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  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    I did have my camera on today, haven't watched it back as i'd just get depressed at the cyclists at every red light who stream past me.

    I'm beginning to see why people get pissed off by "cyclists".
    Felt F1 2014
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  • elbowloh wrote:
    I did have my camera on today, haven't watched it back as i'd just get depressed at the cyclists at every red light who stream past me.

    I'm beginning to see why people get pissed off by "cyclists".

    Yep agreed, doesn't happen here as basically no red lights but it would no doubt be rather annoying in a busy city.
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    Don't build up a bike after a day's slog using dodgy old components.
    I need to rename the MTB the squeak, crunch and click mobile..
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,076
    elbowloh wrote:
    I did have my camera on today, haven't watched it back as i'd just get depressed at the cyclists at every red light who stream past me.

    I'm beginning to see why people get pissed off by "cyclists".

    It's because that's an offence that cars can't do. It only really pisses me off if there is someone crossing - there are a lot of crossings where going across at 5mph with no pedestrians there isn't dangerous at all.

    Speeding is much more prevalent but it seems to only count as an offence if you get caught.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    elbowloh wrote:
    I did have my camera on today, haven't watched it back as i'd just get depressed at the cyclists at every red light who stream past me.

    I'm beginning to see why people get pissed off by "cyclists".

    It's because that's an offence that cars can't do. ....

    Why can cyclists jump red lights but cars can't? Are they not both committing an offence?
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,076
    keef66 wrote:
    elbowloh wrote:
    I did have my camera on today, haven't watched it back as i'd just get depressed at the cyclists at every red light who stream past me.

    I'm beginning to see why people get pissed off by "cyclists".

    It's because that's an offence that cars can't do. ....

    Why can cyclists jump red lights but cars can't? Are they not both committing an offence?

    Because they will get caught by the cameras, and also it is a not generally socially acceptable offence for cars like some others are. Of course both are committing an offence. Cyclists who do it do so because there is generally no discernible downside for them, even though it is not legal.
  • drhaggis
    drhaggis Posts: 1,150
    At rush hour, it is not uncommon for cars to jump the traffic light from Chester Street into Palmerston Place (link) when it turns red. I've even seen up to two cars jump it.

    I'd say 50-75% of the cars speed "casually" (up to 10mph over the limit) but, of course, there is no clear tell for that for outside viewers.

    Honestly, I can't see how scooting over a red light to turn left, once all pedestrians are gone, is a worse, or even comparable offence to doing 35 in a 20 mph zone. Dura lex, sed lex.
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    Rode over the head of a live (just) pigeon this morning, after it unceremoniously put itself into the windscreen of a large HGV which punted it into my direction of travel.
    Had just been doing a shoulder check, heard a thump and by the time I looked forward it was on the road in front of me in a cloud of feathers.

    Not a pleasant sound/experience.
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    well I for one am glad the hot weather has not made the roads even more short tempered than normal and everyone is driving around just enjoying the summer weather singing along to DJ Sammy and the boys of summer on the radio... 8)

    I might be suffering from the heat though and this is not necessarily being the case :evil:
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Ever been on the receiving end of someone's saliva who spat out upwind without looking?

    That's grim. I've had some close calls, but no direct hits.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    awavey wrote:
    well I for one am glad the hot weather has not made the roads even more short tempered than normal and everyone is driving around just enjoying the summer weather singing along to DJ Sammy and the boys of summer on the radio... 8)

    I might be suffering from the heat though and this is not necessarily being the case :evil:

    Embankment feels like the pod race from The Phantom Menace at the moment.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • tootsie323
    tootsie323 Posts: 199
    DrHaggis wrote:
    At rush hour, it is not uncommon for cars to jump the traffic light from Chester Street into Palmerston Place (link) when it turns red. I've even seen up to two cars jump it.

    I'd say 50-75% of the cars speed "casually" (up to 10mph over the limit) but, of course, there is no clear tell for that for outside viewers.

    Honestly, I can't see how scooting over a red light to turn left, once all pedestrians are gone, is a worse, or even comparable offence to doing 35 in a 20 mph zone. Dura lex, sed lex.
    Isn't that standard city rules? Green means Go, Amber means Go, Red means just a couple more then...
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    finding someone had left a bunch of "number 2s" on the cycle path, right at the point the cycle path turns 90 degrees left across the shared path and you are kind of funneled into the cycle path regardless, didnt seem that randomly left imo
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,113
    awavey wrote:
    finding someone had left a bunch of "number 2s" on the cycle path, right at the point the cycle path turns 90 degrees left across the shared path and you are kind of funneled into the cycle path regardless, didnt seem that randomly left imo
    Human or canine?
  • cruff
    cruff Posts: 1,518
    cjcp wrote:
    Ever been on the receiving end of someone's saliva who spat out upwind without looking?

    That's grim. I've had some close calls, but no direct hits.
    You should race. It's the only way to truly savour The Grolly Experience... :lol:
    Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
    Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    I've been selective in reporting close passes to the police recently, mainly because of lack of action, and trying to highlight the "absolute worst" ones.

    Found out last night that they've deemed that "a crime hasn't occurred" on 3 close passes over the last month where the drivers are a couple of inches from my handlebars, with 1 where the wing mirror physically went over my hand - despite the sun almost directly behind me, if not a little to my side, the shadow clearly goes over my handelbars.

