I've seen it all

[botchjob]

As with many (relatively) sane cyclists, the one thing I am actively scared of on the roads are tipper trucks thundering around the place. I commute in dirty ol London town and if I ever hear one approaching from behind I will take evasive action to make sure I’m as far away from it as possible. So I was – gobsmacked, I think is the word - when I was on foot the other day and I heard one thundering along the road toward me at 30mph or so. Hanging off the side of it, his front wheel overlapping with the trucks back, was a helmetless cyclist looking very pleased with himself.

And on the way in this morning I witnessed an idiot cyclist trying to undertake a bendy bus as it was slowing and indicating to pull in at a stop. The bus had to give way suddenly and the cyclist actually remonstrated with the driver when it was clearly his fault. There are some awful motorists out there but there are also some cyclists who deserve to be taken off the roads, or out of the gene pool….

 

[bryce]

Bit like borrowers borrowing too much from banks - who's to blame? the cyclist who gets killed by his own stupidity or the state for not making cycle training/ licencing compulsory?

I've given up getting worked up about other cyclists' actions on the road. We're not responsible for other cyclists - the only way they'll affect us is if other road users become more prejudiced against cyclists because of their actions.

I saw a cyclist knock a woman over this morning in Green Park (going full speed across the line of peds who'd just crossed from buckingham palace) and then berate this poor woman whose hand was cut open. Needless to say everyone who witnesssed it rounded on the righteous day-glo tw4t who just rode off.

 

[jmaccyd]

I most admit to finding the behaviour of some cyclist in London completly baffling. I can get my head round RLJ and cycling the wrong way down streets, and remain sanguine about those issues. But why, oh why do I still see lots of cyclists, of all ability levels, undertaking and positioning on the nearside of HGV's and buses including those monstorous bendy-buses. Is it moth-to-flame syndrome?

 

[BentMikey]

I'm always amazed at the thought that a helmet will do anything in an interaction with a tipper truck!!!

 

[Ludwig]

I would like to see all cyclists in London pay a congestion charge of say a pound which could be spent on compulsory training and awareness campaigns in the capital.

 

[swee'pea99]

I would like to see all cyclists in London pay a congestion charge of say a pound which could be spent on compulsory training and awareness campaigns in the capital.

Lordy lordy, what a thought. Having some bureaucrat coming along to compulsorily train you. Are you sure you've thought this one through?

 

[magnatom]

Training for cyclists is a great idea, but the practicalities of what you suggest are probably impossible to overcome, at best!

I've often said it before, but the best way would be to have compulsory cycle training as part of the driving test, with exemptions for medical conditions etc. That way general cycle proficiency would improve and driver understanding of cycling issues would be better.

Despite being infinitely more practical, I don't see this happening either.

 

[ChrisKH]

My personal opinion is that cycle training should be provided as part of the school curriculum.

 

[Riding in Circles]

I'm always amazed at the thought that a helmet will do anything in an interaction with a tipper truck!!!

I was wondering just what relevance that had as well.

 

[Jake]

have you seen the papers today? its prob online somewhere too. Its an article on police cycle training, and how they have to fill out forums about howthey think they cycle, ie if they wobble etc

 

[joebe]

I would like to see all cyclists in London pay a congestion charge of say a pound which could be spent on compulsory training and awareness campaigns in the capital.

What a load of Bo***cks. Make Cycling proficiancy part of the National Curriculum, and set up free non-compulsory schemes for anyone who wants them. Introduce sensible public awareness schemes on the box , but don't try and charge cyclists in London for all this, and don't make training compulsory for Adults, you'll just drive people away from cycling, or they won't bother with training anyway. Then what are you going to do? Insist on licencing every cyclist......

Talk about the Nanny State. Perhaps we should have compulsory arse wiping lessons as well.

 

[Bollo]

Talk about the Nanny State. Perhaps we should have compulsory arse wiping lessons as well.

Fold or scrunch? I need to know.

 

[bryce]

Not saying I agree with it but a 'congestion' charge (oxymoron or what..) for bikes would be very easy to enforce. Copper just stops cyclist, asks to show pass. If they haven't paid, they're fined £10 (or two weeks worth of getting abused by taxi drivers and run over by tipper trucks).

It'll never happen though as cycling in the capital is to be encouraged.

 

[jmaccyd]

My personal opinion is that cycle training should be provided as part of the school curriculum.

Didn't the guy responsable for the track cycling programe argue for compulsary cycle training in schools. He compared it with teaching swimming in school, made a compeling argument I thought

 

[Bollo]

I think its much more about attitude than training. A cock is a cock, whether riding a bike, texting while driving or dropping sh1te all over the streets.