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Cyclists' rant thread
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Part of the problem is that roads are often designed without a thought for cyclists or pedestrians. I find it hard to blame cyclists who do adopt a laissez faire attitude to parts of the highway code when so little regard is paid to them by road and traffic planners. I'm not saying cyclists can do what they like - but occasionally riding up on a pavement, jumping an empty pedestrian crossing - stuff like that - is hardly a big deal compared to what they have to put up with. There's a red near me I always jump because it's a bus, taxi and cycle lane and a bike doesn't always trigger the sensors for the lights - what are you supposed to do sit there until the number 49 comes along.
Oh come on, there are some excellent cycle facilities out there:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/
Who says traffic planners don't think of cyclists?
Priceless - got to see that pic on here...
I think the answer lies in technology:
- Restrict vehicles to 30mph on all roads except Motorways and dual carriageways (this can be controlled by sensors fitted on entrance ramps and then remove the plainly ludicrous 70mph speed restriction from Motorways/dual carriageways.
- All earphones with 2 earpieces should be banned - bring back single earpiece earphones (like they were in the old days when transistor radios were the portable musik machine of choice).
- insert a movement control device in all mobiles so they only work when stationary. (this would also stop those annoying gits who yabber away on their phones when i am trying to sleep on the train)
- Put parking sensors on all vehicles so that they can detect any cyclist/pedestrian within a 3' radius - an engine cut out could then be triggered!
- (assuming deactivating mobile phones doesn't work) - Install face recognition into the CCTV coverage that now exists in all towns and issue fixed penalties to anyone using a mobile in a vehicle/on a bike/or when crossing the road.
- Install rising ramps in front of all red lights to physically block the road to traffic/bikes etc.
From a non-technology standpoint:- Bring back the cycle proficiency test as a mandatory test for all kids (accepting that some people learn to ride later in life) - bit like the part 1 motorcycle test (handling skills and bike awareness training).
- Fine any council that employs idiot road builders who put sunken drain covers on the edge of roads and great slabs of slippery metal (presumably covering some essential utility access hatch) on the apex of all corners.
- Fine farmers who spread agricrud on all country roads - particularly at this time of year.
And don't get me started on cycle paths! I objected to the recent government proposal to change the highway code ( I wrote to my MP for the first time in my life) as it would have forced cyclists to use the cycle paths if present - as frankly cycle paths are rubbish. The prospect of pedalling along at 20+ mph is just too scary to contemplate (and one day I might be able to achieve that speed)!!I'm sure there is more, but work to be done and i feel much better for having typed that. Also glad to see that objectionable forumites who just want to wind us up and then brag about it on other threads/forums are firmly put back in their box. Meldy should have parked her horse on him much sooner. [/rant...haa haa some of those are great.
I like the cycle path with the tree in the middle too.
Please someone tell me that PSCs technology suggestions are tongue in cheek. I would have pissed myself laughing if they weren't so ridiculous.
That's one of my favourite websites.
A cycle path I use every morning has the following facilities: a bus stop, the entrance/exit for a station pay&display car park, the entrance/exit for a utility building, a pelican crossing abutting it so pedestrians can walk across your pathway just as you've chicaned around the various lamp-posts and sign-posts, a pelican crossing at the 'end' of the cycle path which leaves you in one direction facing the 'wrong' way to join the road but the obvious wide route under the adjacent railway bridge has a sign saying 'cyclists dismount'. Oh, and vehicles frequently find it very convenient to park on said cycle lane as it's next to a station and they can pick up or drop off without going to the correct place.
Why do I bother....?
There's a couple of technology-related things I'd like. First is a pellet or paint gun that I could fix to the front of my bike for those rare occasions when someone cuts me up. If they're close enough to be 'shot' then they're too close
My brother did buy a new bike light which was *blue* and happened to have a flashing mode of operation. Apparently, it worked wonders in getting cars to shift out of the way, by which time the light had mysteriously switched off but a cyclist zoomed past! He also told me of someone making up hi vis vests complete with blue & silver checkerboard pattern and the word 'POLITE' written in big letters. Tee hee.
