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Cyclists to be awarded equality with motorists.

S-Man said:
I have a bell on all 3 bikes. In the past we considered them too heavy and uncool. Nowadays I realise they are extremely useful.

Generalisation alert:-

I find it quite interesting how different people respond to the bell. There is an optimum distant to "ding" that gives people time to hear it, recognise what it is and then take any neccessary action. Young people are generally amazing, they hear it at 100 yards and immediately take sensible evasive action with no delay or dithering. The older people are, the slower the processing speed, very old people will only hear the bell when you are very close, then there is a delay of 1 or 2 seconds whilst they figure out what it is, then they look round and then panic/dither for several more seconds before taking slow but erratic action. I try really hard to pass as carefully and non-agressively as possible but it's difficult not to startle some people.
I've learnt to to look for the tiny earbuds some people use. Nothing you can do with these people - just pass as safely as possible.
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Interesting that.

I tend to find people respond better to friendly voice & I always thank you to people with dogs when they act appropriately (which they nearly always do).

Generally I reckon I’m getter fewer close passes, probably 1-2 per ride but rarely really dangerous ones.
 
Rockmeister said:
Being a cyclist again. I knew this, but am reminded that assholes are assholes.
Nothing to do with who i am, what I drive, how old i am, the speed i go or what I wear.
Somehow, eventually, the assholes turn up.
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I’m doing hardly any road cycling at present. My lovely titanium road bike has only been out twice this year. I think it is a combination of age and psychologically not fully being over the accident of several years ago that given the choice I far prefer to head off down the canal paths on the MTB. I know I’m safe there and the air quality is so much better. Every time I take the road bike out some bell-end passes way too close, cuts me up or whatever. There is always a ‘near-miss’ of some kind. I just don’t think people drive well, plus so many drivers are obviously on drugs (strong stench of skunk from high-revving hatchbacks etc). I’m not going to let it beat me, but I’m certainly a lot more risk-aware these days.
 
Went for a short ride earlier, quiet lanes no drama until the last mile or so. First of all a pedestrian only looked one way before trotting across the road, thankfully I anticipated his actions & was already slowing down. Second one a bit more worrying, narrow road courtesy of parked cars, so I was only just to the left of the middle white lines, could hear vehicle coming up behind rather fast only for parked car up ahead to open door without looking, thankfully he closed it before I had the choice to make.

This is the kind of thing which happens, thankfully I was fortunate enough to anticipate the hazards in good time.
 
Tony L said:
I’m doing hardly any road cycling at present. My lovely titanium road bike has only been out twice this year. I think it is a combination of age and psychologically not fully being over the accident of several years ago that given the choice I far prefer to head off down the canal paths on the MTB. I know I’m safe there and the air quality is so much better. Every time I take the road bike out some bell-end passes way too close, cuts me up or whatever. There is always a ‘near-miss’ of some kind. I just don’t think people drive well, plus so many drivers are obviously on drugs (strong stench of skunk from high-revving hatchbacks etc). I’m not going to let it beat me, but I’m certainly a lot more risk-aware these days.
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When I lived in that London, I used to fling the road bike on the train to start from somewhere nicer. It was no fun riding from Whitechapel to Chingford.
 
foxwelljsly said:
When I lived in that London, I used to fling the road bike on the train to start from somewhere nicer. It was no fun riding from Whitechapel to Chingford.
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I used to really enjoy cycling in That London when I lived there. This was 1990s so prior to all the congestion charges so everywhere was absolutely gridlocked. I’d not lost my nerve at that time so took quite an aggressively defensive approach, e.g. I very often cycled fast down the centre-line of the road for miles with all but stationary cars in either direction. I’d figured out that was way safer than the usual overtaking on the left that cyclists do as there was next to zero prospect of getting ‘doored’ (see @Woodface post upthread). With a bit of practice I found I could get most places pretty fast that way. The only real risk was other cyclists (pedal or motor) weaving. There were still a couple of busy multi-lane junctions I absolutely hated, one being somewhere between Shepherds Bush (where I lived) and South Ken, can’t remember what it was called. That aside cycling from Shepherds Bush to say Soho or Tottenham Court Rd could be achieved much faster than the tube if I factored-in the walk to the station. The worse the traffic the shorter my time as stopped cars aren’t dangerous!
 
Working in Wandsworth social services in the mid 70’s, my GF had a daily cycle commute around the south circular. After daily incidents she took to cycling her fluorescent pink bike left handed, with a 3 ft length is 2x1 in her right hand. She got given a wider berth after that. Not recommend ofc, but effective.
 
