Selfish cyclists!!!

[downfader]

Oh I do. I'm always there with the links to Ipayroadtax, TfL road stats (a recent one was superb, TfL did a survey of cyclists jumping red lights, but ended up counting cars jumping red lights insttead as there were more of them). It slowly gets through.

Ps. I tend not to look at the Mail or its website. The best that can be said of the Mail (paraphrasing Blackadder) is that it is soft, strong, and thoroughly absorbent.

 

[400bhp]

Look at the Daily Mail website.

No thanks.

I have standards that I won't go below.

 

[StuartG]

Come on - it is an obvious troll. He gives it away in his quote of "coming within 5 ft". An odd distance to pluck out of the air unless you are already aware of the recommended passing distance. That and all the other standard lycra type references ... the writer knew just what he was doing.

The issue here is then to ignore the troller. The danger is the myth transmission to other motorists. Which is why I feel any response must be very polite, humoured if possible, and making friends with people whose unhelpful attitude could be lethal to another rider. The trick is divide them from the troller - not push them defensively into the motorist self-defence force.

And remind them that most of us are motorists too ...

 

[fimm]

a recent one was superb, TfL did a survey of cyclists jumping red lights, but ended up counting cars jumping red lights insttead as there were more of them

Do you have a link to that one?

 

[Clandy]

Do you have a link to that one?

It was an IAM survey, not a TfL survey, my mistake. I can't find the original article but there is reference here: http://www.thisislon...ight-brigade.do

"At Trafalgar Square, researchers spotted 117 road-users charging through lights after they turned red over a three-hour period. 51 were cyclists, 13 were motorcyclists and 23 were car drivers. 18 vans shot through on red, as well as 4 police vehicles not on emergency calls, 3 lorries and 5 buses.The survey was repeated at other locations in central and outer London with similar results"



and:


"At Piccadilly Circus 101 roadusers jumped red lights in three hours, including 43 cyclists, 27 car drivers, eight motorcyclists, one lorry driver and 22 vans. A similar pattern emerged at the junction of Kensington High Street and Kensington Church Street."




Notice how the article is worded to make it look like more cyclists jump red lights, it should say:


At Trafalgar Square 51 cyclists and 67 drivers jumped red lights.


and


At Piccadilly Circus 43 cyclists and 58 drivers jumped red lights.

 

[fimm]

I can't find the original article but there is reference here: http://www.thisislon...ight-brigade.do

Interesting, thank you.

 

[al78]

It was an IAM survey, not a TfL survey, my mistake. I can't find the original article but there is reference here: http://www.thisislon...ight-brigade.do "At Trafalgar Square, researchers spotted 117 road-users charging through lights after they turned red over a three-hour period. 51 were cyclists, 13 were motorcyclists and 23 were car drivers. 18 vans shot through on red, as well as 4 police vehicles not on emergency calls, 3 lorries and 5 buses.The survey was repeated at other locations in central and outer London with similar results" and: "At Piccadilly Circus 101 roadusers jumped red lights in three hours, including 43 cyclists, 27 car drivers, eight motorcyclists, one lorry driver and 22 vans. A similar pattern emerged at the junction of Kensington High Street and Kensington Church Street."


Notice how the article is worded to make it look like more cyclists jump red lights, it should say:

At Trafalgar Square 51 cyclists and 67 drivers jumped red lights.

and

At Piccadilly Circus 43 cyclists and 58 drivers jumped red lights.

Perhaps the reason the motorist numbers are higher is that there are more of them. What would the figures look like if expressed relative to the total number of cyclists/motorists?

 

[Clandy]

Perhaps the reason the motorist numbers are higher is that there are more of them. What would the figures look like if expressed relative to the total number of cyclists/motorists?

Percentages of each group would be pointless. The fact is more drivers than cyclists were jumping red lights. Personally I would remove everyone who jumps red lights from the roads. But it is a useful study for shutting up the world's Clarksons.

 

[Tasker]

I picked up yesterday's issue of the Sentinel as I was at my sister's flat in Alsager for the day. I happened upon the reader's letter section and one letter about cyclists caught my eye.

Well done that man!

'The Sentinel' A once, long established, perfect example of what a provincial newspaper should be, has sadly been sold out to the sinister forces that would grind us all into a mallable paste.

I wish all that take the trouble to write to this establishment rag luck.

All you have to do is to remember is to not rock the boat if you actually want to get your views published.

 

[Renard]

After years of getting angry about articles like this I think its better not to dwell on them. It just affects your own attitudes and you start imagining that every time someone drives poorly they are out to get you. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Whether they like it or not there will be a lot more cyclists on the roads the way car running costs are going.