JavaScriptDonkey wrote:I see the cyclo-fanatics are out in force, blinded by their hatred as usual.
We all share the roads and should all contribute.
Net CO2 emissions by bicycles, negative. (Bicyclists would be driving or walking instead.) Damage to road surfaces - mostly caused by lorries and buses - too small to measure. Contribution to congestion - less than cars. I concede that
motorcycles might cause even less congestion as they take up little space on the road and can keep up with fast traffic. In towns, cars and bicycles go at about the same speed, out of town there's usually room to overtake.
The number of pedestrians injured and even killed by errant cyclists is too many. Drivers that behave badly can usually be traced and punished - why should cyclists be any different?
They shouldn't, and usually aren't. (And don't forget that not all car drivers are prosecuted for causing collisions, even when the police are informed.) The number of deaths and injuries caused by car drivers - even per mile travelled - is far greater though. We shouldn't be looking at a particular set of casualties in isolation though. We should be looking at overall life expectancy, factoring in quality of life. Getting people off bicycles and into cars isn't gong to help - not only more serious collisions, but also less exercise, more obesity, more heart disease, type 2 diabetes, etc.
Better maintained bikes ridden by better trained cyclists will mean less injuries and deaths. Who doesn't want that?
I can't recommend it too strongly, but I don't think it should be
enforced, as the result would be that almost everyone would be put off bicycling. Your suggestion of number plates, road tax (which car drivers haven't paid since the 1930s), etc. is about as sensible as requiring that cars shouldn't be driven unless someone runs in front of them waving a red flag. That too might reduce the number of collisions, and would result in a net increase in physical fitness, at least for the red flag wavers. A better solution - tough driving tests, compulsory insurance and checks on roadworthiness, etc. is what we need and what we now have. It still doesn't stop people being killed but it's about as far as you can reasonably go to reduce collisions.
In fact you can only argue against the proposals if you think that they might make your life slightly more complex or expensive.
Your proposals were called "crazy, stupid and annoying" - but other than that would be more trouble to implement than they'd be worth. Which is why hardly anyone, including the Government, takes them seriously.
NIMBYs the lot of you.
As to the HWC suggesting that you should slowly waiting behind a cyclist as he dawdles along I think you are ignoring half the story. If is as much incumbant upon the cyclist to ensure that he doesn't hold up other road users as it is upon other road users to wait for the cyclist.
Depends on individual circumstances. If I'm going slowly - e.g. enervated for whatever reason - I do pull in to let traffic past. In other circumstances, it's not too much to ask drivers to be patient - to wait for a gap in the traffic, while I move a bit closer to the kerb. How many seconds of their valuable time am I wasting?
Share. Look after each other. Be nice.
I told you problems set in when people get a sense of entitlement in their head.
As to my driving, I was first knocked off my bike when I was 10. A car decided to pull across the road in front of me. I've been sandwiched between a bus and lorry, encountered idiots speeding the wrong way on roundabouts and countless other minor aggravations. My cycling improved immensely when I started riding motorbikes as the training was fantastic. Both improved when started driving on 4 wheels.
I have now covered many 100,000s of miles and have yet to cause an accident but I have lost friends to RTAs and witnessed some appalling incidents.
I have no love for stupid and dangerous drivers but I also think that arrogant selfishness is the cause of much anger on our roads. If we learn to share it will be a nicer journey.
I don't really see other road users as 'drivers' or 'cyclists', I just see people. You should try it.
Me too. Most cars are driven well, and the number of courteous drivers exceeds the number of arseholes.
My own training? I've been riding a bicycle for decades, and passed my driving test many years ago. I'd recommend anyone riding a bicycle on busy roads either to do Bikeability or pass their driving test. It goes without saying that adults shouldn't ride bikes on the pavement. (I understand why they do - they're scared of sharing the road with motor vehicles.)
I could drive a car everywhere - I'm already licensed and insured to - but that would mean buying rather than sharing one, paying for fuel and maintenance, putting on weight or paying for and using gym membership, and adding to traffic congestion and pollution. Cost of keeping a bike in good condition - well under £100 per year. It's possible to do your own maintenance. That was possible in cars too once, but cars are AIUI too complex nowadays for that to be feasible.
