I hate pedestrians!!

trevtherev
trevtherev Posts: 372
edited October 2009 in Commuting chat
Every night is the same.....I come out of work in central Bristol surrounded by pedestrians and they all ignore me or should I say they ignore cyclists. I am on a small run of cycle track (and believe me even though Bristol is said to be 1st cycling city the city centre is really poor and badly organised for cyclists).... immediately this young lady with a walkman in her ears jumps out in front of me...i shout she looks at me as if i am an alien....as soon as i pass her yet another pedestrian walks straight in front of me.....I shout again....what is the use :evil: :evil: I then try to cycle through traffic lights on green (yes I said on green!) and I can hardly advance due to you guessed it....pedestrians jaywalking and dodging around my cycle. So from now on I am going to totally ignore them ride into them as I don't exist anyway and go straight through the red traffic lights.....why bother trying to be a polite cyclist when you are ignored.....

"Cycling is like a church - many attend, but few understand."
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Comments

  • downfader
    downfader Posts: 3,686
    trevtherev wrote:
    Every night is the same.....I come out of work in central Bristol surrounded by pedestrians and they all ignore me or should I say they ignore cyclists. I am on a small run of cycle track (and believe me even though Bristol is said to be 1st cycling city the city centre is really poor and badly organised for cyclists).... immediately this young lady with a walkman in her ears jumps out in front of me...i shout she looks at me as if i am an alien....as soon as i pass her yet another pedestrian walks straight in front of me.....I shout again....what is the use :evil: :evil: I then try to cycle through traffic lights on green (yes I said on green!) and I can hardly advance due to you guessed it....pedestrians jaywalking and dodging around my cycle. So from now on I am going to totally ignore them ride into them as I don't exist anyway and go straight through the red traffic lights.....why bother trying to be a polite cyclist when you are ignored.....

    Stick a hidden camera on the bike and send the footage to the local paper. State that a less scupulous cyclist might just charge. :wink:
  • try riding through Central London every night during a commute home!

    I run an insanely bright (off road) light which has a 200 lumen flashing mode (that has caused the Police to stop me and ask me to angle it down), and I still have pedestrians walking out in front of me....

    Pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, taxi drivers, we've all got to get along in the limited space of the cities and towns but its difficult when each group does not "give way" to the other
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  • dondare
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    Pedestrians have full legal right of way on roads and priority over all vehicular traffic.
    Mind how you go.
    This post contains traces of nuts.
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    edited October 2009
    trevtherev wrote:
    So from now on I am going to totally ignore them ride into them

    Years and years ago I did that to a bloke crossing in front of me, headphones on, on my green light.

    I found out two things. First, hitting a ped will often cost you a new front wheel. Secondly, hitting a ped will cause bits of your bike to hit you in places you'd rather not be hit.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

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  • pastryboy
    pastryboy Posts: 1,385
    Throw away your bell and replace it with an air horn.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Greg66 wrote:
    First, hitting a ped will often cost you a new front wheel.

    +1, collided with a ped who was crossing a road 10 yds after a zebra crossing. He had a sore leg, I had a buckled front wheel. Luckily for me this was 1/2 mile from home so back home and swap front wheels and computer magent over. Lost 10 minutes of time but it felt like ages, hitting landmarks at a totally different time to normal.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    D-lock the c**ts.
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • sicknote
    sicknote Posts: 901
    dondare wrote:
    Pedestrians have full legal right of way on roads and priority over all vehicular traffic.
    Mind how you go.

    Not if they dont give you time to stop, which some dont.
  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    dondare wrote:
    Pedestrians have full legal right of way on roads and priority over all vehicular traffic.
    Not true.

    Highway Code rule 170:
    "watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way"

    Implies that the rest of the time they don't have priority. That's what pedestrian crossings are for.
  • sicknote
    sicknote Posts: 901
    _Brun_ wrote:
    dondare wrote:
    Pedestrians have full legal right of way on roads and priority over all vehicular traffic.
    Not true.

