bit of a cycling rant

[den_the_cat]

Sorry but I have to have a mini rant against cyclists.....not all of them by any means (I'm sure that everone here rides sensibly) but the hot weather is bringing the idiots out in droves....

Firstly, where a cycle lane is provided and where its not covered in crud and broken glass it is generally good to use it. I have no problems at all with cycle routes having priority, making the 'normal' road narrower or giving cyclists equal rights on roads, but I was walking into town the other day along the seafront boulevard which has a four foot wide cycle lane down one side of the pavement and there were cyclists whizzing past me on the pedestrian bit leaving a totally empty cycle lane. They have no more right to the pavement than pedestrians (well less, actually).

Second; when cycling on the road whether or not in a cycle lane RED LIGHTS AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS APPLY TO YOU TOO! A cyclist I know actually told me it was unreasonable to expect a cyclist to stop at a red light and it was ok as long as they didn't actually hit someone. Yeah right, I'll try that in the car shall I? "Well I didn't hit anyone officer and it took so much effort to get my speed up to 40 I didn't feel like stopping"

Third; One way streets also apply to you.

Fourth; I am not getting impatient because you are riding a bike. I am getting impatient because you are riding a bike badly wavering all over the road and normally three abreast chattering with your mates. I believe the highway code has guidelines and you should probably read it. Other than when you're riding uphill (hard not to wobble then admittedly) I expect a minimum of the ability to ride in a straight line and know when there is a car behind you from an adult cyclist. Horses manage it so why cant you?

Fifth; Much as I applaud the ecologically sound ideals of riding a bike there are some wide and heavy loads which make it impractical to balance. Unless you trained in Beijing bikes should not be used as a method of, say, moving a vacuum cleaner.

Sixth; please please wear suitable clothing because if I am going to be sitting behind you at 7mph for several miles I would rather not look at your bum crack.

</rant>

Ok - I feel better now.....

[Martin]

[Andy Hamilton]

Actually there is a bylaw that says cyclist can cycle the wrong way down a one way street. Little known and I would not reccomend it.

There are idiots out there on bikes who do all the above, this no way means that we all do. I also take your point about the pedestrian crossings, however if there is nothing coming and some kids have pressed the button and run off then why wait?

A judge once ruled in favour of a cyclist during an accident as he stated a little wobble is ok. If you have someone right on your arse in a 4x4 you might want to turn around and see what they are playing at this can cuase a wobble, is that not even allowed? It is not fun for us either having someone right behind you, perhaps people might even get nervous.

point five - well how am I suposed to transport stuff about? The busses are overpriced the train system is awful and I don't want to drive a car. I am safe with both my paniers full if I chose to carry something big on my bike and stayed in control then what is the problem.

Sixth point - What is the difference between a cyclist wearing what they like or a pedistrian or even a driver?

Not all cyclists are idiots, some of us are careful riders and much more so than some of the idiots in cars. It really does infuriate me that people see a few cyclist acting the fool and tar us all with the same brush. We have a right to the roads too. We might not pay road tax, perhaps we should? - but I don't really see why I have to pay for huge motorways ripping through our countryside. Roads are very ugly.

May I ask when the last time you were on a bike?

rant back at you and I feel better now........

[den_the_cat]

lol - last time I was on a bike was a couple of years ago - but yes I have ridden one. I'm tempted to throw the question back and say when was the last time you drove? I certainly became a much safer cyclist once I understood that there were blind spots for cars and if I positioned myself there on a bike there was a chance that they genuinely wouldn't have seen me.....

A lot of drivers treat cyclists terribly, I totally admit it, but I tend to give them a lot of space (ie; more than a horse and I'm not too fond of passing horses either) and no a bit of wobble isn't a problem if you're wobbling to have a look at whats happening behind you. But cyclists who are utterly unaware of other road users (cars or pedestrians) are as bad as car drivers who don't give cyclists any respect, and however tongue in cheek my original post was I really don't think that 'well it doesn't hurt anyone' is a very good argument for saying cyclists can do it?

[Shirley]

oh dear - an entertaining and well written rant

I haven't cycled for a good few years now although at one stage it was my only form of transport and that included a time when we lived here in Aberdeenshire - I thought nothing of cycling 10 miles simply to collect a newspaper - I loved it..... didn't love being on the roads in tourist season though. Scary stuff - and not everyone gives a damn about cyclists. I always give them a very wide berth and worry about how vulnerable many are, particularly as many don't wear suitable head protection... not sure how well lycra would protect if, god forbid, one of these cyclists was knocked off their bike. Not very well methinks.

