Spot the non bicycle rider!!

[detec52]

I have been riding motor cycles for around 45 years now as well as bicycles, i now own a juicy electric bike in one word fantastic. But ohh spot the non bike rider, why do they have to try and get in front of you with just 10 feet of road left and nowhere to go, i have great respect for most car drivers but again spot the non bike rider they try to kill me, had one that wanted to pass me with a tractor coming the other way on a small B road he had to brake very hard to avoid hitting me or the tractor, dont know what the farmer driving this tractor was doing? some kind of hand signal to the other driver!!!! its great to get out and about on my bike and i wont let a few bike killers put me off, just glad i purchased a good rear view mirror, safe riding to all of you. Rob.

 

[Streethawk]

Heh, funny, i just commented about this in the thread about brakes. The mentality is that because you're a bike you must be passed, no matter what the consequences!

 

[NRG]

Road positioning has a great effect on drivers attempts to pass you, shove yourself in the gutter and it's seen as an invitation to squeeze past you in the face of oncoming traffic.

 

[lectureral]

Road positioning has a great effect on drivers attempts to pass you, shove yourself in the gutter and it's seen as an invitation to squeeze past you in the face of oncoming traffic.

I agree NRG - helps to have a rear mirror and if you don't think it's safe for them to overtake just claim the middle of the road.

 

[BLACKPANTHER]

It winds me up when they shoot past you when your 20 yards from a red light! Idiots!

 

[aseb]

I got one of those fold out red plastic flag/reflector things to help at times. I don't use it often, but it really does help. I mainly use at school coming out times (younger kids) because it seems many of the drivers are occupied by the kids rather than the road- shouting at them or finding out what they did at school today.
Maybe when the kids get older they are too embarrassed by their parents, mybe they trust them more, can't be bothered or lost their licence.

 

[Phil_P]

Hi,
I would like to add that on my 20 min car drive home tonight I was undertaken by cyclist whilst in a left turn only lane who proceeded to continue straight on. Another cyclist came flying past me straight through a red stop light and I passed 3 other cyclists with no lights or reflective clothing in the dark.

As a car driver and a cyclist I would say there are just as many inconsiderate cyclists as there are car drivers.

Just as in all areas of life there is good and bad. Unfortunately irrespective of blame it's the cyclist who inevitably comes off worse

Just my opinion

Phil

 

[flecc]

As a car driver and a cyclist I would say there are just as many inconsiderate cyclists as there are car drivers.

Just my opinion

Phil

An opinion I agree with Phil. It seems to me there are far too many thoughtless and sometimes wilfully discourteous cyclists around.

With both sides I think it's often due to a build up of dislike for the other over time, leading to ingrained responses.
.

 

[aseb]

Hi,
As a car driver and a cyclist I would say there are just as many inconsiderate cyclists as there are car drivers.

Phil

I'd tend to agree. Instances like youngsters riding straight across the road in front of cars come to mind, riding along the wrong side of the road with no hands on the bars, and the very frequent all age one of no lights when it's dark- scary when you're the car driver.
Last summer I was travelling out of Blyth at a busy staggered junction with traffic lights. Two young lads went through what was a red light and in the middle (just after a left turn and before the right turn) one of them turned right right into the face of a car which was now moving ahead as the light was now green. She braked very hard and just missed him- it'sa good job she had her wits about her. The boy looked round, then kept going with his friend following. The poor woman looked totally shocked and was visibly white and shaking. I followed the 2 boys who went to a house about 50 yards away. I spoke to the adults there who basically had the attitude that I should mind my own business, and anyway he wasn't their kid. A bit more pushing on my part and they eventually said they would tell his parents, but I have my doubts. I was left feeling very I was in the wrong for saying anything, and should have minded my own business. So, do peope just ignore such things in the future?

 

[jbond]

No matter what vehicle I'm using, people using every other type of vehicle are complete idiots. And so are quite a few using the same type of vehicle.

On a bicycle, motorcyclists, car drivers, pedestrians[1], bus drivers, lorry drivers. What are they thinking (or not thinking)?

