pedestrian crossings and cyclists! rant
- Thread starter dario
- Start date
ben g said:
That's what the driver of this E89 was attempting. :thumbsdown:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=64463
Unfortunately , things change over time and not always to the better. Like many others on here I learned to ride a bike before such things a bike paths, we learned pretty fast. OBEY the rules or get killed. A very straightforward teaching method by the way. Then I moved to Canada and had to learn all over again but it was still the same basics, OBEY or get squished.
Then they built walking paths which quickly became cycle paths (to get those bikes of the road). Now they are building bike paths on the road.... with a $15 million pilot project (possibly) to go ahead this year to take more lanes away from cars.
We have approximately one tenth of one percent of our commuters that ride bicycles to work. Possibly three tenths in the summer months. Remember , this is the foothills of the Rocky mountains where the roads are covered in ice and snow for 5 months per year . April 10th, last Saturday we got 8 inches of snow
It is utter madness .....bicycles just don't work well here.
BTW, I have bicycled for 50 years and sold my road bike last year, I refuse to ride here any more...
Then they built walking paths which quickly became cycle paths (to get those bikes of the road). Now they are building bike paths on the road.... with a $15 million pilot project (possibly) to go ahead this year to take more lanes away from cars.
We have approximately one tenth of one percent of our commuters that ride bicycles to work. Possibly three tenths in the summer months. Remember , this is the foothills of the Rocky mountains where the roads are covered in ice and snow for 5 months per year . April 10th, last Saturday we got 8 inches of snow
It is utter madness .....bicycles just don't work well here.
BTW, I have bicycled for 50 years and sold my road bike last year, I refuse to ride here any more...
I can see all the arguments for cycling. Its green, its healthy, its sustainable, etc....
However, its the cyclists that need to look at themselves a little.
Its no good demanding cycle lanes to be built when they still choose to cycle on the main carriageway, (Maybe they dont want to mingle with pedestrians on the paths, but they hurt less than colliding with a car/lorry)
Furthermore, cyclists cant demand respect on the road from motorists when they blatantly cycle through junctions against red lights and cycle the wrong way up one way streets!
They need to understand that they are not above the Highway code and there should be some sort of compulsory annual insurance for them, in order to protect the motorist who gets handlebar marks down the nearside of their car, or loses their wing mirrors in stationary traffic ...
I personally would like to see a few more pulled by the Police for blatant flouting of traffic laws.
However, its the cyclists that need to look at themselves a little.
Its no good demanding cycle lanes to be built when they still choose to cycle on the main carriageway, (Maybe they dont want to mingle with pedestrians on the paths, but they hurt less than colliding with a car/lorry)
Furthermore, cyclists cant demand respect on the road from motorists when they blatantly cycle through junctions against red lights and cycle the wrong way up one way streets!
They need to understand that they are not above the Highway code and there should be some sort of compulsory annual insurance for them, in order to protect the motorist who gets handlebar marks down the nearside of their car, or loses their wing mirrors in stationary traffic ...
I personally would like to see a few more pulled by the Police for blatant flouting of traffic laws.
HOW ABOUT ROAD TAX ? They don't buy fuel or pay anything else to use the roads, why let them on if they don't pay for upkeep.?
I had to get a license for my bike when I was a kid, more of a registration plate for identification purposes (when stolen). It wasn't much in todays dollars but five bucks back then was an hours pay for my Dad.
I had to get a license for my bike when I was a kid, more of a registration plate for identification purposes (when stolen). It wasn't much in todays dollars but five bucks back then was an hours pay for my Dad.
mcbeee said:
This was hotly debated in another thread a year or so ago. At the time, loads of zed driving cyclists came out to have their say on this topic, and in an attempted defence of the general disregard that they have for other road users. They got quite heated about it.
Don't know where they have all gone now.............
mcbeee said:
In the UK if you pay your council tax, you pay for the up keep of the roads. Tax on fuel and 'road tax' is actually VED, Vehical
excise duty and is just a tax to pay to the government. Nothing to do with the roads unfortunately.
I do think that a registration system for bikes or better routes for them is needed.
Being a keen cyclist, and doing a 40 mile round bike ride every day to work, I am amazed to see how many cyclists do stupid things.