My route to work seems to be unusual in that cyclists and motorists live in harmony, even where there isn't room to overtake and it results in the motorists having to crawl along for a while. I am happy to drive a reasonable distance behind cyclists and overtake (giving them lots of space) when the road is clear. And all the cyclists I've encountered keep left (without having to ride in the gutter).
Maybe it's because I've cycled some of the roads before and plan to start cycling to work at some point.
Or maybe the Bucks/Beds border area is a place of love and understanding.
Maybe tongue in cheek PSC, but seriously I often wonder when I'm out there on the roads, just exactly how do you get folk to stick to the speed limit and obey other traffic laws?
Every time I'm out I see people breaking the law, by using mobile phones whilst on the road, driving well in excess of the speed limit (particularly on the motorway), not driving / cycling to the conditions of the road (ie not taking more caution in residential areas or when the weather / visibility is bad), jumping red lights at junctions (the cops could fine at least 4 cars every light change at the junction of Byres Rd, Glasgow if they monitered it!), parking on footpaths / keep clears / double parking / double yellow parking, etc etc, the list is endless.
A lot of these may seem like minor infringements, and perhaps some would argue the police have better things to do than moniter double yellow lines etc, but when its all added up to the bigger picture it makes the roads a hell of a lot more hazardous for everyone. I often have this conversation with a driver friend of mine, and my tongue in cheek question / solution is always, why do we bother having these laws at all if they are not enforced, why not make it a free for all? Do people do these things because they dont know the laws, or because they know they can get away with it?
I also wonder what exactly is getting taught by driving instructors these days? Is it all done in a simulator? The lack of hazard awareness on the roads these days is appalling, is this something thats changed with the way driving lessons are done, since I took mine way back in the 80's? Or is it because a percentage of people on the road have never had any lessons and are driving illegally, or driving whilst banned? I have come to the conclusion that the last must be quite common........
Too many questions from me.........but just things I think about often when I'm cycling!
I don't know if I should be laughing or crying looking at "The Cycle Facility of the Month" website.
I alternate between being angry by the planners stupidity and laughing at the absurdity of most of the pictures.
For humour I like this one:
This facility is at the heart of Coventry's bid to host the 2020 Olympics. The state-of-the-art stadium provides covered seating for six spectators, with an uninterrupted view of the 5m sprint pursuit event.
I know I know. I do feel a great deal of sympathy to police and CPS, both get abuse unfairly. Blame the government and crap drivers. Right let's get this thread back on track.
I got hooted at by a driver on Sunday (small group of us riding on a wide country lane). We all waved. Was he hooting to let us know he was coming through or because he was pissed off with sitting behind us? We suspected the latter. Who would wave and smile and who would put two fingers up at him.
And what was all this talk earlier about ringing bells at car drivers. As if they could really hear a bell ffs! I yell at people if it looks like they are about to pull out on me. It has worked well so far even to the very old fart on Sunday who couldn't turn his head and was relying on his mirrors (it was an eventful ride btw).
I use my bell for when I see pedestrians on a cycle path ahead of me. Occasionally they hear or notice and move over. Last night, I pinged as there was a dog trotting along the path towards me. Its owner stood to the side and watched the mutt go straight across my way causing me to come to a stop. The owner might have whispered a 'sorry' but there was no response to my shouting "it should be on a lead" (and in control of its owner).
At most other times the bell is flippin' useless. If I want to alert the pedestrian who has just stepped off the kerb without looking that I'm coming then I SHOUT at them, it tends to work. And as for thinking of pinging at a vehicle driver..... ha bliddy ha that'll make them jump. If they hear it. Which they won't.
a bloody good shout usually gets pedestrians/dogs/squirrels to move and banging on the car roof usually wakes many drivers up
Shouting is not so effective when you are a girl
I dunno Jo - Petal seems to be good at clearing the way with her gob......mouth like a fishwife she has...
"Shouting is not so effective when you are a girl"
I dunno, you seemed to get your message across in Florida last year.
People in metal boxes with either radio/cd/ipod/mobile noise may not really hear a shout, as I found to my cost prior to flying over the bonnet of a car and also under a car a few years ago, and more recently as I left a trail of back tyre trying to avoid someone who didn't see me at some crossroads on a hill a month or so ago.
Unfortunately I'm not currently able to cycle as fast as a car and therefore usually unable to hit their roof.