how to be a bad cyclist.

[berty bassett]

they have wheels ,travel at speed and can kill if they are abused !! just the same as a horse

 

[Dan B]

I've never seen a horse with wheels, but I'll take your word for it.

 

[Nathan Berry]

ive jumped red lights on a bike probably being a muppet but the lights were turning red as i was aproaching them 10 15 20 mph cant remember, the other traffic wernt moving yet so i thought sod it, im fed up of stopping at traffic lights every 5 seconds, but i wouldnt go across lights if there already red on a quiet road then ill probably jump them, i dnt think any lights would sense me anyway,

 

[boybiker]

On my ride this afternoon I caught up with this chap. As soon as I got to his back wheel, he stopped so i carried on and thought nothing of it. At one time i looked over my shoulder and there he was, inches behind me. I ignored him and carried on until i got to some traffic lights. They were on red so i slowed down to stop. He just rode past me, had a quick look to the right to see if traffic was coming and went straight through the lights. Needless to say i did not see him after that as by the time the lights turned green again , he was too far ahead. What an idiot!

I had this the other day on my commute! It really pi$$ed me off!

 

[oilyormo]

im not condoning jumping red lights at all. what im saying is that before you can call someone an idiot for going through a red light then you should take the circumstances into account.
IE: take two cyclists approaching a red light. all roads are obviosly clear of traffic as far as the eye can see (maybe 1/4 mile either way, say) pedestrians are walking across the junction (maybe elderly or women with pushchairs etc.). Both cyclist slow down, assess the situation and one decides its perfectly safe to cross with no risks whatsoever, the other stops and waites for 2 minutes or so. Is the red light jumper an idiot? Can you with hand on heart honestly say that youve never gone through in similar circumstances?

 

[berty bassett]

i come on this site because its fun and i learn a lot , not to get into arguments . so i am sorry i entered my opinion about others going through red lights . it has nothing to do with me what other cyclists do at lights and i should keep my views to myself . i hope i never have to pass an accident where someone has been hit going through lights . i live where there are not many lights and the ones that are here seem to be here for a reason , i understand that other places are lit up like christmas trees and it must be annoying stopping all the time - good luck and hope you don't hurt yourself or anyone else

 

[Noodle Legs]

oilyomo, I admire you faith in people having "common sense". However nearly 30 years of working on traffic lights and motorway signals has convinced me "common sense" is VERY rare indeed. The problem with switching a junction off is simply EVERYBODY decides that THEY have right of way. I have been called to many accidents caused by exactly this problem [thankfully the police and ambulance services pick up the soggy bits, I just had to check the lights]. I'm afraid the majority of people are like sheep, they need to be told what to do and those of us with more brain cells than teeth simply have to accept it.

Couldn't agree more.

As I was always told, the problem with common sense is it's not common...................

 

[KateK]

I was hit by a cyclist going through a red light on a pedestrian crossing about 20 years ago. I got two cracked ribs and a knee that took two years to recover enough to walk reliably without pain. I always shout at cyclists going through red lights when there are pedestrians because it scares the hell out of me and shouting RED LIGHT!! helps relieve the anxiety, anyway they don't usually seem to be awake enough to notice that there is a light so I'm just waking them up. I always stop, its a matter of courtesy as well as law. I expect other road users to behave responsibly and I do my best to do the same. Round here we have lots of young adult cyclists and if we want them to survive to the same age as us older cyclists we have to help teach them the rules.