Plod in the wrong...

[StormingHonda]

I hate cyclists, they p**S me off big time, they hold up the traffic, hardly any of them follow the road laws, and they often put themselves into direct danger and act as if its your fault.

However......

Cyclists just like motorcyclist are vunerable road users, they are also your wife, sister, Daughter, aunt, dad, brother ( well I think you get the idea ) and I would hate to injure someone on a push bike.

I always give them a wide berth and try to be cool around them, however I do get angry when I see one jumping red lights, or hitting the button on a pedestrain crossing to make time for himself and hold everoyne else up.

The root of the problem is painting cyclist and bus lanes isnt going to solve the problem, our roads are just not designed with cyclists in mind, Holland is one of the few countries where we could learn from to provide cyclist with proper facilities, but its not just that respect needs to come from them too, they need to be accountable for their actions in court and need some kind of road legitamacy before we can take them as serious road users and not a pain in the ass.

[agentpineapple]

who covers the cost of making our roads bike friendly(if it was possible), the taxpayer would have to, i'd be more tolerant if cyclists were to pay a road tax, instead the ride for free and expect everyone to look out for them, yet they seem unwilling to ride in a safe manner(hardly ever wearing hi-viz clothing or lights on there bike), in central london they're terrible tbh, if it wasn't for the fact that most traffic in london moves at such a slow speed, there would be a hell of a lot more cyclists losing there lifes because of there bad riding.
as for percentages of good and bad cyclists, in london i reckon its 65% good and 35% bad......

[VTRDark]

I don't think it will be too long before they introduce some kind of road tax. It's another way for the government to squeeze tax out of people. They should make them take a bike test as well.

On the subject of Holland. Did you know theft of a bicycle is treated as serious as nicking a car over there.

(:-})

[scott02464]

Up here where I live are a lot if country lanes where large groups (around 6) of cyclists like to ride about. On a few times now Iv been held up by the selfish Richard-heads riding two abreast! Covering the full lane. This really grips my sh1t when I'm in the car! I hate it how they think they are 'just another vehicle in the road' just as BSM said they are very vulnerable but take it for granted we are all looking out for them!

[scott02464]

Oh I forgot to say the 'backfiring kill switch trick' comes in handy when you get people crossing the road in fro t of you, cyclists, people opening car doors on you etc...

[leevtr]

Why wasn't the cyclist in the bus lane where he should have been. I'm with the copper on this one, I've had rows with these ' holier than thou, self righteous, moral bollox cyclists. ' Good luck to you if you want to cycle, but get out of the friggin' and dont hold up the rest of us !!

[Kev L]

Why wasn't the cyclist in the bus lane where he should have been. I'm with the copper on this one, I've had rows with these ' holier than thou, self righteous, moral bollox cyclists. ' Good luck to you if you want to cycle, but get out of the friggin' and dont hold up the rest of us !!

.........and breath Lee, breath!!!

[Gaggenau]

Im a cyclist, not in London thats just crazy!!,I'm far out in east anglia where the pace is allot slower.

You cant tar us all with the same brush, I have lights on the bike and will be putting more on in the next few weeks as it gets dar on the way to work, I stop at traffic lights, use where possible cycle lanes, i have a hi-vis jacket and a bright red jacket, and yes i do stick my self in the middle of the road in places where I feel that if a car or bigger was to over take would push me to the edge of the road an in to the kirb/bush/tree etc, its not a nice feeling, as in the second video, cyclist are entitled to do so, but also not to hold up traffic un-nessaserily.

But this doesn't excuse other users to dangerously overtake/undertake, because at the end of the day cyclist are vulnerable, and aren't enclosed in a metal box, sounds familiar, same as riding a m/bike.

As for paying road tax, road tax is based on the amount of CO2 produced and the type of fuel used (teaching you all to suck eggs I presume), I would say that if they were to get cyclist to pay road tax, using the existing rules I would say it would be £0....I already pay two lots of road tax, for the Car and the Storm.

