Rant, rant

[tonupkid]

Wouldn't it be nice if cyclists had to use those lovely expensive and mostly empty cycle lanes. Rather than enjoying their rolling conversations while spread across the crowded roadway.
Just saying

[47p2]

It would be fantastic if these lovely expensive and mostly empty cycle lanes were fit for purpose. I doubt they are any better where you live to the ones we have up here, covered in debris washed to the side by the rain, grit, glass, flint, dog sh1t, uneven surfaces, coloured paint resembling the moon surface as it comes away in large chunks, dropped drain covers, covers that have been polished by thousands of cars passing over them and now have a polished surface and when wet are like cycling on ice, potholes, cycle lanes that end abruptly forcing cyclists to rejoin mainstream traffic at pinch points, lanes that are meant to be for two way cycling and two feet wide...The list goes on.

Your thread would have sounded better if maybe you had said something along the lines of...

Wouldn't it be nice if drivers were more considerate to cyclists they come across on the roads rather than cutting them up, rather than passing too close, rather than passing at pinch points, rather than almost wiping out the car coming in the opposite direction whilst passing the cyclists, rather than cutting out of side roads to beat the cyclist.

Rather than the red mist coming down why not use a bit of common sense and hold back for a few seconds, give the cyclist space, give the car coming in the opposite direction time to pass



Just saying

[ScottD3]

2 tons of motor vehicle vs 210 pounds of man and metal.

I'd move out of the way when a car would like to pass.

Condition of the road irrelevant.
Sit side by side and chat by all means but when a car is coming its just polite to move over and let them through.
Its harder for a car to safely pass two cyclists than it is for a cyclist to tuck back in.

Its even worse if its a busy road.

I only ride side by side when the road is clear and wide enough for it to be safe.
Some cyclists don't seem to get it and just side 2 abreast.

Its annoying and not needed on their part.


The cycle lanes down here are generally clear and clean.
For the few we have.

[tintin]

Hmm..this could be an interesting thread…it's also worth remembering that it takes more distance to (properly…) pass two cyclists riding single file than one pair riding abreast

Being on a bike is inherently much more dangerous than being in a car: I managed to knock a female cyclist off her bike a few weeks ago in London - but not injure her, or damage her bike - and nobody was at fault, nor was it avoidable, which made me stop and think a bit.

[47p2]

This morning I was told off by a motorist at a set of traffic lights. I was about 30 feet from the red lights when she squeezed past me (two lanes in both directions) and pulled over in front of me blocking the ASL or as some call it the cycling box. I went round the outside of her and tutted as I passed pulling in directly in front of her. That was when the abuse started..."F'in cyclists", "don't pay road tax", "slow", and the best one was "you should be behind me"

Yes I was so slow that I never saw her again and yes we did travel the same route until I turned into my street where she was still behind me

[Delboy]

Sounds like the typical arse that thinks bikes have no place on the road, you should have reminded them it's not road tax it's vehicle excise duty which doesn't actually pay for the road network.

[Professor Peach]

....and just because you happen to be riding your bike at that moment, doesn't mean you don't have to pay road tax on your collection of cars at home!

Let's face it, some cyclists are inconsiderate. Some motorists are inconsiderate. I'm always right!

I was slightly annoyed last week by a motor bike that pulled in front of me at a set of lights and then when they went green dawdled off slowly and then changed road position and direction erratically a couple of time right in front of me. I didn't feel the need to shout abuse though.

[moltuae]

Originally Posted by Professor Peach

I didn't feel the need to shout abuse though.

Just knocked him off it instead, yeah?

One or the other ... no need to do BOTH


I'm joking of course.

Cycle lanes are a pointless token gesture and an attempt to address a badly outdated and inadequate road infrastructure. They cause congestion by restricting vehicle traffic flow and do little to protect cyclists, especially considering the way in which they are poorly implemented, with short stretches of disjointed lanes, broken by bus stops, side streets and on-street parking.

It's a complete mess. We need to rethink and redo the entire road infrastructure, giving bikes and motor vehicles their own space. But, since that's unlikely to happen any time soon, I think we all just need to learn to coexist and show more consideration towards each other.

[47p2]

This is a typical cycle lane close to where I stay, whoever thought it was a good idea to have a cycle lane on the outside of parked cars should be shot after being hung by the neck. The number of times I've seen cyclists almost 'car-doored' whilst cycling in this 'proper cycle lane' has convinced me that it's safer to stay in the middle of the road where I'm happy to take my chances with the traffic. Also note the green paint that has come off and left a poor surface, not what you want to be cycling on at 25mph with tyres of less than an inch wide.

Our cycle lanes are a box ticking exercise by local authorities, no doubt subsidised heavily by the government but without any thought as to what boxes really need to be ticked. Safety for cyclists is definitely not a priority when these lanes are put in place.

The second image is also close to me and a regular route, another cycle lane I refuse to cycle in, it seems it is a car park for the locals out to buy a loaf of bread and a pint of milk

[notorious]

cyclists should be banned from car roads
this is bleeding obvious