    Highway Code rule 170:
    "watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way"

    Implies that the rest of the time they don't have priority. That's what pedestrian crossings are for.

    That was what I thought and glad to know for sure my thinking is right.
  • Aidy
    Aidy Posts: 2,015
    Replace pedestrians with cyclists, and cyclists with cars. Yawn. Someone had to say it :p

    There's also no such thing as jaywalking over here.

    That said, the attitude of some pedestrians does piss me off. My whinges on the subject are probably another thread, though :)
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    Aidy wrote:
    There's also no such thing as jaywalking over here.

    Yes there is!! Just that it is not illegal!!

    jay walking n. walking across a street outside of marked cross-walks and not at a corner, and/or against a signal light.
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    _Brun_ wrote:
    dondare wrote:
    Pedestrians have full legal right of way on roads and priority over all vehicular traffic.
    Not true.

    Highway Code rule 170:
    "watch out for pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way"

    Implies that the rest of the time they don't have priority. That's what pedestrian crossings are for.
    Rules 7, 18 and 19 are particularly pertinent:
    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_070108

    Especially section 7D
    D. If traffic is coming, let it pass. Look all around again and listen. Do not cross until there is a safe gap in the traffic and you are certain that there is plenty of time. Remember, even if traffic is a long way off, it may be approaching very quickly.
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
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  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Greg66 wrote:
    trevtherev wrote:
    So from now on I am going to totally ignore them ride into them

    Years and years ago I did that to a bloke crossing in front of me, headphones on, on my green light.

    I found out two things. First, hitting a ped will often cost you a new front wheel. Secondly, hitting a ped will cause bits of your bike to hit you in places you'd rather not be hit.

    this, I hit a ped years ago and sent the dude flying (imagine the force) his two mates had seen me and stopped but he hadn't, he was very apologetic. the impact caused me to do a mightily impressive endo which I manged to avoid face planting off, when I cycled off I realised my front wheel was buggered...luckily it was a hybrid
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  • squired
    squired Posts: 1,153
    Let us not forget that it isn't easy being a pedestrian. I've lost count of the number of times I've been on a Zebra crossing and had cars drive at me. Having said that, today I was trying to turn right on my bike. There was a suitable gap, so just as I started to move forward the car that was approaching from the right hit the accelerator. Had I been an old lady trying to cross the road on foot it could have ended badly.

    My approach to cycling in terms of pedestrians is that you can normally predict what they are going to do. They are after all slow moving. If they are in the middle of the pavement as you approach then you are probably fine. If they are veering towards or walking along the edge of the pavement, beware.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    try riding through Central London every night during a commute home!

    I run an insanely bright (off road) light which has a 200 lumen flashing mode (that has caused the Police to stop me and ask me to angle it down), and I still have pedestrians walking out in front of me....

    Pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, taxi drivers, we've all got to get along in the limited space of the cities and towns but its difficult when each group does not "give way" to the other

    I've found that peds have become increasingly aware of cyclists in London, but you often see them meandering through traffic or stepping off curbs without the slightest glance. This 200 lumen light - it's not a Fenix torch is it? I've just bought one which is 180 lumens at full power, although it recommends that you don't use it at full power too often as heat builds up and can cause damage.
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  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    No different to going on a car forum and going on about hating cyclists. Pathetic.

    Get over yourself. They are all just trying to get where they are going, same as you.
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  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    Stuey01 wrote:
    No different to going on a car forum and going on about hating cyclists. Pathetic.

    Get over yourself. They are all just trying to get where they are going, same as you.
    I wouldn't have a problem with motorists complaining about cyclists who put themselves in danger by not paying any attention to what's going on around them. What's pathetic about that?
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Stuey01 wrote:
    No different to going on a car forum and going on about hating cyclists. Pathetic.

