Cyclists that ignore road etiquette and the highway code

[Red Light]

I've already said I wasnt talking specifically about RLJ but my impression in general of cyclists that display an ignorance to the highway code and road eitiquette in general do seem to be hellbent on their own destruction. I appreciate you taking the time to find those figures, but its just reinforcing the 'fixed on RLJing' view that is becoming prevalent.

Prevalent for all road users though, not just cyclists, and the counts for motor vehicles are those that went through more than three seconds after the lights went red so the actual number will be much higher. The character of RLJing is quite different though. Motor vehicle mainly gamble that they can get through after the light has gone red and before the cross traffic has started to move on its green. Cyclists tend to behave like pedestrians and go before the light goes green but after the cross traffic has either gone or has stopped i.e towards the end of the red phase. I suspect what annoys motorists is that the cyclists are going while they are still having to wait.

And if you are not talking about just RLJing, again in London the cyclist is the person most responsible in only 28% of accidents involving a cyclist. That is quite different to pedestrians who are responsible for the majority of accidents involving a pedestrian.

Pavement cyclist kill only two or three people a decade versus about 400 killed on the pavements by motorists in the same period.

So you are falling for the false stereotyping of cyclists whose main fault seem to be no more than they are cyclists.

 

[gaz]

Can you get Brian Blessed to do the voice over's?

I can do an impression of brian blessed.

 

[Red Light]

I can do an impression of brian blessed.

His voice or his bombast?

 

[wiggydiggy]

Prevalent for all road users though, not just cyclists, and the counts for motor vehicles are those that went through more than three seconds after the lights went red so the actual number will be much higher. The character of RLJing is quite different though. Motor vehicle mainly gamble that they can get through after the light has gone red and before the cross traffic has started to move on its green. Cyclists tend to behave like pedestrians and go before the light goes green but after the cross traffic has either gone or has stopped i.e towards the end of the red phase. I suspect what annoys motorists is that the cyclists are going while they are still having to wait.

And if you are not talking about just RLJing, again in London the cyclist is the person most responsible in only 28% of accidents involving a cyclist. That is quite different to pedestrians who are responsible for the majority of accidents involving a pedestrian.

Pavement cyclist kill only two or three people a decade versus about 400 killed on the pavements by motorists in the same period.

So you are falling for the false stereotyping of cyclists whose main fault seem to be no more than they are cyclists.

This was never about whether 'what accident is whose fault' and I wont disagree with you on some of the figures you raise, but the finer points of RLJ by anyone don't interest me beyond me thinking 'what a prat'.

And I dont know what steroptype I am falling for other than to have a dim view of poor cycling whilst accepting we're not all like that, and as with many things in life we are far more likely to talk an be interested in the bad than the good.

 

[gregsid]

Leaving statistics aside for the moment (forgive me), my original point was really about the lack of respect for the highway code and road etiquette; not necessarily dangerous cycling. And how we should or should not respond.

In anycase, it's fair to say that these minority disrespectful cyclist DO give the rest of us a bad name, to a greater or lesser degree.

 

[Jezston]

I can do an impression of brian blessed.

I can't!

However, that didn't stop me from trying!

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoCq6SKsm7Y[/media]



I am so sorry.

 

[smallfish]

Personally, as a rule it's not strict illegality that makes me cross enough to say something, it's selfish and inconsiderate cycling.

On my personal "Victor Meldrew" scale - with 1 being equal to a silent sigh, and 10 being a full on 'i don't believe it' rant... most misdemeanors generally rate pretty low.

The only thing pretty guaranteed to make my blood boil - about 7 to 8 on the scale - is cyclists who speed through pedestrian crossings when peds have right of way. (Though I don't do it myself, someone going through a crossing when there are no peds about doesn't particularly bother me.)

I did recently shout 'he's going to turn!' as a cyclist undertook me - i was in in primary - and began undertaking the van in front that was indicating left . My shout was totally to try and prevent an accident rather than any victor meldrew tendancies! The cyclist slowed and let the van turn - but just looked baffled that I had shouted - i was expecting undying grattitude - or to be told to eff off!

 

[BentMikey]

Now, now. Not everyone does irony!

Yeah, sorry Wiggy. The real irony is that I didn't do irony when I came to the UK, and now there's me using it.

 

[Beebo]

I can do an impression of brian blessed.

GORDON'S ALIVE!!!

 

[hennbell]

I am guilty of running a stop sign !

There is a rural crossroad, 4 way stop, you can see up the road for a good mile in each direction and if the road is clear I do not stop. I treat the stop sign like a yield sign.
In the UK it would be a traffic circle not a four way stop, but there are very few traffic circles in Canada.

My confession of the day.

 

[subaqua]

I am guilty of running a stop sign !

There is a rural crossroad, 4 way stop, you can see up the road for a good mile in each direction and if the road is clear I do not stop. I treat the stop sign like a yield sign.
In the UK it would be a traffic circle not a four way stop, but there are very few traffic circles in Canada.

My confession of the day.

I had this explained to me as a 17yr old by my mates dad who was a police driving instructor. I told him i never stopped at a stop sign I generally slowed down and that was fine. He said he would hit me repeatedly with his truncheon and ask me if i wanted him to stop or slow down . I got the message .

 

[Dan B]

Personally, as a rule it's not strict illegality that makes me cross enough to say something, it's selfish and inconsiderate cycling.

+1. I'm not going to start getting irate at someone just because they're cycling without pedal reflectors

 

[GrumpyGregry]

+1. I'm not going to start getting irate at someone just because they're cycling without pedal reflectors

or a bell.

Live and let live and all that.

 

[BentMikey]

or a bell.

A bell? I didn't know we are required to have a bell?

If anyone asks why I don't have a bell, an AirZound demo usually has the desired effect of making them leap so high I can comfortably leave before they fall back to earth.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

A bell? I didn't know we are required to have a bell?

No. Bicycles must have a bell fitted when sold, but you are not obliged to keep the bell on once you've bought it.