Furious driver takes out 50-strong cycle pack

[TopCat]

cycling is dangerous is it?

good lord hyperbole, much?

How many are killed every year on cycles? How many cyclists run over pedestriasns?

 

[TopCat]

now you're being rediculous!

Yes the LTDA are more sane.

 

[internetstalker]

Yes the LTDA are more sane.

You're a funny guy!!

 

[TopCat]

Cyclists hardly do themselves any favours with regard to safety. Some shun back brakes just to save a coupld of ounces in weight. Others buy the skiniest tyres to save energy and then wonder why they crash in the wet so much, most jump red lights, all ride at some point on the pavement, and, AND, yesterday a pretty cyclist had the audacity to go past me wearing see through leggings, there was nearly a terrible pile up.

 

[baldrick]

Can I suggest then that we simply enforce the law towards cyclists as we do to other road users IE no racing on the public highway?

What's your definition of "racing" then?

Mostly British cyclists in a group will ride two abreast to make it easier for car drivers to overtake the pack. Are they "racing"?

 

[internetstalker]

I can't see how paying road tax relates at all to safety. I do think that a pack or peloaton of cyclists really need an outrider on a motorbike at the very least to keep them and other road users safe. If it is a really important sporting event they are training for, well perhaps close some roads for them to race around?

I can't really see how you can advocate the ignoring of very basic principles of the Highway Code simply because you like cyclists or argue they are training for an event.

I think you had a point here....However

Cyclists hardly do themselves any favours with regard to safety. Some shun back brakes just to save a coupld of ounces in weight. Others buy the skiniest tyres to save energy and then wonder why they crash in the wet so much, most jump red lights, all ride at some point on the pavement, and, AND, yesterday a pretty cyclist had the audacity to go past me wearing see through leggings, there was nearly a terrible pile up.

As for car drivers they are all angels and never drive dangerously do they????

 

[TopCat]

What's your definition of "racing" then?

Mostly British cyclists in a group will ride two abreast to make it easier for car drivers to overtake the pack. Are they "racing"?

Lets go with the legal definition of racing that applies to all road users shall we?

 

[TopCat]

I think you had a point here....However




As for car drivers they are all angels and never drive dangerously do they????

it's a straw car argument.

 

[baldrick]

What is the legal definition? i don't know what it is.

 

[Lo Siento.]

it's very simple if you stick to the speed limits or go slower then you won't have accidents.

erm... it said 60 kph. I doubt that's over the speed limit for a dual carriageway. And you're not supposed to overtake unless you've room to get a safe distance from the people you're overtaking...

 

[TopCat]

Anyway it is routine in the UK to apply for rolling road clousure orders to seperate the racing cyclists from the general public, these orders do not suspend the application of the law however, the police can and sometimes still do issue penalties for crossing double white lines etc.

 

[TopCat]

What is the legal definition? i don't know what it is.

why am I not surprised.

 

[TopCat]

erm... it said 60 kph. I doubt that's over the speed limit for a dual carriageway. And you're not supposed to overtake unless you've room to get a safe distance from the people you're overtaking...

You should not overtake unless it is safe to do so. This applies to the cyclists as well as all other road users.

 

[two sheds]

How many are killed every year on cycles? How many cyclists run over pedestriasns?

This, I think, is the key question. Anyone have figures on this? The figures that will allow real comparison is:

How many cyclists are killed by motorists each year?
How many pedestrians are killed by motorists each year?

How many motorists are killed by cyclists each year?
How many pedestrians are killed by cyclists each year?

If the numbers killed by motorists and the numbers killed by cyclists each year are indeed similar, as you seem to suggest, then you are making a profound and important point. Otherwise, you're talking bollocks

And it's the numbers that are important - not 'well i know a pedestrian who was once run down by an insane cyclist'.

 

[Homeless Mal]

http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/Freeways/M1/m1.htm

This is what Aussie 'motorways' look like. IME, when there is a group of cyclists riding like the group mown down in the article it is very difficult to pass as they jut out into the road and go very fast and can be quite intimidating.

I'm not slagging cyclists by this, just giving a bit of info.

 

[TopCat]

I don't think yours are the key questions at all. It is interesting why the pro cycling on the pavement mob have refused to address the simple point that given racing on the public highway is a very dangerous activity and a serious offence, why should cyclists be above the law?

