the line though and wait for the light to change. Did I "run the red light" or no?

I was run over on a pavement by a cyclist. I was nearly knocked over by a different cyclist when crossing a one-way street - he was going the wrong way.
I see lots of cyclists wearing dark clothes, no helmet, no lights after dark, who cycle whilst talking into a hand held phone or texting.

Does this anecdote absolve drivers of their responsibility not to injure or kill other road users? What is your point?

Can we establish that two wrongs don't make a right?

I was almost squeezed off the road by an inexplicably angry van driver the other day. Blaring his horn, face puce.
Also I've lost count of the number of times a car has tried to overtake on a blind corner. People will risk a life for seconds.
Yes cyclists can be assholes too but the majority, like myself are just keeping fit, minding our own business and sticking to the highway code.
Why do motorists get so angry? I think some are just fat bastards who wouldn't dream of cycling anywhere. They're projecting their cunting laziness, that's all. Some are sexist. How dare a woman be fitter, look better and be out on the roads kicking ass when she should be washing said lazy, fat bastard's dishes. If you get so angry that you can't spare a few seconds to give space, that you lack empathy to the degree that you'd risk the life of a mother, wife, father, son then you are a shallow, pointless cunt end of.
Oh and cars will be pointless when we have ruined this planet then you'll be weeping like overgrown babies when you can't cycle anywhere because your muscles are useless because all you cared about was your car - a piece of metal just like your brain.

Does this anecdote absolve drivers of their responsibility not to injure or kill other road users? What is your point?

Obviously yes. Every time a cyclist in London is seen jumping a red light, drivers up and down the rest of the country are issued with a Get Out of Jail Free card which entitles them to crush another cyclist for free.

But while we're on this subject, I'll tell you what I see a lot of: kids on bikes with no lights in dark clothing. In the evening, or on their way to and from school in the morning.

I doubt they bought their bikes themselves. Their parents did. But their parents don't make sure they have lights. In 2017, 69% of adult women could drive, and 80% of men could drive, so chances are their parents are fully aware of how difficult it is to see cyclists without lights in the dark.

Why are so many car drivers bringing their kids up to cycle on the road without lights?

Can we establish that two wrongs don't make a right?

You could have every single person who has ever even breathed near a bike on MN coming on threads like these and saying "yes, wankers on two wheels exist, we agree, but don't tar everyone with the same brush!"

And still there will be person after person claiming that all cyclists are the most dangerous menace to mankind going, and how we are ALL riding over the speed limit/going too slowly; clad like ninjas/wearing wanker lycra; rudely/angrily/not at all using bells or voices; riding too close/far from the kerb etc.

Its threads like this where people choose to answer the question in their head, not the actual one asked.

I'm assuming you're a troll as nobody could be as silly as you are making yourself sound with dumb, unfounded comments you've posted.

User X, I drive and I cycle but usually go around by foot. When I go on my bike, I wear light or reflective clothes and a helmet. I do not wobble about on a bike trying to text, just like I don't walk around slowly texting.

From Vulpine (awful) Twitter link mobile.twitter.com/ormondroyd/status/910244326567006211

"They picture themselves behind the wheel, rather than under the wheels."

Sums up many people on this thread.

@UserX definitely.

@JamieVardysHavingAParty it's laughable, but the impatience/red mist that some drivers exhibit is shocking. It's as if they have a driving alter ego.

@Mrs drudge I disagree. Cycling needs to be accessible for everyone, especially children. Funding cycling infrastructure investments should come from the pot. As an adult I'm comfortable cycling on most roads, except the national speed limit, single lane, country roads. I don't think children should be cycling on the roads, at present they should be doing so, but I don't think this is sensible. So there needs to be a good cycling infrastructure.

An effective cycling tax would be difficult to implement and maintain, and would probably cost more to implement/run than the income it generated. The only feasible option i can think of would be a one off tax/duty on new bikes. In substance, cyclists are on par with pedestrians, even though they have to use the roads with vehicles (in terms of regulating). So how to enforce a tax if they're not licensed, the same goes for insurance.

I have Insurance though, through my membership of Cycling UK, national cycling charity.

The single biggest thing that would make cycling safer for everyone is more cyclists.

So far from taxes on new bikes (and I know it was only a suggestion), the better option would be incentives!

BuzzPeakWankBobbly

A terrible indictment of public priorities. Pedestrians' lives only matter if a cyclist kills them. Alliston richly deserved his sentence, but what about all the other people walking or cycling who get killed on the roads?

I'd forgotten until those tweets reminded me, but one lorry driver killed not one, but two cyclists in two separate incidents through driving without the glasses he needed.

The first time, he only got three points and a £200 fine.

I saw a cyclist do just this yesterday. I was stopped at a red light in a very busy part of a big city and he just flew up the side of me and straight through!

People with this attitude really shouldn't be on the road.

We absolutely don't need taxes or other measures disincentivising cycling. As a society we should be aiming to have the maximum number of people cycling possible. Of course not everyone can cycle and most people cannot cycle for all journeys, but if everyone who could cycle made all the journeys they could by bike, imagine the cuts in carbon emissions and the benefits to public health. I am quite certain the roads would also be safer with fewer cars and more bikes on them.

People cycle for a variety of reasons and the fact that it is much cheaper and easier than operating a car is one of them. Incentivising cycling should be a matter of priority for everyone involved in transport policy and road infrastructure.

I am a cyclist and a driver and as a car driver I am very happy for cyclists to go through the red lights in front of me if it is safe for all involved because than it's easier and less hazardous for me to pull off. If we had the law that cyclist can turn left at red lights like they do in some countries I'm pretty sure there would be cyclists alive today that have been killed at junctions by lorries etc.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/video/2019/may/09/do-cyclists-think-theyre-above-the-law-and-does-it-even-matter-video

If no 0ne has posted this - some good data.

I think drivers need to be careful about cyclists. And should do so without a rule. However, as a pedestrian who has mild visual disabilities and cannot easily just manoeuvre my way around cyclists, I do find that some of them are inconsiderate/ unaware of pedestrians. For my own safety, I always cross at pedestrian crossings if at all possible, even if I have to go significantly out of my way to do so; and I wait till the lights are green. Some cyclists will just continue going and expect pedestrians to co-ordinate our movements with theirs - which is exactly what is problematic for me. A couple of weeks ago, such a cyclist not only continued to cycle through the green pedestrian light, but ordered me to 'get a f...ing move on' when I then waited for him to pass by before I continued to cross. And even if being hit by a bike is usually not quite as serious as being hit by a car, it is still quite serious. I have known an elderly person who died as a result of being hit by a cyclist when crossing a road. None of this is any excuse for drivers to ignore cyclists, or complain about laws that require them to avoid running cyclists down, and I also know a number of cases where this has happened. I know someone who is seriously disabled after being knocked of her bike by a reckless driver, and another who avoided death or serious disability in a similar situation by what can only be described as a medical miracle. There needs to be a general acceptance by drivers, cyclists, and the sort of pedestrians who run across the road without looking carefully, that avoiding injury to themselves or others is more important than getting places as quickly as possible.

Should have been 'and should do so without even needing a rule'.