To be surprised this is legal?

[jennymanara]

Today I was driving along a dual carriageway where other cars were going at 60-70mph at least, and came across a cyclist on the road cycling slowly along on the left hand lane. The cyclist was not going fast. This seemed incredibly dangerous for the cyclist as they were going so much slower than any other vehicle on the road.

So AIBU for being surprised this is legal? This road in reality was no different from a motorway except that there was no hard shoulder, and cyclists are rightly banned from motorways as it is recognised as too dangerous for cyclists to be on.

This happened to me at a traffic light, I was taking off SLOWLY and a cyclist cut in front, if I had been even slightly faster it would have been fatal. But no drivers are still to blame!

Cyclists don’t materialize out of nowhere. Drivers are to blame for not being aware of their surroundings.

So, you didn't check your mirrors before accelerating forward? riiiiight.

In the only stats i could find, 70% of drivers were responsible for all accidents.
87% when involved with a cyclist.

Sure there are stupid cyclists etc but when it comes to bike V car, only the cyclist is going to be killed or seriously injured.

Personally, i treat vulnerable road users like a would if i saw a child running about on a pavement, i slow and i'm ready for unexpected actions, i really don't want anyone's death on my conscience regardless of blame.

Just because you will get hurt more, doesnt mean you are less responsible.

Actually you can be setting off from lights, check your mirrors, outbid the cyclist is coming at speed and dodging round cars, in and out they can appear out of nowhere.

Since this bike seemingly came down the outside and crossed in front of the car, sounds like they were doing this.

I cycle. All weekend every weekend. I might be lucky but I have never been nearly knocked off. Ever. But then I ride sensibly as well.

You are completely missing the point.

I said there are stupid and reckless cyclists but they are, like anyone else who isn't surrounded with a ton of steel cage, vulnerable - so drive accordingly.

No cyclist or pedestrian "appears out of nowhere"
A good driver is checking their mirrors long before the lights go green, so would see this teleporting crazy cyclist hurtling towards them at light sped.

I think some of the posters here are being a little selective (at best) or deceptive (at worst) with statistics to do with "deaths caused by cars". In 2016, 102 cyclists dies in accidents - not the thousands suggested earlier in the thread.

Human error is the main contributory factor involving cyclist collisions. Driver/rider error was the most frequently reported reason for the incident involving 71% of all reported accidents in 2016.
Note the use of Driver/Rider fault and not just Driver. ‘Failed to look properly’ was attributed to the car driver in 57% of serious collisions and to the cyclist in 43% of serious collisions at junctions.

The second most common contributory factor attributed to cyclists was ‘cyclist entering the road from the pavement’ (including when a cyclist crosses the road at a pedestrian crossing), which was recorded in about 20% serious collisions (and over one third of serious collisions involving child cyclists).

Yes - some drivers are arseholes who do not pay due care and attention. But to suggest that drivers/cars are "overwhelmingly" responsible for cyclist deaths is simply not true.

Having said that - I'm not sure that cyclists are any more at risk/dangerous on an A road. More accidents happen at junctions and at roundabouts than anywhere else, and drivers on A roads should be able to see ahead and stop in time for any obstruction.

Ref:
ROSPA Cycling Factsheet

they can appear out of nowhere.

They really fucking can't, you know.

There are some posters here who think cyclists can do no wrong, and all roads are totally fine for cyclists.

There are some posters here who think cyclists can do no wrong, and all roads are totally fine for cyclists.

Actually they can come out of nowhere.

I have seen cyclists weave in and out and around cars

A car driver can no stare at one mirror for prolonged periods.

If you are sat at traffic lights on a road that is not straight and they come at speed round a corner. Yes they can.

If they cant how do you account for cyclists, usually going to fast in town centres running into pedestrians?

Pedestrians looking both way before stepping into the road but a cyclist at speed still knocking them over.

A woman was killed in London a few years ago, like this.

If all cyclists were sensible. I would agree. But they arent. I see all sorts if ridiculous things done on the roads by cyclists. Though a local cycling club is the worst. And by car drivers.

Weaving in and out between slow moving cars. Under taking and over taking. Even with tractors. Or coming out of the trails between fields straight into the road. If you are driving at 30 miles and hour and a bike comes off a trail that you cant see from the road straight into the road. How have they not come out of anywhere?

To suggest cyclist are never to blame because they get hurt more is ridiculous.

