Idiot cyclist.....

boliston said:
I drive, walk and cycle so why should i care more or less about my perception as a cyclist than as a motorist or pedestrian?
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You asked the question. Did you not want an answer, any answer?

It may well be you personally don't. As you're evidently incapable of accepting an answer to a question.

The simple answer, to your question (which you doubtless won't also accept) is that if as a cyclist you don't show consideration to other road users, you risk them also not showing you the same consideration. Maybe they think this, even if you don't care
 
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boyfalldown said:
You asked the question. Did you not want an answer, any answer?

It may well be you personally don't. As you're evidently incapable of accepting an answer to a question.

The simple answer, to your question (which you doubtless won't also accept) is that if as a cyclist you don't show consideration to other road users, you risk them also not showing you the same consideration. Maybe they think this, even if you don't care
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I don't think it works like this - some motorists will never care about cyclist however well cyclists cycle - my main risk as a cyclist is motorists simply not noticing me, even if they are the most considerate motorists in the world.
 
boliston said:
I don't think it works like this - some motorists will never care about cyclist however well cyclists cycle - my main risk as a cyclist is motorists simply not noticing me, even if they are the most considerate motorists in the world.
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That's certainly true of some, and some motorists (& cyclists) will always make mistakes.

However, I think by dint of human nature, it's a consideration. If I've been given a mouthful as a pedestrian for crossing as a cyclist runs a red light, I'm far less likely to cede my right of way in a car so the next cyclist can maintain momentum going up the hill nearby.
 
boyfalldown said:
That's certainly true of some, and some motorists (& cyclists) will always make mistakes.

However, I think by dint of human nature, it's a consideration. If I've been given a mouthful as a pedestrian for crossing as a cyclist runs a red light, I'm far less likely to cede my right of way in a car so the next cyclist can maintain momentum going up the hill nearby.
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I would look at it positively - the motorists actions are just giving me a better workout than i would otherwise have had and at my age a sedentary lifestyle is probably far more risk to me than any motorist.
 
boliston said:
I don't think it works like this - some motorists will never care about cyclist however well cyclists cycle - my main risk as a cyclist is motorists simply not noticing me, even if they are the most considerate motorists in the world.
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Unfortunately many many cyclists wear black cycling gear which makes them quite difficult for a motorist to pick up on, especially in poor conditions. It's not 'cool' to wear hi-viz apparently.

The fact is, that however respectful motorists, cyclist and pedestrians are for each other in general, there are drivers, riders and walkers that screw it up for everyone else.
 
GeeJay57 said:
Unfortunately many many cyclists wear black cycling gear which makes them quite difficult for a motorist to pick up on, especially in poor conditions. It's not 'cool' to wear hi-viz apparently.
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On Friday I was out running and met a friend going the other way on the country lanes near where we live. He complained about the cars going really fast and close to him, while for me it's barely an issue. He was dressed in dark grey/black & I was wearing a yellow hi-vis top. QED - they saw me easily but didn't see Greg until later, and went closer because he took up less visual space.

If we're going to rant about cyclists etc, one thing I hate is a flashing light - while highly visible, it makes judging distance & direction harder than with a continuous light, and is more distracting also. That's something I would like to see banned with large fines accompanying.
 
Not sure if it's the same for cyclists as it is for motorists but flashing lights aren't allowed to be fixed to the vehicle (other than indicators) but are permissible on the driver/rider's clothing. Apparently the definition of flashing is a rapid, visible change from on to off etc. so a slower fade up and down is legal. (According to an Andrew Dalton, writing in Bike magazine, this month's issue, anyway!)
 
GeeJay57 said:
My son-in-law is a keen cyclist and the photo of the bin lorry trailing across the cycle lane is not of an unusual incident. He was put in hospital by an idiot driver that over took him and then immediately turned left!

The idiot cyclist in the first post deserves all he gets riding like that. Definitely gives other cyclists a bad name. Sadly that isn't unusual either.

