Changing cycling rules of the road

[summerdays]

The argument was about traffic lights, not junctions. My comments had particular emphasis on temporary traffic lights on the open road where you can be halted for some time. Most of my riding takes place over several hours and saving the odd second at traffic lights is not a consideration, but conserving energy by keeping comfortable when halted definitely is. Yes, that means I am effectively merging with the main flow when restarting, something we all have to be able to do safely. It seems like a good trade to me.

Your cycling instructor's comment sounds like a remote ideal rather than something he thinks ought actually to happen. The population of cyclists is extremely diverse.

At temporary traffic lights I wait mid lane too, it's usually more important that cars don't try to pass you due to poor road surfaces, and narrow lanes in the section of road works. And if I've got cars behind me then it's good because the car coming the opposite way won't go when he can see a car coming but might if it's just a bike, and the timings of temporary traffic lights don't always allow for how long it takes for a bike to get through.

Honestly it may feel a little strange at first using primary position, but if used considerately then Most drivers don't seem to get annoyed, so in my above example I'd then try to let the following cars pass me as soon as it was safe beyond the temporary traffic lights by moving back closer to the kerb.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Read my posts back nice and slow...

Happy to. Once you've answered my question and stopped moving the goalposts to suit your own pov.

Which represents the greater threat (risk x impact) to other road users, a driver doing 40 in a 30 zone or a cyclist riding slowly on the pavement next to the road used by the speeding driver?

 

[Dan B]

Depends on the circumstances.

If there was nothing else on the road and lots of pedestrians on the pavement then the cyclist on the pavement is the greater threat

Your faith in the protective power of a raised kerb is touching

 

[400bhp]

Your faith in the protective power of a raised kerb is touching

And doesn't understand the concept that risk involves probabilities of all outcomes, not one.

 

[martint235]

How about cyclists becoming a little more patient. Almost all the rules involving motion seem to replicate the impatience we see in motorists every day. What are you gaining by not stopping at a Zebra for example? Seconds. Relax and enjoy the ride.

And for rule 11,as Ian said "do one"

 

[mjr]

How about cyclists becoming a little more patient.

So people on bicycles must never need to get anywhere on time and should suffer all the same slowdowns in full while not having as high a top speed as motorists? If that happened, would many apart from health nuts and green freaks ride for transport and what would be the cost to the nation?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

How about cyclists becoming a little more patient. Almost all the rules involving motion seem to replicate the impatience we see in motorists every day. What are you gaining by not stopping at a Zebra for example? Seconds. Relax and enjoy the ride.

And for rule 11,as Ian said "do one"

Many cyclists unconsciously adopt the Mr Toad mindset. They have absorbed it with their mother's milk as it is one of the dominating philosophies in society.

It took me about five years, two of which were mostly on fixed/ss, and a lot of interaction with the FNRttC crew, before my road to Damascus. Which was actually the road to John O'Groats.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

So people on bicycles must never need to get anywhere on time and should suffer all the same slowdowns in full while not having as high a top speed as motorists?

Allow sufficient time for the journey. No one dies if you arrive early. Time pressure is an entirely human-made construct. Don't buy into it.

 

[martint235]

So people on bicycles must never need to get anywhere on time and should suffer all the same slowdowns in full while not having as high a top speed as motorists? If that happened, would many apart from health nuts and green freaks ride for transport and what would be the cost to the nation?

What on earth has being patient got to do with getting somewhere on time?

If you want the same top speed as a car, get a car.

Cyclists whinge on here about they want to be treated with respect by other road users and to be treated as bona fide road users but always with a caveat of "I'm special therefore I should be allowed to run red lights; go the wrong way up a one way street; ignore the rules regarding pedestrian crossings cos I'm on a bike innit". B*****ks

 

[steveindenmark]

If people on bikes need to get somewhere on time they should do what I do. Set off early enough.

 

[Dogtrousers]

If people on bikes need to get somewhere on time they should do what I do. Set off early enough.

This just about sums it up for me. I know how long different bike journeys take for me, both commutes and recreational rides. For commuting, I have work to factor in and I always allow plenty of time for a relaxed ride and post arrival faffing. For recreational riding - well, it's recreational FFS. It doesn't matter how long it takes, if I need to get it over quickly I always have the option of a shorter route, or not doing it at all. (Same applies for all modes of transport)

 

[MissTillyFlop]

I was about to give the OP a like, until I got to rule 11. Arghhhh .....!!

Indeed.

what a waste of batteries!

 

[benb]

I'd support a change in the law to allow cyclists to treat red lights as give way junctions.

 

[Profpointy]

I'd support a change in the law to allow cyclists to treat red lights as give way junctions.

Umm, we've got one of those now already haven't we ? :-)

 

[martint235]

I'd support a change in the law to allow cyclists to treat red lights as give way junctions.

I'd support a change in the law that allows all road users to treat a red light as give way when turning left.