The Bike Lane Debate

[TeePee]

Our resident cyclists are generally representative of the average cyclist, showing that they have the maturity level needed to use the public roads.

[menthel]

Personally somewhat surprised and disappointed at the replies of some of my fellow cyclists here. I think you have to respect all road users whatever you are travelling in/on.

[monkeyville]

i just typed loads on this to rival shiatos post but then stupidly closed the tab while browsing for actual deaths caused by cyclists vs car deaths.

Suffice to say it was hard to find any results that didnt include cyclists deaths. Maybe i'll retype it when i can be bothered

[shiato storm]

If you did that to me while i was in a car, id be most tmepted to stop on top of your bike to put them down. Doesnt matter if youre on a bike or not, being a dickhead is still that. WHat if someone came up while you were sat at lights at pulled the quick release on your front wheel?

i'd like to see them try!

[shiato storm]

Our resident cyclists are generally representative of the average cyclist, showing that they have the maturity level needed to use the public roads.

well we might but when faced with arsey drivers maturity/horourability/whatever no longer matters, its fighting for your life that does...thats how I treat it. at the end of the day my flesh is several hundred times softer than a 2 ton block of rumbling metal. there's no one out there on the bike with you (unless its a tandem) which means you have to look out for no.1... 'nough said.

[herulach]

well we might but when faced with arsey drivers maturity/horourability/whatever no longer matters, its fighting for your life that does...thats how I treat it. at the end of the day my flesh is several hundred times softer than a 2 ton block of rumbling metal. there's no one out there on the bike with you (unless its a tandem) which means you have to look out for no.1... 'nough said.

Looking out for yourself does not equal making a nuisance of yourself for the hell of it. Maybe not at lights then, but do you check your bike everytime you set off from having it locked outside?

[Tumble]

righty then... I'm a car driver - I drive for a large proportion of my working day. I'm also a keen cyclist. There are NO cycle lanes here on the Island, so I have to use the roads. As a driver, I'm fed up of cyclists riding 2-3 abreast, dawdling along and chatting, holding me up. As a cyclist I'm pissed off with drivers who have no spatial awareness and drive too fast. I can see both sides and the solution to it all?

BETTER TRAINING FOR EVERYONE

Roads these day are awful dangerous things because of the amount of ignorant users on them, be they motorists OR cyclists IF someone was prepared to do something about making sure everyone who uses the roads had a good understanding of what they''re about and how to share the road with other vehicles (including bikes) then it's be a much nicer place and the death rate would plummet. FACT.

Thing is, that'd cost money so it's not important

[Michael]

Nice faceplant

[Tumble]

Maybe I should have added "apparently" to the end of that

[Rave]

I spent a few years commuting by bike and being a keen rider- in London and Southampton. I have never caused an accident with a car or come even close to hitting a pedestrian. I have however been hit (fortunately not seriously) by a bus and a car. In my experience most serious cyclists ride considerately- it's the amateurs on their badly maintained Halfords cheapo bikes that give us all a bad name. Round here people riding on pavements is a nuisance and I wish the police (or, more likely, PCSOs) would do something about it.

1. I'd use an a couple of hundred quid MB

Gotta disagree with you there. When my cheapo bike broke and I started commuting on my <25lb Zaskar (with lightweight wheels etc.) my commute became a lot more enjoyable. Being able to accelerate hard, stop on a penny and change direction quickly makes you both faster and safer.

[Matt1eD]

Spose, pity if it gets vandalised though

[richardayre]

where i live 45mins train ride from london in leighton Buzzard there is a cycle path that runs up to the upper school which i attend. the headteacher and toher senior member's of staff are stopping us from cycling on it becuase it will cause an ingery to other's who are walking along it although there is a path right next to it raised up slightly!

HOw stupid can you be!!

[nichomach]

That is undeniably dim; if it's an indicated cycle path, then there's no reason for not using it as such.

[herulach]

If its a designated cycle path then the head techer whatever have no say in whether you can use it or not, so long as its not on school grounds of course.

[5lab]

time for a high speed attack on said figure of authority. game of chicken should sort out who's boss

[JPreston]

That's the dumbest thing I ever heard; if he really wants to stop injury he should stop cars from using the road in case they injure anyone - he has as much right to do that as he has to stop cyclists from using a cycle path, i.e. nil.

You seriously should call up your local paper and tell them what a plum he is, I bet they would run a big story on it.