F***ing cyclists

[monkeypony]

Whether or not she put her arm out late or turned without looking is also quite a different kettle of fish.

She certainly did both of those.

She had a static light on the back of her bike but obviously a cheap one.

Fact is, even with her late signal and moving without looking, I would have had more warning than have her swerve into the middle of the road as I am overtaking her (fully on the otherside of the road, probable why I didnlt see her ar out until she swerved right.

Yes its a personal choice to wear something that enables cars to see you but, in a collision the cyclist will ALWAYS come off worse than the car. Anything sensible that you can do to drawn attention to yourself just seems like common sense to me!

 

[monkeypony]

Another excellent attempt, but missing my point entirely, that it’s not necessary to wear hi-viz to give a clear indication by hand. I wasn’t saying you shouldn’t indicate at all.

If a car can't see your indication then you may as well not bother indicating. Usually you'd be fine (as your 35 years proove). But you only need to be unlucky once.

 

[slowmotion]

If speeding counts as bad driving, I don't see how anybody could possibly disagree with that.

See what I did there?

Very good!

 

[jonny jeez]

This isn't going to make me popular here, but I genuinely believe there are more bad cyclists than there are bad car drivers. Of course car drivers need to take a test, which could be part of the reason.

I agree. You're right...you're not very popular!!

Sorry, couldnt resist that. No I do agree, the proportion of bad cyclists seems to way outstrip the proportion of bad drivers from my experience.

But, where it starts to have a real impact is when you consider the effect of each. One bad driver can cause death and ruin lives. Whereas 500 bad cyclists will probably just irritate a section of the population that has already formed an opinion.

I guess the fact of the matter is that really bad cycling just doesnt hurt that many people ...but it does put the rest of us at huge risk.

 

[Origamist]

Very good!

Thank you.

Are you riding tonight?

 

[marzjennings]

If a car can't see your indication then you may as well not bother indicating. Usually you'd be fine (as your 35 years proove). But you only need to be unlucky once.

But you did see it, even a dark coat with no hi-viz. And the cyclist wasn't going to move in the direction of indicated travel without checking that you'd seen their indication of direction first and that their new direction was clear. Unless, as you say, they are a moron.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

No it wasn't, it was a statement of fact.

That you picked up on it, in the first response on this thread, as if it was the only thing JamesAC posted is nothing more than your interpretation of it as an excuse to ignore all the other stuff that the cyclists were doing wrong.

If you read the OP, the piece you quoted, it says "...No lights, no hi-viz. No concern at all." There is no judgement there.

Who says I ignored it?

I just chose not to comment on it as nodding like a Churchill dog in my disapproval would do nothing...there's not a lot really to discuss in a tale that seems like a personal rant about an experience had (nothing wrong with that, we all/most of us do the same) - no excuse required for not wringing my hands and condemning it, as a whole on this forum, disapproval of such riding goes without saying

There was however no need at all to add hi-viz or lack of it to a list of things to tut about

 

[slowmotion]

Thank you.

Are you riding tonight?

Alas, I wish I could join that happy band, but , as it is half-term
, we are going to Cornwall tonight.
I hope you all have a lot of fun and that the weather is kind.

 

[monkeypony]

But you did see it, even a dark coat with no hi-viz. And the cyclist wasn't going to move in the direction of indicated travel without checking that you'd seen their indication of direction first and that their new direction was clear. Unless, as you say, they are a moron.

Yes I did see it. At the very last second. I nearly killed her. It probably would have been my fault too. Thats not much comfort when I go home to my family and she goes to the morgue.

Jesus Christ, for the sake of just putting some relective tape on the back of your glove why take the risk? Riding on unlit country roads at night is pretty much the most dangerous place to be on a bike. With cars travelling at 60 miles per hour (or more) why not just make yourself a bit easier to be seen? What is to be gained by being less visible?

And for gods sake spend MORE than £5 on a back light. As with so many things in life, if its cheap, its probably shoot...

 

[Origamist]

Alas, I wish I could join that happy band, but , as it is half-term
, we are going to Cornwall tonight.
I hope you all have a lot of fun and that the weather is kind.

Shame.

Cornwall is a wonderful county, almost on par with Devon...have a good break.

 

[HJ]

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

Word association test: pot, kettle, black

 

[marzjennings]

Shame.

Cornwall is a wonderful county, almost on par with Devon...have a good break.

Sorry, had to comment, but Cornwall almost on par with Devon. I think you have that the wrong way around.

 

[slowmotion]

It's better west of the Tamar....

....but not as good as Hyde Park Corner.

 

[Origamist]

Sorry, had to comment, but Cornwall almost on par with Devon. I think you have that the wrong way around.

You're funny, marj

It's better west of the Tamar....

Canada is indeed beautiful in autumn.

 

[I am Spartacus]

For those who don't wear some sort of high vis garment, when cycling at night, how do you make your turn signals obvious to cars following you?

The dozy cow I nearly ran over last night as she turned right in front of me had her arm out but, as she was wearing a black coat, was completely invisible until I was about a bonnet length away from her.

And that is with me being a cyclist and showing other cyclists more respect than a lot of other road users probably do.

If you ride in the dark and don't wear high vis, it doesn't make you a bad cyclist but does make you a bit of a moron.

I think you should reign your neck in a bit.
Regardless of someone riding with all the bells and whistles or not as the case may be, as a driver it is your responsibility to drive with your eyes open and see.
I don't like that dozy cow statement.
This thread is about happily walking on pavements and not being terrorised by bikes.
I have had that happen to me at various times by dicks ( see you have me doing it now)
who have all the gear on with their mountain bikes ( it does seem to be a MTB / hybrid trait) thoughtlessly riding on a pavement at over 15mph whilst the road alongside is totally quiet.
That is an indication of selfishness. Oh, some may even have had hi vis on... not much use when they attack from behind.
I dont often post, but you have wound me up this afternoon sunny jim.