RLJing

[Drago]

I did, a moment ago, as an alternative to paying attention to our own riding behaviour. You are reading the posts as they go on?

 

[newfhouse]

I did, a moment ago, as an alternative to paying attention to our own riding behaviour. You are reading the posts as they go on?

Yes, I am. Is it possible to ride well but also expect something more meaningful to be done about poor driving? I don't believe it should be either/or.

 

[benb]

I think the answer is don't pick and choose which laws you feel like obeying.

So I take it you have orange reflectors fitted to all of your pedals then? And only ever enter ASZs by the feeder lane on the left?

 

[mjr]

Red means stop - not to do so is a criminal act - it is illegal - it is dangerous - there is NO justification or excuse for it.

(Imagine the QI klaxon here)
Not been true for at least twenty years. Red circle means stop and it's a criminal act to pass it, but red bike/man is advisory and like a give way sign. I don't think that's brilliant (they should have been amber or white) but that's the law today.

 

[mjr]

So I take it you have orange reflectors fitted to all of your pedals then?

I've even got amber reflectors on pedals of bikes that are exempt from that regulation!

 

[martint235]

Do you seriously believe that, if every single cyclist were to behave in an exemplary way, drivers would start respecting cyclists and behave better towards us? I reckon that to be nonsense.

No but it might, to go back to how this thread started, mean that pedestrians are no longer terrified of us.

 

[jonny jeez]

It is the binary thing some people here have. If a thing isn't something then it must be some other thing that may or may not be the opposite. There are no other options or graduations between.

But then, to your own point...

Do you seriously believe that, if every single cyclist were to behave in an exemplary way, drivers would start respecting cyclists and behave better towards us? I reckon that to be nonsense.

...this is an example of that same binary association.

Sure, if cyclist behave it won't solve the issue, on its own. It's a much larger package of issues, perceptions, acceptance and effort.

society has to start somewhere, so why not with the cycle community, after all, we should be the ones most motivated.

Also Adrian on a previous post you mention that car drivers act rudely and aggressively and get away with it...I'm paraphrasing.

Well, in my opinion that 's only because they are secure inside a lockable, sound absorbing box. If they were as exposed as motorcyclists or even cyclists, I think a lot of them wouldn't dare act as rudely as they do.

 

[martint235]

I have never noticed pedestrians to be terrified by me.

Really? You scare the beejezus out of me!!!

 

[slowmotion]

I ride down The Thames Path quite a bit. It's a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists. I find it utterly depressing that if I follow pedestrians really slowly and they suddenly realise that there is somebody on a bike behind them, they spring apart with a look of absolute terror, muttering apologies.
We really do have some work to do on our popular image.

 

[slowmotion]

Or maybe you do? In that situation I find that when I call out, 'Is it OK to come past?' people are not in the least terrified, and often smile and say good morning.

@TMN, just leave it. OK?

 

[theclaud]

society is inherently Car-O-Centric

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

 

[jonny jeez]

Because we are not a community?

Fair point.

Perhaps we should be. Maybe that should be the first move.

 

[jonny jeez]

Or maybe you do? In that situation I find that when I call out, 'Is it OK to come past?' people are not in the least terrified, and often smile and say good morning.

Asking for permission to ride, is not the answer. People should not feel frightened or the need to mutter at us as we pass.

Perhaps a good morning, will do the trick, with a thank you. But work still needs to be done to change attitudes.

 

[martint235]

Fair point.

Perhaps we should be. Maybe that should be the first move.

Mmmm, if that's the answer I don't really want to be part of the solution. I don't think you can build a community out of the disparate groups of people who self propel themselves on wheels.

 

[jonny jeez]

Mmmm, if that's the answer I don't really want to be part of the solution. I don't think you can build a community out of the disparate groups of people who self propel themselves on wheels.

We have one here already.