Even when you bring them up about it when sat behind them at a set of lights, most just tell you to ***k off, you tell them that your not after browny points, but just being helpful (after all I don't want their blood splattered over my bike), but if doesnt matter....so I have given up being helpful, ill just let them get run over next time.
Cycling used to be a very social thing, everyone would nod, (a bit like the majority of Z drivers) now however it seems in the past 5 years arrogance has slowly taken over. There used to be a big line between the spandex clad road warriors and the baggy short mountain bikers, which was almost entertaining at times, but now it seems to be everyone for themselves.
Obviously there are good cyclists and bad ones, just as there are good and bad drivers, but the sad bit is that you get tarred with the same brush, I have gone over bonnets, into sides of cars and been squashed off the road, so I'm now VERY careful, I don't take chances and believe that I am as courteous as they come. Still, drivers give you sh!t for dodging a pot hole or being blown about or even when struggling up a hill.
The drivers need to take a minute and remember that, were slow, wobbly, vulnerable and loosing 30 seconds stuck behind us will not end your life, doing some stupid overtaking might end ours.
But...
Cyclists need to return to the law abiding, non risk taking and less arrogant times gone by.
Rant over.
Even when you bring them up about it when sat behind them at a set of lights, most just tell you to ***k off, you tell them that your not after browny points, but just being helpful (after all I don't want their blood splattered over my bike), but if doesnt matter....so I have given up being helpful, ill just let them get run over next time.
Cycling used to be a very social thing, everyone would nod, (a bit like the majority of Z drivers) now however it seems in the past 5 years arrogance has slowly taken over. There used to be a big line between the spandex clad road warriors and the baggy short mountain bikers, which was almost entertaining at times, but now it seems to be everyone for themselves.
Obviously there are good cyclists and bad ones, just as there are good and bad drivers, but the sad bit is that you get tarred with the same brush, I have gone over bonnets, into sides of cars and been squashed off the road, so I'm now VERY careful, I don't take chances and believe that I am as courteous as they come. Still, drivers give you sh!t for dodging a pot hole or being blown about or even when struggling up a hill.
The drivers need to take a minute and remember that, were slow, wobbly, vulnerable and loosing 30 seconds stuck behind us will not end your life, doing some stupid overtaking might end ours.
But...
Cyclists need to return to the law abiding, non risk taking and less arrogant times gone by.
Rant over.
Wattsie what you have said is very similar of what the guys at work tell me with regards to attitudes of other riders when at crossings etc. the attitude is appalling especially when it's quite clear being on a bike your actually trying to help.
One lass at work jumped a red light, almost knocked off her bike by a marked police car who quite rightly so pulled her up for it and she spent 30 mins arguing the point with them to no avail clearly. She had not however learnt get lesson.
I'm sure a recent ad campaign said see bike, think horse. I will only pass when safe to do so and I give the biggest berth I can.
One lass at work jumped a red light, almost knocked off her bike by a marked police car who quite rightly so pulled her up for it and she spent 30 mins arguing the point with them to no avail clearly. She had not however learnt get lesson.
I'm sure a recent ad campaign said see bike, think horse. I will only pass when safe to do so and I give the biggest berth I can.
Hairy Pussy
Member
TitanTim said:Ban all pushbikes off the road....Simples
Tim.
I cycled to work for years, so I have some sympathy with the poor urchins.
Had one this very morning, as I was turning into the main gate at work, the nice chap on the bycicle, decided that, as I was making space for a motorbike to come through, he could fit through the gap between me and the motor bike. Utter T#sser. :thumbsdown: The Security guard saw him but desided to let it go. Clearly he also saw me siliently mouthing my thoughts too and simply said "morning Sir you quite right" as I passed through.
Had one this very morning, as I was turning into the main gate at work, the nice chap on the bycicle, decided that, as I was making space for a motorbike to come through, he could fit through the gap between me and the motor bike. Utter T#sser. :thumbsdown: The Security guard saw him but desided to let it go. Clearly he also saw me siliently mouthing my thoughts too and simply said "morning Sir you quite right" as I passed through.
Interesting article:-
http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/cyclists-why-do-they-ride-in-the-middle-of-the-road-_62617
http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/cyclists-why-do-they-ride-in-the-middle-of-the-road-_62617