Insurance, maybe a good thing, may not be, who knows, I don't know any of the statistics but I would have a guess that accidents involving a cyclist, most of the time it's probably not their fault, irrelevant of if they were in the middle of the road holding up traffic, as all vehicles using the road must leave sufficient space between the vehicle in front to be able to stop in that distance, so the claim would be on the other parties insurance???

I havent had any "cycle training" for the road, I'm just using the knowledge of the road i have from driving and riding and using common sense.

I'm not trying to be a jumped up "better than thou are" cyclist, I just don't feel that we should all be tarred with the same brush, I'll discuss with any one on the road why I do the things I do, like riding I the middle of my lane, but allot of the time all you get is a loud mouth asshole who wont be told other wise, but I'm sure if/when they ride a push bike on the road they will give sh1t to the drivers!

Let the onslaught commence....

[agentpineapple]

.....like riding I the middle of my lane.....


that sums it up gagga
its all of our's (lane) not just yours or mine, i've seen many accidents where the cyclist was at fault. and a serious one when a cyclist knocked down a pedestrian on a zebra crossing, as you said not all cyclists are bad, but if the same percentage of car/van/lorry drivers did what cyclists do, you would be up in arms about it.
i honestly believe cyclist should pay insurance, how can you ride on the road, cause an accident which could cost thousands of pounds of damage and say oh well see you later, because you aren't covered, leaving the other party to claim on there insurance or try and take the cyclist to court........
its almost because cycling is a green form of transport they are excempt from the same laws as the rest of us. oh and what if your only form of transport is a push bike and you don't pay road tax on another motor, whose paying for your cycle lanes and special traffic lights?????
it should be a level playing field....
thats my rant over

[leevtr]

Im a cyclist, not in London thats just crazy!!,I'm far out in east anglia where the pace is allot slower.

You cant tar us all with the same brush, I have lights on the bike and will be putting more on in the next few weeks as it gets dar on the way to work, I stop at traffic lights, use where possible cycle lanes, i have a hi-vis jacket and a bright red jacket, and yes i do stick my self in the middle of the road in places where I feel that if a car or bigger was to over take would push me to the edge of the road an in to the kirb/bush/tree etc, its not a nice feeling, as in the second video, cyclist are entitled to do so, but also not to hold up traffic un-nessaserily.

But this doesn't excuse other users to dangerously overtake/undertake, because at the end of the day cyclist are vulnerable, and aren't enclosed in a metal box, sounds familiar, same as riding a m/bike.

As for paying road tax, road tax is based on the amount of CO2 produced and the type of fuel used (teaching you all to suck eggs I presume), I would say that if they were to get cyclist to pay road tax, using the existing rules I would say it would be £0....I already pay two lots of road tax, for the Car and the Storm.

Insurance, maybe a good thing, may not be, who knows, I don't know any of the statistics but I would have a guess that accidents involving a cyclist, most of the time it's probably not their fault, irrelevant of if they were in the middle of the road holding up traffic, as all vehicles using the road must leave sufficient space between the vehicle in front to be able to stop in that distance, so the claim would be on the other parties insurance???

I havent had any "cycle training" for the road, I'm just using the knowledge of the road i have from driving and riding and using common sense.

I'm not trying to be a jumped up "better than thou are" cyclist, I just don't feel that we should all be tarred with the same brush, I'll discuss with any one on the road why I do the things I do, like riding I the middle of my lane, but allot of the time all you get is a loud mouth asshole who wont be told other wise, but I'm sure if/when they ride a push bike on the road they will give sh1t to the drivers!

Let the onslaught commence....

Being as you're cycling in Lowestoft, you're quite probably not as anti car, pro tree hugging, road hogging...blah blah

I had a row last year, with a cyclist who was purposely holding up all the motorbikes in a bus lane, coming down towards Camden, NW London. When I gave her a mouthful, she screamed at me that motorbikes shouldn't be in bus lanes....Until I pointed out the big picture of the motorcycle on the blue bus lane sign.

