To ask how we stop dangerous cyclists

[Everythingisnumbersnow]

Why do the most dangerous ones wear those stupid little headcams too? YOU'RE the problem, guy.

I've recently bought a camera for my bike and joke it's so my family will know who killed me. If you knew how little room SOME motorists give me then you'd understand. Not all cyclists are dangerous, some of us just want to commute safely, but some motorists don't believe we deserve to.

This. It’s terrifying. I drive far more than cycle now, because of aggressive/blithely unaware drivers.

Honestly with shared paths you'd think pedestrians would be cyclist aware but no, they walk in the middle of the track with earpods in, and are totally unaware . . . so let's talk about personal responsibility . . .

Are you one of those cyclists that cycles at 11 mph taking up the whole road while a queue of traffic, including buses with dozens of people, have to crawl behind you?

I'm a cyclist and a motorist. I've seen some bloody idiots cycling and think they are risking their lives.

I've also seen some bloody idiots driving and think they have a good chance of killing other people.

Yes let’s. Like personal responsibility for cyclists that cross major junctions at red lights or don’t stop for people at zebra crossings and nearly hit them?

I agree. It's often people being completely unaware of things like the fact you're not meant to overtake a cyclist as they pass a traffic island. Many are unaware of what the 1.5m gap looks like. The most dangerous areas are passing junctions though as many people just don't see you and pull out. Often it's not intentional, they will apologise once they spot you but it can be too late.

I am not a cyclist but I agree with this.

Cyclists can be absolutely selfish and take up all the road while, especially when there's 3 of them next to each other for no bloody reason.

Equally cars give them no room and dangerously overtake.

My area has loads of cycle lanes, they are hardly used as cars park on them, or they are full of potholes!

Or pedestrians that step out into the road without looking . . .

No, I'm not. I only take primary position if it's really tight and sometimes I fail to do that. Even if I did though there's no need for the "punishment passes" I sometimes get after traffic islands.

I drive too and think it would do all motorists/cyclists/ pedestrians good to experience each other's position.

Honestly with shared roads you'd think cyclists would be car, bus and lorry aware but no, they creep up alongside undertaking vehicles that don't have a hope of seeing them and are totally unaware that a tiny, infinitely breakable human on a bit of carbon fibre and plastic is alongside their massive wheels...so let's talk about personal responsibility...

Seriously, there are idiots in all methods of travelling from A to B. When it comes down to it, the courtesy and common sense cyclists expect drivers to proffer them needs to be equally given to those who are in turn, more vulnerable to being permanently damaged or killed by them.

No amount of moral superiority on anybody's part can compensate for the fundamental laws of physics.

Yes. Some cyclists are completely selfish whether they’re using a road or a footpath- on the towpath near where I live we have some who seem to want to break a speed record, despite the large numbers of older people, families with small children, and disabled people who also use the tow path because it’s flat. Then there are those club cyclists (in colours) who make everyone travel at their speed for miles and miles.

Yes. You can be brightly clothed/lit and they don’t see you. It’s one reason why cyclists need to take the middle of the lane, as it helps visibility. Also if drivers didn’t close-pass, (I hate close passes so much, they really frighten me) and allowed cyclists to move back into the middle of the lane when someone else has parked on the bike lane, it would be easier to keep to the left. As it is, it’s often dangerous.

As drivers are supposed to give cyclists as much room as a car when overtaking, cycling 2-3 abreast actually should make it easier for drivers to pass, as it makes the length of the group shorter, so requires the driver to spend less time in the oncoming lane. If you're complaining about people cycling in the middle of the lane or 2-3 abreast, then you intend to pass in a dangerous manner.

Motorists kill 5 people a day on UK roads, but you think cyclists are the problem??

Give the infrastructure for the cyclists to travel safely and they wouldn't have to be in danger.

A painted line does not a cycle lane make.

I find it funny how cyclists always explain the things they do by saying it’s easier or safer for them and that it is the motorists responsibility to look out for them as the more vulnerable road users. So cyclists can cycle at 8mph in the middle of the road for miles and no one is meant to get annoyed. Cars are supposed to just accept it and keep back. No overtaking able quite often due to small and busy roads. The cyclist does not have to pull over briefly even if they can because they have just as much right to be there as the car. The cars just need to suck it up because the roads are a shared space and cyclists have priority due to being more vulnerable.

But. God forbid a pedestrian gets in a cyclists way! How dare a more vulnerable slower shared path user get in the way of the quicker more dangerous shared path user!!! Selfish pedestrians not being aware they are causing a blockage and they should immediately leap out the way of any approaching cyclist!

Can we stop runners, in dark clothing, running in the cycle lanes on roads? Pure madness

@roundaboutthehillsareshining
That's a fair point- I hadn't thought of it that way.

Quite honestly cyclists are a pain in the arse no matter how “safely” they cycle.

Yes, on horses we often rode two abreast for the same reason.

Last time I looked, giving something pretty much on the white lines as much room as a car when overtaking puts the driver in an ideal position for a head on collision (particularly as that means a longer period of time spent travelling out and back in again) whereas doing the same for something travelling in the third of the carriageway nearest the kerb tends to mean that there's very little chance of that happening, as if they cross the lines at all, it's only by a very small amount for a shorter duration.

But I just kept myself alive on two wheels and 400cc for years.

I don’t think pitting different road users against each other is helpful in keeping our roads and pavements safe for everyone.

I'm a cyclist, driver and road using horse rider and there are absolute arseholes in all categories. I did come across a MAMIL the other day on his bike insisting on riding in the absolute centre of the 50mph road shaking his head at anyone who dared overtake. It was a long straight road, perfectly safe to overtake, no blind spots or corners. He just wanted everyone to queue up behind him going at approx 15mph for miles. There's always one. That said, there undoubtedly more nightmare drivers than cyclists 🤷‍♀️ such is life.

Cyclists are a pain in the arse, and it's insanity that they don't have to have insurance.