Page 22 | 9hrs is all it took!

Finallylostit · 2022-01-29T10:45:39+00:00

The new highway code to cause anger! I went for my morning cycle - no issues did nothing different than I normally do. Home, shower, jump in car to get food shopping. I live down a country road - wide enough for 2 cars to pass with care, wide enough for a car to over take a cyclist sticking to the left of the lane, with the required space at certain points. Locals all know the places to do it safely. Today 1 cyclist riding down the middle of the lane - now unsafe for car to pull over to other lane and pass - brilliant Was he considerate of other road users and pulled over- no. As on the other side were 8 riders riding two abreast high fiving each other and doing the finger to the motorists. Shouting its the law twats! Were they considerate of other road users no. Some of the new laws i think are sensible - but the ride in the middle of the road, even if there is a cycle lane because you don't feel like it - is asinine 2 abreast packs of mamils hunting on weekends as they venture out of London - when they are generally rude enough as it is - gives those cyclists who are arseholes a legal right to now be an arsehole. Be considerate and pull over to let cars and vans pass - that is as likely as Downing Street not having another party in a lockdown!

SirVixofVixHall · 30/01/2022 20:54

@anothersmahedmug

The rules changed because so many people were staying close to the edge and then getting knocked off , and it was discovered that those who were in your terms less considerate are actually less likely to get knocked off

If you cycle , Stay safe , take up space

Agree with this. Much safer. About time cyclists’ safety is prioritised over cars.

stoppedlurking · 30/01/2022 21:04

As a cyclist who does 7000 miles a year please realise we are not all like the OP describes. It's like saying all motorists are crap at driving. I do not understand the new law for the record.

Poetrypatty · 30/01/2022 21:22

It's a big worry for me whether pedestrians now will think they can just step out into the road and cars have to stop. I was going through a green light yesterday and some pedestrians were hovering trying to step into the road and I suddenly felt unsure about what the rules were now.
It seems bonkers to roll out these new rules without tons of public awareness campaigning so everyone is clear on them.

Frozentoes2 · 30/01/2022 21:24

To those saying motorists should simply be more patient....

Most people typically try and time their journey based on how long it usually takes. If you get stuck behind a gang of cyclists taking the whole lane down a long country road for ages this could make you late. Not ideal if you are dropping your kids to school, driving to the hospital etc.

Should all drivers have to factor in extra “cyclist delay time” to their journey now?

I totally agree with the need to keep cyclists safe and think they should be allowed on the pavement. And whilst on the pavement, they should have to break or go slowly if a pedestrian is in front of them, instead of ringing their bell and expecting the other person to jump out of the way for them. I’m sure many cyclists would hate this though, as they seem to assume that whilst cars should trail slowly behind them and learn to BE PATIENT, pedestrians must move quickly as soon as their bell rings because god forbid they should have to stop or wait!

OneTC · 30/01/2022 21:28

Should all drivers have to factor in extra “cyclist delay time” to their journey now?

Yes

Otherwise you'll be late everywhere

Grasping · 30/01/2022 21:28

The new laws are there to protect us all
Ultimately we should all be making an effort to travel sustainably.

Daffi · 30/01/2022 21:29

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5keletor · 30/01/2022 21:29

Yanbu, the new laws are a joke. There are plenty of feckless cyclists, and a few pedestrians, on the roads around where I live and work, so no doubt there will be accidents for which drivers will be wrongfully blamed. It's annoying that the people who stroll out in front of you, not having looked, then stare smugly as they saunter in front of the car, will legally have done nothing wrong if a driver can't stop on time.

GoldenOmber · 30/01/2022 21:30

Should all drivers have to factor in extra “cyclist delay time” to their journey now?

I totally agree with the need to keep cyclists safe and think they should be allowed on the pavement. And whilst on the pavement, they should have to break or go slowly if a pedestrian is in front of them

But by your own logic, people shouldn’t have to slow down for others going slower, because they will have calculated journey time before setting off and shouldn’t have to risk being late. So you’re advocating cyclists speeding along the pavement scattering pedestrians like skittles?

OneTC · 30/01/2022 21:32

I have to be somewhere every day at 9am. It's not like a job where I can be late sometimes and put it down to unforeseen circumstance

My journey is partly urban, mostly countryside, things I can expect are:
urban: traffic, cyclists, roadworks
rural: tractors, animals, cyclists

Which gives me quite a bit of opportunity for delays, so I leave earlier

It's pretty straightforward really

Frozentoes2 · 30/01/2022 21:32

@OneTC

You can understand how this will piss a lot of people off! Eg busy mum getting up early and rushing her kids to nursery before work now has to wake her kids up even earlier, because, you know, a cyclist might feel like driving slowly down the middle of the road that day and everyone else has to wait for them!

