To post this for road users unaware of upcoming highway code changes

[FluffyBooBoo]

That's loads of info available online, but the AA have done a study that shows that two thirds of people are unaware of the charges.

Photo attached with basic info.

Eightwheels, So traffic is your problem then, what would help then would be less cars on the roads, so more people cycling would be a good thing

@Fomofo

Eightwheels, So traffic is your problem then, what would help then would be less cars on the roads, so more people cycling would be a good thing

For city drivers it would no doubt help the flow. But I do a lot of rural areas in the midlands where it only takes one bike to create a huge backlog. I think they just need more emphasis on considerate use of the road, which is probs pissing in the wind tbh.

@EightWheelGirl why should anyone who has as much right to be on the road as you pull over or travel in the gutter where it's not safe so you are not inconvenienced?

Of course, pesky cyclists aside, surely you sometimes get held up by sheer weight of traffic? Which would be helped by fewer cars on the road.

@EightWheelGirl

Earlier you complained that you were held up for 12 WHOLE MINUTES

Um, no I didn't. But 12 mins is a lot to be held up by one vehicle, considering you could easily lose another hour to traffic, several half hour periods at delivery sites due to them not being ready or unloading other trucks first. Suddenly you're two hours behind.

Average 9-5 worker usually doesn't have a clue what it's like to get delayed for two hours when your day was already going to be a 12 hour shift.

I've forgotten what 12 hour days are lol, 3 15's and a 13 mostly!

Couple of weeks ago I did 5 15's (2 split rests stuck on site).

@SusieBob it was I that said about the 12 min hold up. My pint was that not on;y could I not get past, but neither could the long line of cars that were now stuck behind me.

Highway Code states that a slow moving vehicle should pull over to allow trapped traffic to pass. Now would this not apply to cyclists??

@firsttimedad79 those are your working conditions. Aspects of my job irritate me too. But as it's the best way I can see of earning a living I have to accept it.

@EightWheelGirl

Earlier you complained that you were held up for 12 WHOLE MINUTES

Um, no I didn't. But 12 mins is a lot to be held up by one vehicle, considering you could easily lose another hour to traffic, several half hour periods at delivery sites due to them not being ready or unloading other trucks first. Suddenly you're two hours behind.

Average 9-5 worker usually doesn't have a clue what it's like to get delayed for two hours when your day was already going to be a 12 hour shift.

Um yes you did.

But true, no 9-5 worker in the history of work has ever got delayed because of circumstances beyond your control. None at all.

Um yes you did."

Maybe you should like go back and check. Apology accepted in advance.

But true, no 9-5 worker in the history of work has ever got delayed because of circumstances beyond your control. None at all."

I'm sure it happens all the time that office workers get delayed by six hours and do a 14 hour shift, right?

Highway Code states that a slow moving vehicle should pull over to allow trapped traffic to pass. Now would this not apply to cyclists??

It should.
When we're having a day out in the car, if there's a trades persons van or truck behind us clearly in more of a hurry than us we pull over and let them by. It's just courtesy and consideration.

Otoh, 'trapped traffic' needs to recognise that there aren't always safe places for cyclists or other slow vehicles to pull in, and crowding impatiently behind doesn't help. If a cyclist labouring up a hill stops they may not be able to get going again and the next lot of cars will have a cyclist pushing a bike to wait for instead.

@ErrolTheDragon

Highway Code states that a slow moving vehicle should pull over to allow trapped traffic to pass. Now would this not apply to cyclists??

It should.
When we're having a day out in the car, if there's a trades persons van or truck behind us clearly in more of a hurry than us we pull over and let them by. It's just courtesy and consideration.

Otoh, 'trapped traffic' needs to recognise that there aren't always safe places for cyclists or other slow vehicles to pull in, and crowding impatiently behind doesn't help. If a cyclist labouring up a hill stops they may not be able to get going again and the next lot of cars will have a cyclist pushing a bike to wait for instead.

But then the 44t lorry that has to slow to a crawl on a hill has less chance of getting going again if it has to stop. Your talking about us having to reverse down the hill and start again.

When I was stuck for 12 mins behind slow cyclists (yes @SusieBob it was me who said it, not @EightWheelGirl) there were numerous places on the flat where the group could pull in. But a majority of cyclists just don't care.

Otoh, 'trapped traffic' needs to recognise that there aren't always safe places for cyclists or other slow vehicles to pull in, and crowding impatiently behind doesn't help. If a cyclist labouring up a hill stops they may not be able to get going again and the next lot of cars will have a cyclist pushing a bike to wait for instead.

