Bad Name

[mickle]

So indoctrinated have we become by the 'normalisation' of mass ownership motorised personal transport that we have turned into a nation of cyclist haters. Unfortunately this includes many people who think of themselves as cyclists.

We've covered this ground before but lets consider for a moment how cyclists can 'give themselves a bad name' by running red lights or riding on the pavement but the same thing is never said about drivers.

It's because - even in the eyes of people who ride bikes - cars are normal and bikes are, somehow, 'other'.

To the point where ^ even when a cyclist is doing nothing wrong (but merely, possibly, slightly holding up another road user) they are vilified. By other cyclists!

What a crock. Get your heads on straight. If you want to change the conditions on the road for cyclists for the better lets educate and prosecute the people who pose the threat of injury and death. Cars which run red lights, pass too close etc etc.

The guy riding along on the phone poses zero danger to anyone. I on the other hand was passed too closely several times on my commute this morning and cut up twice. Get your priorities right. Jeez.

 

[apollo179]

Complete utter tosh.
I ride a shed load of miles every year and hardly ever see this.

I rarely see it but plenty of anecdotal evidence iexists on this forum and it is one of the main gripes that motorists have about cyclists when i discuss the issue with them.
You only have to read some of the opinions expressed in the box hill topic to see that the mentality for this kind of irresponsible behaviour exists , even on a respectable forum like this.

 

[apollo179]

That's because the majority of group/club riders are very aware of how they ride on the public highways and ride and act accordingly. I can't remember the last time I saw Cyclists riding side by side in a selfish manner as to wind up motorists.

Good i hope you are right.

 

[Noodley]

In what respect. In the op the cyclist was alone so the riding 2 abreast is a non issue.

In the respect of who do you think was right in the circumstances?

 

[ttcycle]

But the reality of it Apollo is that when two cyclists are riding two abreast - they take up less space then a car..what's the issue? Motorists seem to have this attitude sometimes that cyclists need to get out the way...it's about learning to share space whatever mode of transport you are using

 

[ianrauk]

Good i hope you are right.

What do you mean by that?

I am right or I wouldn't have posted what I did.

 

[apollo179]

So indoctrinated have we become by the 'normalisation' of mass ownership motorised personal transport that we have turned into a nation of cyclist haters. Unfortunately this includes many people who think of themselves as cyclists.

We've covered this ground before but lets consider for a moment how cyclists can 'give themselves a bad name' by running red lights or riding on the pavement but the same thing is never said about drivers.

It's because - even in the eyes of people who ride bikes - cars are normal and bikes are, somehow, 'other'.

To the point where ^ even when a cyclist is doing nothing wrong (but merely, possibly, slightly holding up another road user) they are vilified. By other cyclists!

What a crock. Get your heads on straight. If you want to change the conditions on the road for cyclists for the better lets educate and prosecute the people who pose the threat of injury and death. Cars which run red lights, pass too close etc etc.

The guy riding along on the phone poses zero danger to anyone. I on the other hand was passed too closely several times on my commute this morning and cut up twice. Get your priorities right. Jeez.

The point being that cyclists are vulnerable and therefore having a pro rather than an anticyclist motoring population is critical to the wellfare of cyclists themselves.
Better have a pro cycling car fraternity who drive with consideration to cyclists rather than having an anti motorist fraternity but an effective system of prosecution when a motorist does kill or injure a cyclist.
Best - work towards a pro cycling motorist population and enforce effective prosecution of those motorists who do endanger others.

 

[apollo179]

In the respect of who do you think was right in the circumstances?

The cyclist was alone so the riding 2 abreast is a non -issue , the question of right and wrong does not apply.

 

[apollo179]

But the reality of it Apollo is that when two cyclists are riding two abreast - they take up less space then a car..what's the issue? Motorists seem to have this attitude sometimes that cyclists need to get out the way...it's about learning to share space whatever mode of transport you are using

The issue is - obviously - that 2 cyclists riding 2 abreast will (in most circumstances) be moving slower than a car , thereby they will be holding following traffic up.
This is the issue - sometimes it is ok , sometimes it is not.

 

[Alien8]

... gangs of selfish cyclists ...

I think you'll find the correct terminology is peloton, so that will be "... pelotons of selfish cyclists ...".

Tsk, tsk.

 

[ttcycle]

The issue is - obviously - that 2 cyclists riding 2 abreast will (in most circumstances) be moving slower than a car , thereby they will be holding following traffic up.
This is the issue - sometimes it is ok , sometimes it is not.

but don't cars hold each other up every day? those are called traffic jams right?

One of the first things about improving cyclist/motorist relations is to get to the bottom of this 'in a rush' attitude that some car drivers seem to feel.

 

[mickle]

The point being that cyclists are vulnerable and therefore having a pro rather than an anticyclist motoring population is critical to the wellfare of cyclists themselves.
Better have a pro cycling car fraternity who drive with consideration to cyclists rather than having an anti motorist fraternity but an effective system of prosecution when a motorist does kill or injure a cyclist.
Best - work towards a pro cycling motorist population and enforce effective prosecution of those motorists who do endanger others.

Your implication is that we're all supposed to be 'on our best behaviour' and jump out of the way in case we upset or mildly inconvenience the people in their cars? Causing them to drive into us in a fit of pique. You've just proved my point about cyclist hating cyclists.

We are right to expect to go about our daily busines without the threat of danger. Not cower in the gutter doffing our metaphorical caps as the motorists all speed by.

 

[mickle]

The issue is - obviously - that 2 cyclists riding 2 abreast will (in most circumstances) be moving slower than a car , thereby they will be holding following traffic up.
This is the issue - sometimes it is ok , sometimes it is not.

The amount of space a motorist should give to a cyclist when overtaking is tha same as should be accorded any other vehicle. That is: a whole lane. Overtaking a pair of cyclists riding two abreast should therefore be no different to overtaking a solo rider.

Cyclksts can't hold up traffic. They are traffic.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Back to the OP - I don't see how we can criticise drivers for using phones (illegal) and yet sanction their use by cyclists while riding - legal or otherwise. You cannot give your full attention to riding if fiddling with a phone (and IMO this applies to computers too).

 

[apollo179]

but don't cars hold each other up every day? those are called traffic jams right?

One of the first things about improving cyclist/motorist relations is to get to the bottom of this 'in a rush' attitude that some car drivers seem to feel.

The whole basis of transport thinking is that quicker is better.
If you want to go down a slower is better route then you might like living in jamaica or barbados.