Just watching the news about reviewing Cycling laws

[Tank63]

is it me or does the press hate cyclist.
Watching the news they seem to hate bike users.
I would imagine a lot of us on here have been out cycling when a pedestrian has stepped out in front of you. Most of the time it’s a near miss for both parties managing to avoid a collision.
I cannot see this ever stopping as pedestrians will not always look thinking they can’t hear an engine then it’s ok to not look and walk out. I do think if Cycling on the road you should have some sort of insurance just in case your involved in rta. But where do we stop regarding the laws?
What’s people opinions on this?

 

[vickster]

is it me or does the press hate cyclist.
Watching the news they seem to hate bike users.
I would imagine a lot of us on here have been out cycling when a pedestrian has stepped out in front of you. Most of the time it’s a near miss for both parties managing to avoid a collision.
I cannot see this ever stopping as pedestrians will not always look thinking they can’t hear an engine then it’s ok to not look and walk out. I do think if Cycling on the road you should have some sort of insurance just in case your involved in rta. But where do we stop regarding the laws?
What’s people opinions on this?

Not to believe everything I hear on the news from a small number of vocal people

 

[Drago]

Steering clear of the TV news today. According to the commentators having a bicycle, riding it lawfully and carefully, being a better qualified cyclist than most folk are car drivers makes me the bar steward son of Attila the Hun and Lucrecia Borgia, genetically crossed with Jeffrey Dahmer and Ian Brady, and raised from a child by Reggie Kray and Fred West.

The percentage of news outlets participating are the clear majority and while they are vocal the numbers as a percentage of their kind are not small. Ironically, its the lentil cuddling media are baying loudest for cyclist blood. Yep, they refuse to call ISIS terrorists, but are happy to pronounce cyclists as the spawn of Satan, kicked outnof home because Daddy Devil couldn't handle us.

The sentiment is loud and largely unwarranted, and even the more respectable news sources are indulging today. Oddly, the only places where its been reported without the rabid mouth foaming is CNN and Fox News.

 

[Biscuit]

I have insurance via British Cycling, just for peace of mind. Only used it once for another cyclist riding into me then threatening to sue me for medical bills? Think he though he was in the US. I logged it all with the insurers. Never heard anything again, although I often still see the twat.

 

[Tin Pot]

In other news, 4 people were killed by a truck last week.

Time to urgently review motoring laws?

 

[Tin Pot]

[QUOTE 4965794, member: 9609"]we should all counter act it - start writing to your MP and police chiefs bemoaning how badly and uncaring we are treated by other road users. Its not much point complaining about it here, we all agree. Start demanding better laws and protection for cyclists now.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, why not?

Has someone put up a letter template on the net yet?

Something simple - not lovey dovey we are all road user crap that will let them force helmets on everyone.

 

[mikeymustard]

@Dogtrousers ouch! Stop sitting on the fence and say what you mean
It's time we stopped putting up with it and started hitting people with sticks - that's the only language Johnny driver understands, being dim of wit as they are.
I blame those foreigners myself - especially the Dutch and the Danes for living in a society that treats cyclists like the gods that we are.

 

[mustang1]

I think the general public dislikes cyclists and the media, wanting to sell more advertising space, clings on to the kinda news that will sell.

Its the same for computer "hackers", nerds, stuff the general population don't understand or want to be a part of.

Now then, must dash and find my car keys as I have to go run on a treadmill.

 

[srw]

I think the general public dislikes cyclists

A large proportion of the general public is a cyclist. The rest of them know cyclists.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

I hear what you are saying but I blame the nutter cyclists that give us all a bad name. Every time I'm in London I feel that I need 3 or 4 sets of eyes cause some cyclist just have no regard for pedestrians.

I know only too well that riding in crowded areas is not easy. I 've had pedestrians stepping in front of me a few times and once I went over the bars in an attempt to avoid hitting the pedestrian.

On Bournemouth promenade there's a 10 km/h max speed for cyclist but some nutters ride so fast that it's frightening to think what would happen if a child got in their path.

On a personal level, I try to give pedestrians the same respect that I wish vehicles gave me as a cyclist.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I don't see what everyone is getting hot under the collar for. The proposal is simply to update the law from an archaic one passed in 1861 to something more relevant today and not some sort of discriminatory move against cyclists. Users of other vehicles have to put up with exactly the same type of legislation being proposed, and the fact that such accidents involving cyclists occur very rarely does not mean there should be nothing in place to deal with it.

The publicity the case got was mainly because of the attitude of the rider involved, bearing in mind he was riding an illegal bicycle and he flatly refused to accept any blame for it, even posting on social media that it was the unfortunate woman's fault. That was in contrast to Mr Briggs, the now widower of the lady who was interviewed today and gave a very positive thumbs up for cyclists and cycling in general, casting no aspersions at all on the rest of us. It takes a very big man to do that, most of us would be screaming for blood in this case.

Yes, motorists often get off lightly after being at fault in a fatal accident, but eighteen months for causing a pedestrian's death because you are riding like an arrogant twat isn't exactly Great Train Robbers league either.

 

[Tin Pot]

I don't see what everyone is getting hot under the collar for.

Because They hate Us, and They outnumber Us, and the politicians believe the media reflect Them, and They're opinions.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Because They hate Us, and They outnumber Us, and the politicians believe the media reflect Them, and They're opinions.

Then again, you could just be paranoid.

 

[pawl]

Bikes are silent in motion.

Walking across the super market car park I was passed by an electric car did not her it approaching.lf I hadn't ,looked behind me I wouldn't have been aware of its approach
Moral pedestrians if you want to survive start to become aware of what is happening around you.
I am sure there are instructions in Highway Code covering pedestrians
Probably a waste of time posting here,but can't find the equivalent forum for pedestrians
The same problems can apply to us as cyclists as more of these silent cars become more prevalent.

 

[mjr]

I blame those foreigners myself - especially the Dutch and the Danes for living in a society that treats cyclists like the gods that we are.

The main difference between some places in North Zealand and places in England is that the Danes ensure the cycle lane created by painting a lane up the middle of a pavement actually connects to another one or merges back into the road sensibly. Other than that, shoot like https://www.instantstreetview.com/@55.988422,12.557118,233.23h,-24.76p,1z would be unsurprising in this country.

On Bournemouth promenade there's a 10 km/h max speed for cyclist

A km/h limit in this country, really? Secondly, that's not legally enforceable, is it?