Anyway - I think that we all need to treat fellow road users with respect... and that means all of us.. whether we are cyclists, pedestrians, horseriders, car drivers, or bikers.

[albert onglebod]

Its a good thing you dont live in Holland DTC!
I've seen people with pushchairs and kids balanced on one bike, a PC tower on the carrier,a dog walker where the lead was on a bike harness.
Cyclists zoom past you as you are walking and shout for you to get out of the way. They arent bothered if they hit you either.

I do like cycling but hate the road conditions .The paths are quite badly kept sometimes;slippery surfaces,holes,things parked on them ,drains across them.

[Shirley]

at least it's flat in holland :D

I find that cycle tracks are often a bit secluded too - which isn't exactly inviting for women cycling alone

[greenbean]

Beware when ambling through Amsterdam, cyclists there will show no mercy and we found ourselves having to throw ourselves out of the way of a crazy cyclist many a time, seriously they are mean!

[den_the_cat]

Probably the secret in Amsterdam is to find a way to relax and you won't worry about the cyclists

I've seen some amazing things carried on bikes, including a goat (tied across the handlebars) and even a fridge freezer on a small trailer towed by a bike, but then again both were in China where there are very limited alternative means of transport and I don't think the highway code applies.

[cir3ngirl]

A friend who is a teacher saw a child the other week coming into school on the shoulders of an adult who was riding a bike.


Davina

[Shirley]

It's amazing how stupid people can be - fancy doing such a dangerous stunt.

Goats!! I could imagine that it's not very easy to carry one of those on a bike.

[Millymollymandy]

Beware when ambling through Amsterdam, cyclists there will show no mercy and we found ourselves having to throw ourselves out of the way of a crazy cyclist many a time, seriously they are mean!

The problem in the Netherlands is that people who aren't used to cycle lanes tend to walk in them. We did until we got used to them and our visitors did the same.

Amsterdam was a bad city to be a pedestrian in because you needed two sets of eyes - one pair to look down to avoid all the dog poo, and the other pair to look out for cyclists!

[albert onglebod]

The problem in the Netherlands is that people who aren't used to cycle lanes tend to walk in them. We did until we got used to them and our visitors did the same.

Amsterdam was a bad city to be a pedestrian in because you needed two sets of eyes - one pair to look down to avoid all the dog poo, and the other pair to look out for cyclists!

LOL when we first saw one with Fietzpad written on it, we thought it meant footpath .Wasnt until we saw the cyclehire place with Fietz on the sign that we realised.

[Andy Hamilton]

The last time I drove er I think it was somewhere between 11-13 years ago, I never passed my test! I went through a red light, drove at 50 mph in 3rd gear, drove on the wrong side of the road and nearly hit a police car all on my test. I thought about taking it up again at some point but have never felt the need to, I have always said that when cars become greener I will give it a go. - but I think that myself and the rest of the world are safer if I stick with a bike.

I rarely even sit in a car, bit of a strange week last week and sat in 4 different cars - more so than I have done in months - in fact more so than in years. I graduated and got a lift off my parents to the cerimony, I had an interview for a local magazine (Venue, will try and scan it in so you can see it when it is out), I visited friends in Yeovil who both have cars and use them all the time. - We did not see any kamikasi cyclist though

I have been to Amsterdam and found it a bit of a nightmare if you are not in the way of a bike then it is a tram.

As for carrying things the most I have carried is a 60l bag of compost. That was fun! difficult to control at first but as long as you get some momentum up it is fine.

Two of my pet hates are grumpy old men who insist on telling you that you should not be on cycle path - happens a lot in Bath. Or cyclists on pavement when there is clear road by the side of them. Little kids doing this is fair game as it is easy to let them past. But grown men - are they scared of the road or something?

[Chickpea]

I've been shouted at to "Get out of the ****ing way!" by a cyclist on the pavement - I was pushing a baby buggy at the time. I stood my ground and he nearly fell off swerving at the last minute when he realised I wasn't going anywhere.

I'm not anti-cyclists. The same day I saw a dozen who caused me no bother at all, just like any other day. But I'm anti that cyclist.