    Get over yourself. They are all just trying to get where they are going, same as you.
    I wouldn't have a problem with motorists complaining about cyclists who put themselves in danger by not paying any attention to what's going on around them. What's pathetic about that?

    Exactly, I think anyone has the right to moan about road users who put themselves and others in danger. That goes for clueless motorists, peds and cyclists.
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  • jedster
    jedster Posts: 1,717
    My approach to cycling in terms of pedestrians is that you can normally predict what they are going to do. They are after all slow moving. If they are in the middle of the pavement as you approach then you are probably fine. If they are veering towards or walking along the edge of the pavement, beware.

    bang on - don't think there's any real excuse for hitting peds. If you do then you weren't cycling defensively enough.

    Some peds do stuipd things. It's annoying. But to write a post titled "I hate pedestrians" is absolutely the same as the pathetic attitudes we get to cyclists from some motorists.

    J
  • Porgy
    Porgy Posts: 4,525
    trevtherev wrote:
    pedestrians jaywalking ....

    Right let's nail this here and now. I got accused of this by a cyclist a while back.

    There's no such thing as jaywalking in England and Wales.


    ...but everyone under 30 thinks there is. why's this? Too much American telly? Crap education?

    So - do what I do...make yourself seen and heard, make a polite request for people to move out of your way...if they don't then slow to walking pace or stop and wait until your way is clear.
  • [quote=Exactly, I think anyone has the right to moan about road users who put themselves and others in danger. That goes for clueless motorists, peds and cyclists.[/quote]

    That's true, but the thread title is "I hate pedestrians!". The very sort of generalisations that many have panned James Martin and Richard Madeley for when they say they hate cyclists when they have only met a few and indeed only noticed the ones that "got in their way".

    Lighten up, and realise that we all share the road as we are trying to get to where we are going. I believe though that cyclists are more aware of their surroundings than most other groups because they are vulnerable, in the traffic and moving at speed. Motorcyclists are up there in the awareness stakes as well.

    Sometimes, pedestrians act as a mob and when crossing the road, if you're a foot behind someone and the green man starts flashing you keep going as does the person right behind you, etc,etc. Protected by being part of a large group.

    Most road-users re-act to situations they find themselves in according to the danger presented to themselves. Most people start out using the road with consideration for others but when presented with a quick decision will take the route of least personal danger. Hence the mini-bus driver that just turned right across in front of me today.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    jedster wrote:
    My approach to cycling in terms of pedestrians is that you can normally predict what they are going to do. They are after all slow moving. If they are in the middle of the pavement as you approach then you are probably fine. If they are veering towards or walking along the edge of the pavement, beware.

    bang on - don't think there's any real excuse for hitting peds. If you do then you weren't cycling defensively enough.

    Some peds do stuipd things. It's annoying. But to write a post titled "I hate pedestrians" is absolutely the same as the pathetic attitudes we get to cyclists from some motorists.

    J

    Trouble is peds often emerge from nowhere between lorries and buses and no amount of defensive riding will prepare you for them suddenly appearing in front of you. Hell even if you were walking you would still hit them.

    It's fine to be defensive if you have a clear view along the road and can see where peds may emerge from but in London, you're often skirting round the edge of high sided vehicles like buses, lorries which are stuck in queues and you have to rely on peds looking before crossing, they have to take some responsibility for their own safety.
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  • Porgy
    Porgy Posts: 4,525
    edited October 2009
    Trouble is peds often emerge from nowhere between lorries and buses and no amount of defensive riding will prepare you for them suddenly appearing in front of you. Hell even if you were walking you would still hit them.
    .

    The only ped I've come close to hitting in 30 years of cycling was an american tourist who fell off the pavement inches in front of me. I still managed to get around her though.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    [quote=Exactly, I think anyone has the right to moan about road users who put themselves and others in danger. That goes for clueless motorists, peds and cyclists.

    That's true, but the thread title is "I hate pedestrians!". The very sort of generalisations that many have panned James Martin and Richard Madeley for when they say they hate cyclists when they have only met a few and indeed only noticed the ones that "got in their way".

