Vigilante Cyclist. Is he the most hated man?

[Becky B]

I actually heard that, I'd just got into the Matrix and the radio was on.

It was quite an amusing rant from a variety of motorists.

 

The common themes seemed to be

 

"expecting us to obey the law at all times isn't fair"

 

"You make mistakes as well, so you've not right to video people"

 

Both of which are not valid IMO. The guy has never claimed to be perfect, and yes, motorists (and cyclists) are expected to obey the law at all times and to see every sign in a 200 mile journey.

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 09:15 ----------

 

It's worth pointing out that many motorists also have cameras fitted to their cars these days, and the numbers will only increase.

 

I agree completely. That comment about how unreasonable it was to expect drivers to obey all road signs left me speechless (and hoping that the berk concerned never passes through my neck of the woods).

 

Quite! David's point was that if you drive according to the highway code (which we should be doing anyway), then there's nothing to worry about. He's just gathering evidence on those people who drive dangerously without consideration to other road users. Something we all see on the roads, regardless of your own mode of transportation.

[altus]

 

Cyclists don't enjoy having their journeys being impeded by motorists blocking the road whilst stick in traffic jams either so it's not all one way.

 

Oh well. It will have to do. The fact that I don't occupy them when stationery (as stated) would indicate that I know what they are intended for. I suspected you were being sarcastic by putting logic in speech marks so perhaps your lucky you got a reply at all.

 

From here:

ASLs were originally introduced to reduce conflict between cyclists and motorists when pulling away from rest at signal controlled junctions. The conflicting movements generally occur where;-

• cyclists go ahead and motorists turn left, and
  
• motorists go ahead and cyclists turn right
  

Cyclists also derive benefit from ASLs in the following ways. They;-

• Give cyclists a visible and practical advantage at signalised junctions and thereby encourage latent and existing cyclists
  
• Allow cyclists to bypass queuing traffic to get to the front of the queue (via the lead-in lane).
  
• Place cyclists in a safer and more visible location, ahead of traffic rather than at the blind spot to the left of traffic; this is especially important where there are appreciable numbers of HGVs.
  
• Allow cyclists to wait in an area relatively free from exhaust fumes.
  
• Make it easier for right hand turning cyclists to position themselves in the best location.
  
• Make pedestrian crossing movements at the junction more visible, safer and more comfortable by setting back the line of waiting vehicles.
  

So far from your positioning yourself to block cyclists being safer for them as you claim you actions are the exact opposite. That's why I put 'logic' in quotes.

[Cyclone]

Unless I'm plagued by congestion and/or a succession of traffic lights it will be.

 

 

They progress when they can. No one can alter the requirement to halt at red lights. I don't drive a car so as to have to sit behind slower moving cyclists and I don't see many other motorists who enjoy doing it.

 

 

Oh well. It will have to do. The fact that I don't occupy them when stationery (as stated) would indicate that I know what they are intended for. I suspected you were being sarcastic by putting logic in speech marks so perhaps your lucky you got a reply at all.

 

---------- Post added 04-03-2015 at 19:04 ----------

 

Is it me you are calling a chump? You seem to be deriving too much satisfaction from throwing that around. Your response above doesn't seem to fit with what I actually wrote...

"Assuming I'm in the inside lane it makes little sense to me to sit out so far as to provide enough room for the cyclist/s to come up alongside and possibly swing out a foot or two so they are in front. People don't normally sit that far out from the kerb at traffic lights on a four-lane road when they have a car outside them also waiting."

 

You seem to believe that all roads have lanes wide enough to provide enough room for a cyclist to sit on the inside of a car: "If you just stay in your normal road position, they will have room to pass you." Most of us realise that roads vary.

 

 

I've certainly been held up for more than a few seconds at a time by cyclists. To us motorists they are an obstacle; an occupational hazard and we'd prefer that there were sufficient cycle lanes for them to make their journeys.

 

You indicated that you deliberately made it difficult for cyclists to pass. Someone else had already said that was "chump like" behaviour. I just continued to use the description.

If you deliberately impede other road users (as you described) so that you don't have to pass them again, then I think the description is fair.

 

I am a motorist genius, as are most cyclists. Something that the non cyclist motorists would do well to remember. And so I know that you have never been delayed for very long by a cycle, and that overall on whatever journey it was, it made absolutely no difference.

[shims]

Cyclists don't enjoy having their journeys being impeded by motorists blocking the road whilst stick in traffic jams either so it's not all one way.

Motorists pay a hefty tax to use the road. Cyclists are unregistered, unimsured and pay nothing. In a perfect world cyclists wouldn't be sharing road space with motor vehicles; they would be in cycle lanes.

 

From here:

So far from your positioning yourself to block cyclists being safer for them as you claim you actions are the exact opposite. That's why I put 'logic' in quotes.

Maybe you can find where I wrote that because I'm really at a loss here?

 

I wrote this: "if they are alongside and we both take off together it will be a similar situation to me meeting and overtaking them with an inadequate gap"

and this:

"Assuming I'm in the inside lane it makes little sense to me to sit out so far as to provide enough room for the cyclist/s to come up alongside and possibly swing out a foot or two so they are in front. People don't normally sit that far out from the kerb at traffic lights on a four-lane road when they have a car outside them also waiting."

 

You indicated that you deliberately made it difficult for cyclists to pass.

Nope. I stated that I didn't sit any further out than USUAL.

 

Someone else had already said that was "chump like" behaviour. I just continued to use the description.

If you deliberately impede other road users (as you described) so that you don't have to pass them again, then I think the description is fair.