I live rurally outside Leeds. Motorcyclists are the worst in the summer. Its terrifying on some of the roads round here. Being vulnerable doesnt stop then over taking dangerously and weaving either

We are all responsible for our own actions.

There are some posters here who think cyclists can do no wrong, and all roads are totally fine for cyclists.

Actually they can come out of nowhere.

I have seen cyclists weave in and out and around cars

A car driver can no stare at one mirror for prolonged periods.

If you are sat at traffic lights on a road that is not straight and they come at speed round a corner. Yes they can.

If they cant how do you account for cyclists, usually going to fast in town centres running into pedestrians?

Pedestrians looking both way before stepping into the road but a cyclist at speed still knocking them over.

A woman was killed in London a few years ago, like this.

If all cyclists were sensible. I would agree. But they arent. I see all sorts if ridiculous things done on the roads by cyclists. Though a local cycling club is the worst. And by car drivers.

Weaving in and out between slow moving cars. Under taking and over taking. Even with tractors. Or coming out of the trails between fields straight into the road. If you are driving at 30 miles and hour and a bike comes off a trail that you cant see from the road straight into the road. How have they not come out of anywhere?

To suggest cyclist are never to blame because they get hurt more is ridiculous. I cyclem I dont weave from the inside to the outside of traffic or attempt to keep my speed up approaching lights when they are changing betting I can beat the car setting off at the lights.

I live rurally outside Leeds. Motorcyclists are the worst in the summer. Its terrifying on some of the roads round here. Being vulnerable doesnt stop then over taking dangerously and weaving either

We are all responsible for our own actions.

Actually they can come out of nowhere.

I have seen cyclists weave in and out and around cars

A car driver can no stare at one mirror for prolonged periods.

If you are sat at traffic lights on a road that is not straight and they come at speed round a corner. Yes they can.

If they cant how do you account for cyclists, usually going to fast in town centres running into pedestrians?

Pedestrians looking both way before stepping into the road but a cyclist at speed still knocking them over.

A woman was killed in London a few years ago, like this.

If all cyclists were sensible. I would agree. But they arent. I see all sorts if ridiculous things done on the roads by cyclists. Though a local cycling club is the worst. And by car drivers.

Weaving in and out between slow moving cars. Under taking and over taking. Even with tractors. Or coming out of the trails between fields straight into the road. If you are driving at 30 miles and hour and a bike comes off a trail that you cant see from the road straight into the road. How have they not come out of anywhere?

To suggest cyclist are never to blame because they get hurt more is ridiculous. I cyclem I dont weave from the inside to the outside of traffic or attempt to keep my speed up approaching lights when they are changing betting I can beat the car setting off at the lights.

I live rurally outside Leeds. Motorcyclists are the worst in the summer. Its terrifying on some of the roads round here. Being vulnerable doesnt stop then over taking dangerously and weaving either

We are all responsible for our own actions.

Actually they can come out of nowhere.

I have seen cyclists weave in and out and around cars

A car driver can no stare at one mirror for prolonged periods.

If you are sat at traffic lights on a road that is not straight and they come at speed round a corner. Yes they can.

If they cant how do you account for cyclists, usually going to fast in town centres running into pedestrians?

Pedestrians looking both way before stepping into the road but a cyclist at speed still knocking them over.

A woman was killed in London a few years ago, like this.

If all cyclists were sensible. I would agree. But they arent. I see all sorts if ridiculous things done on the roads by cyclists. Though a local cycling club is the worst. And by car drivers.

Weaving in and out between slow moving cars. Under taking and over taking. Even with tractors. Or coming out of the trails between fields straight into the road. If you are driving at 30 miles and hour and a bike comes off a trail that you cant see from the road straight into the road. How have they not come out of anywhere?

To suggest cyclist are never to blame because they get hurt more is ridiculous. I cyclem I dont weave from the inside to the outside of traffic or attempt to keep my speed up approaching lights when they are changing betting I can beat the car setting off at the lights.

I live rurally outside Leeds. Motorcyclists are the worst in the summer. Its terrifying on some of the roads round here. Being vulnerable doesnt stop then over taking dangerously and weaving either

We are all responsible for our own actions.

Actually they can come out of nowhere.

Oh don't be so bloody ridiculous. They aren't teleported down on to the road Star Trek style. Just because you didn't see where they came from doesn't mean they came out of nowhere.

