"you should be arrested and banned from the road"

[Wigsie]

I regularly now see excellent drivers, people that pull over to let me through when filtering, don't pull alongside me at junctions when they're going to turn left/right, and yesterday, while bombing downhill and signaling to come out and past a car, the car behind flashed me to say ok, that was a first

I'm afraid I agree with drivers that might view cyclists with suspicion, far too many of them do not meet whatever standard is acceptable, no lights, dark clothing, mounting the pavement, jumping lights and riding in a dangerous manner with no regard for other road users

+1

Admitedly I have only been commuting a short period and on a mix of urban streets with traffic lights etc, busy (very fast) A roads and country lanes so I am sure its only a matter of time before I meet some idiot that almost (or does) knocks me off, but I must admit the closest I have come to crashing is because of cyclist jumping off curbs onto the road infront of me or cutting infront of cars etc.

I guess its similar to the cyclists that show contempt towards all drivers after a near miss with one careless incident... it only takes once for some d*%k head on a bike to pull infront of someones car, jump a red light or make the car take evasive action and the fear of hitting a person shakes them up so they become over suspicious and understandably they feel a little hatred toward that person and in some unfortunate cases ALL cyclists.

 

[thomas]

As a motorcyclist and cyclist I would make the following observations. First of all there is an allowance for 10% inaccuracy in speedometers so 32mph in a 30mph zone is OK. Giving that most cyclists do not carry a speedometer it is also a pretty moot point. 'Sorry Officer , I made a judgement on my speed relative to the flow of traffic and perceived safety'.

That's not true. It's an urban legend - if you truly believe it, speed past every speed camera. A policeman might let you off, but the cameras won't care. Speedos are set so that 28mph might look like 30mph as they're not 100% accurate, rather than 32mph looks like 30.

 

[Eat MY Dust]

Speedos are set so that 28mph might look like 30mph as they're not 100% accurate.

I was wondering about that. I was behind a car (a Honda I think) that had a big digital speedo. As we set off I could see through the window that it was registering 12 mph where as the speedo on my bike was reading about 9 mph. I've checked my speedo and it's fairly accurate.

 

[mickle]

What's the formula for allowable margin of error? IIRC it's speed limit plus ten percent plus 5 mph. My car's speedo is about 10% off my sat nav. So for a 30mph limit add 10% plus 10%. In theory I can drive @ over 40 mph (according to my car speedo) in a thirty without ever being pulled or flashed. Not that I do of course but this would explain why most of the cars in the UK seem to be exceeding the speed limit at all times and why I always seem grow a tailback on urban roads.

 

[thomas]

What's the formula for allowable margin of error? IIRC it's speed limit plus ten percent plus 5 mph. My car's speedo is about 10% off my sat nav. So for a 30mph limit add 10% plus 10%. In theory I can drive @ over 40 mph (according to my car speedo) in a thirty without ever being pulled or flashed. Not that I do of course but this would explain why most of the cars in the UK seem to be exceeding the speed limit at all times and why I always seem grow a tailback on urban roads.

GPS works differently as it does an average speed between points. There's no 5 mph margin or 10%. 30mph is 30mph.

 

[Crackle]

That's not true. It's an urban legend - if you truly believe it, speed past every speed camera. A policeman might let you off, but the cameras won't care. Speedos are set so that 28mph might look like 30mph as they're not 100% accurate, rather than 32mph looks like 30.

I don't quite understand what you are saying. Are you saying that speedos are not built with a margin of error. Fords speedos are built within a 10% error. They are deliberately designed to over-read rather than under-read All other cars are too but within different tolerances.

If I put my GPS in different cars, then the displayed average speed varies according to the car I'm in. I haven't exactly made a study of it but I have done a bit of a curiosity check. In most cars, an indicated 34 is actually 30. It can vary between 33 and 36 though, all according to the GPS. So if a camera is set to trigger at say 33, to allow for speedo inaccuracy, then actually you might be doing an indicated 36 to 39, which is why I don't have much sympathy for people getting done in 30 limits.

At least that has always been my understanding, which seems to be backed up here

 

[Black Sheep]

GPS works differently as it does an average speed between points. There's no 5 mph margin or 10%. 30mph is 30mph.

the GPS i was using during the summer showed it in 2mph increments, could have 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 etc

was useful when the speedo light in the van failed (digital speedo)

 

[gavintc]

I rent a wide range of cars and put my Navman GPS into the rented car. It gives me a GPS speed on the screen in addition to directional info. Every car I have driven with this GPS over the last year has always under read on the car speedo compared to the GPS. It is particularly apparent at motorway speeds and it is quite common to be travelling at an indicated 75-80mph but the actual speed is 70 mph.

