JohnM Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Chris Boardman mother killed in road incident. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3694571/Olympic-hero-cyclist-Chris-Boardman-s-mother-knocked-bike-killed-driver.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleep1673 Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Not sure what your title means. Enough is enough against who? Real Action, means what? Are we cyclists going to start taking MK47's out on the road with us in case we're cut up? Accidents happen. God bless, & RIP Mrs Boardman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guess who Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Shouldnt we wait to get the full facts before blaming the car driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff9of13 Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Shouldnt we wait to get the full facts before blaming the car driver. Absolutely. "it is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted July 17, 2016 Author Share Posted July 17, 2016 Who is blaming the car driver? All deaths on the roads diminish us, and this one in particular should be the catalyst for some real action on making cycling safer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob8 Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Everything we do is a balance between safety and convenience. We have pretty much decided as a nation that we are OK with cycling being dangerous. "You clearly have never met Bob8 then, he's like a veritable Bryan Ferry of RL." - Johnoco 19 Jul 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 Quite true. There are highs and lows, though. There are still, in my experience, far far too many drivers who think it is their perogative to choose which laws they do and do not obey, from "minor" parking laws to open intimidation of other drivers, riders, cyclists and pedestrians...plus the use of hand held mobile phones when driving, something that in my experience is growing rather than shrinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I've pretty much given up cycling on the roads after several near misses and general bad behaviour by motorists And yeah I'm also a motorist, but one who tries to give cyclists room and respect. "Freedom without socialism is privilege and injustice, socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality" - Mikhail Bakunin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff9of13 Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 All very true. However, ATM we have no idea how relevant any that to this particular sad case. When I go out cycling I find the country roads, which should be the most enjoyable from a cyclists perspective, are often the most dangerous. The combination of sharp bends, restricted views, 60mph speed limit and narrow roads is not a good one for the cyclist. That said, the only two people I know personally to have been injured and hospitalised while cycling in recent years have managed it without the help of a motorist. "it is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickhornet Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I got knocked of my bike by a loony on another bike coming round a blind corner.Didnt half hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearman Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 The roads are perfectly safe around here for cyclists. They are all on the pavements. Don't dare to remonstrate with them about the dangers to pedestrians unless you want a tirade of abuse. Even the police ride on the pavements. I once tried to point out that they were breaking the law all I got was a shrug. Ron Banks Midlands Hurricanes and Barrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ullman Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 The roads are perfectly safe around here for cyclists. They are all on the pavements. Don't dare to remonstrate with them about the dangers to pedestrians unless you want a tirade of abuse. Even the police ride on the pavements. I once tried to point out that they were breaking the law all I got was a shrug. Your local rozzers are probably aware of this: Minister confirms it's OK for cyclists to ride on pavement. "I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearman Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 The operative word is considerate. If they were considerate they would defer to pedestrians whilst on the pavement. The next time will be the first time. Ron Banks Midlands Hurricanes and Barrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob8 Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I agree that a disproportionate number of cyclists are irresponsible. This is because cycling is dangerous. Very few motorists will react to a cyclist indicating, many motorists will not see a cyclist in front of them in full visibility gear. As a cyclist, motorists were normally idiots while truckers were true gentlemen/ladies. That means the people that tend to cycle are people with little sense of danger and some people for whom it is far more practical because of the limitations of other transport. "You clearly have never met Bob8 then, he's like a veritable Bryan Ferry of RL." - Johnoco 19 Jul 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ullman Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 The operative word is considerate. If they were considerate they would defer to pedestrians whilst on the pavement. The next time will be the first time. Your local coppers are really that bad? "I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GURNER Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 7am this morning on the way to work got behind a cyclist with earphones in looking at his phone whilst cycling in a letter s type manouvre in the middle of the road. What a start to the working week, don't know why i missed him Caught by a feckin speed camera. try these I did and it saved me a heap o money and penalty points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 More common sense. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3695469/Is-Britain-s-pointless-cycle-lane-Bizarre-markings-send-cyclists-perfect-U-turn-no-one-s-quite-sure-why.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyXIII Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 7am this morning on the way to work got behind a cyclist with earphones in looking at his phone whilst cycling in a letter s type manouvre in the middle of the road. What a start to the working week, don't know why i missed him Better luck next time. Joke! It's a joke! And a very old one, too. Rethymno Rugby League Appreciation Society Founder (and, so far, only) member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GURNER Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 More common sense. