CYCLISTS Grrrrrrr

[madoqua]

Scenario.

Aussie girl first time in the UK for uni, travelling to Liverpool. More bags than the Royal Mail. On Norwich to Liverpool train. Sat where she would cause the least inconvenience. A young couple with bikes get on at Sheffield. 'This space is for bikes' the youth says and they make her move. It took two full minutes and I gave 'Sheila' my seat.
I thanked them for welcoming the young lady to our country in such a fashion.
All I got back was 'Bikes are welcome, they help the environment'.

I am afraid I called him a total Assh*le and moved down the train before I lost my temper.

Non tax paying, non insurance paying, sanctimonious, pedestrian skittling, stupid looking helmeted, tight cycle shorts flashing vermin.

[madoqua]

.......and they are all lefties!

[Bill W (2)]

I take it you will not be buying a Tigers cycling shirt?

[madoqua]

You take it :censored: right Bill.

Anyway, they show my man boobs off.

[CJ]

I cycle a lot and trust me, we are not all inconsiderate, bolshy lefties.

sorry you had to come across a minority of idiots

[Old Hob]

Thursday last, rush hour but traffic very slow even by normal standards. Hold up caused by cars having to overtake a cyclist riding 4 feet from the kerb on a single lane in each direction road. Next to him, two thirds of the wide pavement is marked as a cycle lane - completely flat, unpotholed and deserted.

[madoqua]

Cars should be fitted with cyclist exocet firing tubes.

[Bill W (2)]

Thursday last, rush hour but traffic very slow even by normal standards. Hold up caused by cars having to overtake a cyclist riding 4 feet from the kerb on a single lane in each direction road. Next to him, two thirds of the wide pavement is marked as a cycle lane - completely flat, unpotholed and deserted.

Should there be an offence called "Jay cyling"? Being on the highway where a cycle lane exists off it?

[Rizzo]

not defending those cyclists who are idiotic, but some motorists are no better. One driving down Millstone Lane this morning overtook me as I was waiting for a bin lorry to turn slowly into an adjoining road - thus nearly clearing up my car AND piling into said bin lorry. Surely if a road is fairly narrow & there is a lorry doing a job, you could wait a nano-second or two before rushing off to your obviously life-threateningly urgent appointment...

[Old Hob]

It is true, Rizzo that there are idiots behind the wheel - but it is the sheer number of dozy/rude dangerous cyclists that is the problem. Every year Thames Valley Police has to deploy a fair number officers just to deal with the problems caused by cyclists in Oxford. "I didn't know you had to have lights" is a common response by an 18yr old "bright" undergrad stopped for cycling through the pedestrian bits at 20 mph on a dark November night.

My proposals:
1. If there is a cycle lane cyclists must use them. Fixed penalty fine. Multiple offences - banning order.
2. Manufacturers must fit non-removable front and rear lights. Sale of non-compliant bikes illegal
3. Manufacturers must fit non-removable audible warning of approach system. A bell, usually. Sale as above.
4. Compulsory proficiency test for all road cycle users. Certificate of competence issued which can be revoked (see 1 above)
5. Compulsory 3rd party insurance. Old, vulnerable people with easily breakable hips ARE hit by cyclists. Compensation from impecunious cyclist? NIL.

All the above should be easily achievable at little cost, The test would have to be paid for and manufacturers would pay for 2 & 3 (passing the cost on to the end user)

Oh, and Lycra shorts have VAT at 450%

[h's dad]

It is true, Rizzo that there are idiots behind the wheel - but it is the sheer number of dozy/rude dangerous cyclists that is the problem. Every year Thames Valley Police has to deploy a fair number officers just to deal with the problems caused by cyclists in Oxford. "I didn't know you had to have lights" is a common response by an 18yr old "bright" undergrad stopped for cycling through the pedestrian bits at 20 mph on a dark November night.

My proposals:
1. If there is a cycle lane cyclists must use them. Fixed penalty fine. Multiple offences - banning order.
2. Manufacturers must fit non-removable front and rear lights. Sale of non-compliant bikes illegal
3. Manufacturers must fit non-removable audible warning of approach system. A bell, usually. Sale as above.
4. Compulsory proficiency test for all road cycle users. Certificate of competence issued which can be revoked (see 1 above)
5. Compulsory 3rd party insurance. Old, vulnerable people with easily breakable hips ARE hit by cyclists. Compensation from impecunious cyclist? NIL.

All the above should be easily achievable at little cost, The test would have to be paid for and manufacturers would pay for 2 & 3 (passing the cost on to the end user)

Oh, and Lycra shorts have VAT at 450%

It may sound easily achievable but if the police can't make sure motor vehicles and their drivers have mots, insurance, rfl and licenses, how are they going to enforce this?

And what about the six year old on the pavement outside their house with stabilisers on?

[Old Hob]

It may sound easily achievable but if the police can't make sure motor vehicles and their drivers have mots, insurance, rfl and licenses, how are they going to enforce this?
CCtv and patrols, as now.


And what about the six year old on the pavement outside their house with stabilisers on?
Compulsory proficiency test for all road cycle users.

[h's dad]

It may sound easily achievable but if the police can't make sure motor vehicles and their drivers have mots, insurance, rfl and licenses, how are they going to enforce this?
CCtv and patrols, as now.

Doesn't work


And what about the six year old on the pavement outside their house with stabilisers on?
Compulsory proficiency test for all road cycle users.

So they'll all ride on the pavement - the way a lot of them do now.

[Old Hob]

It may sound easily achievable but if the police can't make sure motor vehicles and their drivers have mots, insurance, rfl and licenses, how are they going to enforce this?
CCtv and patrols, as now.

Doesn't work


And what about the six year old on the pavement outside their house with stabilisers on?
Compulsory proficiency test for all road cycle users.

So they'll all ride on the pavement - the way a lot of them do now.

OK, for our slow readers group. Cycling on the pavement is an offence now and will remain an offence. Bicycles clearly designed for small children are not allowed on the road and so are exempt. Clear? To make it really clear, all my proposals apply to cycles with a wheel diameter of 16" or greater.

[h's dad]

OK, for our slow readers group. Cycling on the pavement is an offence now and will remain an offence. Bicycles clearly designed for small children are not allowed on the road and so are exempt. Clear? To make it really clear, all my proposals apply to cycles with a wheel diameter of 16" or greater.

There's no need to be abusive just because you come up with ideas which, though in some respects laudable, simply will not work in our environment.

Cycling on the pavement is an offence now and will remain an offence.

Agreed, but enforced on an infinitesimal basis.

Here's a radical idea. How about enforcing (or even encouraging people to follow) the the perfectly adequate existing laws rather than creating loads of unworkable new ones a la TBGB new labour?