Annoyed mopeds today

[Jake]

Still coughing like a pig at th emoment, but trying to cycle when can. Hence i was in no mood for jerks. I'm merrily sitting in ASL, moped comes up and squeezes past me. I'm like what the ****. Told "it", i think it was female, but who knows, that this is for pushbikes. Ipod leads going into helmet. "yeah" was the response. Pissed off, I pulled in front of her and blocked her in, waited a bit while the lights went green and went off.

Simular at the north end of blackfriers bridge. moped in cycle lane turning left, I pulled ahead and blocked him in. Further up, junction clear, car pulls up and just drives into the asl, no need to do so. I know its all petty and people are being squashed, but its something that gets my goat! They know they should not do it, as when on the rare occasion there is a police car/bike, they hang back.

Peacefull protest.

 

[very-near]

I understand your frustration, but in stationary traffic, they are just as vulnerable when the cars around move off as you are. This is why they want to be at the front in the same way that you do.

I get this blocking very very occasionally from cars when I filter on the m/bike.

You are following a high risk strategy as you will never outrun an irate scoot or m/bike and tbh you are as guilty of breaking the law yourself by willfully obstructing the highway as they are of using an ASL.

Would you have been so keen to block the bike if it had been a fully badged hells angel on his harley than a young girl on her scoot trying to get to work ?

 

[mattybain]

Still coughing like a pig at th emoment, but trying to cycle when can. Hence i was in no mood for jerks. I'm merrily sitting in ASL, moped comes up and squeezes past me. I'm like what the ****. Told "it", i think it was female, but who knows, that this is for pushbikes. Ipod leads going into helmet. "yeah" was the response. Pissed off, I pulled in front of her and blocked her in, waited a bit while the lights went green and went off.

Simular at the north end of blackfriers bridge. moped in cycle lane turning left, I pulled ahead and blocked him in. Further up, junction clear, car pulls up and just drives into the asl, no need to do so. I know its all petty and people are being squashed, but its something that gets my goat! They know they should not do it, as when on the rare occasion there is a police car/bike, they hang back.

Peacefull protest.

It's annoying isn't it, I hate the ones that overtake you just before they have to stop and then squeeze you onto the kerb whilst they block the whole of the ASL. What's the point of that?

I think I am like you, I am normally happy to hang back unless I can see a car that's blocking the ASL, then I go to the front and make sure I slow them down!!

On a more humourous note I was at an ASL in Cheadle when a fat kid (probably around 19-20) came up on an electric scooter. He was a friendly enough chap who told me I had to get a scooter like his as they are much faster and less effort than cycling. I looked him up and down and I said I liked to cycle as it kept me slim!! He went a bit red and then on the green light went on his merry way. I promptly overtook him and never saw him again!!

 

[mattybain]

I understand your frustration, but in stationary traffic, they are just as vulnerable when the cars around move off as you are. This is why they want to be at the front in the same way that you do.

I get this blocking very very occasionally from cars when I filter on the m/bike.

You are following a high risk strategy as you will never outrun an irate scoot or m/bike and tbh you are as guilty of breaking the law yourself by willfully obstructing the highway as they are of using an ASL.

If that were true then surely anyone filtering in traffic and using the ASL (and hence slowing down traffic behind) would be breaking the law? that's nonsense.

As I said I normally hang back at lights unless I see cars blatantly obstructing the ASL (or if they got too close overtaking me) then I filter and wait in the ASL, taking longer to set off on Green than normal. How can that be breaking the law? how can anyone determine how fast I *should* set off on Green?

 

[mattybain]

No, there is a difference between slowing down traffic and obstucting traffic.

VN was refering to the OP ''blocking'' the ped rider in and waiting a moment before setting off.

As I said, everyone sets off at their own pace, it's impossible to determine if someone was doing it deliberately or there was a reason for it, hence no laws broken. Does waiting a moment really constitute obstruction?

Cars often dawdle setting off at lights because they are chatting, doing make up, checking out over drivers etc does that mean they are breaking the law? no of course it doesn't so clearly what the poster said was nonsense.

 

[thomas]

I don't really have a problem with motorbikes in ASLs as long as it wouldn't stop cyclists/me geting into them. Bikes can get past cars quicker than push bikes, so waiting in traffic isn't as much of a problem.

I guess in London where it would be a lot busier people will have different opinions....I'd be surprised if there would be more than maybe me and anyone else in an ASL here.

 

[Jake]

ps, I'm not one of those cyclists who HAS to get to the front of the traffic. I think its dangerous, lights gonna change, no way of getting through without scratching a car etc, I am more then happy to hang back in the flow of traffic. I think the irratating bit is when cars/bikes just drive straight into it, as its their god given right. Yet, if a copper is about, they dont. In response to the Hells Angel, lol, i think i would keep my big mouth shut and look straight ahead lol

 

[thomas]

ps, I'm not one of those cyclists who HAS to get to the front of the traffic. I think its dangerous, lights gonna change, no way of getting through without scratching a car etc, I am more then happy to hang back in the flow of traffic. I think the irratating bit is when cars/bikes just drive straight into it, as its their god given right. Yet, if a copper is about, they dont. In response to the Hells Angel, lol, i think i would keep my big mouth shut and look straight ahead lol

Cars do annoy me, but motorbikes and scooters aren't in that different a situation....I bet most hell's angels are actually accountants

 

[skwerl]

As I said, everyone sets off at their own pace, it's impossible to determine if someone was doing it deliberately or there was a reason for it, hence no laws broken.

No proof of laws broken is not the same as 'no laws broken'. No one will ever be able to prove you willfully obstructed traffic by moving off slowly but if your intention was to do so then you've broken the law - it's moot as it can't be proven without your own admission but don't underestimate the seemingly small difference between these points.

I'd like to know whether those that jump red lights for 'safety reasons' are happy to allow scooters/mbikes into ASZs for the same reason. But then I guess they won't care as they've already jumped the lights.

 

[XmisterIS]

The term "moped rider" is often synonymous with "maniac with a deathwish", as far as I'm concerned!

I ride a motorbike and I watch these 16-year olds whizzing round with no protection AT ALL, and pulling all the crazy manoeuvres that my bike instructor said, "absolutely on no account should you do <whatever> because it is incredibly dangerous". Riding a moped in an ASL is a prime example ... there's a saying among bikers - "don't undertake - that's the dead man's road". (doesn't apply to pushbikes so much because we're a lot slower).

 

[Jake]

I guess you don't have a Tops Pizza box on the back of your powerbike?

 

[XmisterIS]

I guess you don't have a Tops Pizza box on the back of your powerbike?

Lol! Errr ... no