london super cycle highways

[Dan B]

Maybe it's just me, but as a cyclist it doesn't do any favours for cyclists' reputation if I ride straight across the crossing even though someone is standing there waiting to cross. Granted they are not on the crossing itself so technically I am not doing anything wrong, but it doesn't hurt to be nice and stop, particularly since no pedestrian will stand at the zebra crossing if they do not want to cross.

I agree with all of this except the bit about "cyclists reputations". A significant number of car drivers routinely drive straight across zebras with people waiting to cross - many even accelerate to intimidate the pedestrian into not stepping out - but this seems to have no effect at all on the reputation of drivers as a whole, so anyone who wants to hold cyclists collectively to a higher standard can get knotted as far as I'm concerned

 

[Lonestar]

I agree with all of this except the bit about "cyclists reputations". A significant number of car drivers routinely drive straight across zebras with people waiting to cross - many even accelerate to intimidate the pedestrian into not stepping out - but this seems to have no effect at all on the reputation of drivers as a whole, so anyone who wants to hold cyclists collectively to a higher standard can get knotted as far as I'm concerned

You mean the media?

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Maybe it's just me, but as a cyclist it doesn't do any favours for cyclists' reputation if I ride straight across the crossing even though someone is standing there waiting to cross.

Rest assured you're doing no damage to my reputation by doing that, because you don't represent me in any way.

 

[jonny jeez]

Rest assured you're doing no damage to my reputation by doing that, because you don't represent me in any way.

If that were true, why do "us"cyclists make assumptions about all drivers or worse still BMW or Audi drivers....or perhaps 4x4 drivers

We all make assumptions about whole tribes based on very limited views of a minority.

I know people want to think that this is true but it isn't. People see one bad cyclist and assume we are all the same, or worse, reinforce existing belief's that we are all the same.

 

[chriswoody]

Segregation is very common place here in my little corner of Northern Germany and it works really well. A lot of our cycle paths are actually just designated sections of the pavement. We also have a lot of cyclist only traffic lights dictating our movements. The cycle paths themselves are often marked out by a different style of brick or paving slab, so no slippery paint to negotiate or maintain.

One of the reasons it all works so well here is that we have a very strict law on presumed responsibility, so if a bike hits a pedestrian then you are presumed at fault, likewise if a car hits a bike. Also bikes and pedestrians can cross side roads without stopping. Anything going into a side road must give way to any thing crossing it. We also have a very active Police force here who will ticket and fine you on the spot for transgressions. They even have the power to endorse drivers licences if the offence is big enough.

Another key fact that helps is that we have reached critical mass where by every one cycles, so there is no need for education, because we are all participants.

Until Britain becomes more enlightened, starts to change the law and realises that there is no us and them with any other road/pavement user and gets more folk cycling, then no amount of good infrastructure will fully work.

 

[jonny jeez]

I agree with all of this except the bit about "cyclists reputations". A significant number of car drivers routinely drive straight across zebras with people waiting to cross - many even accelerate to intimidate the pedestrian into not stepping out - but this seems to have no effect at all on the reputation of drivers as a whole, so anyone who wants to hold cyclists collectively to a higher standard can get knotted as far as I'm concerned

Really? You think that car drivers are held in high esteem.

How about white van drivers

Taxis

Busses

Your opinion of them not effected by bad behaviour that you see. Because if its not then you are in a minority. These pages are full of broad assumptions about "cagers"

 

[Dan B]

As a Ford Focus driver I do not think the general public hold me in low regard due to the actions of people in charge of Audis or white vans

 

[srw]

The previously rather awful Taviplace cycle track has, I believe, recently been doubled in width by reallocating a lane from the road alongside it. So the precedent is there. Whether Sadiq & Will ever do anything with it is another question, of course

When it was first put in it was plenty big enough for the number of cyclists who used it. But, as they say, when you build roads the traffic will come, and it was quickly swamped. I wonder how long it will take the new double-width path to get overcrowded.

 

[Lonestar]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecESJDIlZPs


If anyone thinks the cycling is quite wonderful out there should take a look at this...Apart from the lights thing...White on rear?
Number one is my favourite...Seen the non working brakes many times.Probably more to do with maintenance than forgetting to reconnect.
Red Light Jumping and cycling on pavements.
Number 2 and the left turning van.Non awareness of the danger?
If the van driver isn't paying attention or is a bit of a dunderhead this would not end well.
Balancing and wobbling.
I see GAZ545 no longer posts on here.
All they have done is transfer a lot of this behaviour onto the CS's.