My bold. As above.

 

I am a motorist genius, as are most cyclists. Something that the non cyclist motorists would do well to remember.

Yes, maybe of them will be and many not. I doubt I'll enjoy being obstructed by them any the more by considering that they may at other times drive a car!

 

And so I know that you have never been delayed for very long by a cycle, and that overall on whatever journey it was, it made absolutely no difference.

Only a few seconds has now become 'not very long' I see. When you are in the inside lane and progress is being impeded by cyclists and there is a lane beside you with cars speeding past, not letting you out it's rather tedious. (So, it's not as if I especially love motorists either). I'd prefer it not to happen and I do feel that such irritations make a difference to my journey. You, of course, know better I'm sure and will be along to tell me as much.

[gordius]

Motorists pay a hefty tax to use the road. Cyclists are unregistered, unimsured and pay nothing.

 

Yawn.... Motorists pay nothing to use the road. The 'tax' is based on emissions. It is £0 for some cars.

[aliceBB]

Yawn.... Motorists pay nothing to use the road. The 'tax' is based on emissions. It is £0 for some cars.

 

Exactly. And many cyclists are also motorists, so they pay anyway, even when they are not fouling up the road with emissions or damaging it in their vehicles.

[milquetoast1]

Exactly. And many cyclists are also motorists, so they pay anyway, even when they are not fouling up the road with emissions or damaging it in their vehicles.

 

Exactly x 2.

 

And most cyclists that are not also motorists are probably children. Imagine a world where children no longer own bikes because of shims' masterplan to register, tax and insure all bikes.

 

For most people the bike gets occasional use, that certainly the case for me unfortunately. Imagine a world where nobody has a bike for occasional use anymore because of shims' masterplan.

 

The reality is that shims would like nothing better than to get in his car and find that every other road user was a cyclist. He'd be chuffed then when he got to his destination more safely and in half the time. He might even buy a bike.

[Cyclone]

Motorists pay a hefty tax to use the road. Cyclists are unregistered, unimsured and pay nothing. In a perfect world cyclists wouldn't be sharing road space with motor vehicles; they would be in cycle lanes.

Your attitude is starting to come through a bit more clearly.

 

Very efficient vehicles obviously pay nothing as well, and there is simply no reason to register or insure cyclists (although many are insured).

 

 

Maybe you can find where I wrote that because I'm really at a loss here?

 

I wrote this: "if they are alongside and we both take off together it will be a similar situation to me meeting and overtaking them with an inadequate gap"

and this:

"Assuming I'm in the inside lane it makes little sense to me to sit out so far as to provide enough room for the cyclist/s to come up alongside and possibly swing out a foot or two so they are in front. People don't normally sit that far out from the kerb at traffic lights on a four-lane road when they have a car outside them also waiting."

People do normally sit far enough out to allow a cyclist to pass though. Even on narrow roads (like Meadow Street here)

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Summer+St,+Sheffield,+South+Yorkshire+S3+7NS/@53.386603,-1.478596,3a,75y,319.71h,80.56t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ssdmTCipdnHSVi5Q3cc06eA!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x487978831f856a27:0x95926e79b0b3b9d3

It's rare that I can't cycle carefully up the inside of the queue.

 

 

Nope. I stated that I didn't sit any further out than USUAL.

 

My bold. As above.

You changed your tune.

 

 

Yes, maybe of them will be and many not. I doubt I'll enjoy being obstructed by them any the more by considering that they may at other times drive a car!

We both know that they don't obstruct you. And particularly if driving around the city centre are most likely going faster than you on average.

 

Only a few seconds has now become 'not very long' I see. When you are in the inside lane and progress is being impeded by cyclists and there is a lane beside you with cars speeding past, not letting you out it's rather tedious. (So, it's not as if I especially love motorists either). I'd prefer it not to happen and I do feel that such irritations make a difference to my journey. You, of course, know better I'm sure and will be along to tell me as much.

I think I will. You're making it up, you've never been slowed down by a cyclist long enough for it to actually have any effect on your overall journey time.

 

---------- Post added 05-03-2015 at 09:27 ----------

 

Here's how it happened;

 

I see chumps like you every day. For example, during a queue in traffic, instead of positioning your car in the middle of lane, you inch you car towards the curb, in an attempt to stop me passing.

 

Why is someone suddenly a chump

They're a chump because they do something deliberately to make life more difficult for other people.

I doubt that very much. It seems very likely that they do it for the reason I stated: so as not to have to trundle along behind a cyclist,

At the end of the day, you ARE making life more difficult for the cyclist, for your own convenience.

Nope. I stated that I didn't sit any further out than USUAL.

 

No, you didn't state that did you. You implied that you block the cyclist for your own convenience because you find overtaking to be difficult or can't possibly be held up for a few seconds.

[shims]

This forum now seems to populated by strange fantasists who live in a parallel universe and think they know the routines and thoughts of complete strangers better than those people themselves.

 

I did have a good laugh though at those last few replies so I suppose it hasn't been entirely futile.

[Alcoblog]

It's a shame this vigilante cyclist wasn't recording on Crookes at around lunchtime today. An idiot on a BMX pedal bike shot past me on the pavement (he must've been doing around 20MPH) narrowly missing me, couldn't brake in time to avoid a woman pushing a pram, so swerved around her and collided with a pizza delivery moped parked outside the pizza shop, knocking the bike over. He came off his bike, saw the damage he'd caused to the delivery bike, and just got back on and rode off (still on the pavement). Moron.