Cyclists and road rage..

[Tony]

Mind you, since cyclists are healthier and live for an average 10 years longer there will be less for NHS workers to do.

[Hots on]

Mind you, since cyclists are healthier and live for an average 10 years longer there will be less for NHS workers to do.

 

Yes, and no nasty road traffic accidents to deal with either.

[Cyclone]

I have to make an admission, I just drove my car for a round trip of about 1 mile.

 

Admittedly it was to the car wash and I couldn't work out how to get the car clean by cycling there... But there's me, contributing to congestion and not getting fit.

[llamatron]

I think most non cyclists are jealous too. I've experienced drivers being inappropriately nasty towards cyclists purely through jealously.

 

The drivers I've seen having a go are usually either smoking or fat, and they wish they were on a bike, keeping fit, saving money but ultimately they are too fat or lazy to do it.

 

I do both, drive and cycle so not really bias either way.

 

I got shouted at by a group of school kids (with a teacher I think), they shouted "show off" at me:loopy: I was cycling not particularly fast as Im not fast and I was going up hill. I can only conclude their parents are fat and lazy!

[Isabelle]

Makes sense when you think about it, cyclists don't have the protection of a steel cage so the consequences of a collision will be more serious than a scratched bumper.

 

Doesn't that mean that cyclists should avoid taking dangerous risks e.g. jumping red lights, failing to use appropriate lights at night, because they are risking much worse damage/injuries?

[Cyclone]

Yes it does, and all the sensible ones do.

[spindrift]

Doesn't that mean that cyclists should avoid taking dangerous risks e.g. jumping red lights, failing to use appropriate lights at night, because they are risking much worse damage/injuries?

 

Risky behaviour by cyclists is rarely a cause of accidents. It's usually the driver's fault.

[spindrift]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/dec/15/cycling-bike-accidents-study

[mattleonard]

Doesn't that mean that cyclists should avoid taking dangerous risks e.g. jumping red lights, failing to use appropriate lights at night, because they are risking much worse damage/injuries?

 

I also agree with this - but I don't know why it is seen as something which particular cyclists should avoid. I rarely see a cyclist do the latter and I regularly see cars doing the former.

[mattleonard]

I do think MrTrigger is getting a bit of a harsh grilling for his comments. But I do think it comes down to this - I get to work and back quicker by going by bike. I would do so even quicker if there weren't any cars on the roads.

 

I do actually stop at red lights and when they turn green I'll be prepared and ready to go. More often than not if there's a car in front of me they'll have switched into neutral and will be having a daydream, perhaps moaning about cyclists, sending a text etc. and won't notice straight away when the lights change. Yet despite this slowing down the journey of me and the drivers behind me, I don't think they therefore shouldn't be on the road at this time, or should have their own segregated area in order to do their dawdling.

 

Likewise, I have been involved in two accidents as a cyclist - one with a bus and one with a pedestrian. In both cases, by their own admission, the other party was at fault. But I still think it's worth buses and pedestrians being allowed out at rush hour.