I rode nothing but a road bike for seven years and got in about 10k a year. Rarely saw another bike outside of a town and can only remember one incident when a lorry passed too close when I was cycling out of Liverpool and my cycling cape was sucked over head. Thinking back, I think it was so unusual to see a cyclist you got treated as a novelty. There may have been all sorts of knashing of teeth behind me, but I was never made aware of it.

ps: the exception was when I lived in Yorkshire then the lakes. Plenty of racers of all ages and chaps on wonderful Tricycles. Nothing carbon of course….
 
Saw a guy on a lovely recumbent in the Highlands last year, lots of cowling. Problem was the colour of his paintwork blended beautifully with the tarmac. He was coming toward me in the distance and I didn’t see him, only the chain of cars behind him waiting to overtake on the straight section, until almost I passed him. I felt considerable anxiety for him.
 
TheDecameron said:
Saw a guy on a lovely recumbent in the Highlands last year, lots of cowling. Problem was the colour of his paintwork blended beautifully with the tarmac. He was coming toward me in the distance and I didn’t see him, only the chain of cars behind him waiting to overtake on the straight section, until almost I passed him. I felt considerable anxiety for him.
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It's why I wouldn't ride one. You just aren't visible. Riding one in grey is just a deathwish.
 
Every one I have seen is carrying a flag on a pole. Still, must be very intimidating down there when those huge timber lorries roar past.
 
foxwelljsly said:
When I lived in that London, I used to fling the road bike on the train to start from somewhere nicer. It was no fun riding from Whitechapel to Chingford.
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Have you not heard of the river Lea that links up those 2 places you mentioned Foxy ?. I get your main point though, I sometimes get the train to Surrey, Essex and cycle around those areas.
Happy days in the saddle, what's not to like. Though most of us are suppose only one accident away from retirement..... or Worse !!!
 
Don’t really see the point in recumbents (for the able bodied, obvs) as you don’t really get to see anything from such a low position.
 
I’ve a friend who rides recumbents, he barely rides on roads, mostly he’s on tracks such as those around Rutland Water. Pedestrians are the problem!

The safety issue of recumbents on roads chimes for me very much with all cycling on roads. This very much my view, I’m not saying others should think the same way and I’m not trying to subtly say people shouldn’t cycle on roads.

My view of cycling is formed by my past, I’ve not been in an RTA or anything like that. I cycled a lot in my teenage years and twenties, also using cycling as part of my fitness training as a rower. The thing is this was mostly in the 1960s and 1970s when the roads were so much quieter than today. It’s the volume and speed of traffic today which when I cycle scares me. If I’d grown up 15 years later I would probably be more accepting of the traffic conditions today.
 
20mph speed limits - which I must admit really annoyed me at first as a car driver - have certainly helped. The amount of vehicles that used to travel at 40 in 30 zones was crazy, now I see hardly anyone driving that recklessly in 20 zones. Actually, a lot of drivers do 20 in 30 zones now, but I suspect that’s because they’re not paying attention.
 
kensalriser said:
20mph speed limits - which I must admit really annoyed me at first as a car driver - have certainly helped. The amount of vehicles that used to travel at 40 in 30 zones was crazy, now I see hardly anyone driving that recklessly in 20 zones. Actually, a lot of drivers do 20 in 30 zones now, but I suspect that’s because they’re not paying attention.
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I can see the 20 limits help a lot in towns though so far there aren’t that many in south Manchester / Cheshire, I’m sure they’ll come.

Thinking back to my youth when I was cycling around Northamptonshire and Cheshire countryside..I’d only come across a car every 5 or 10 minutes or even longer, the situation is so different now.
 
I still really enjoy cycling, plenty of quieter roads near me but I am super lucky in that regard. A car did a U-turn in front of me today, they reached the red light before me so massive win for them & frightening one for me as I was doing about 35mph.
 
20 mile road ride for me yesterday, enjoyable loop with climbs and some urban flat. I got no abuse per se but too many vehicles were going past closer than the law now says and at too high speed, I saw many cyclists coming towards me enjoying the same sort of knuckle-dusting treatment. I forget about it when I’m at home then every time I ride remind myself I must take another look at cycle dash cams.

Having said all that, mindless road user of the day award for me went to a cyclist! I drove to local supermarket and when parking very slowly in an area that is pedestrianised immediately ahead the numpty shot past at speed and close then looked round surprised. Sadly he didn’t stop or he was getting a lecture from me.
 
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