Stopped in their tracks?

Cressers

Yesterday the BBC Sussex drive time show attempted to inflame a debate that was ongoing in the pages of the local paper in Brighton regarding the behaviour of cyclists. After hearing a couple of the tetxs sent in by the listeners I added my comment that tha inflaming hatered against cyclists wouldn't help the issue, and that BBC local radio could do better than cribbing from the local tabloids. I don't know if the debate had run out of steam or if my text had an effect, but no more was heard about the issue.

So if you feel that cyclists are being misrepresented or that that 'cyclists abusing the rules' is being used as a mere ranting point, rather than the point of a reasoned discussion, have your say!

eternal_headwind

Fair point. Any supporting online stuff?

brainsys

I run a community forum in London. Every year we have an anti-cyclists rant. The ranters appear to be exclusively motorists who do not cycle. The majority of defending cyclists are also motorists. In the end I believe it is not bad motorists (or cyclists) that are the problem but the total incomprehension of one party of how the other party sees life on the road.

That's why I believe that you need a cyclist proficiency certificate before you are apply for a motor cycle licence. And that you need a motorcyclist licence before applying for a car licence. Then we may have some mutual understanding and respect between road users.

I always try to remind them that a good motorist is considerably more dangerous to other road users than a bad cyclist. So lets worry about the people who kill and try to defend the victims rather than attack them for being 'in the way'..

joebingo

brainsys wrote:

That's why I believe that you need a cyclist proficiency certificate before you are apply for a motor cycle licence. And that you need a motorcyclist licence before applying for a car licence. Then we may have some mutual understanding and respect between road users.

A lot of the younger generation of car drivers will have done a cycling proficiency while at primary school negating the need to do it again because they already hold a certificate (maybe if it were done in two parts, first part would be the off road stuff you do as a child followed by on road training at about 15/16?)

I'd like to agree with you regarding motorcycle licences, but I feel that an extended CBT may be more accessible to all.

But you're right, a lot of what goes on on the roads is a result of a lack of understanding of how the other side sees things!