Cyclists v POBs

[Tynan]

jumping red lights does save time, that's a plain fact, suggesting otherwise is silly, if I spend twenty minutes a day stopped at red lights I get home 20 minutes (and some) later than if I'd ignored the lights ad kept going

 

[gambatte]

jumping red lights does save time, that's a plain fact, suggesting otherwise is silly, if I spend twenty minutes a day stopped at red lights I get home 20 minutes (and some) later than if I'd ignored the lights ad kept going

I'd rather increase my chances of actually getting home every day. Not the same odds, but RLJing does have an aspect of Russian Roulette about it.

 

[Tynan]

sure, different matter entirely

if it's done safely, it's perfectly safe, most junctions are entirely designed for cars, they don;t affect bikes at all

 

[CotterPin]

I like the prats on bikes one myself! The no lights, dark clothing brigade is growing I reckon, as I see 5 or 6 in the (dark) mornings in just a few miles on my way to or from work. This includes lads on BMXs delivering papers. If I had a son and he was off out at 6am in the winter to do a paper round I'd be checking his lights/brakes etc were working every night! Imagine losing a child because you didn't buy them some cheap LED flashers before sending them out to earn their pocket money?

The parents of these youngsters are as bad as the 'prats on bikes' themselves.

I've often wondered about the newsagents. These kids are employees. If they were injured whilst working and lack of lighting etc was a contributory factor....

Legally, should the newsagents ensure delivery boys not only have lights, but that they're used?

I like the "Prats on bikes" idea - it's the behaviour that is the problem not the person and they are being prats if they jump lights, ride on pavements, squeeze up the inside of buses, etc whether they are a hoody or a roadie.

Gambatte, OT, you have reminded me of my earliest cycling crash when I had a paper round many many many years ago. Descending a hill at speed with a sharp right hand bend at the bottom and going over the bonnet of an approaching car.

I was uninjured but it resulted in the newsagent having to get insurance for his paper boys and girls - which he had never bothered with before.

 

[gambatte]

Newsagent near us had to have his insurance pay out for the paperlad scratching his car as he delivered.

Thats what got me onto that mental thread.

 

[col]

My wife and i wont let our son have a paper round,times are different to when we were kids,a milk round yes.

 

[col]

I like the "Prats on bikes" idea - it's the behaviour that is the problem not the person and they are being prats if they jump lights, ride on pavements, squeeze up the inside of buses, etc whether they are a hoody or a roadie.

Gambatte, OT, you have reminded me of my earliest cycling crash when I had a paper round many many many years ago. Descending a hill at speed with a sharp right hand bend at the bottom and going over the bonnet of an approaching car.

I was uninjured but it resulted in the newsagent having to get insurance for his paper boys and girls - which he had never bothered with before.

Their behaviour is the key.These pobs,or pratts,or whatever we call them,tend to act the same whether they are on bikes or not,so its an apt description,POB .And going on how they act towards others,then if snobbery is saying im not like them,then im a snob