Cyclists that put a slur on our good name

[dondare]

Motorists shouldn't be blaming cyclists for the fact that their own vehicles require a lot of room, or be endangering cyclists when there isn't enough.
One point, though; there'd be more room for everyone to travel if you didn't insist on leaving your car in the road for the 20 hours or so each day that you aren't actually using it.
You might also consider that with the exception of motorways and bypasses Britain's roads were never intended for anything that travelled faster than a horse. Virtually the entire road network predates the motor car and if you don't find them wide enough for you then just use the motorways.

 

[Glow worm]

But seriously, if every driver had to give this much space to pass a cyclist, or had to follow a cyclist for miles if there wasn't this much space available because of oncoming traffic, then every town would be virtually gridlocked every morning and evening.

Yep that'd be about right. It's my 2 wheeled vehicle that's about 22 inches wide and four feet long that is causing all the gridlock. Nothing to do with your filthy 6 foot wide, 15 foot long, 2 ton, 4 wheeled snotbucket and the 24 million others like it. Nothing at all!

 

[Clive Atton]

Well, he patently failed to anticipate there may be a pothole in the road and unfortunately swerved under the lorry, he displayed the same lack of foresight that all drivers seem to be accused of on this forum. The lorry driver should also have assumed there may be a pothole that might cause the cyclist to swerve and therefore followed him fifteen miles until their routes diverged...................

 

[Clive Atton]

Yep that'd be about right. It's my 2 wheeled vehicle that's about 22 inches wide and four feet long that is causing all the gridlock. Nothing to do with your filthy 6 foot wide, 15 foot long, 2 ton, 4 wheeled snotbucket and the 24 million others like it. Nothing at all!

And next time you order your mail order bike from Wiggle, I assume you will insist it is delivered by cycle courier...........

 

[shunter]

Well, he patently failed to anticipate there may be a pothole in the road and unfortunately swerved under the lorry, he displayed the same lack of foresight that all drivers seem to be accused of on this forum. The lorry driver should also have assumed there may be a pothole that might cause the cyclist to swerve and therefore followed him fifteen miles until their routes diverged...................

Unfortunately the car driver who reported the pothole could go through it with only the consequence of damaging her wheel - however she did fail to anticipate it. The cyclist who anticipated it would have probably come of his bike anyway if he had went through it so swerving gave him a better chance at least.

Unfortunately in this case he was run over by the lorry driver.

 

[hackbike 666]

I'd go further. I'd mothball my bike and drive the car into work - that'd solve the log jam in the rush hour...

Right, pub time...

Pub? What's that?

 

[ManiaMuse]

Well, he patently failed to anticipate there may be a pothole in the road and unfortunately swerved under the lorry, he displayed the same lack of foresight that all drivers seem to be accused of on this forum. The lorry driver should also have assumed there may be a pothole that might cause the cyclist to swerve and therefore followed him fifteen miles until their routes diverged...................

I've had occasions when nice lorry drivers have done exactly that. One time I was at the lights and a large HGV pulled up behind me. I sprinted off since it was a 40 zone but one with loads of pinch points and pedestrian crossings expecting him to come by me. Instead he sat behind me for about 2 miles as I rode at 20mph holding back a fairly big queue of traffic. Even though there were places where an overtake was possible everytime I looked over my shoulder he was hanging back giving me plenty of room.

I gave him a wave as I turned off the main road.

 

[Bollo]

I'm all excited, because Clive is showing all the signs of the second coming of Col. In honour of this event, I'm minded to bang out a haiku....

Clive is willing to
trade lives for convenience.
Saved time trumps safety.

That felt good.


And Matt, you alcy. Since when is 5:30 'pub time'?

 

[rog]

I really think the people who defend bad riding here regardless of the cyclists determination to collect a Darwin Award are living in cloud cuckoo land.

That's because most normal people don't think other road users should be punished with death if they make a mistake whilst out n about. Show some respect (please).

 

[dondare]

Shame about the oncoming cyclist the Audi is about to mow down. But seriously, if every driver had to give this much space to pass a cyclist, or had to follow a cyclist for miles if there wasn't this much space available because of oncoming traffic, then every town would be virtually gridlocked every morning and evening. I really think the people who defend bad riding here regardless of the cyclists determination to collect a Darwin Award are living in cloud cuckoo land. Get real and realise that cyclists aren't the only things on the road, other people need to get around as well and dare I say it, at more than 10 to 20mph.
I will know doubt be slagged off as a car driving maniac, but I actually cycle more than I drive/motorbike.

Darwin Award.
The roads are not the Jungle. They are an entirely artificial construction intended to be used by people to get around conveniently and safely, not a mechanism for culling fools in order to improve the gene pool.
The Laws of the Road are not the Law of the Jungle. The Laws of the road are there to keep everyone, even fools, safe. The onus on every road user is to be mindful of the safety of every other road user, a reponsibility that weighs less on cyclists than motorists only because of the respective lethality of their vehicles.
No-one here will ever defend bad riding - we're very critical of it - but bad riders who annoy drivers are not seen as serious a problem as impatient drivers who endanger cyclists, or justify unsafe driving on the grounds that waiting for a safe time to overtake just too much trouble.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

When I am out on my bike I am only trying my best and do not set out to annoy anyone intentionally. If I do, then sorry, I'm only human (as are drivers, I'll admit).

Although I realise the amount of space shown for overtaking in the picture isn't always practical, my only request to drivers is to please not take it to the other extreme instead, passing with only inches to spare from the ends of my handlebars!

And all the other bits of dangerous driving of course too


Now, after reading that thread, I'm off to lie down in a darkened room.

 

[hackbike 666]

 

[Clive Atton]

Methinks Clive and Quinn should be paying extra tax to make up for the inconvenience they cause to everybody else.

I drive and ride vehicles registered pre 1973 so I don't pay any road tax, tee hee.

 

[BentMikey]

I drive a naughties car, and I don't pay any road tax either. You should both still pay extra tax because of the horrible things you do with your cars.

 

[gaz]

I drive and ride vehicles registered pre 1973 so I don't pay any road tax, tee hee.

There is no such thing as road tax.