Just watching the news about reviewing Cycling laws

[mjr]

I'm not particularly bothered by the proposed change to update the law. It's a reaction to a single, tragic, isolated case but it's not illogical.

I'm more interested in the growing anti cyclist sentiment, that underlies such a quick response to a single case, and understanding its origins. I have a couple of daft theories.

The fact that a significant percentage of the population knows a cyclist doesn't stop them from resenting the concept of cycling, even if "some of my best friends are cyclists, but ..."

I would bet on them not simply updating the law. There will be immense pressure to change the law and make it harsher on cyclists. This is a very shoot-filled can of worms for us.

 

[Apollonius]

Brexit
Trump
Now this

The lunatics are in complete control of the asylum and we are in trouble, I fear.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I'm not particularly bothered by the proposed change to update the law. It's a reaction to a single, tragic, isolated case but it's not illogical.

As I've said, the publicity occurred because this became more than just a case of someone on a bike colliding with a pedestrian directly because of the attitude of the cyclist himself. He turned himself into a walking tabloid headline.

 

[Smokin Joe]

If there is a 'growing anti cyclist sentiment' (and I'm not convinced, as round where I live there's a growing cycling culture), then it could be being fuelled by people, some of them cyclists, feeling that the behaviour of one person while riding a bicycle somehow 'gives us all a bad name'. When that applies to car drivers with the same monotony I'll treat it as a serious suggestion.

I can't see where anyone posted that?

 

[Crackle]

Isn't there an all parliamentary cycling group. I never quite know what the role of such groups are but they did hold hearings into the justice system regarding cyclists. i would hope the 2nd prong of this review looking into cycling safety references their inquiries but having only seen bits of reporting on the news today I'm not entirely certain yet what the frames of reference of that bit are.

 

[Lonestar]

is it me or does the press hate cyclist.
Watching the news they seem to hate bike users.

I can't say I really blame them.

 

[mjr]

Isn't there an all parliamentary cycling group. I never quite know what the role of such groups are but they did hold hearings into the justice system regarding cyclists. i would hope the 2nd prong of this review looking into cycling safety references their inquiries but having only seen bits of reporting on the news today I'm not entirely certain yet what the frames of reference of that bit are.

Yeah, or you know, they could stop wasting time and just implement the justice and cycling safety recommendations of the Get Britain Cycling report, many years late... but no, I'm sure they'll prefer to waste time repeating the hearings and so on, ideally to come out with different recommendations that cost less and don't get in the way of Mister Toad.

 

[numbnuts]

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.

10 MPH not 10km/h
http://road.cc/content/news/4690-cameras-track-cycle-speeds-along-bournemouth-seafront

 

[Spinney]

One of the articles I read said, well below the headline, that the committee/enquiry would look into many aspects of road safety. The focus on just cyclists is just a media bias.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

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.

They drive the same way. They're dicks.

 

[classic33]

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.

Pedestrian Forum

 

[Roadhump]

I just found this on the BBC website. I think it could be quite interesting if cyclists did have to take a test to ride on the road, and all adhered to taking Primary position in situations when that increases visibility and safety, and also to the bullet points under the photo of Boris. Most of the abuse I have had from car drivers is when I have taken Primary in such situations. Another thing Bikeability teaches is the pros and cons of cycling infrastructure (cycle lanes) and that they can make cycling more difficult and even more dangerous; riding off cycle tracks is another thing that has brought me abuse from motorists (even when they have been blocked by vehicles - local authority vehicles on one occasion).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41346237

Go for it I say. Have key elements of Bikeability built into a compulsory theory exam for the driving test as well (it is already taught to goods and passenger vehicle drivers under Safer Urban Driving, and is generally well received and often considered enlightening), we may all get along a bit better then.

 

[srw]

There's another agenda at work here

Sympathy with a bereaved husband and the desire to be seen to do something.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Sympathy with a bereaved husband and the desire to be seen to do something.

All they are doing is bringing an ancient law up to date. It isn't going to have any negative effect on cycling or cyclists unless you kill or injure someone due to your careless or dangerous riding.

We know that a small section of motorists would like to see us off the roads just as they's like to see motorcycles banned, but it won't happen and there is no need for the knee jerk paranoia we sometimes get here every time cycling gets other than a glowing report.

 

[mjr]

I just found this on the BBC website. I think it could be quite interesting if cyclists did have to take a test to ride on the road,

Interesting, but incredibly harmful to children who would suddenly be trapped on the obstacle courses which too many councils think is acceptable off-road provision?

riding off cycle tracks is another thing that has brought me abuse from motorists (even when they have been blocked by vehicles - local authority vehicles on one occasion).

Amen. Some of the worst abuse I've ever had was when I'd left a cycle track on the direction of the police because motorists had come to rest across it after crashing. Fortunately, the nobber driving the 4x4 chose to abuse me in plain sight and earshot of the police I guess they were so fixated on punishing me they completely failed to spot the huge hi-vis police car.