And they swarm around the front of every traffic cue at the lights, then wobble off, holding up all the traffic. No wonder now and again one gets seriously hurt, or worse !! How a Boris Bike rider hasn't died yet beggars belief !!!!!

No, I applaud anyone with the enthusiasm and energy to cycle, good luck. But some of us have no choice ( you ever tried carrying a table saw, ladder, 4 drills and a router on a bicycle, or the tube for that matter ?? ) We pay road tax, and congestion charge. If these people who ride in London were seen to be considerate to other road users, instead of up their own arses, motorists would cut them some slack.

But most ( not all ) are cnuts !!

[Wicky]

Last time I was up in the smoke despatch riders were still as loony as ever! trying to beat the 10mph average speed in the city.

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news ... _chickens/

...cars in central London now travel at the speed of a running chicken, instead of a running house mouse.

As a cyclist as well, I agree 100% with Gaggenau. Thankfully in Colchester there's been a huge investment in cycle ways and moves to ban cars from the town centre - so I'm all right jack ;-)

[Gaggenau]

Im a cyclist, not in London thats just crazy!!,I'm far out in east anglia where the pace is allot slower.

You cant tar us all with the same brush, I have lights on the bike and will be putting more on in the next few weeks as it gets dar on the way to work, I stop at traffic lights, use where possible cycle lanes, i have a hi-vis jacket and a bright red jacket, and yes i do stick my self in the middle of the road in places where I feel that if a car or bigger was to over take would push me to the edge of the road an in to the kirb/bush/tree etc, its not a nice feeling, as in the second video, cyclist are entitled to do so, but also not to hold up traffic un-nessaserily.

But this doesn't excuse other users to dangerously overtake/undertake, because at the end of the day cyclist are vulnerable, and aren't enclosed in a metal box, sounds familiar, same as riding a m/bike.

As for paying road tax, road tax is based on the amount of CO2 produced and the type of fuel used (teaching you all to suck eggs I presume), I would say that if they were to get cyclist to pay road tax, using the existing rules I would say it would be £0....I already pay two lots of road tax, for the Car and the Storm.

Insurance, maybe a good thing, may not be, who knows, I don't know any of the statistics but I would have a guess that accidents involving a cyclist, most of the time it's probably not their fault, irrelevant of if they were in the middle of the road holding up traffic, as all vehicles using the road must leave sufficient space between the vehicle in front to be able to stop in that distance, so the claim would be on the other parties insurance???

I havent had any "cycle training" for the road, I'm just using the knowledge of the road i have from driving and riding and using common sense.

I'm not trying to be a jumped up "better than thou are" cyclist, I just don't feel that we should all be tarred with the same brush, I'll discuss with any one on the road why I do the things I do, like riding I the middle of my lane, but allot of the time all you get is a loud mouth asshole who wont be told other wise, but I'm sure if/when they ride a push bike on the road they will give sh1t to the drivers!

Let the onslaught commence....

Being as you're cycling in Lowestoft, you're quite probably not as anti car, pro tree hugging, road hogging...blah blah

I had a row last year, with a cyclist who was purposely holding up all the motorbikes in a bus lane, coming down towards Camden, NW London. When I gave her a mouthful, she screamed at me that motorbikes shouldn't be in bus lanes....Until I pointed out the big picture of the motorcycle on the blue bus lane sign.

And they swarm around the front of every traffic cue at the lights, then wobble off, holding up all the traffic. No wonder now and again one gets seriously hurt, or worse !! How a Boris Bike rider hasn't died yet beggars belief !!!!!

No, I applaud anyone with the enthusiasm and energy to cycle, good luck. But some of us have no choice ( you ever tried carrying a table saw, ladder, 4 drills and a router on a bicycle, or the tube for that matter ?? ) We pay road tax, and congestion charge. If these people who ride in London were seen to be considerate to other road users, instead of up their own arses, motorists would cut them some slack.

But most ( not all ) are cnuts !!

