A cyclist with a death wish

[paul04]

As we all know from watching the news or reading the papers about the cyclist deaths, not just in London but around the country, and it does make you more aware while on the roads.

I see many things while out driving on the roads, but today had me speechless, on how someone could be so stupid.

Today I took the works 7.5ton van out to do some deliveries.
Approaching traffic lights, with 2 lanes on the road, one to turn left, and the other lane to go straight on. I wanted to turn left. light were on red, so I was stopped at the lights. the left indicator clearly visible(well to anyone paying attention to the road)
The lights changed to green, a quick glance in the mirror before I set off, only to see a cyclist half way along the van on the inside, said to my colleague, look at this idiot, my colleague put the window down (at this point the cyclist was at his door) colleague shouts at him "are you stupid" the cyclist never replied.

Even worse, the cyclist then went across the front of the van, and joined the other lane to go straight on, cutting up another motorist. That cyclist was very very lucky today.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, he was. Unfortunately, he probably didn't learn from his mistakes and will probably not be so lucky another time ...

 

[colly]

At some lights near my home I stopped at the rear of a long flat bed lorry. I knew the company and although he wasn't indicating it was a pound to a penny he was about to make a left turn. I would wait at the rear anyway just in case. Along comes another guy on a bike nudges past me to get to the inside of the lorry.
I said: 'He will probably be turning left'
His reply: 'fark off'

So Mr Nobhead cyclist gets almost to the front of the lorry, lights change, lorry moves off and..........swings left.
Fortunately there was plenty of room for the rider to jump off and get onto the path.

Probably the same bloke on a day out from Manchester.

Seeing as it was a while ago I'm surprised he is still in one piece.

 

[Spinney]

I said: 'He will probably be turning left'
His reply: 'f*** off'

This is what I don't understand. I can see how you might get that response if your statement had included something like 'don't go there you nobber' or other similar words - but to just say f**k off to someone giving a piece of advice...

 

[cosmicbike]

This is what I don't understand. I can see how you might get that response if your statement had included something like 'don't go there you nobber' or other similar words - but to just say f**k off to someone giving a piece of advice...

Such is modern society. Of course, had he been flattened by said truck there is no way it could have been his fault.

 

[Spinney]

Such is modern society. Of course, had he been flattened by said truck there is no way it could have been his fault.

Could have been eligible for a Darwin award, though...

 

[Roadrider48]

This is a very common thing with cyclists. Then, if there is a problem when the HGV turns left, they scream blue murder at the driver.
Wait behind or filter on the right if you are going straight on.

 

[Globalti]

Twice this week I've seen idiots on BSOs riding in the cycle lane the wrong way, in the dark with no lights and dark clothes. If they got hit by a car I wouldn't hesitate to testify in support of the car driver.

 

[MontyVeda]

.

<<<<< if only the cyclist had seen a simple yet inaccurate image that gets the message 'where not to be' across in an instant

 

[DCLane]

Last night going along the A45 (dual-carriageway 70mph around Northampton) to collect some wheels from Biggs682 I passed a cyclist in black, no lights front or rear on the inside lane

Potential Darwin award winner

 

[400bhp]

As we all know from watching the news or reading the papers about the cyclist deaths, not just in London but around the country, and it does make you more aware while on the roads.

I see many things while out driving on the roads, but today had me speechless, on how someone could be so stupid.

Today I took the works 7.5ton van out to do some deliveries.
Approaching traffic lights, with 2 lanes on the road, one to turn left, and the other lane to go straight on. I wanted to turn left. light were on red, so I was stopped at the lights. the left indicator clearly visible(well to anyone paying attention to the road)
The lights changed to green, a quick glance in the mirror before I set off, only to see a cyclist half way along the van on the inside, said to my colleague, look at this idiot, my colleague put the window down (at this point the cyclist was at his door) colleague shouts at him "are you stupid" the cyclist never replied.

Even worse, the cyclist then went across the front of the van, and joined the other lane to go straight on, cutting up another motorist. That cyclist was very very lucky today.

Nope.

 

[oldroadman]

This is what I don't understand. I can see how you might get that response if your statement had included something like 'don't go there you nobber' or other similar words - but to just say f**k off to someone giving a piece of advice...

The repository of the arrogant which is often combined with ignorance and stupidity is the xxx off phrase. They use it because they are too daft to think of anything else, and when the inevitable happens, idiots on other forums start giving a driver stick without thinking through what may have happened. There are idiots on bikes, idiots on motos, idiots in cars, idiots in trucks. But hopefully not too many. When the posters start on bike forums, they fail to see that complaining about other people's faults has to be credible, and that can only be done from a position of strength, where rules are obeyed. So every single person who has ever RLJ'd is not really in a position to criticise.

 

[buggi]

As we all know from watching the news or reading the papers about the cyclist deaths, not just in London but around the country, and it does make you more aware while on the roads.

I see many things while out driving on the roads, but today had me speechless, on how someone could be so stupid.

Today I took the works 7.5ton van out to do some deliveries.
Approaching traffic lights, with 2 lanes on the road, one to turn left, and the other lane to go straight on. I wanted to turn left. light were on red, so I was stopped at the lights. the left indicator clearly visible(well to anyone paying attention to the road)
The lights changed to green, a quick glance in the mirror before I set off, only to see a cyclist half way along the van on the inside, said to my colleague, look at this idiot, my colleague put the window down (at this point the cyclist was at his door) colleague shouts at him "are you stupid" the cyclist never replied.

Even worse, the cyclist then went across the front of the van, and joined the other lane to go straight on, cutting up another motorist. That cyclist was very very lucky today.

was there by any chance a cycle lane up the left side as this is often the scenario ? I hate them. Poor design basically inviting cyclists into the danger zone and encouraging them to do it at all lights

 

[Roadrider48]

was there by any chance a cycle lane up the left side as this is often the scenario ? I hate them. Poor design basically inviting cyclists into the danger zone and encouraging them to do it at all lights

Even with a cycle lane, you have to have some common sense and not go up the inside of lorries.
You can't just say "the cycle lane was there, so I had to use it". If anyone chooses this route and ends up in trouble, it's no one else's fault but their own.

 

[Globalti]

Perhaps cycle lanes should terminate twenty yards before a major junction.