Let's be careful out there, ok?

[1]Have you seen how many pedestrians[2] are protected by the "Cellphone of Invincibility". If you're on the phone, you can step out into the road without looking and no harm will come to you. Everyone knows that.

[2]My favourite when I was commuting on a motorcycle in N London, is the black guy wearing a black coat and hoody who's got half way across the road between the traffic streams. It's winter, dark and drizzly. He's looking towards the oncoming traffic. I'm filtering between the traffic streams. The only way I can see him through the dirty visor and glare from the oncoming car with headlights on full is the Nike flash on his trainers.

 

[HarryB]

Yes there are a great many cyclists who are goons but they don't annoy me as a driver but do as a cyclist. How many times do you overtake cyclists on the flat to find they barge past you at the lights and then cycle at 5 miles an hour boxing you in? As a cyclist I think they are representing a group that involves me, so their bad behaviour reflects badly on me.

However why would you get stressed with cyclists if you were a car driver - they pose zero danger to you - their bad behaviour doesn't impact on you? I find driving much more relaxing and enjoyable. I don't give a damn if cylists go through red lights - that is their business and pose no more danger than a pedestrian running across a junction which happens more often in my opinion. Anyway as a cyclist I am never rewarded for stopping at the lights by drivers being courteous - the opposite is true - so who is the fool? The cyclist carefully crossing a junction ahead of the inevitable grand prix or the cyclist who waits?

 

[Mussels]

It winds me up when they shoot past you when your 20 yards from a red light! Idiots!

It doesn't happen often to me but when it does I'll filter past and sit in the middle of the lane for a while.

Yes there are a great many cyclists who are goons but they don't annoy me as a driver but do as a cyclist. How many times do you overtake cyclists on the flat to find they barge past you at the lights and then cycle at 5 miles an hour boxing you in? As a cyclist I think they are representing a group that involves me, so their bad behaviour reflects badly on me.

There's a company in Stepney called Darwin's Deli, they deliver on pushbikes with trailers. They are a common sight on the Cable street cycle lanes, they often barge past at the lights and then crawl along slowly where I can't overtake, then they get upset when I cut them up.

 

[lemmy]

Yesterday I was cycling along and an oldish bloke (well, I'm 66, so probably my age) stepped straight off the kerb in front of me, 6 feet away, without even attempting to look.

I braked and steered, more wrenched my bars, round him and he saw me when I actually crossed his field of vision a foot away from his nose. This in spite of me calling out to him.

He yelled and I stopped, thinking he was going to say "sorry mate", or something. In fact, he started yelling about "bloody cyclists, dangerous, call the police" and then "you should look where you're going."

I started to say, "be reasonable" but thought better of it. What's the point?

 

[jbond]

"I don't ride on the pavement. WTF are you doing walking in the road". You can apply this one to horse-riders as well! Except when you are both on a footpath of course.

 

[z0mb13e]

People regularly step out into the road in town. There is one particular roundabout near a college when the 'kids' regularly cross without looking.

Last Friday I was forced to break hard to stop short of one kid who had stepped out whilst looking away from the flow of traffic. He sluggishly looked round as I came to a halt a couple of feet from him, he looked surprised. I looked unimpressed. I said nothing and went round him when he didn't move. As I cycled off I heard one of his companions say 'what was that all about?'.

I asume he was from the college which made me think further education is wasted on those who don't have a grasp of basic survival skills. Once again, Tuffty Squirrel would be spinning in his grave...

 

[Streethawk]

Another good reason to wear a helmet camera. Nice to have evidence if you have a collision with a pedestrian, as the law seems to be very much on their side in general.

 

[HarryB]

Pedestrians playing chicken seems to be a common occurance these days - of all generations except perhaps the very old. However I don't think you are right about your last point. A friend of mine had a particularly nasty collision with a pedestrian and they banged heads enough for both of them to be ambulanced off to hospital. My friend looked dreadful for weeks afterwards but the rozzers took a very dim view of the pedestrian who colided with him rather than the otherway round.

PS have ordered a helmetcam off ebay just in case.