Go! Smell the road safety!
July 1st, 2008 by Purple13Ok I know I haven’t ranted for a while - generally I’m just too nice you see but if there’s one thing that ‘gets my goat’, its incredibly silly news…. take this example from the other night…..
SOme big UK Cycling (pedal power) club are putting forward some suggestions for inclusion in a new highway code which should be slanted towards green travel (e.g bikes) …(naturally!).
Here are some of their suggestions… (don’t laugh)…. 1) that cyclists should be allowed to cycle the wrong way up one way streets and 2) at traffic lights, cyclists should get a green light ahead of other traffic to give them time to move off.
Well, not only do i see plenty (most) cyclists (no not kids but adults commuting or leisure racing) already doing these silly antics… but plenty more like going the wrong way round roundabouts, using pelican crossings at high speed (no waiting for the driver to stop first) and using traffic lights to wobble down the outside of patient queing cars before getting stuck in the outside lane when the lights have changed.
Now I’m not anti cyclist - i do the odd bit myself. I’ve even been on cycling holidays - me, a bike and a tent to France! so don’t call me anti-cyclist.
But already many cyclists seem to have a death wish and these new ‘rules’ will only encourage them to break every civilised motoring law when it suits them…. so motorists - watch out! They’ll soon be legally aloud to come at you from all directions. We’re the ones that will need the helmets.
What do you reckon? Any bad experiences you’d like to share (as a motorist or cyclist)? As I said I’m not anti-bike, far from it! But the few are spoiling your reputation…..
I was stopped in a driveway before the sidewalk and seeing that it was clear I lifted my foot off the break. At the same time, this girl was going quite quickly on the sidewalk in the opposite direction of traffic and my car knocked her off balance. Ambulance, paramedics, police, fire engine all arrived. The police said that I did not do anything wrong and; therefore, was not ticketed. They took her to the hospital to check her out which my insurance paid. There was nothing wrong with her except some scraps and she obviously was scared. The officer said that she was going too fast, should not have been on the sidewalk and should have been going in the direction of traffic. Two days later, I received notice that I was being sued. The insurance company paid them $3,000 as it was cheaper than going to court.
(Side note, my accident where I was not at fault and between my medical bills and lost wages is about $56,000. I had physical therapy for 6 months and I am being offered $5,000. I do have an attorney, but my accident was in October 2006…go figure…nasty insurance company!)
ouch clueless….
I got knocked of my bike years ago when a guy opened his car door on me.. sent me over the handle bars and into traffic…
in Tassie cyclists can ride in groups across traffic lanes, and actually block lanes in the group is large enough… the roads which many including tourist travel on bikes is really not wide enough for bikes and cars and due to their winding nature not suitable… blind bends every which way you go…
Ouch. Were you badly injured?
ClinicallyCluelesss last blog post..Medication Change ~ More Effexor XR
I have been driving cars for nearly 50 years and I have never hit a cyclist.
This was not part of the driving test but they are fair game
and i thought my car was the one with the bullsye painted on it
Purple13s last blog post..‘Fabulous’ Pet Photo Competition - last few hours
During our flower smelling travels we cycled around Provence and really admired drivers who gave us space on the roads and gritted our teeth and those who didn’t…we did need more space on the road as we had foot long baguettes sticking out of the basket on the front of the bike and were weighed down by bottles of wine in the paneers! (Those saddle bags on the back)
Fast forward to Dubai - we are kings of the road in our 4×4 car - groups of cyclists seem to take up far too much lane space as we manoeuver around them. Tutt tutt.
It really depends on the perspective of the cyclist verus the motorist but we must admit…..
We do enjoy cycling and earning our food with exercise but WHY or WHY do groups ride 3 or 4 abreast taking up ther whole lane - can’t they sleep steam and ride in single file*
*Unless they have french bread sticking out
Not sure what all the fuss is about……
Here in Dubai it is quite common to see a cyclist cycling up the wrong side of the street, as it is down the motorways (often in the wrong direction). Traffic lights hold no sway with the typical UAE cyclist either, you wanna go? Then just go.
Oh, and highway code? What’s that?
ah yes - we cycled around Brittany for a fortnight - you knew when a car cut you up that it would have a GB sticker on the bumper! (and no - we always rode in single file!)
Purple13s last blog post..‘Fabulous’ Pet Photo Competition - last few hours
What a sight you guys must have been!!!
Dare we publish the photos?
With that kind of wink…Aa, maybe not.
ClinicallyCluelesss last blog post..Medication Change ~ More Effexor XR
LOL
What really annoys me is when there is a cycle road race. The police close off roads and direct the road tax paying motorists out of their way. If I was having a race with other road tax paying motorists would the police keep the non road tax payin cyclists safely out of our way ? I think not !!
at the bottom of our road is a disused railway line - been dead for years. Why not open it up to cyclists - they could pedal on relative flat all the way into Derby i bet.
Purple13s last blog post..‘Fabulous’ Pet Photo Competition - last few hours