Funny one - nearly rear ended!

[Cab]

Keeping going and doging peds is not only bad form but could encourage the following car to go over the crossing too.

I agree. Suppose the car behind is not going to stop though... Whats your alternative?

Cyclecraft says to stay in primary and give a slowing signal when stopping for peds on a crossing when possible, but to give way to a car if it seems unlikely to stop.

Nowhere is there the suggestion that a bike should keep going over a crossing in this situation.

I cycle over a couple of zebra crossings every day. The reason why I don't handle them the way you describe is (1) motorists don't know what the slowing down signal is, (2) if I stop and the car accelerates past then usually I'm faced with the pedestrian having to dodge the car, i.e. ped looks at me, misses the car, nearly gets flattened.

Cycling over the crossing is a bad solution, and I always try to stop if it is safe to do so; there are times when it isn't safe to do so, where going over the crossing is the least bad option.

 

[Eat MY Dust]

certainly although most still pay attention to zebras

Well a big striped horse/donkey type thing would do a lot of damage to your car if you weren't paying attention.......sorry I couldn't resist, I'll get my coat!!

 

[summerdays]

This one cracked me up - I stopped at a zebra crossing at the top of Blackboy hill the other day to let a couple accross. The response from the lady crossing was "bloody hell!" as she looked in my direction, I replied that we aren't all that bad and then her partner pointed out that the driver behind was inches from my back wheel.

It seems that not only to people crossing in Bristol not expect you to stop (I get lots of surprised reactions), but drivers don't either. Anyone for a sweeps on when my back wheel gets tacho'd?!

I stopped at a pedestrian crossing in Westbury on Trym on Monday - and the old man commented on my smile I don't supose car drivers often smile at people on crossings.

Racist!

Aparently it may have been named after one of the following:

• a 'Blackamoor' from the medieval Crusades
• the slave trade - though the name came after Abolition
• Charles II (known as the Black Boy)
• a famous racehorse

And Blackboy Hill turns into Whiteladies Road.

And there is a bike shop at the top Blackboy Cycles


If you needed to stop at the pedestrian crossing then wouldn't it be better to have two hands on the handlebars/brakes rather than doing a slowing down signal on a hill?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I've been rear-ended twice now at ped. crossings...































By cyclists.
The ones that don't think red lights mean anything.

 

[Night Train]

I must admit I tend to look over my shoulder and then move to the left as I slow so that cars can stop beside me or pedestrians can see if they arestopping or not. I don't mind the cars passing me as I don't cycle that fast anyway. I always stop at lights and crossings and I do a lot of looking over my shoulder so I know if I need to avoid getting hit, shout a warning to a pedestrian who is about to cross or whatever.
I'd rather have stopped safely and correctly then get in the tangle of cars jumping lights or crossings mainly cos I'm scared of getting hurt.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Aparently it may have been named after one of the following:

• a 'Blackamoor' from the medieval Crusades
• the slave trade - though the name came after Abolition
• Charles II (known as the Black Boy)
• a famous racehorse

And Blackboy Hill turns into Whiteladies Road.

And there is a bike shop at the top Blackboy Cycles


If you needed to stop at the pedestrian crossing then wouldn't it be better to have two hands on the handlebars/brakes rather than doing a slowing down signal on a hill?

Yes, I'd have thought so.
Black Boy(s) can also be a corruption of "Black Bois" from the Old Franglais for Black Wood. So I read somewhere.

 

[Cab]

I've never been in that situation.

I have. Years ago. Slowed down approaching a zebra crossing, looked over my shoulder, taxi miles away. Secondary position would still leave insufficient space for him to pass me, as there was oncoming traffic, so I held my ground and stopped. Taxi broke very sharply, then rolled forward to nudge me, window wound down shouting obscenities.

Since then, in Cambridge, I've lost track of how many times I've been rear ended by cyclists at zebra crossings and other junctions.

 

[GrahamG]

Wow, lots of replys! I'm not convinced by checking behind to check that a car will stop - unless it's a fast section of road maybe. I quite often find myself taking a really obstructive position at zebras where cars have a tendency not to stop for pedestrians, obviously I stop.