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3695469/Is-Britain-s-pointless-cycle-lane-Bizarre-markings-send-cyclists-perfect-U-turn-no-one-s-quite-sure-why.html not as bizzare but lanes like that by me. On another note, moped rider shot along the cycle lane this afternoon to beat traffic. Alongside landican crematorium....how apt thought i Caught by a feckin speed camera. try these I did and it saved me a heap o money and penalty points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 My son lives in London and is a cyclist there, so it's a real concern of mine. But some cyclists are a real pain also, especially on the canal towpath where people on foot are meant to have priority. I must stress it's a minority (just like motorists) but some are like 'ting ting.. Move!!' (Comedy dive into canal ensues) Cycling in London is (or feels, I don't have the stats) safer than riding along the roads here in Hastings. That said, although I occasionally had the choice to take a canal towpath I never did for much the reasons you say - as a pedestrian they aren't pleasant and as a cyclist you don't know whether to inch along at half a mile an hour or go forward quicker with a warning bell. The pathetic sentencing and absolute tolerance for bad driving (I see the equivalent to Gurner's cyclist - fiddling with radio, texting, on phone, just not really watching - all the time, most other people on the road are wise to bad driving and are, almost without noticing, compensating for it in advance) are real problems. But, as a country, we've decided that a few dead cyclists and many, many injured pedestrians is fine. The cars must keep moving. Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Toppy Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 Your local rozzers are probably aware of this: Minister confirms it's OK for cyclists to ride on pavement. The minister's a muppet ! Under the Highways Act it is illegal to ride a bicycle on a footway or footpath unless that footway/footpath has been granted an exemption to make it shared use. The legal order must be made and enacted by the local authority (or other relevant governing body in the case of some cities such as London where TFL can make such orders) No advice notes or guidance (including the Highways Code) can make cycling on a footway/footpath legal Going back to the original posting on this thread, why is there always an assumption that its the driver that's at fault and the cyclist is always the poor innocent victim ? There are good & bad cyclists just as there are good & bad drivers. I've witnessed loads of cyclists who ride selfishly & irresponsibly. Riding 3 & 4 abreast is selfish behaviour because they block the road and deliberately hold up traffic which frustrates drivers and often forces them into making unsafe manoevers to get past them. I've seen cyclists swerve out to avoid puddles forcing drivers to have to brake sharply and/or swerve to avoid them, and as for red lights, I've lost track of the number of cyclists I've seen who don't think red lights apply to them and just merrily cycle through St.Helens - The Home of record breaking Rugby Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 The following thinsg are illegal. Cycling on the pavement. Going through red lights exceeding he speed limit using a hand held mobile phone whilst driving. Now, lets guess which ones cause the most pain and anguish for victims and their families? Looking at the stats, how many car drivers have been killed or seriously injured by cyclists and how many cyclists have been killed or seriously injured by car drivers? Cycling two abreast is perfectly legal and should represent no problem for drivers. Three and four abreast , clearly not...but patience is a virtue and confrontation is not helpful. why is there always an assumption that its the driver that's at fault and the cyclist is always the poor innocent victim ? Probably because they usually are. I think its a perfectly reasonable position to take and indeed in a number of advanced countries, that view is enshrined in law. "I've seen cyclists swerve out to avoid puddles forcing drivers to have to brake sharply and/or swerve to avoid them" Highway code rule 160 ( in part) Once moving you should be aware of other road users, especially cycles and motorcycles who may be filtering through the traffic. These are more difficult to see than larger vehicles and their riders are particularly vulnerable. Give them plenty of room...Rule 163 ( in part) give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 211 to 215).Rule 167 ( in part) DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example stay behind if you are following a cyclist approaching a roundabout or junction, and you intend to turn left Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearman Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 I used to cycle to work and have very nearly come a cropper by the actions of motorists. Its 20 years since I last cycled and even then potholes and missing drain grids were a major problem. With the cuts in government spending I've no doubt those problems are much worse now. So cycling is inheritantly dangerous. Some cylclist clearly make an effort to keep themselves safe. I regularly see yobs doing wheelies in the middle of the road and riding without any form of lighting at night. I also see the other extreme of "militant fascist" type dressed in lycra, helmeted and cycling at speed when it is inappropriate. " I'm allowed to,so I'm going to" attitude. Cyclists keeping themselves safe at the expense of pedestrians is not the answer. Ron Banks Midlands Hurricanes and Barrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ullman Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 The minister's a muppet ! Under the Highways Act it is illegal to ride a bicycle on a footway or footpath unless that footway/footpath has been granted an exemption to make it shared use. The legal order must be made and enacted by the local authority (or other relevant governing body in the case of some cities such as London where TFL can make such orders) No advice notes or guidance (including the Highways Code) can make cycling on a footway/footpath legal No but it makes a massive difference to the enforcement of that law which is rather the point. "I'm from a fishing family. Trawlermen are like pirates with biscuits." - Lucy Beaumont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Toppy Posted July 19, 2016 Share Posted July 19, 2016 No but it makes a massive difference to the enforcement of that law which is rather the point. Not really. The Highway Code isn't a legal act its an advisory guidance note on best practice for road users. The Highway code has been used in legal cases for both defence & prosecution where there's has been doubt about where the law has actually been broken. But the Highway Code never over-rules the Highways Act and if there is clear evidence that the law has been broken then no amount of quoting of the Highway Code will save you from prosecution. John M quoted a couple of section from the Highway Code Rule 167 ( in part) DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example stay behind if you are following a cyclist approaching a roundabout or junction, and you intend to turn leftGood luck using this as a defence in court if there's an incident between car & cyclist. The length of the approach to a junction or roundabout isn't defined so its purely down to the judgement of the driver as to whether they can overtake and get past the cyclist before they reach the junction. Which is why you wont find anything like this in the Highways Act, so legally a driver can overtake a cyclist approaching a junction or roundabout if they feel it is safe to do so, which contradicts the advice in the Highway Code. St.Helens - The Home of record breaking Rugby Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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