Use your brain.

If you are cycling on what is basically a motorway

You're still churning out this utter tripe. A motorway is a motorway, a fast A road isn't. Only a motorway is basically a motorway, because it's actually is a motorway. The A1 is basically an A road.

Lifecraft I am using my brain. Obviously you arent.

I have given a situation where people come off a rural trial tmstaright into the road. Is that not coming out of nowhere?

Or do you take everything at the literal meaning of the words. No turns of phrase allowed?

It shouldn't be, it's dangerous for them and other road users. Only the other day everyone started slamming their brakes on, hazards were going and all because of a cyclist, no high vis, no helmet on a road where people are doing 70.

It's really dangerous.

Shequakes it was obvious what you mean.

For some reason there lots if mners who believe cyclists never do anything wrong. Then theres a bunch that think their are all dicks. Anyone that can acknowledge that some cyclists are dicks and some car drivers, arent really appreciated by any of the groups.

There is a campaign locally after a cyclist was killed on a busy dual carriageway that they were legally on at night with just their bike light and no street lighting. I don't see how cyclists stand a chance on dual carrigeways.

@Shequakes
I used to live in London, i ve been on motorcycles - pillion and bicycles most of my life, drive 30 to 40k per year... and never ever has a cyclist "appeared out of nowhere"

I ve seen some appalling riding too, as i said up thread so not sure where the "cyclists can do no wrong" comes from?

So imho i think people are being "imaginative" in their anecdotes to support their belief that cyclists don't belong on the road.

Whether you like it or not, the day of mass car usage is coming to an end, air pollution, global warming and congestion are seeing to that, so get used to more cyclists on the road not less :)

Whether you like it or not, the day of mass car usage is coming to an end, air pollution, global warming and congestion are seeing to that, so get used to more cyclists on the road not less

Clearly you missed the bit where i cycle. If I could get ds into the closest school i would have a car at all. Unfortunately, I cant get ds to school and to work, then back for ds without a car.

If I had a choice, I wouldnt bloody drive at all. As a single parent it's an expense I would rather do without.

If I am off work, at weekends etc. I dont drive if it's at all possible. I walk or cycle.

I would love less cars and love to be without one. So i dont know where you get the above statement from.

I spend £50 a week in petrol. Its 15% of my take home wage. And to be honest until theres the situation where public transport is good and kids all get into their local school, or work options for work are better for rural living. I cant see car usage as being over.

Apologies, was a general "you" addressing the pro car lobby.

Of course car use isn't going to to vanish completely but we simply cannot continue as we are going with fossil fuel usage.....and electric car technology plus how the electricity is produced just isn't there at the moment, so car use will need to fall or we are going to see more air pollution and congestion.
Its shocking that villages in Cornwall on the A390 or A39/A38 are exceeding international air pollution limits, let alone towns and cities.

Some may dislike cyclists but if they weren't commuting or riding bikes as a hobby, they'd be in cars doing something else, adding to the issues.

jasjas1973

So imho i think people are being "imaginative" in their anecdotes to support their belief that cyclists don't belong on the road.

Imho, I think that you are just denying that these things happen and being imaginative in your responses to blame drivers.

The truth is that there are bad driver, cyclists and pedestrians out there.

And we should all be taking care to move accordingly whether we have a steel cage around us or not.

@BoneyBackJefferson
Never seen traffic doing 70mph, on a DC, slowed to 10mph..... because of a cyclist, they are not the width of a farm tractor (also allowed on DC's) Just asked some of the techs who drive 50k per year if it has happened to them and they said NO, twisty B roads yes.

Plenty of cyclists use the A30 in Cornwall (as part of the lands end/john of groats route) cars don't even slow to 60... they just sail past, some indicate, some don't.

Perhaps the PP who said a cyclist with no lights, helmet etc killed at night recently on a DC, could post the link of this tragedy and the Police/coroner report where he/she is blamed for the incident?

I use the A2 daily which is perhaps one of the busier A roads being part of the main route from M25 to Dover. It carries a huge amount of traffic and particularly lorries heading for the port every day. I don't see many cyclists on it but if they are allowed would be incredibly dangerous. Not just for the cyclist but for everyone. You just can't slow down to 10mph on the A2 with the volume of high speed traffic it carries unless you want to be responsible for a multiple vehicle pile up.