Radio 2 cycling phone in

[Paul_L]

listening to it now. just at the women getting left hooked. frightening.

Surprised there is no "road tax" callers yet, but i'm sure there will be!

 

[downfader]

I wonder if they took our advice and filtered the calls so as to help people rather than put them down.

Also - I cant recommend the HGV seating experience enough. If you get the chance have a look. If you know a firm locally perhaps send them an email and ask to go down with the local campaign, friends who ride etc etc... I've been lucky enough to sit in large vehicles like this because of relatives and their jobs.

I've said before about the Polite vest. I dont approve, just as I dont approve of the blue cycle lights. It devalues the influence the Police may have. Get a helmet camera instead. Costs the same and may give you evidence to report or claim.

 

[simonplatt]

it amazes me how drivers are encouraged to be selfish, and inconsiderate to every body else on the road, in partic i read on a site th other day about the FRAP rule in america (far right as possible) in uk would equate to FLAP if it was used. this is basically saying keep out of the way of selfish motorists so that they can race about, aimlessly with little care or consideration to what they are doing.

on another site it was mentioned about a fatality (cyclist) doing lands end to john o'groats who was on a dual carriageway, it implied that it was the cyclist fault automatically for being there. although he was quite legal.

pedestrians and 'unmotorised' personall have a right, and always have to use public roads, rights of way etc. whilst motorists have allways required a licence for the privalidge of using motor vehicles on roads.

I drive a van, car, motorcycle, but cycle when ever possible, why cant the gov. councils, police, start to get it right. WE as cyclists (and pedestrians) have a right to be there.

I believe it is a very different story in germany, about the overtaking rules!!

i spoke to a guy from canada, some years ago now, but he said that they were not allowed to park on the road, he was in fact warned about leaving his car on his drive after washing it and not putting it in his garage!!

tens of thousands of pounds have been spent here locally on road marking 'cycle tracks' yet they are blocked by parked cars, not far away is a line of nearly 30. i have complained to my MP about this who took it to the house of commons, the transport minister said 'the council if they so wish can make an order to prohit' the council said ' it's not up to us it's a police matter' the police (after investigation) said, 'it is not an offence to park in a cycle lane unless there are double white lines, where it would be illegal anyway. the cycle lane markings are only ADVISORY' in other words they mean nothing.

well in my opinion that makes them dangerous in the fact that cyclists THINK that they are in a cycle lane, when in fact they are not they are in the main road and a target for the 'anti cyclist motorist brigade.

i 'pushed' the investigating officer for an opinion on the fact that it is an offence to park on footpaths, he told me ' the council will not let us prosecute offenders as it would cause them to park on, and block the road,'

he agreed that there were laws being broken, but said that the police's hands were tied by the council. as we spoke a neighbour was doing repairs on a car transporter, in the roadway, where it is usually parked, illegally of course.

i am waiting for an action campaign to join, anyone wish to start one?

 

[MontyVeda]

I'm just jiggling to AntMusic...I loved Adam Ant *errm showing my age now*

Feet up, coffee in hand, waiting for debate to start......

Oh what a tune!

how did they make two good drummers sound like one crap drummer?

 

[lilolee]

I've said before about the Polite vest. I dont approve, just as I dont approve of the blue cycle lights. It devalues the influence the Police may have. Get a helmet camera instead. Costs the same and may give you evidence to report or claim.

Shouldn't we be Pro-Active rather than Re-Active?

 

[downfader]

Shouldn't we be Pro-Active rather than Re-Active?

Wearing a Polite vest is not proactive. It is hiding behind someone elses influence and standing. It is akin to a hover fly tricking predators into thinking that it is a wasp. Birds evolved/learned to eat them eventually.

I live in Southampton where a security firm was successfully prosecuted for using a uniform that too closely resembled the Police uniform.

You'll be proactive by
-Writing letters to the papers.

-Writing to your MP, Council, the DfT.

-Writing to the Health authorities to get them to lobby harder to the Government to encourage cycling and walking - as this will save them a fortune in the long run.

-Writing to big bisiness to get them to also lobby the Gov to a) protect their employees, b) give them incentive to encourage cycle use by their employees and customers.

-By giving advice to friends on the sly. When they moan about fuel costs, slip in "..yeah I agree.. I managed to save £30 this month with the bike, thankfully!"

-By being confident on the road. If people look frightened it will scare off potential riders. Cycle training helps massively!

-Leaving homemade signs around the cycle shed/work premises at work with a list of websites that can help others get the info and advice they need, direct them to forums like this.

Etc. Not by Polite vests.

 

[Brandane]

Actually quite good.

The best piece of advice was to take primary. They also liked the 'Polite' hi vis jacket.

which obviously fools drivers into thinking it is Police.

A slightly different take on the "Polite" vest. As a retired cop I would not recommend the use of that vest, or anything else that mimics the Police. For one, it could be construed as illegal (as in impersonating a Police Officer), but more importantly than that; there are an awful lot of people out there who would be baited by such things. Gone are the days when everyone respected the Police. In certain quarters they are seen as "fair game" for abuse, and a group of chavs in a Corsa might just be tempted to make a close overtake on a cyclist wearing one of those vests purely because they think that it IS a Police Officer.

For the same reason, I never had a Strathclyde Police coat of arms sticker displayed above my tax VED disc as some did. Talk about asking to have your paintwork keyed!