Something needs to be done about the British mentality towards us cyclists!

[gbb]

Agree

Good post

Nice not to have a "Bicker" thread on here once in a while.

Oh, i read some posts and think 'i'm not having that', or the reply is just focusing on one aspect of what you've said, without taking into account the remainder...but then i think what the hell, i can't be bothered to go over and over the same stuff, or pull up someone on a technicality

Actually, you're right, it hasn't descended into the inevitable

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

"The presence of a cyclist makes it inappropriate to be travelling at 60mph unless you can leave at least 2.5m clear space between the tip of your door mirror and the cyclist's elbow."

Can you explain that in more detail?

Why 2.5m and why less than 60?

60 because the previous poster said it was "a 60 mph road". 2.5m is just the minimum distance at which I personally would feel comfortable being passed by a vehicle doing 60mph. Basically I mean that they should be completely in a separate lane, not trying to share my lane at speeds like that.

 

[gambatte]

No one else concerned that 'Nearly There' thinks those road markings show a cycle lane?

 

[Red Light]

No one else concerned that 'Nearly There' thinks those road markings show a cycle lane?

Does he or is he only concerned that the cyclist should not be on his road? Whether its in a cycle lane or in the edge of carriageway gutter strip is irrelevant as long as the cyclist knows his place.

 

[PBancroft]

No one else concerned that 'Nearly There' thinks those road markings show a cycle lane?

To be fair, a lot of people would think that. A lot of people (and worryingly including some driving instructors I know) think that cyclists should be as far over to the left as they can get.

 

[gambatte]

To be fair, a lot of people would think that. A lot of people (and worryingly including some driving instructors I know) think that cyclists should be as far over to the left as they can get.

Yeah, I know.

I was out with an experienced club cyclist a few weeks ago. He was riding to the left of that type of white line all the time, even when it was only a few inches wide. I've thought how they could be mistaken for cycle lanes.


That can't be right though


Drivers are supposed to have passed tests and know these things.......

 

[PBancroft]

Yeah, I know.

I was out with an experienced club cyclist a few weeks ago. He was riding to the left of that type of white line all the time, even when it was only a few inches wide. I've thought how they could be mistaken for cycle lanes.


That can't be right though


Drivers are supposed to have passed tests and know these things.......

They're supposed to know how to drive, and look out for hazards - not how to cycle. General road safety and cycle training being part of the national curriculum would be a good start, but its a fantasy to think it would happen.

 

[Red Light]

They're supposed to know how to drive, and look out for hazards - not how to cycle. General road safety and cycle training being part of the national curriculum would be a good start, but its a fantasy to think it would happen.

Or that it would work. Cab drivers in London spend ages going round on little scooters learning the Knowledge but as soon as they are behind the wheel of a cab, they treat them like sh*t on the roads.

 

[Noodley]

I do not doubt that England could learn from other countries, but there are a lot of positives about the UK, we do not need to queue up for ages at an airport to get here, or spend time with a lot of British people, in a Pub last week for lunch it was full of Germans.

Perhaps you need to actually decide where you are talikng abouit to start with...

 

[Hip Priest]

To be fair, a lot of people would think that. A lot of people (and worryingly including some driving instructors I know) think that cyclists should be as far over to the left as they can get.

The biggest-selling bike brand in Britain is Apollo. The instruction book that comes with an Apollo advises you to cycle as far to the left as possible. Bit worrying.

 

[gambatte]

They're supposed to know how to drive, and look out for hazards - not how to cycle. General road safety and cycle training being part of the national curriculum would be a good start, but its a fantasy to think it would happen.

Thought they were supposed to be tested on the highway code, which includes road markings and what they mean. Or does the theory test primarily cover a different referenc e book?

It also covers things like interaction with other road users......

 

[wiggydiggy]

Thought they were supposed to be tested on the highway code, which includes road markings and what they mean. Or does the theory test primarily cover a different referenc e book?

It also covers things like interaction with other road users......

I passed last year and my instructor would offer advice when I was passing cyclists but I got nothing 'official'. A cyclist would feature in the harzard perception tests but again nothing specific.

 

[gambatte]

So theres no part of the test that covers knowledge of the highway code?

I ask as its a few years since I passed my tests, m/cycle and car, with a few years between both. In both of those I was asked questions for which I'd previously been told I should get a copy of the HC and read it.

 

[wiggydiggy]

The theory test is based on the HC and driving law as I understand it, but the questions are entirely random so you could get 10 questions involving bikes or none at all.

Same with hazards perception, you can watch some clips online to see what you can come up against but some of my vids definately had cyclists in them, whilst others did not.

Perhaps it would be better to have driving instructors offer definate advice on different types of traffic, not just how to drive a car, but the loophole in the UK (i just found this out BTW) is that you dont have to use an 'Approved Driving Instructor'. So in theory you could rock up at the test centre and just take the test*

*Thinking about it theres an episode of Peep Show were Mark does exactly this after having a 'lesson', even down to trying to bribe the instructor when he realises he cant even move the car

 

[Alien8]

The biggest-selling bike brand in Britain is Apollo. The instruction book that comes with an Apollo advises you to cycle as far to the left as possible. Bit worrying.

I find this shocking ... the fact that the biggest selling bike brand in Britain is Apollo.