    Why no crime? "Because I didn't deviate my path". Too damn scared too, that's why..

    Going to escalate with a nuclear rocket now, submitting 16 complaints at lunch time.
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • pangolin
    pangolin Posts: 6,253
    "Because I didn't deviate my path"

    What does that mean? You didn't swerve left in fear?
    - Genesis Croix de Fer
    - Dolan Tuono
  • david7m
    david7m Posts: 636
    I've been selective in reporting close passes to the police recently, mainly because of lack of action, and trying to highlight the "absolute worst" ones.

    Found out last night that they've deemed that "a crime hasn't occurred" on 3 close passes over the last month where the drivers are a couple of inches from my handlebars, with 1 where the wing mirror physically went over my hand - despite the sun almost directly behind me, if not a little to my side, the shadow clearly goes over my handelbars.

    Why no crime? "Because I didn't deviate my path". Too damn scared too, that's why..

    Going to escalate with a nuclear rocket now, submitting 16 complaints at lunch time.

    Where's the 4 foot rule come in?
    Does that mean you can go 110 mph if you don't crash or kill anyone?
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,076
    So they aren't too close if you don't panic?
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    So they aren't too close if you don't panic?

    "if they don't force you to deviate from your path, the driving didn't affect you, and therefore fails to meet the criteria for "evading a collision"
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    pangolin wrote:
    "Because I didn't deviate my path"

    What does that mean? You didn't swerve left in fear?

    Basically, Yep - they didn't force me to take evading action to avoid a collision.
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • pangolin
    pangolin Posts: 6,253
    Haha! That is nuts! At least you know what you need to do in order to get them to take action next time...
    - Genesis Croix de Fer
    - Dolan Tuono
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,076
    So they aren't too close if you don't panic?

    "if they don't force you to deviate from your path, the driving didn't affect you, and therefore fails to meet the criteria for "evading a collision"

    Maybe for "Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users" which "is committed only when other persons are inconvenienced by the manner of the defendant's driving". But "driving without due care and attention" - this specifically includes "driving inappropriately close to another vehicle" in the charging guidance. Also says " in cases of careless driving the prosecution need not show that any other person was inconvenienced."
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    pangolin wrote:
    Haha! That is nuts! At least you know what you need to do in order to get them to take action next time...

    Nope. 1 of these I called out as aI swung away from the vehicle and into a pothole, and that's still no action.
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    So they aren't too close if you don't panic?

    "if they don't force you to deviate from your path, the driving didn't affect you, and therefore fails to meet the criteria for "evading a collision"

    Maybe for "Driving without reasonable consideration for other road users" which "is committed only when other persons are inconvenienced by the manner of the defendant's driving".

    Yep - that's what they're referring to.

    But "driving without due care and attention" - this specifically includes "driving inappropriately close to another vehicle" in the charging guidance. Also says " in cases of careless driving the prosecution need not show that any other person was inconvenienced."
    Indeed.

    Basically, it's complete and utter BS, and they are deliberately being obstructive.

    I've called out both of those CPS guidelines in complaints before, and been told "they are but guidelines, we don't have to stick to them".
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    awavey wrote:
    finding someone had left a bunch of "number 2s" on the cycle path, right at the point the cycle path turns 90 degrees left across the shared path and you are kind of funneled into the cycle path regardless, didnt seem that randomly left imo
    Human or canine?

    my reaction yesterday was it was more human than canine, albeit a human with some problems :) today cos its still there but dried out more,it looks alot more canine in origin, but this path is right next to a primary school that would normally be used by all the kids going to school, so yeah schools have broken up for summer now...
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,113
    I've called out both of those CPS guidelines in complaints before, and been told "they are but guidelines, we don't have to stick to them".
    Like the guidelines for cycle path design :roll:
  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,113
    Rant/bit of advice wanted.

    One of my usual routes to work is along part of the national cycle network. It's a reasonably good section - smooth, straight and open (not so good when it's windy though).
    Over the last 12 months, about the time that I ride in to work there is a now a woman walking a dog who is deliberately blocking cyclists from getting past. In the past her dog has run out in front of me several times but it's now on a lead, albeit a 5 m long one.
    This morning I saw her force 2 cyclists coming towards here to an almost stop before they went off the tarmac to go around her.
    I rang my bell as I was coming up behind her and got no response, shouted good morning and no response again. By then I'd slowed to almost a track stand behind her and say "excuse me can I come though" and I just get an earful about I should've rung my bell (her usual line).

    Who should I be reporting this to in the vain hope that something might change? Sustrans? The police? The council's antisocial behaviour people?
  • xbnm
    xbnm Posts: 116
    I gave up on a bell years ago and now resort to a confident excuse me please and thank you very much after they move/control their dog as i pass.

    When i give up on talking to my regular idiots (for some reason all black lab owners including one who let his dog run off the lead on an unlit path in the dark) usually after asking them if there insured.

    I hand them a copy of the below article which seems to focus some minds particularly if they have a lead that's really hard to see they get advised of that too.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/cycl ... 24006.html
  • Whenever I ride up behind someone(happens a lot this time of year on back roads around here as lots of tourist) I just shout "BIKE" to alert them and then a thank you as I go past. Some poor buggers do jump a bit in surprise but usually then give a nervous laugh.