When out walking down the lanes round here, I find a pocket full of pebbles provides me with a reasonable and proportionate response to dangerous drivers.
Cyclists.
- Thread starter Chippy_Tea
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Galena
Landlord.
Reasonable and proportionate? I would say yes, but be careful the law might consider it criminal damage.
Wasn't me officer. A magpie dropped it.
I reckon about 95% percent of drivers are brilliant, like @Chippy_Tea, considerate of cyclists, slowing down and / or giving a wide berth to pass. Always very much appreciated, so thank you all.
I think only a small percentage of drivers are maybe a bit unaware of how scary and dangerous a close pass at speed can be for a cyclist, and how it leaves little margin for error. It only takes a little wobble, a pothole, a gust of wind to bring bike and a close pass car into a nasty collision. I probably get at least one scarily close pass a day on my 5 mile commute.
Then there is a very very small percentage of people who are just mean. Some like to drive up slowly beside you and then scream out of the window at you to make you jump, some like to throw stuff at you as they pass, like half empty milkshakes. I get one of these sort of incidents about once a month. My female colleagues tell me they have incidents far more often than that.
Which reminds me, can anyone recommend some good (and cheap) cameras for bikes? I think I'm going to report the next milkshake chucker.
I think only a small percentage of drivers are maybe a bit unaware of how scary and dangerous a close pass at speed can be for a cyclist, and how it leaves little margin for error. It only takes a little wobble, a pothole, a gust of wind to bring bike and a close pass car into a nasty collision. I probably get at least one scarily close pass a day on my 5 mile commute.
Then there is a very very small percentage of people who are just mean. Some like to drive up slowly beside you and then scream out of the window at you to make you jump, some like to throw stuff at you as they pass, like half empty milkshakes. I get one of these sort of incidents about once a month. My female colleagues tell me they have incidents far more often than that.
Which reminds me, can anyone recommend some good (and cheap) cameras for bikes? I think I'm going to report the next milkshake chucker.
Galena
Landlord.
Unfortunately 5% of drivers is still a large number when they are passing you regularly.
I have been fortunate, probably because most of my cycling is out in the country but I still get the odd **** who thinks it's funny to shout out of the window, a long time since somebody threw anything at me but it has happened years ago, fortunately I don't have to commute in a city.
Close passes though I still get plenty of those and some very dangerous and at speed by mindless morons or at best inconsiderate twats. Probably the same sort that would happily go to that Burger chain or chicken in a bucket chain and drive out to a beautiful layby and then chuck their **** out of the window.
Regarding cameras, I have a front and a rear, both are by Chilli Technology, the front one is not very good but the rear is brilliant and I can highly recommend and its pretty cheap, lasts 4 - 5 hours and records over itself but it does not show on the FB page anymore, I have PM'd them but their communication skills are definitely lacking
When I moved to Spain I was surprised at the difference of how drivers treat you. Obviously within the city everyone is in a rush and impatient but out in the sticks people give me loads of space or even more surprising wait till it's safe before passing me!
I don't know if it's anything to do with the UK not having much history of cycling culture? Who knows but I certainly don't miss those days of wing mirrors brushing my elbows and being yelled at to "pay road tax"!
I don't know if it's anything to do with the UK not having much history of cycling culture? Who knows but I certainly don't miss those days of wing mirrors brushing my elbows and being yelled at to "pay road tax"!
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Fireside Ales Homebrewery
Regular.
I don’t cycle, so I wasn’t aware that road users shout this at cyclists.
It seems like a very odd hang up to have.
1, all the cyclists I know also own a car. Cycling is a pleasure for them.
2, local roads are maintained by local authorities and maintenance is funded out of council tax. We all pay that. Major road maintenance is also paid for by.... yes that’s right, the tax payer, collectively. In short, we all pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the roads. Even those who don’t own a car.
So Cyclists, get out there and enjoy your roads.
You pay for them as much as anyone.3, and Finally. road tax doesn’t exist. No one pays road tax. It was abolished years ago.