You are quite right, I'm not pro tree hugging or anti car/bike, I like nothing more than burning some of the finest fuel on the storm, I do it because I'm lazy and don't do any exercise and to save for a house deposit, I do understand that its difficult to take things on the bike, i had to take all my tools with me to work when i was an apprentice, and i was on the storm.

I think it all comes down to being a little more educated on both sides, cyclist knowing what they can and can't do, and learning when they are being pricks, but also car/van/lorry/bus drivers to learn more patience, give cyclists more space when over taking, and to learn when they are also being Richard.

Also I do agree with BSM, there are accident that are caused by Cyclist, and they should be held accountable as with any road user, if the o leave the scene of an accident then they are also susceptible to the same extent of the law as car drivers etc of the leave an accident, if they don't take responsibility then they are clearly not reprehensible persons.

Public liability insurance (AKA 3rd PArty) is available for cyclists, it costs me £82 for the year, I mainly have this to cover me for theft of the bike (Lowestoft or Great Yarmouth where I cycle to and from aren't the bet places in the world) , or personal injury, public liability is only an option. but its worth having for that reason.

[leevtr]

Last time I was up in the smoke despatch riders were still as loony as ever! trying to beat the 10mph average speed in the city.

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news ... _chickens/

...cars in central London now travel at the speed of a running chicken, instead of a running house mouse.

When i'm on a motorbike in London, I always try to beat the dispatchers ( and often do )

As a cyclist as well, I agree 100% with Gaggenau. Thankfully in Colchester there's been a huge investment in cycle ways and moves to ban cars from the town centre - so I'm all right jack ;-)

[VTRDark]

I actually don't hate cyclists, but you get the few arseholes like you do anything. I don't like it when they ride in bunches alongside each other or two up in the road which blocks vehicles with more power. I think lee had a very good point with the first vid about the cyclist could have been in the bus/cycle lane. The copper was out of order too by cutting him up.

When I'm on my m/bike I give a wide birth when overtaking cyclists unless they are out too far in the road and blocking me. I would rather knock the cyclist off than risk my own life by having to swing out too far onto the opposite side of the carriageway because the cyclist is hogging the middle of the road. On the other hand I try to treat them as fellow two wheelers who are vulnerable. I also filter up and sit in the cycle bit at the traffic lights in front of all the cars. But I will move forward enough to allow the cyclist behind to get through too as I do a motorcyclist. If a cyclist gives me a dirty look or something for sitting in their SO CALLED bit. I think screw you I'm on two wheels to and just as vulnerable.

Tax for a cyclist, would be a good thing to pay for more cycle lanes on the pavements and stuff. Obviously not as high as other vehicles I think the gov will eventually introduce a tax there anyway as it's more revenue for them. I doubt it will happen while Boris and Cameroon are around, but us soon as the powers to be are not cyclists it will come. As far as test goes I think they should bring back the cycle proficiency test in schools. I got a gold star when I was about 9 or 10 at primary for that. At they same time they can bring back the green cross code. Adult riders should have to do a smiler course a bit like a CBT. It's for their own safety at the end of the day. As far as cycle insurance goes, well you all know my thoughts on that, I don't think anyone should HAVE to have insurance by law.

I used to cycle everywhere in my teens and I was a loon. Ride on the pavement wheelie off the kerb into the road, jump lights, kick car wing mirrors, ride down dual carriageways and rode a cycle like I would ride a motorbike. Same speeds near enough in London too But they where different days back then.

The problem is that the roads/country is overcrowded and it's like a free for all out there and everyone is out for themselves. It's a battleground. So all two wheelers out there ride safe and watch your backs.

(:-})

[VTRDark]

Last time I was up in the smoke despatch riders were still as loony as ever!

That used to be me. And I still ride like it at times, especially when filtering. Try filtering through centre of traffic jams on the A40 at 60mph. You got to have no fear of death and have your wits about you. Many of times I have had to slam on the anchor out on the streets when a car pulls out without looking.

Loud cans save lifes.

(:-})