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Rant
jacko - 1/12/14 at 04:47 PM

I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark with lights on my car so
WHY /how come cyclists think it's ok to ride with no lights / high viz jackets and ride over zebra crossing's when there at red
Rant over
Jacko


steve m - 1/12/14 at 04:56 PM

Because they can, ? and no one gives a dam until the "rider" gets mullered, then its the cars fault

simples

I agree 100% with your rant !
as down south we have perfectly good cycle paths along the A23 and ive ridden them to work and back, a couple of times,
yet why do the briefcase cycle brigade ride on the road ? just to be bloody minded, is the ONLY answer

I don't get it,

I could say more but the "bikers" in here get all upset and say they own the road etc


adithorp - 1/12/14 at 04:58 PM

Cyclist don't... morons do.

Just like some morons think it's OK to put teir foot down when a traffic light starts to change or overtake on a double white line, or undertake on the motorway, or hog the middle lane or.... Just because those morons do doesn't mean ALL car drivers do.


kj - 1/12/14 at 05:46 PM

Yep I hate the council have built cycle tracks and the ride next to it with no lights on. And Mr fat arse mount your lights lower so your fat Lycra clad are does not cover it.
If they don't want to use it I am more than happy to drive along it to get home quicker.


whitestu - 1/12/14 at 06:26 PM

I was thinking the same earlier when I saw 4 kids on the road with no lights. When I was young the police stopped kids without lights, gave them a bollocking and took them home to mum and dad for another.

I guess they have more important things to do now.


snakebelly - 1/12/14 at 06:29 PM

come the revolution it will be an offence to ride on the road when there is a perfectly good cycle path. And riding on the pavement to go around a red light will be punishable by shooting......


theprisioner - 1/12/14 at 06:48 PM

In some countries in Europe it is automatically assumed the driver is at fault if you (your car) comes in contact with a cyclist. You have to prove beyond doubt that you are innocent. As a result motorists have a healthy respect for cyclists.

I am a car enthusiast and a keen cyclist as no doubt you have detected.

I have cycled in some of those countries and the attitude difference creates a climate of mutual respect. Yes there are moron cyclists (all over the world) but in general they don't kill people motorists do frequently.


jacko - 1/12/14 at 06:59 PM

quote:
Originally posted by theprisioner
In some countries in Europe it is automatically assumed the driver is at fault if you (your car) comes in contact with a cyclist. You have to prove beyond doubt that you are innocent. As a result motorists have a healthy respect for cyclists.

I am a car enthusiast and a keen cyclist as no doubt you have detected.

I have cycled in some of those countries and the attitude difference creates a climate of mutual respect. Yes there are moron cyclists (all over the world) but in general they don't kill people motorists do frequently.



It's not most cyclists i am ranting about , it.s the ones with no lights or high viz jackets.
It seams common sense to me to have lights hi viz and a helmet on these over crowded roads
not NO LIGHTS AND DRESSED IN BLACK


adithorp - 1/12/14 at 07:34 PM

But you did infer it was all cyclists with...


"...how come cyclists think... "


jacko - 1/12/14 at 07:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
But you did infer it was all cyclists with...


"...how come cyclists think... "


Yes i did as you say SORRY


david_hornet27 - 1/12/14 at 08:32 PM

I think all cyclists should have to pass a test before they are allowed on the road.

I think some of them are unaware of the rules which is why they don't give a toss about them.

On my way home every night I see the same guy, a black man with dark clothing on a dark coloured bike and no lights with his hands in his pockets cycling no handed. He is usually at around the same spot when I pass him and I know he's there from experience but one day I am sure I am going to see an ambulance scraping him off the road after being hit by someone.

I frequently see other cyclists ignore red lights, turn without looking or signalling, using the road when there is a marked cycle lane on the pavement. It winds me right up.

However I would add that I see many, many idiots in cars, who must have passed a test, driving like complete morons. Mostly in BMW's it has to be said...


jollygreengiant - 1/12/14 at 08:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by theprisioner
In some countries in Europe it is automatically assumed the driver is at fault if you (your car) comes in contact with a cyclist. You have to prove beyond doubt that you are innocent. As a result motorists have a healthy respect for cyclists.

I am a car enthusiast and a keen cyclist as no doubt you have detected.

I have cycled in some of those countries and the attitude difference creates a climate of mutual respect. Yes there are moron cyclists (all over the world) but in general they don't kill people motorists do frequently.


I believe that if you check the laws that came into effect a couple of years ago, you will find much to your (and mine) disgust, that we in the (dis)United Kingdom are now one of these countries. I believe that at the time, when this came into effect, I had a bit of a rant on here about it and mostly it got poo-pooed and ignored. The up shot of it is that IF your car comes into contact with a bike (no matter the circumstance and who is really to blame) the car/van/truck driver is automatically assumed to be to blame, because he is traceable AND has insurance.


owelly - 2/12/14 at 12:26 PM

Makig cyclist pass a test before they can ride on public roads won't work. Folks have to pass test before they can drive cars, bikes, buses, etc, but there are plenty who fail to drive safely and/or considerately.


morcus - 2/12/14 at 08:07 PM

What you need to do (And this doesn't just apply to bikes but pretty much everything) is actually stop people and tell them off, the reason they do it because they get away with it.


richmars - 2/12/14 at 08:16 PM

And what about cars that drive without lights?
Or missing lights?
Oh yes, all car drivers are perfect.


jacko - 2/12/14 at 08:23 PM

quote:
Originally posted by richmars
And what about cars that drive without lights?
Or missing lights?
Oh yes, all car drivers are perfect.



Yes them too


whitestu - 2/12/14 at 10:16 PM

I'm a keen cyclist and my thinking is that if a car hits me I'll come off worse so logically I should take more care than a car driver.

When in the car I give cyclist's the courtesy I would like to be given as a rider.


Andybarbet - 2/12/14 at 10:59 PM

Same as what whitestu said here.

I ride all year on my commute, i have a really good front light, I have 3 rear lights, 1 on the bike, 1 on my backpack which also is covered with a hi vis reflective cover & 1 on the back of my crash hat, Bike has lots of reflectors too, hopefully I'm easily visible.


David Jenkins - 3/12/14 at 09:14 AM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
What you need to do (And this doesn't just apply to bikes but pretty much everything) is actually stop people and tell them off, the reason they do it because they get away with it.


When I were a lad, you would get stopped if you rode without lights at night. When I was older, if I drove a car with one headlight gone I'd expect to be pulled over within a few days - other motorists made a point of letting you know if a bulb had gone for that reason.

Nowadays you can do pretty much whatever you please on the road with very little chance of getting nicked, as there aren't enough policemen out and and about to stop you. When I used to drive to the local station every day I used to see the same cars with one headlight, week in and week out. Some even drove everywhere on high beam because they had no dipped beam, despite oncoming cars...


Alfa145 - 3/12/14 at 02:26 PM

Easy to get away with not following the rules if there is no one out there enforcing the rules.

We need more coppers out on the street and not behind a desk....


David Jenkins - 3/12/14 at 02:50 PM

...and when you ignore the minor crimes, the more serious ones are lessened in the eyes of those who like to offend.


jacko - 3/12/14 at 07:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Andybarbet
Same as what whitestu said here.

I ride all year on my commute, i have a really good front light, I have 3 rear lights, 1 on the bike, 1 on my backpack which also is covered with a hi vis reflective cover & 1 on the back of my crash hat, Bike has lots of reflectors too, hopefully I'm easily visible.




This is exactly how cyclists should be when riding on roads at night well done Andy
Jacko