 

[internetstalker]

it's a straw car argument.

Fair point

Cyclists hardly do themselves any favours with regard to safety. Some shun back brakes just to save a coupld of ounces in weight. Others buy the skiniest tyres to save energy and then wonder why they crash in the wet so much, most jump red lights, all ride at some point on the pavement, and, AND, yesterday a pretty cyclist had the audacity to go past me wearing see through leggings, there was nearly a terrible pile up.

the cyclists that shun brakes and but the skiniest of tyres would only ride those bikes in race conditions.
Agreed most jump red lights, but this is just like crossing the road on foot and theres nowt wrong with that.
as for riding on the pavement unless you're a little kid I agree it shouldn't be done

And as for the cyclist with see through leggins. This is something that should be embraced!

 

[TopCat]

http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/Freeways/M1/m1.htm

This is what Aussie 'motorways' look like. IME, when there is a group of cyclists riding like the group mown down in the article it is very difficult to pass as they jut out into the road and go very fast and can be quite intimidating.

I'm not slagging cyclists by this, just giving a bit of info.

It seems the cyclists were ignoring the clearly signed keep left unless overtaking rules as well.

 

[TopCat]

And as for the cyclist with see through leggins. This is something that should be embraced!

It caused a massive jam, with me riding just behind.

 

[internetstalker]

I don't think yours are the key questions at all. It is interesting why the pro cycling on the pavement mob have refused to address the simple point that given racing on the public highway is a very dangerous activity and a serious offence, why should cyclists be above the law?

it's the car drivers that make cycling on a public highway dangerous!!

 

[internetstalker]

It caused a massive jam, with me riding just behind.

I bet you let her pass you! so you could see her behind

 

[TopCat]

it's the car drivers that make cycling on a public highway dangerous!!

Well not always, last year or therabouts a car skidded on black ice and crashed into a clump of club cyclists casing death and injury, i would argue that riding in a pack makes the problem of injuries much worse when they do occor.

 

[TopCat]

I bet you let her pass you! so you could see her behind

Of course and it was another example of dangerous killer cycles.

 

[Lo Siento.]

You should not overtake unless it is safe to do so. This applies to the cyclists as well as all other road users.

I don't think swerving in front of someone then slamming on the brakes counts as 'overtaking safely'

 

[TopCat]

I don't think swerving in front of someone then slamming on the brakes counts as 'overtaking safely'

I agree. Whats your opinion on racing on the public highway?

 

[Crispy]

For the record, this is the road in question.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&h...02439,151.21478&spn=0.002769,0.00405&t=k&z=18

 

[internetstalker]

Well not always, last year or therabouts a car skidded on black ice and crashed into a clump of club cyclists casing death and injury, i would argue that riding in a pack makes the problem of injuries much worse when they do occor.

exactly!

if the car had been driving safely to the conditions the accident wouldn't of happened!

 

[tommers]

This, I think, is the key question. Anyone have figures on this? The figures that will allow real comparison is:

How many cyclists are killed by motorists each year?
How many pedestrians are killed by motorists each year?

How many motorists are killed by cyclists each year?
How many pedestrians are killed by cyclists each year?

If the numbers killed by motorists and the numbers killed by cyclists each year are indeed similar, as you seem to suggest, then you are making a profound and important point. Otherwise, you're talking bollocks

And it's the numbers that are important - not 'well i know a pedestrian who was once run down by an insane cyclist'.

they are nothing like similar.

for example more people have been killed by cars on pavements than by cyclists on pavements.

 

[two sheds]

I don't think yours are the key questions at all. It is interesting why the pro cycling on the pavement mob have refused to address the simple point that given racing on the public highway is a very dangerous activity and a serious offence, why should cyclists be above the law?

well you asked them first in an attempt to back up your argument. Somehow, I very much doubt they do.

how "dangerous"? the only way to know is how many deaths/serious injuries came from it. without the figures you're making meaningless statements.

 

[TopCat]

exactly!

if the car had been driving safely to the conditions the accident wouldn't of happened!

The car and the cyclists were on the same road. If the conditions were unsafe for one they were unsafe for all.