buctootim Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 There are also plenty of cyclists who not only fail to wear a helmet/suitable clothing or display any lights, but also probably go out of their way to make themselves as invisible as possible by wearing black from head to toe and not even having reflectors fitted to their bikes (which surely come as standard on all bikes?!). I very nearly hit and presumably nearly killed what turned out to be a kid riding in the middle of a 60mph country road, in the dark, raining, no lights, dark clothing. Impossible to see from more than 10m away, so impossible to stop in time and with a car coming the other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgerx16 Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 and not even having reflectors fitted to their bikes (which surely come as standard on all bikes?!). A rear reflector is a legal requirement, as are reflective panels on the pedals - makes all of us riding with cleats illegal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgerx16 Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 (edited) On the flip side is does irritate me how some cyclists feel the need to have a full-blown miner's light attached to either their helmet or the front of their bike, which only succeeds in blinding everyone (be they driver, cylist or pedestrian) who has the misfortune to be heading towards them. As for the front light, riding on unlit country roads, ie no pavement or kerb, requires a strong light - but one that is angled slightly towards the left, so as to highlight the verge. As for "blinding drivers", too many of them blind me because their lights are badly adjusted or they're driving Chelsea Tractors, so quid pro quo. ( And remember, a large proportion of adult cyclists are drivers as well, so know both sides of the argument ). Edited 4 February, 2015 by badgerx16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 Riding on Cannock Chase at night is darker than the mother-in-laws heart so my light is powerful and bright so I can see the road properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctoroncall Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 The highway code allows for riding 2 abreast. Rule 66 never ride more than two abreast Thanks for that... didn't know it was ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadoldgit Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 Clearly the roads are dangerous places for all users: cyclists, motorists, lorry drivers, bikers, pedestrians. We all have a responsibility for our own safety and that of others who share the roads. What makes them so dangerous are the idiots who feel like they own the roads and the rest of us are just an inconvenience who get in the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadoldgit Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 Thanks for that... didn't know it was ok. Me neither. As a kid I was told not to ride two abreast (although we always did when there were no cars around). How times change! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 (edited) http://ukcyclelaws.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-laws-according-to-highway-code.html http://ukcyclelaws.blogspot.co.uk/p/overtaking-cyclists.html Edited 4 February, 2015 by View From The Top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Tender Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 I'm with the OP that Lorries overtaking one another at 1mph faster is my main gripe. But it isn't such a problem on the motorway, as there is still a spare lane. But you're tootling along a dual carriageway like the A34 and then the very instant that he has indicated, the lorry driver pulls out in front of you, causing you to jam on your brakes and for the next five miles the road is blocked and you are doing 50 miles an hour until he eventually pulls in front of the other lorry. I always then honk my horn at him when I pass, just to let him know what a cretin I consider him to be. The other main pain is the driver who hogs the middle lane of three, even though there is nothing ahead of them. There is some excuse for staying in a lane if one is moving faster than the traffic in the inside lane, but otherwise once one has completed the overtaking, then move in a lane. If the road is otherwise empty apart from me and them, I make a point of flashing them when I am closer behind them and if they don't move over, then they are a pratt. Often one can glance into the rear view mirror and see them still in the middle lane one mile back, still with no other car around. I'm afraid to say that women drivers are the more prevalent offenders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjwills Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 http://ukcyclelaws.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-laws-according-to-highway-code.html http://ukcyclelaws.blogspot.co.uk/p/overtaking-cyclists.html But in the same respect the cyclist should use the cycle lanes when provided and not ride slowly on the road at rush hour causing a traffic jam. As regularly happens on the trip to and from Hamble. The council has spent a lot of money to provide for your safety and keep the traffic flowing so use it. I think the law should change to make it mandatory to use cycle lane when they are present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 But in the same respect the cyclist should use the cycle lanes when provided and not ride slowly on the road at rush hour causing a traffic jam. As regularly happens on the trip to and from Hamble. The council has spent a lot of money to provide for your safety and keep the traffic flowing so use it. I think the law should change to make it mandatory to use cycle lane when they are present. I ride a road bike. The clue is in the name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgerx16 Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 (edited) But in the same respect the cyclist should use the cycle lanes when provided and not ride slowly on the road at rush hour causing a traffic jam. As regularly happens on the trip to and from Hamble. The council has spent a lot of money to provide for your safety and keep the traffic flowing so use it. I think the law should change to make it mandatory to use cycle lane when they are present. Cycle lanes are often more dangerous as their surface breaks up because it's just a smear of red tarmac over a standard pavement, and they can be "shared space" with pedestrians, who don't mix well with road bikes @ 20+ mph. They're a nightmare on dustbin collection day. The worst ones I've come across run on the road surface, in the opposite direction to the motorised traffic on one way streets, with just a painted white line segregating the cyclist from tons of steel approaching head on. Edited 4 February, 2015 by badgerx16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 Cycle lanes are often more dangerous as their surface breaks up because it's just a smear of red tarmac over a standard pavement, and they can be "shared space" with pedestrians, who don't mix well with road bikes @ 20+ mph. They're a nightmare on dustbin collection day. The worst ones I've come across run on the road surface, in the opposite direction to the motorised traffic on one way streets, with just a painted white line segregating the cyclist from tons of steelapproaching head on. Or, as up here, they are full of parked cars. No way I'll ride my road bike on one and even on the hybrid I'm loathe to use them as they are almost exclusively shared with pedestrians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aintforever Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 I think anyone who cycles to work during rush hour has rocks in their head. I tried it for a bit and at the time it wasn't even a long ride, or through busy areas and I almost got wiped out by a van on a roundabout. There are just so many idiot vehicle drivers and rush hour just makes them worse - you are dicing with death cycling through that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
View From The Top Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 I think anyone who cycles to work during rush hour has rocks in their head. I tried it for a bit and at the time it wasn't even a long ride, or through busy areas and I almost got wiped out by a van on a roundabout. There are just so many idiot vehicle drivers and rush hour just makes them worse - you are dicing with death cycling through that. It's not that bad but I'm gone well before the school run. Mums are more deadly than vans IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Bateman Posted 4 February, 2015 Share Posted 4 February, 2015 I've been a car driver for nearly 25 years and cycle 7 miles each way to Whiteley every day, so feel I can give a reasonably balanced view on the whole 'cars-v-bikes' issue. One observation as a cyclist is that if I'm aware of a motorist driving aggresively/impatiently/too fast/too close, etc, about 7 times out of 10 they'll be driving either an Audi or a BMW. . It's exactly why I chose a Merc ... either that, or I'm getting old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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