Bad Name

[totallyfixed]

Playing devil's advocate Norm, how is "tarting about" with ones phone any different from checking the route/speed/distance on a GPS unit? Checking how long you have been out on your watch? Arsing about trying to get a bottle back in its bottle cage? Going none-handed to put on/off a jacket (something that has been "bigged up" on here before)?

TBH, the guy in the OP could have been me, as I regularly get my phone out of my top and check the GPS/App data when out and about.

C'mon let's bring common sense back to the discussion, it's no wonder some posters drop out early in the thread. Non of the stuff you mention requires you to take your eyes from the road, apart from the GPS and that should only take a couple of secs max. If you look at a mobile when on a bike to read a txt message while on the move you are a liability, there can be no argument. I have tried it and the only time I have managed it with any degree of safety was on a deserted cycle path. Every other time I stop.
Is it dangerous to other road users, potentially, yes of course it is. If you hit an object in the road and fall off or it causes you to swerve into the path of another vehicle. The other day I was passed by a motorbike going so fast I didn't hear it until a split second before it was passing me, imagine if I had wobbled out because my attention was elsewhere. Yes the bike was going too fast and cars pass too close and having your attention diverted at 60mph is a lot different to 15mph. Some drivers shouldn't hold a licence but that doesn't give me the right to behave like them or give the neutrals ammunition to use against us. There are enough numpties out there on the road already, let's not add to that number.



One of the replies to the Guardian article, hope he isn't a car driver:


"I've cycled drunk, on the phone, and smoking a cigarette, all at the same time. If anything, it's invigorating.

Anyway, cycling is much safer than driving because not only are you not going as fast, but you can easily steer round people, and you can break much faster."

 

[apollo179]

Here we get to the crux - the ever present threat of violence because a poor motorist was held up for a second by someone else. Listen to yourselves!

The crux seems to be that what some cyclists regard as cycling with consideration to motorists other cyclists regard as being unnecessary and over considerate.
Motorists probably think in the same way about cyclists , but cyclists are the vulnerable ones.
Show courtesy and consideration to others and your more likely to receive it in return - piss motorists of unnecessarily and unfortunately it makes the roads more dangerous for everyone.

 

[apollo179]

Got it in one, why should a driver of a motorvehicle who maybe was inconvenienced by a matter of a few seconds then use his vehicle as a weapon against someone else

He shoudnt but unfortunately there are some axxxxole drivers out there who would.

 

[Origamist]

C'mon let's bring common sense back to the discussion, it's no wonder some posters drop out early in the thread. Non of the stuff you mention requires you to take your eyes from the road, apart from the GPS and that should only take a couple of secs max. If you look at a mobile when on a bike to read a txt message while on the move you are a liability, there can be no argument. I have tried it and the only time I have managed it with any degree of safety was on a deserted cycle path. Every other time I stop.

It's not so much the issue of taking your eyes off the road, it is the cognitive workload involved that is the cause for concern. It may surprise some, but more motoring accidents are caused by people being distracted by eating and drinking, then by using mobile phones. I have also seen a few club riders over the years veer into hedges or catch a wheel when distracted by a tight water bottle nozzle!

When I'm on my bike I eat and drink, but don't generally use my phone - however, in terms of distraction, I fully appreciate this makes me a something of a hypocrite.

 

[Noodley]

Show courtesy and consideration to others and your more likely to receive it in return - piss motorists of unnecessarily and unfortunately it makes the roads more dangerous for everyone.

It seems fairly easy to piss motorists off, just by going slowly seems to be enough!

I think I'll continue to be courteous and considerate, but still anticipate that some motorists will behave like dicks cos they feel they have a right conferred upon them to act as they wish.

 

[youngoldbloke]

It's not so much the issue of taking your eyes off the road, it is the cognitive workload involved that is the cause for concern. It may surprise some, but more motoring accidents are caused by people being distracted by eating and drinking, then by using mobile phones. I have also seen a few club riders over the years veer into hedges or catch a wheel when distracted by a tight water bottle nozzle!

When I'm on my bike I eat and drink, but don't generally use my phone - however, in terms of distraction, I fully appreciate this makes me a something of a hypocrite.

- and there have been examples of motorists being prosecuted for eating and drinking - locally a women for drinking whilst waiting at a red light - only one hand on the wheel, therefore not in full control of the vehicle.
BTW Mickle - we don't report being held up in our cars by slow moving trucks, tractors etc because this is a cycling forum, and to do so here would be rather silly.

 

[Noodley]

we don't report being held up in our cars by slow moving trucks, tractors etc because this is a cycling forum, and to do so here would be rather silly.

By that reasoning we should not get motorists complaining about cyclists...

 

[Emmanuel Obikwelu]

By that reasoning we should not get motorists complaining about cyclists...

How do you work that out ?

 

[Origamist]

By that reasoning we should not get motorists complaining about cyclists...

Indeed, who has ever come across a denigratory post about cyclists on Pistonheads...

 

[youngoldbloke]

-
BTW Mickle - we don't report being held up in our cars by slow moving trucks, tractors etc because this is a cycling forum, and to do so here would be rather silly.

NB 'in our cars'

 

[Noodley]

How do you work that out ?

Well, this is a cyclists forum, so why would we expect motorists to complain about cyclists?

 

[apollo179]

It seems fairly easy to piss motorists off, just by going slowly seems to be enough!

I think I'll continue to be courteous and considerate, but still anticipate that some motorists will behave like dicks cos they feel they have a right conferred upon them to act as they wish.

If you think cycling one handed, on the drops,slowly, and dialing on mobile phone causing a tailback of peed off motorists is courteous and considerate then i predict lots of motorists complaining about cyclists behaving like dicks cos they feel they have a right conferred upon them to act as they wish.

 

[mickle]

If you think cycling one handed, on the drops,slowly, and dialing on mobile phone causing a tailback of peed off motorists is courteous and considerate then i predict lots of motorists complaining about cyclists behaving like dicks cos they feel they have a right conferred upon them to act as they wish.

Using a mobile phone whilst riding a pedal cycle is not illegal and is therefore irrelevant.

If riding slowly was all that was required to upset motorists I would be in a lot of trouble.

 

[Noodley]

If you think cycling one handed, on the drops,slowly, and dialing on mobile phone causing a tailback of peed off motorists is courteous and considerate then i predict lots of motorists complaining about cyclists behaving like dicks cos they feel they have a right conferred upon them to act as they wish.

You're not getting this are you?

Can you explain what it is about the cyclists behaviour you are upset about?

That he was slow, or on the phone, or 'caused a tailback'?

If I had been one of the motorists in the tailback I would not have been peed off at being slowed down, any more than I would have been peed off if some driver had behaved in a manner resulting in me being slowed. There is nothing in the OP to say he was cycling in a manner which was likely to cause danger. The only 'sin' is going slow, the part about him being on a phone or being in 'all the gear' and 'on the drops' is dressing it up to make it sound like something else is at play.

 

[apollo179]

Using a mobile phone whilst riding a pedal cycle is not illegal and is therefore irrelevant.

If riding slowly was all that was required to upset motorists I would be in a lot of trouble.

Incorrect.
Try and understand that legality and courtesy/consideration are two different things.
It may be legal to cycle one handed, on the drops,slowly, and dialing on mobile phone causing a tailback of peed off motorists but it is not courteous nor considerate.