OneTC · 30/01/2022 21:33

I really can't understand actually

Grasping · 30/01/2022 21:34

I don’t want to cycle on the pavement!
I want to cycle on the roads. I’m a vehicle so that’s where I belong and where I feel less vulnerable.

Too many road users have minimal hazard perception and only look a few metres ahead of them.

OneTC · 30/01/2022 21:34

I'm predominantly a driver who happens to cycle quite a bit btw

GoldenOmber · 30/01/2022 21:35

[quote Frozentoes2]@OneTC

You can understand how this will piss a lot of people off! Eg busy mum getting up early and rushing her kids to nursery before work now has to wake her kids up even earlier, because, you know, a cyclist might feel like driving slowly down the middle of the road that day and everyone else has to wait for them![/quote]
The ‘new rules’ re cyclists are the old rules, just stated more explicitly. You were never allowed to overtake cyclists dangerously and you were always meant to drive with care and consideration for other road users. Some of us ‘busy mums’ ride bikes too, you know…

Frozentoes2 · 30/01/2022 21:37

@onetc

Obviously it’s sensible to factor in delays. But planning for groups of cyclists purposely taking up long lanes and not moving - depending on where you live that could add a lot of extra time to your journey. And of course some days it totally won’t be necessary - just pure bad luck if you get stuck behind a cyclist or gang of them who think I’m not going to let anyone pass....

Grasping · 30/01/2022 21:39

It’s the middle of the lane and has been for years. Motorists are only just being made aware of it. I have no idea why it’s being reported as middle of the road

GoldenOmber · 30/01/2022 21:39

[quote Frozentoes2]@onetc

Obviously it’s sensible to factor in delays. But planning for groups of cyclists purposely taking up long lanes and not moving - depending on where you live that could add a lot of extra time to your journey. And of course some days it totally won’t be necessary - just pure bad luck if you get stuck behind a cyclist or gang of them who think I’m not going to let anyone pass....[/quote]
Can you show me where in the new Highway Code it tells cyclists to do this?

OneTC · 30/01/2022 21:39

Do people not realise that beyond someone doing a suicide in front of your car you're nearly always gonna get shafted if you run someone over?

And it's been like that for a very long time

OneTC · 30/01/2022 21:40

Obviously it’s sensible to factor in delays. But planning for groups of cyclists purposely taking up long lanes and not moving - depending on where you live that could add a lot of extra time to your journey. And of course some days it totally won’t be necessary - just pure bad luck if you get stuck behind a cyclist or gang of them who think I’m not going to let anyone pass....

And shock horror you arrive at work 5 minutes early

MadrigalCorp · 30/01/2022 21:41

Deeply disappointed to idly skim through this week's anti-cyclist thread and find no mention of rOaD tAX!?!??!?!?? or ThEy ShoUld HaVe In5urRancE!?!?|!?!?!??! froth froth, to the sound of Busy Mums' knickers twisting at the thought of arriving at their destination 45 seconds later than planned

Frozentoes2 · 30/01/2022 21:41

I’m sure lots of busy mums ride bikes (who said they didn’t?)

And equally, lots of busy mums who drive are going to be made late by having to sit behind a cyclist for ages if they are already in a rush.

Clarey27 · 30/01/2022 21:44

@OneTC

Do people not realise that beyond someone doing a suicide in front of your car you're nearly always gonna get shafted if you run someone over?

And it's been like that for a very long time

"...doing a suicide..."?! Charming

Frozentoes2 · 30/01/2022 21:45

45 seconds!?

Show me just one cyclist who can go down an average stretch of road in just 45 seconds and I’ll happily take it back!

You know some of those busy mums could be driving their children to doctors appointments, hospital checkups you name it. But why shouldn’t they be happy to wait if someone else feels like idling slowly along a road in peak traffic times causing a big queue behind them?

GoldenOmber · 30/01/2022 21:45

@Frozentoes2

I’m sure lots of busy mums ride bikes (who said they didn’t?)

And equally, lots of busy mums who drive are going to be made late by having to sit behind a cyclist for ages if they are already in a rush.

Okay. I am a busy mum who cycles part of my commute sometimes. Part of that route is on a path shared with pedestrians.

If pedestrians slow me down, by eg dogs wandering across path, children playing, people walking on narrow bits: do you think they should get out of my way because I am a busy mum on an important journey and it’s NOT FAIR for anyone to make me late? Or do you think I should be patient and suck it up for a couple of minutes and plan for short delays in my journey?

If you think I should be patient, why doesn’t the same apply to drivers who might be stuck behind me?