 

[HLaB]

What's the formula for allowable margin of error? IIRC it's speed limit plus ten percent plus 5 mph. My car's speedo is about 10% off my sat nav. So for a 30mph limit add 10% plus 10%. In theory I can drive @ over 40 mph (according to my car speedo) in a thirty without ever being pulled or flashed. Not that I do of course but this would explain why most of the cars in the UK seem to be exceeding the speed limit at all times and why I always seem grow a tailback on urban roads.

The garda (Irish Police) forms used to use 110% + 2mph as a legal limit before they went metric (kph), I think the UK will be similar.

 

[shunter]

That's not true. It's an urban legend - if you truly believe it, speed past every speed camera. A policeman might let you off, but the cameras won't care. Speedos are set so that 28mph might look like 30mph as they're not 100% accurate, rather than 32mph looks like 30.

Comparing my car/motorcycle speedo with my GPS there is a 10% error on the speedo ie reads higher than it should.

I suppose the question is - how accurate is a cycle 'speedo' and which type was used in this case. If a bicycle GPS was used then the 32mph was indeed over the limit. If it was a wheel/computer then it's down to how accurate it claims to be.

Having said that I also understood that in N.Ireland the police allow for +10% over the 'true' speed. In this case 32mph in a 30mph zone would be acceptable.

Notwithstanding all these meanderings, I would tend to claim that my bicycle speedo was broke, vibrating too much, fogged over and then feign incredulity at being able to break the speed limit on a bicycle especially as I was so unfit.

 

[shunter]

I was sat at some lights a while ago and noticed out of the corner of my eye the car behind trying to nudge in beside me. There wasn't room, so he bibbed his horn. I looked at him and he gestured me to move over.

Anticipating some dangerous driving when the amber light came, I had no choice but to move position so that I was directly in front of the centre of his bonnet. Only when we'd crossed the lights and it was safe did I move over and let him past.

Genius - that's what I call assertive cycling. He wouldn't have done it to a scooter or motorcycle so why does he think he has extra priviledges with bicycles.

The one that really bugs me is the car driver who draws up on your right at a junction with the intention of making a left hand turn alongside you. Very dangerous. In advanced motorcyling training you are trained to hug the corner in this case so no-one will squeeze through on the inside.

 

[thomas]

I don't quite understand what you are saying. Are you saying that speedos are not built with a margin of error. Fords speedos are built within a 10% error. They are deliberately designed to over-read rather than under-read All other cars are too but within different tolerances.

Speedos are set to under read rather than over read yes. I was saying that speed cameras and things, don't expect 10% plus 5 MPH or whatever other rubbish. 30mph = 30mph.

 

[mickle]

Tour du Sol Circa 1987. The top European HPV teams were invited to participate in the biggest Solar/ Electric event in Europe. After a couple of days of we HPVers all setting off last and all finishing well ahead of the solar crowd there were murmerings at the next mornings drivers meeting. They were all very very pissed off that mere 'bikes' were thrashing all their technology. One of the organizers made an announcement suggesting that the HPVs should not exceed the posted speed limit, to much agreement from the floor. Mike Burrows stood up and asked; 'Is there a legal requirement in Switzerland for bicycles to be equipped with speedos?' 'No' came the reply. 'Well then, how can we possibly be expected to know how fast we are going' said Mike and he sat down. We whupped them again that day too. The next day they zarked us over but that's another story.

 

[mickle]

Speedos are set to under read rather than over read yes. I was saying that speed cameras and things, don't expect 10% plus 5 MPH or whatever other rubbish. 30mph = 30mph.

Yup 30mph = 30mph.
A speed camera will be set to trigger at 30 mph + 'margin of error'.
A car speedo registers around 10% less than the actual speed of the vehicle.
I could therefore drive (if I was a cock) at 41.3mph (according to my speedo) in a thirty zone without any fear of being prosecuted,

The polis don't even bother with people travelling at (actual) 85mph on Mways these days. That's people driving cars whose speedos are indicating well over 90mph.

 

[col]

Wasnt there something talked about where the motorway speed limit was going to be increased?