    Lighten up, and realise that we all share the road as we are trying to get to where we are going. I believe though that cyclists are more aware of their surroundings than most other groups because they are vulnerable, in the traffic and moving at speed. Motorcyclists are up there in the awareness stakes as well.

    Sometimes, pedestrians act as a mob and when crossing the road, if you're a foot behind someone and the green man starts flashing you keep going as does the person right behind you, etc,etc. Protected by being part of a large group.

    Most road-users re-act to situations they find themselves in according to the danger presented to themselves. Most people start out using the road with consideration for others but when presented with a quick decision will take the route of least personal danger. Hence the mini-bus driver that just turned right across in front of me today.[/quote]






    That's very true, certainly in London, you get the lemming mentality, peds will continue crossing en masse because others are even though the lights are against them...
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  • jedster
    jedster Posts: 1,717
    It's fine to be defensive if you have a clear view along the road and can see where peds may emerge from but in London, you're often skirting round the edge of high sided vehicles like buses, lorries which are stuck in queues and you have to rely on peds looking before crossing, they have to take some responsibility for their own safety.

    You're just making my point for me.

    If you are "skirting round the edge of high-sided vehicles" then you need to be moving really slow with the brakes covered. If you want to go quicker then you need to be away from the side of the vehicle - further out into the road so that you have better visibility and more space to take avoiding action.

    J
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Porgy wrote:
    Trouble is peds often emerge from nowhere between lorries and buses and no amount of defensive riding will prepare you for them suddenly appearing in front of you. Hell even if you were walking you would still hit them.
    .

    The only ped I've come close to hitting in 30 years of cycling was an american tourist who fell off the pavement inches in front of me. I still managed to get around her though.

    I think I've hit 3 or 4 in 3 years. Mostly I came off worst coz I was clipped into the pedals so I bounced off and onto the ground. In all cases there was literally nothing I could do. I'm travelling pretty slowly along the edge of a queue of traffic and they wander out without the slightest glance and WHAM.
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  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    jedster wrote:
    It's fine to be defensive if you have a clear view along the road and can see where peds may emerge from but in London, you're often skirting round the edge of high sided vehicles like buses, lorries which are stuck in queues and you have to rely on peds looking before crossing, they have to take some responsibility for their own safety.

    You're just making my point for me.

    If you are "skirting round the edge of high-sided vehicles" then you need to be moving really slow with the brakes covered. If you want to go quicker then you need to be away from the side of the vehicle - further out into the road so that you have better visibility and more space to take avoiding action.

    J

    I do exactly that, but if there is often no space to be further out and even travelling at less than 10mph, there really isn't anything you can do if someone comes ruond the side of a bus without warning. You obviously don't ride in London....
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  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    edited October 2009
    jedster wrote:
    It's fine to be defensive if you have a clear view along the road and can see where peds may emerge from but in London, you're often skirting round the edge of high sided vehicles like buses, lorries which are stuck in queues and you have to rely on peds looking before crossing, they have to take some responsibility for their own safety.
    You're just making my point for me.

    If you are "skirting round the edge of high-sided vehicles" then you need to be moving really slow with the brakes covered. If you want to go quicker then you need to be away from the side of the vehicle - further out into the road so that you have better visibility and more space to take avoiding action.

    J
    I do exactly that, but if there is often no space to be further out and even travelling at less than 10mph, there really isn't anything you can do if someone comes ruond the side of a bus without warning. You obviously don't ride in London....
    I'm with Jedster. Whether people should step out from in front of stationary buses is less relevant than the fact that they do. If you have no room to manoeuvre, going too fast to avoid hitting them is reckless.
  • Porgy
    Porgy Posts: 4,525
    yeah i think anticipation is the key - i've been cycling in central london since mid 80s and it seems to work for me - haven't hit anyone yet. And I still manage to get to my destination in good time 8)