I take your point, but if I can usually manage to let cars past in my 32t mixer then I'm not convinced cyclists can't.

@EightWheelGirl you and @firsttimedad79 are doing a job not a humanitarian act.

[quote limitedperiodonly]**@EightWheelGirl* you and @firsttimedad79* are doing a job not a humanitarian act.[/quote]
Quite an important job wouldn't you think??

Wait until M&S runs out of turkeys and Xmas puds lol.

Quite an important job wouldn't you think??

@firsttimedad79 I couldn't say. Some people do important jobs, sometimes even more important than driving things about in lorries.

Are you suggesting that some people are more important than others and should be able to disregard rules that the rest of us have to follow?

That's not a terribly popular position at the moment.

But cyclists aren't preventing turkeys being delivered now are they? mabes they get there slightly later but turkeys and Christmas puds will still make it. Thank you for delivering them and thank you to all those other people doing important work that doesn't involve turkeys

But currently the rules say that slower road users (ie cyclists) should pull over to let faster road users pass. I'm many people experience many cyclists do not do this. Is this ok because they are more vulnerable road users? Are they and their time more important than anyone else's? What is you don't just get stuck behind one cyclist for 12mins but multiple cyclists for multiple 12min blocks? What if the person (or one of the many) stuck behind them for a long stretch is a carer who doesn't get paid for their time in between clients?

Isn't the answer - instead of blindly accusing other road users of being selfish or unreasonable for wanting cyclists to show consideration - and apparently arguing that cyclists actions are always ok by virtue of their being more vulnerable - to expect both cyclists and motor vehicles to follow the rules and be considerate of each other?

More often than not it is sheer volume of traffic that will be slow down care workers, lorry drivers etc, not cyclists. We need less people making non essential car journeys leaving the roads clearer for key workers

*will slow down

Are you suggesting that some people are more important than others and should be able to disregard rules that the rest of us have to follow?

That's not a terribly popular position at the moment.

Yes, such people were even given a name. Key workers. Last time I checked they were incredibly well respected.

Isn't the answer - instead of blindly accusing other road users of being selfish or unreasonable for wanting cyclists to show consideration - and apparently arguing that cyclists actions are always ok by virtue of their being more vulnerable - to expect both cyclists and motor vehicles to follow the rules and be considerate of each other?

In an ideal world, yes.

It's trucks that suffer the most with not being able to get past cyclists, but I'd imagine most of the bad behaviour (certainly most of the dangerous overtakes I've seen) come from car drivers and boy racers. Professional drivers usually have to consider the fact that there are cameras all round their truck - live cameras at my last workplace where the traffic office could be watching at any given moment.

@EightWheelGirl

Isn't the answer - instead of blindly accusing other road users of being selfish or unreasonable for wanting cyclists to show consideration - and apparently arguing that cyclists actions are always ok by virtue of their being more vulnerable - to expect both cyclists and motor vehicles to follow the rules and be considerate of each other?

In an ideal world, yes.

It's trucks that suffer the most with not being able to get past cyclists, but I'd imagine most of the bad behaviour (certainly most of the dangerous overtakes I've seen) come from car drivers and boy racers. Professional drivers usually have to consider the fact that there are cameras all round their truck - live cameras at my last workplace where the traffic office could be watching at any given moment.

Me an my partner cycle, a lot, always have and certainly traffic has changed dramatically over the years.

Very glad to hear lorries have cameras around them but in all honesty, i don't know any cyclist who doesn't get out the way when a lorry is behind, its just not enjoyable knowing there is one behind you - plus they are doing a job, i'm not.

@BewareTheRedNosedDragon
My DD is a carer and not a cyclist, she says what holds her up are lorries, delivery vans, road works, sheer volume of traffic... Cyclists? nope, just not enough of them, she covers a v popular national park and market towns that attract a lot of cyclists.

@EightWheelGirl do you mean like this key worker killed in a collision with an HGV driver?

It's not clear which driver was at fault if any. It's a very busy and dangerous junction that has claimed the lives of seven cyclists. Every person - key worker or not - has a right to be there and travel safely. No one should have to get out of anyone's way. Sensible people share the road whether they are saving the lives of children or delivering turkeys and xmas puds.

@Fomofo

But cyclists aren't preventing turkeys being delivered now are they? mabes they get there slightly later but turkeys and Christmas puds will still make it. Thank you for delivering them and thank you to all those other people doing important work that doesn't involve turkeys

But then when we get to the delivery point late the loads get refused as we aren't there in our slot. So they wouldn't get delivered in time.