So jokes on you idiotsIf you want more information I would check out this link-
https://bristolcycling.org.uk/who-pays-for-our-roads/
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Galena
Landlord.
Indeed, it's a common misconception the road tax thingI don’t cycle, so I wasn’t aware that road users shout this at cyclists.
It seems like a very odd hang up to have.
1, all the cyclists I know also own a car. Cycling is a pleasure for them.
2, local roads are maintained by local authorities and maintenance is funded out of council tax. We all pay that. Major road maintenance is also paid for by.... yes that’s right, the tax payer, collectively. In short, we all pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the roads. Even those who don’t own a car.
So Cyclists, get out there and enjoy your roads.
3, and Finally. road tax doesn’t exist. No one pays road tax. It was abolished years ago.
If you want more information I would check out this link-
https://bristolcycling.org.uk/who-pays-for-our-roads/
Galena
Landlord.
and then there are idiots like this calling 999 because cyclist did not get out of her way
Pezza24
Regular.
I saw that yesterday. I hope her children get taken into care.
You notice she didn't see the wrong in riding alongside the cyclist on a narrow road if a car had come the other way and she had not seen it because she was too busy telling the guy what he had done wrong it could have ended very badly the police should have prosecuted her for driving without due care and attention.
The first comment under the video made me
Karen: "Hi Police, this is Karen"
Police: "Oh for ****'s sake"
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Galena
Landlord.
unfortunately the police don't care much when it comes to cyclists, unless there is a death. Recently in Norfolk a cyclist was killed by a drunk driver and the police decided not to prosecute HERE
The easiest way to get away with murder in the UK is get someone to ride a bike and then mow them down in your car, if you're unlucky you might get 6 points on your license
That is a ******* disgrace, but not totally surprising to be honest 
Cheshire Police
@cheshirepolice
3h
Using 'close pass' road mats to show minimum overtaking distance, and other road safety aids
@CheshireFire
are helping us demonstrate how we can think about the vulnerability of other road users.
@cheshirepolice
3h
Using 'close pass' road mats to show minimum overtaking distance, and other road safety aids
@CheshireFire
are helping us demonstrate how we can think about the vulnerability of other road users.
Lawrence R
Active Member
- Joined
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I was also expecting a lot more anti- cycling views. I cycle and commute and am pretty appalled at a lot of cycling and driving. What has terrified me most is drivers overtaking me whilst I’m cycling and underestimating the amount of time it’s going to take them to get back on the correct side of the road. Seen two v closely missed head on collisions at speed. On a positive note it‘s the professional drivers - lorries etc - who seem most sensible in mixed traffic.
As with all road users there are good and bad truck drivers i consider myself to be the former and always leave cyclists as much room as i can i imagine most of us have had a bike so we all know what its like when a large vehicle gets too close.
This video has been posted before and skip to 2:12.
Same in the UK. It's so you can see the tw*t who's about to mow you down and possibly jump out of the way.
Galena
Landlord.
There are plenty of bad truck drivers out there, one of them inspired me to get front and rear cameras when he deliberately forced me into a lay by so he could finish his overtake on a blind bend on the wrong side of double white lines, so no our 'professional' drivers are not necessarily any better. This is not a dig at truck drivers by the way and there are many good one's, it's just that I don't think as a group they are any better than other drivers on the road, even though they have had much more training.
As i said in my post there are good and bad truck drivers as there are good and bad drivers/ riders of all vehicles.
Sorry but i couldn't disagree more, how many times have you seen a truck in a smash (not on TV) i can honestly say never but i have seen many car accidents, we drive several hours every day so have much more chance of having an accident unlike car drivers who on the whole drive to work park up then 8 hours later drive home again.
Galena
Landlord.
Well, I don't have statistics, and purely anecdotally as a cyclist, I have experienced a lot of bad overtakes by lorry drivers. I also find it hard to believe you have never seen a truck in a smash, when I used to drive a lot for work I have certainly seen a few, but that is not what I am getting at.
