My first run in with chav scum

[Sheffield_Tiger]

One thing is clear (probably only one thing) to all.

Even cyclists cannot agree over which situations require primary.

Are we thus being too harsh on the non-cycling majority who can't grasp what we can't even agree upon?

What isn't too much to ask for is patience however. Putting my car-driver hat on for a moment, we are bombarded with "SPEED KILLS" messages, speed cameras lurk to catch us, sometimes at points such as at the bottom of a dip where speed may just creep up, and do give the impression of a revenue-raiser rather than a safety campaign (never had a single speeding ticket in 18 years by the way so not sour grapes).

I think the whole thing is aimed at the wrong issue. Car drivers will debate over "safe speeding" vs "unsafe speeding"

The real issue isn't "speed kills" but "IMPATIENCE KILLS" Be that the cyclist who RLJs his way under a truck or the car that passes too close.

For me, taking primary is a case of minimising risk from impatient road users who don't MEAN to squash you, they just made a bad call in their stressed haste. I'd rather be called a pig to a dog than be a pancake.

 

[automatic_jon]

Apologies if this seems to thread-jack. This is the single most terrifying part of my commute.

http://tinyurl.com/yjlboke

http://tinyurl.com/yajvzp6

I tend to hang in primary through-out in order to take ownership of the road and stop people pulling through me (as has happened before) as traffic seems to flit back and forth between lanes. However drivers can get somewhat annoyed it seems as they don't understand the reason I'm in the way is to prevent them doing exactly what it is they are intending to do. And it would surprise me if they even considered that I'm looking after my safety rather than simply getting in their way.

 

[automatic_jon]

Apologies if this seems to thread-jack. This is the single most terrifying part of my commute.

http://tinyurl.com/yjlboke

http://tinyurl.com/yajvzp6

I tend to hang in primary through-out in order to take ownership of the road and stop people pulling through me (as has happened before) as traffic seems to flit back and forth between lanes. However drivers can get somewhat annoyed it seems as they don't understand the reason I'm in the way is to prevent them doing exactly what it is they are intending to do. And it would surprise me if they even considered that I'm looking after my safety rather than simply getting in their way.

 

[GrasB]

One thing is clear (probably only one thing) to all.

Even cyclists cannot agree over which situations require primary.

Are we thus being too harsh on the non-cycling majority who can't grasp what we can't even agree upon?

I think we all agree on when it's required, when we need to increase our road safety & presence. It's more a case of what & when the conditions are as such that you consider the taking of primary a requirement.

Also we're not asking non-cycling motorists to partake in the debate of when it's appropriate, what we're asking is that they actually understand that taking primary is to give an extra layer of safety when we judge it. I had an example on sunday, a really pot hole the best part of 3ft long & 1" to 3" wide, to a car it's an innocuous road feature to a bike it's a serious off waiting to happen & even more so considering the materials that once made that piece of tarmac was strewn all around it. This leaves the cyclist with 2 options; ride in the gutter or take primary, any sane cyclist would take primary but most motorists wouldn't understand why!

 

[GrasB]

One thing is clear (probably only one thing) to all.

Even cyclists cannot agree over which situations require primary.

Are we thus being too harsh on the non-cycling majority who can't grasp what we can't even agree upon?

I think we all agree on when it's required, when we need to increase our road safety & presence. It's more a case of what & when the conditions are as such that you consider the taking of primary a requirement.

Also we're not asking non-cycling motorists to partake in the debate of when it's appropriate, what we're asking is that they actually understand that taking primary is to give an extra layer of safety when we judge it. I had an example on sunday, a really pot hole the best part of 3ft long & 1" to 3" wide, to a car it's an innocuous road feature to a bike it's a serious off waiting to happen & even more so considering the materials that once made that piece of tarmac was strewn all around it. This leaves the cyclist with 2 options; ride in the gutter or take primary, any sane cyclist would take primary but most motorists wouldn't understand why!