Cyclists - worst behaved and most hated of all road users

[benb]

So car drivers can't break any rules of the road but cyclists can?

Where did I say that?

 

[Bromptonaut]

So car drivers can't break any rules of the road but cyclists can?

He didn't say that did he? His argument (and mine) is that RLJing is wrong but very rarely does harm.

 

[cd365]

It was the implication that a RLJ'img cyclist does no harm so it's all good.
It should not be one rule of the road for one and one rule for another. There no shades of grey on the road you either obey the rules or you don't, there is no "rarely does harm" option. Millions of miles are driven every day above the speed limit and causes no harm so for the relatively few accidents caused it's ok to speed?

 

[benb]

It was the implication that a RLJ'img cyclist does no harm so it's all good.
It should not be one rule of the road for one and one rule for another. There no shades of grey on the road you either obey the rules or you don't, there is no "rarely does harm" option. Millions of miles are driven every day above the speed limit and causes no harm so for the relatively few accidents caused it's ok to speed?

I implied no such thing.

BTW, what do you think about entering an ASZ other than by the feeder lane?

 

[Nigeyy]

I think Boris Bajic's post hits the nail on the head; whether we like it or not, I do think cyclists (sorry, can't be ar*ed to bother to differentiate from a POB) are less responsible on the road generally than motor vehicle drivers. I think it comes with the territory that any old bike is fairly readily available and may be used by people who can't afford a car, aren't old enough to drive one (and hence don't study the highway code) or who are more prone to rule breaking. What would be interesting is finding out the behaviour of "regular" cycling commuters who use it to get to work.

However, I will say I have pent up issues whenever someone mentions it to me -simply because every day when I cycle into work I see motor vehicle drivers who do at least one or more of these things: speed, don't stop at stop signs, don't give way, don't indicate, cut people off, have bad road postioning or are simply inattentive. Yet somehow cyclists tend to be singled out for bad road behaviour, as though all motor vehicle drivers are angels! (because of this, and because I never hear "car drivers shouldn't be on the road" I tend to believe the complainers <sarcasm> have just a bit of a biased opinion </sarcasm>). Add to this there are far more motor vehicles on the road and the physical and financial consequences of a bicycle vs motor vehicle in an accident, and I do think it's out of proportion. Even if admittedly cyclists as a whole have a greater proportion of law breakers.

Having said all this, I certainly don't condone bad cyclists or the behaviour (black ninjas I really dislike) but it does have to be viewed with proper perspective. Yes, more cyclists should behave and ride more responsibly -as should motorists. And yes, there are some idiot cyclists out there (but again, as there are idiot motorists).

The next person who tells me cyclists are irresponsible and shouldn't be on the road, grrrrrrrrr.........

 

[cd365]

I implied no such thing.

BTW, what do you think about entering an ASZ other than by the feeder lane?

I enter an ASZ on my route and do not use the feeder lane because it is 2 lanes across from the lane I am in, but this is down to bad design and on other ASZ lanes I see there is a feeder lane in each lane of the road.

I know I am not a perfect car driver, cyclist or motorcyclist but I live in the real world.

 

[gambatte]

You saw the word "usually", right?.

Yes I saw the word 'usually', I saw it as part of the full sentence.
" Of the remainder, the RLJs are usually only putting themselves in danger"
But for that one person to be in danger it's not going to be an incident involving ONLY them? The danger of an RLJ is some sort of impact which by definition directly involves a third party? Never mind the other parties as pointed out by subsequent posters.

 

[benb]

I enter an ASZ on my route and do not use the feeder lane because it is 2 lanes across from the lane I am in, but this is down to bad design and on other ASZ lanes I see there is a feeder lane in each lane of the road.

I know I am not a perfect car driver, cyclist or motorcyclist but I live in the real world.

I would do the same. The point I'm getting at is that something can be technically illegal but it is not necessarily a good idea to comply.

But to reiterate, I am generally against RLJing.
I would however support a change in the law to make red lights the equivalent of give way lines for cyclists.

 

[benb]

Yes I saw the word 'usually', I saw it as part of the full sentence.
" Of the remainder, the RLJs are usually only putting themselves in danger"
But for that one person to be in danger it's not going to be an incident involving ONLY them? The danger of an RLJ is some sort of impact which by definition directly involves a third party? Never mind the other parties as pointed out by subsequent posters.

Yes, I agree with that, I was trying to point out the substantial difference between a RLJing cyclist and a RLJing motorist.

The number of people KSI as a result of a RLJing cyclist is very low. It is blown out of all proportion.

It's also rather rich for cyclists to be roundly pilloried by motorists for the actions of a minority when a majority of those motorists are habitual lawbreakers.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I see more blatant law-breaking by cyclists than I do by motorists. But then a bicycle is far less deadly than a motor vehicle.

Come and sit outside my house. It would be an education for you.

 

[Hip Priest]

Come and sit outside my house. It would be an education for you.

I like to think that riding 3000 miles on a variety of different roads, in a variety of different conditions, has offered me a greater education than would be gained by sitting outside of someone's house, but thanks anyway.

 

[markharry66]

Pavement cyclist round here get shouted at by me on a daily basis, night Ninjas get the same treatment.
As for cars that cut me up, try and push me into the kerb I have a greeting for I know its not that kind of forum so it begins with f and ends in off

 

[campbellab]

So car drivers can't break any rules of the road but cyclists can?

A thought, most of the rules wouldn't exist if not for cars and the ease they have for causing real harm to others.

 

[cd365]

A thought, most of the rules wouldn't exist if not for cars and the ease they have for causing real harm to others.

Correct, if there was no cars there would be no rules controlling them, but there would still be rules controlling whatever other forms of transport mankind used, be it cycles, horses or something else.

 

[nigelnorris]

Horse riders, now there's a group of people who really shouldn't be on the road.