Terminator
New Member
Haven't come across a set of lights that I would have to ignore although there must be many as I see them ignored every day.
magnatom said:Hi Folks,
As you probably know I have been having a 'discussion' with some bus drivers on another forum. I gave up a while back as they didn't want to listen to reasoned argument. I've been keeping an eye on the thread though and this was just posted:
Magnatom. Your representations to bus companies RE: operation "show cyclists more respect" is admirable, but flawed. If you are the type of cyclist who rides a well maintained vehicle, wears reflective clothing, abides by the highway code etc. You have every right to flag up the errors of motorists round about you who don't.
However, MOST cyclists that we bus drivers see on the road every day have downright contempt for the highway code, and therefore, it is very difficult for the "good" cyclist to demand greater respect from us on the road. If more cyclists show that they are making an effort, then those around them may do likewise.
This makes for some interesting reading:
http://www.yes-but.net/cycling_is_1dangerous.html
Oh dear. We have no chance with attitudes like this. It would appear that this confirms that we do all get tarred with the same brush and that RLJ's etc do have an effect on us all. Is there a way to counter this attitude? Why should I have to suffer because of idiots who don't obey the rules.
Of course it is a misrepresentation as cyclists are probably no more likely to flout the rules of the road than any other road user. For example how many cars keep to the speed limit? (I can't claim the high ground here!) How many jump red lights, drive without insurance etc. Yet cyclists still get the most stick. I think the CTC need to hire some serious PR agents!!
And I am not even going to mention anything about the web site he has directed me too
nethalus said:Unfortuntely there is no way of stopping any idiot getting a bike and riding it how they damn well like (I suppose you could argue the same with a car, but a car being driven badly or erratically is easier to spot than a cycle.)
Terminator said:How ironic tonight after finishing work in South West London at about a quarter past one am and leaving for home at half past one am,apart from having a horrific ride back as I got nearer home I became aware of gangs of people all over the place.On approaching a set of lights as well as a gang of about ten people with beer cans in their hands I decided that it was probably not safe to stop at those lights under those circumstances.
I never thought I would find a reason.
That was not a nice ride back and for the first time I felt very uneasy about being on Britains streets.
Nice one the goverment.
nethalus said:I don't think that what The Driver said was unreasonable. I think it's a case with a lot of things, good cyclists are let down by bad ones.
Unfortuntely there is no way of stopping any idiot getting a bike and riding it how they damn well like (I suppose you could argue the same with a car, but a car being driven badly or erratically is easier to spot than a cycle.)
I don't think it's a case that people didn't listen to you on the bus drivers forum, I think some probably did and were perhaps even influenced by what you said (there are a lot of non posters on there). The trouble with that forum is it's very much like a bus driver's canteen (don't know if you've ever been in one!) A place where they sort of let their hair down, rant, chat or act daft. Trying to get a work related topic through is a bit like, in a way, a clergyman trying to preach in a pub!
Cab said:Yes, there is. We're bound by laws too, and a cyclist endangering others will get nicked (thats if they don't get killed). Something that doesn't happen with cyclists though is that no one says 'you passed, you're now okay to go out on your own', which means that you don't have a bit of paper to give you the false impression you're not a danger to others.
I take issue with the claim that a bad motorist is easier to spot. Look out at a motorway one day, with everyone doing 80mph plus. Everyone is breaking the law, everyone is increasing risk for others, increasing the amount of noise and pollution produced, they're all bad motorists. Yet, strangely, we seem to have a blind spot for that... Odd, isn't it?