Motorists and cyclists need to show rather more respect towards one and other, and to the rules of the road IMHO.
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Yeah I had a narrow miss when someone overtook me and then immediately turned left onto their drive. Was also taken out by a car pulling out of a junction straight into the side of me when I was in a cycle lane. Thankfully it only resulted in a buckled wheel which the driver replaced for me. Although, I don't think he was expecting the wheel to be £200.

GeeJay57 said:
Unfortunately many many cyclists wear black cycling gear which makes them quite difficult for a motorist to pick up on, especially in poor conditions. It's not 'cool' to wear hi-viz apparently.

The fact is, that however respectful motorists, cyclist and pedestrians are for each other in general, there are drivers, riders and walkers that screw it up for everyone else.
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There was a study in Australia I think, and it turned out that if you wear hi viz, car drivers give you less space when passing you than if you don't. They thought it was because the drivers saw the drivers without hi-viz as less safe, more likely to get in their way, so were more cautious around them, as opposed to hi-viz meaning they were safe and could pass normally.
 
Nod said:
but flashing lights aren't allowed to be fixed to the vehicle (other than indicators)
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But they are mandatory in the waste industry, gone are the days of the mag-mount beacon that was slapped on the top of the cab, when entering the site.
They are built in to ( or behind) the grill, on top of the rear light bar, mounted on the dash, inside the truck, and just about any other place you can think of.
And they are also more like strobes than flashes these days.
 
Nod said:
Not sure if it's the same for cyclists as it is for motorists but flashing lights aren't allowed to be fixed to the vehicle (other than indicators) but are permissible on the driver/rider's clothing. Apparently the definition of flashing is a rapid, visible change from on to off etc. so a slower fade up and down is legal. (According to an Andrew Dalton, writing in Bike magazine, this month's issue, anyway!)
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I see more cyclists completely without lights at night, than with flashing lights. So I'm pleased if someone has made a bit of an effort.
Part of the problem is battery lights. At some stage, most people have forgotten to charge them, or forgotten to buy new batteries. Didn't think they'll need them. Lost them, or had them stolen. Relatively few cyclists make the effort.

Bikes with hub dynamos, on the other hand, have lights that just work. No thought or effort is required. You can leave them switched on all the time, or get sensor automatic ones. And they stay on for several minutes when you stop. They are also silent. Unlike the bottle-tyre dynamos. They should be fitted to all road bikes as standard. In Germany they mostly are. Even on the cheap bikes! In the UK sadly, they are not often included, or are at a rip off premium extra price.
 
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Even hub dynamos take a bit of power out of propulsion. Not as much as the old bottle types but still some.
 
A Hub dynamo recently.
mtb-vorderrad-mit-nabendynamo.jpg


Nod said:
Even hub dynamos take a bit of power out of propulsion. Not as much as the old bottle types but still some.
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Sure. But you won't notice a thing. Even with Halogen lights. For example, my automatic halogen lights switch themselves on when I go into a tunnel or a dark underpass, and yet there is no detectable effect at all! And these days you'll get bright LEDs that use way less power than halogen. So my LEDs stay switched on all the time.

It's one of those things that once you've had them, you won't want to go back.
 
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KitsuneAndy said:
There was a study in Australia I think, and it turned out that if you wear hi viz, car drivers give you less space when passing you than if you don't. They thought it was because the drivers saw the drivers without hi-viz as less safe, more likely to get in their way, so were more cautious around them, as opposed to hi-viz meaning they were safe and could pass normally.
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You make a good point, but on grey miserable days in Old Blighty, a cyclist in black or grey kit does not stand out from the background. If I don't see the cyclist in the first place, I can't be sure that I've left enough room.
 
GeeJay57 said:
You make a good point, but on grey miserable days in Old Blighty, a cyclist in black or grey kit does not stand out from the background. If I don't see the cyclist in the first place, I can't be sure that I've left enough room.
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I agree, always wear visible clothes and use lights anyway, I just thought the study was quite interesting with regards to driver psychology.
 
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