Cager trip this a.m. (snap survey)

[gambatte]

Didn't feel well this a.m. so changed out of the cycling gear and jumped in the trusty (!!) Mondeo.

When in the cage my routes split into 3 distinct areas.

Burbs
m'way
City

Obviously on the M1 I'm not going to see any cyclists (!!!)

Between the other 2 areas I saw 3 in each, all separate, no pairs.

Now considering that when I left home it was DARK and when I got to work it was lightening up (the street lights were just going off)

Considering the time, I figure these are commuters as opposed to leisure cyclists.

City - no fluorescent yellow hi viz but all with clothing with reflective parts, helmets and bikes with very noticeable lights, one with an additional helmet light (and he was waiting at a red light).

Burbs - all 3 on the pavement, no lights, no helmets.

Now what I'm wondering is, is this gulf in attitude/road sense typical or not

 

[Tetedelacourse]

RE: Helmets, don't even go there.

RE: riding on pavements/ lights - I'm sure folk here could provide horror stories of examples in both environments.

What I would say is this is a dodgy time of year for getting it right. The sun's low in the sky and for loads of folk their journey will begin in semi-darkness and finish in broad daylight (and vice versa). I remember someone in March complaining about the low sun in their eyes and it's gettting back to that time again. It's amazing how much your vision is impaired by a low sun.

 

[gambatte]

Just seemed strange to me how when it was considerably darker the guys I saw were unlit, on the pavements.
Gets a bit lighter in the city and everyones lit up like Xmas trees and being ‘good boys’ on the road.

Maybe the original post is lightly peppered with my own bias regarding safety etc. It wasn’t meant as another post about the pro and cons of helmet wearing. It was the geography/demography that interested me.

The difference today, seen as a driver, seemed so pronounced, I thought I put it up for discussion

 

[Cab]

Small sample size there Gambatte. 'Cos its an amusing difference, this was my journey this morning...

Of the 30 or so I passed (I saw more on the other side of the road too of course) while cycling in during daylight, none were on the pavement, none went through red lights (which is amazing for Cambridge, that being a very common offense). None behaved erratically or dangerously.

On the other hand, I had to swerve to get out of the way of cars coming at me on the wrong side of the road twice, and at every set of traffic lights I stopped at cars went through at red. Neither of the busses I saw at bus stops indicated before pulling out, and the complete gridlock I saw on Chesterton Road was caused by two motorists, one coming out of a side road the other one wanting in, with a third motorist parked illegally on the corner, and neither motorist willing to give in to the other (caysing traffic on both sides of the main road to be backed up by at least 100 yards). On the one stretch of vaguely clear road I was on, the two cars that went past me were well over the 30mph speed limit.

Are your suburban/city cyclists normal? Maybe. Dunno. But I do know that drawing conclusions from small samples would be a mistake. If I did that I'd think that all car drivers become inconsiderate, ignorant, law breaking thugs during rush hour

 

[gambatte]

I did leave one observed cyclist out of the sample. This is because I am unsure of the legality of what he was doing. He was using lights and had a hi viz waistcoat. I couldn’t put him in burbs or city category tho’. This is because he was cycling along a section of dual carriageway which I believe is actually off limits to cyclists (Sheffield Parkway) and looking very unsure of himself and ‘out of place’

I think I implied I wasn’t drawing any conclusions, and its arguable that in asking for other views I’m actually increasing the sample size? Maybe not perfect scientific methodology, but then I’m not getting paid to set up a study. Just chatting.

If I did that I'd think that all car drivers become inconsiderate, ignorant, law breaking thugs during rush hour

Just a few. Can’t and wouldn’t deny that.

Hows about this for a small sample. Conclusion - Riding a bike encourages you to be a more considerate driver. Sample size 1

 

[GrahamG]

I shouldn't worry about the burbs ones - they're just nipping to get the paper or some milk I expect. If so, more power to 'em for not jumping in the car (although they might not own one)