F***ing cyclists

[JamesAC]

I stepped out of Stepney Green tube station (that's in London, folks) onto the pavement, and was almost flattened by a bike mounted ninja. All in black, no lights, doing about 20 mph along the pavement. Zooming in and out of pedestrians. As I walked along, four or five more "cyclists" came weaving in and out of us pedestrians. No lights, no hi-viz. No concern at all.

I passed a Pelican crossing, that had just turned green for pedestrians. People started to cross. 6 people on bikes cycled through the red light (not one bike actually stopped or even reduced speed), scattering peds left and right.

Is there any wonder that motorists treat all cyclists with contempt, when cycling like this happens? I'm not surprised that the Daily Mail and so on give us a bad press. It's not hard to find examples to support their stance.

I'm disgusted.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

...No lights, no hi-viz. No concern at all.

Hi Vis is not a legal requirement nor should lack of it be seen as a fault on a cyclist's part.

 

[gaz]

I don't wear hi viz. does that mean i'm a bad cyclist?

 

[magnatom]

I don't wear hi viz. does that mean i'm a bad cyclist?

We already know your a bad cyclist from your videos......

 

[Peter10]

Hi Vis is not a legal requirement nor should lack of it be seen as a fault on a cyclist's part.

No high-vis isn't a legal requirement, but lights, reflectors, not cycling on a footpath and obeying the highway code are requirements. I cycle a lot, but he is right, some cyclists behaviour is awful.

 

[Martok]

Hi-viz isn't a requirement but it's a useful aid in being seen, though lights are more important of course. No lights and black clothes is rather stupid though, as seems to be the case with these cyclists.

 

[Crankarm]

Terrible state of affairs. An old tightly firled umbrella can come in handy ...............

 

[Cush]

Hi-Viz is a bit like the helmet issue, it is up to you. I do wear it in the dark and early mornings but that is my way. The rest of the original posting is right. We do have bad cylists around and there is no defence for them nor should we defend them, when they ripp up peds. Now I am off to scare the living daylights out of a the drivers trying to get in to the local Tesco.

 

[GlasgowGaryH]

Terrible state of affairs. An old tightly firled umbrella can come in handy ...............

Sharp end first

 

[Crankarm]

Sharp end first

Straight through the spokes of their rear wheels ...............

 

[marmalade400]

that's in London, folks

There's your explanation.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

One reason the hi-vis bit gets to me is one comment from someone at work who said approvingly (I was just donning my jetstream as it was raining) "I nearly hit someone because he wasn't wearing hi-vis"

In reality is "I nearly his someone because I wasn't looking properly, luckily the hi-vis grabbed my attention and compensated for my carelessness" - but no, he is, of course, a perfect driver amongst roads full of idiots and couldn't possibly be in the wrong - the fault for the near-miss wasn't his at all, it was the cyclist for not wearing hi vis.

 

[Crankarm]

One reason the hi-vis bit gets to me is one comment from someone at work who said approvingly (I was just donning my jetstream as it was raining) "I nearly hit someone because he wasn't wearing hi-vis"

In reality is "I nearly his someone because I wasn't looking properly, luckily the hi-vis grabbed my attention and compensated for my carelessness" - but no, he is, of course, a perfect driver amongst roads full of idiots and couldn't possibly be in the wrong - the fault for the near-miss wasn't his at all, it was the cyclist for not wearing hi vis.

This is not a thread about Hi-Viz whether to wear or not, but about cyclists riding on busy pavements, without lights, in dark colours, riding through traffic light controlled ped crossings against a red light whilst peds are crossing putting peds in danger and generally being a menace and a danger.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

This is not a thread about Hi-Viz whether to wear or not, but about cyclists riding on busy pavements, without lights, in dark colours, riding through traffic light controlled ped crossings against a red light whilst peds are crossing putting peds in danger and generally being a menace and a danger.

in which lack of hi-vis was cited as an example of irresponsibility

 

[Chutzpah]

Bath city centre at lunchtime today.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...d=95xzVlX5uIqvLvNlaOPY1g&cbp=12,336.67,,0,1.4

The photo is a bit out of date, but imagine a guy coming off the pavement on the right, with all the traffic moving, and cycling against the flow of traffic for around 50 yards, finally swiping in front of a bus (who had to brake) to get onto the pavement on the left.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

The annoying thing is, the next time those car drivers come up against a cyclist (which could be me), they could assume I'm just like that guy

So yes, I understand why we can have a reputation.