Cyclists flout law 'to stay safe'

[magnatom]

Sorry to disagree (a bit) on this occession Magnatom...
But the discussion of introducing advanced green light, legalization of right-turns on red for bikes, etc. in itself suggests certain behaviours may indeed increase safety.
And let's not forget that all these rules and laws are purely psychological constructs (a bunch of chemicals and electrical activity re-arranged in some law-maker's brain). Whether they correspond to physical reality is a seperate matter (and speaking as a psychologist, which is my training, they often don't).

Your disagreeing, how dare you!!

I don't like any road feature that encourages cyclists to the front. Have a look at this thread http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=8861

I honestly thing ESZ is a much better and safer idea than advanced green lights. It also wouldn't irritate drivers in the same way as an advanced light would. As you say, psychology is at work here, and if drivers feel they are being queue jumped by cyclists they get annoyed, even if it is the law. Look at the thread where I posted the bus driver video recently. Nethalus was annoyed, just because a cyclist made his way to the front. he was in the right, but she still got annoyed. It's not right, but it is a fact of life. We need to integrate, not to infuriate!

 

[cntl]

I found the ower of teh video:

View: http://youtube.com/watch?v=35qX44veDc8

It was a statinary traffic because.....THE CARS WERE WAITING AT A RAILROAD CROSSING Why didn't the BBC show the whole clip?

EDIT: Obviously the cyclist knew the road and the reason the cars were stationary and that it was safe to overtake.

 

[magnatom]

I found the ower of teh video:

View: http://youtube.com/watch?v=35qX44veDc8

It was a statinary traffic because.....THE CARS WERE WAITING AT A RAILROAD CROSSING Why didn't the BBC show the whole clip?

EDIT: Obviously the cyclist knew the road and the reason the cars were stationary and that it was safe to overtake.

Good find. Yes it would seem that the BBC edited that clip to fit what they wanted to say. Very poor. I hope Andy e-mails them and complains.

Obviously, knowing that the barrier was down meant Andy know that no cars would be coming the other way rendering the maneuver safe. I should have known.

 

[hackbike 6]

I was really annoyed by all of this reporting. However, what annoyed me the most was the assertion that cyclists break the rules for safety reasons. What utter, utter crap!!

Blimey magnatom and I agree for once.

 

[hackbike 6]

Originally Posted by magnatom
I was really annoyed by all of this reporting. However, what annoyed me the most was the assertion that cyclists break the rules for safety reasons. What utter, utter crap!!

Sorry to disagree (a bit) on this occession Magnatom...
But the discussion of introducing advanced green light, legalization of right-turns on red for bikes, etc. in itself suggests certain behaviours may indeed increase safety.
And let's not forget that all these rules and laws are purely psychological constructs (a bunch of chemicals and electrical activity re-arranged in some law-maker's brain). Whether they correspond to physical reality is a seperate matter (and speaking as a psychologist, which is my training, they often don't).

From what I see in London they can't seem to stop it anyway.

I see dodgy RLJing time and time again and that doesn't include the peds that are thrown into the equation.

 

[Jaded]

Jaded, this is how I imagine you.

If that was my Interpol photograph I'd never get caught.

 

[AndyB]

P.S That helmet footage wasn't mine. The van driver was an idiot. The cyclist, although he did not break any laws did overtake dangerously IMO. He did not have a clear enough view of the road ahead, i.e if a car came towards him fast, could he have been sure of an escape route? Does anyone know who's footage this was?

Hi, all, they nicked my old footage.
The road approaches a closed level crossing, hence the queue because the gate is down and nothing is going to come the other way. Cars also pull out of that queue and it makes more sense to keep a bit of space from them. Have they not heard of filtering? Do they expect us to just sit at the back of the queue?

Original video:

View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=35qX44veDc8


Edited version:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7478830.stm

I'm not very happy about it being edited in such a way.

 

[marinyork]

E-mail Keith Doyle or points of view at the BBC and complain? I was so annoyed at the childish comment just inventing lawbreaking in the piece to try and create "balance" I forgot what else was said later!

 

[Gandalf]

This is the link, I have just given them my two penny's worth

http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/points_of_view/spottederror.shtml

 

[magnatom]

Hi, all, they nicked my old footage.
The road approaches a closed level crossing, hence the queue because the gate is down and nothing is going to come the other way. Cars also pull out of that queue and it makes more sense to keep a bit of space from them. Have they not heard of filtering? Do they expect us to just sit at the back of the queue?

Original video:

View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=35qX44veDc8


Edited version:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7478830.stm

I'm not very happy about it being edited in such a way.

I earlier suggested that the filtering looked dangerous, but I didn't have the full facts. That was a very poor editing decision by the BBC.:?:

 

[cntl]

>>This is the link, I have just given them my two penny's worth

http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/points_of_view/spottederror.shtml

I've added my two pennies too. CAN MORE PEOPLE FOLLOW? IT JUST TAKES A MINUTE ;-)

 

[jmaccyd]

Why do (some) cyclist break the law. Because the vast majority of cyclists are also motorists, and the biggest law breaking group in scoiety is the British motorist. They don't obbey the laws of the road when behind the wheel, and they therefore take the same attitude when they are cycling on two wheels. Its just what laws are available to break that change - in your car routinly break speed limits and use mobiles on a bike RLJ or use pavements. I would argue that if you are a non-law breaker behing the wheel you are the same on two wheels.

 

[LLB]

Why do (some) cyclist break the law. Because the vast majority of cyclists are also motorists, and the biggest law breaking group in scoiety is the British motorist. They don't obbey the laws of the road when behind the wheel, and they therefore take the same attitude when they are cycling on two wheels. Its just what laws are available to break that change - in your car routinly break speed limits and use mobiles on a bike RLJ or use pavements. I would argue that if you are a non-law breaker behing the wheel you are the same on two wheels.

Absolute shyte. I just spent 3 days in Geneva (well Annemasse on the french side) and the driving standard is just as bad in Switzerland and France as it is here. I'd go as far as to say that they are very keen to cut other cars up when the lanes filter to the right, and cut across the highway for the tram stops in Geneva as well as doing the traffic light Grant Prix with other road users.

The biggest problem IMO is that some people who ride cycles see themselves as wheeled pedestrians, and this gives them the right to ride on the pavement, across traffic lighted junctions when they see a gap (RLJ'ing), and against the flow of traffic in one way streets which is just suicide as well as a lack of lights.

It just makes for 'two fingers up' at authority, and gives the impression that they see laws as something which apply to other people.

Most of the people I see riding like this are ones who are either too young, or too skint to put a car on the road legally (which is lets face it very expensive for someone in their teens or early twenties) - which indicates that they have never had to experience any formal training regarding the laws of the road - so how can they respect its boundaries ?

 

[Ludwig]

All very London centric. I live in rural Wales and all this redlight jumping and law flouting is totally alien as we don't have any traffic lights for 50 miles and never break any laws. Our biggest problem are sheep straying in your way, cattle grids and fir cones falling on your head.

 

[magnatom]

All very London centric. I live in rural Wales and all this redlight jumping and law flouting is totally alien as we don't have any traffic lights for 50 miles and never break any laws. Our biggest problem are sheep straying in your way, cattle grids and fir cones falling on your head.

What do you mean the people of rural Wales 'don't break the law'? You've just mentioned the fact that you have lots of sheep........:?: