Matthew Parris article in the Murdoch Times

[gs5pete]

Hey,

sorry to bring up a cycling related issue, but I was wondering whether anyone saw the "Decapitation" article? the one referred to here -> https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/7168530.stm
original article and comments here -> https://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article3097464.ece

I'm also a cyclist and I've noticed a few others on this forum claiming to belong to the dark side. The two categories of two wheelers rarely get lumped together but in some areas we face similar problems.

So I was just wondering what the general consensus among motorcyclists is about cyclists? all a bunch of red light jumping wankers? little brothers on two wheels? don't give a ****?
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past bikes: KX125, CG125 (first road bike, used to pass test on), GS500 (first proper bike).

[McGee]

[AngelGrinder]

You guys seem to get away with alot. obviously going so far as to pronnounce you'd like to kill them publicly, that's a bit stupid.

But there is alot of anger towards them, and personally, I can see why....

You pay no tax, no insurance, and need no license. Yet, you get your own special green bit's of road and can park it wherever you like. Park a motorbike on a pavement and you'll get bent over it by the nearest traffic warden - but put a bicycle on the pavement you get a pat on the back from the nearest eco-warrior.

Screw you guys!
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Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[Aikman666]

I usually enjoy pulling along side them for a while, sitting at the same speed then firing off into the distance. I dont know why, but it just makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I usually find that cyclists carry an arrogant holier-than-thou attitude, they dont pay attention to the most basic rules of the road and they can be an absolute hazard at times.

They are up on the same level as horse riders and chavs on scooters.
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[D O G]

[stinkwheel]

Cyclists often seem to totally forget about both observation and right of way.

This results in them coming into conflict with other road users.

I have physically shoved a cyclist off the road because he was behaving like an arrogant, ignorant pillock. If you want to change lanes, you wait for a gap, indicate then move across. You do not look me in the eye, stick your arm in front of my face and try to force me to brake. The combined mass of me plus a GPZ500 is somewhere in the region of 1/4 tonne. Physics only allows one possible outcome when I decide to push that arm away.

They get inexplicably shirty when I bring them to a halt by grasping their handlebars and applying the brakes with my thumbs as they ride down the pavement towards me too. They would do better to learn the rules of the road and show some more respect.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[LeeR]

More so than motorcyclists, I find most commuter cyclists do nothing to enhance their reputation. In the main, they don't use cycle paths, shoot red lights, hold me up whilst filtering, and use flashing lights on their bikes instead of their person, but that's just the bad points...
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My claim to fame: Austin Vince nicked my pen...

[AngelGrinder]

[G]

[jimbothe]

I drive a private minibus through and around the outskirts of Cambridge, which is heavily used by cyclists.

Apart from their lack of observation at times I dont really have a problem with them.
The one thing however that really gets my feckles up is the amount of cyclists who still do not use lights after dark.

Even with the new laws and the police saying they will fine cyclists for not using lights, it appears to have made little or no difference.

Do these people not realise that they are a danger to themselves and other road users?
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[Walloper]

[Ben.]

no i hate them with a passion, they think they have more right of way than nayone else on the road and dont need to follow any road law. I have actually pushed one cyclist over when he decided to filter to the front and then pull infornt of me while i was happily sitting at the front of the que. so when the lights changed i just rode into him as if he wasnt there, what a plank.
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[D O G]

[Shay HTFC]

I don't mind them.
I often find myself feeling on the same wavelength - i.e. we are both non-car users and we face the same problems every day, for example, drivers not seeing us, being treated like a lower form of road user.
To be honest, when they come across cocky it is only themselves sticking in our faces because I'm sure they will be totally pushed about unless they do actually stand their ground and get into the traffic - even if it means we have to slow down for them, or sit behind them on single track roads (well if driving a car).

Many people complain that car drivers hate us for filtering, so why do we hate cyclists for taking advantage of their perks?
There is a road in Winchester leading to the bike garage that is a no left turn. To use it you have to go all the way round the one way system, but because I am on a very manoeuvrable vehicle, I can cut the corner that would be impossible for cars.
Thats why I don't mind cyclists - They are just taking advantage of their position on a cycle and sticking a royal middle finger up to 'king of the road' car drivers, just as I do on a motorbike.

People seem to have a stereotyped view seeing every cyclist as a wanker. To be honest, those same people then come across as wankers themselves; the sort of grumpy ones who sulk in their cars. Its surprising to find so many motorcyclists who hate them when they are in fact just a slower version of us!

[Ben.]

[colin1]

if a muslim wrote an amusing article suggesting that jews should be decapitated or lynched, i think there would be consequences.

stringing piano wire across paths used my cyclists is actually more likely for someone to imitate in my opinion.

I think the guy should lose his job. I know its not gonna happen, but still.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[D O G]

[Ste]

[Ben.]

[Stiffler]

I'm dismayed by the attitudes here that tar all cyclists with the same brush much in the same fashion a car driver may say Motorcyclists are dangerous, boy racers who are a danger to themselves and everyone else on the road.

I'm a keen cyclist when the weather is good (I'm not a fair weather biker apart from on a push bike where I couldn't think of anywhere I'd rather be less in winter). When I did my motorbike training my instructor commented that my observation was excellent and when I told him I cycled he was very much of the opinion it was a useful background. I don't jump red lights, I don't cycle on the pavement, I don't think I have right of way over others (except when by the rules of the road say I do), I don't cycle two abreast (apart from in rural areas of Europe where in some countries this is socially acceptable). I don't ever ride at night without lights (This is akin to attempted suicide in some areas near to where I live) never have and I never will.... And I know plenty of others who share similar ethos.

I do however avoid some bicycle lanes and I make no apology for doing so. They are quite often totally unsuitable to road bikes (going up and down curbs on shared pavement), full of glass, dangerously designed, insanely designed, or down right detours from my destination.

Anyway I'll agree that there are some terrible cyclists out there... Anyone that travels or works in any of the big cities will have encountered the cycle courier who in many cases could probably be committed as insane! And there are others who believe they can get away with what they like. But personally I very much believe these are in the minority...
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Current Bikes - Kawasaki ZX-6R (636) | BMW G650GS

[Ben.]

i dont mind cyclists, i generally ignore them unless they do something to piss me off, and there seems to be a lot of them, if they ride safely and follow the highway code then i'll treat them with the respect they deserve, theyre even more vunerable than us, its just the planks that don't and they heavily outweigh the good ones.
Everyone seems to think im a neo-nazi who like destroying everything on the road that gets on my way.
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[Seb]

On one side of the coin, Motorcyclists and Cyclists are in a similar boat, both being highly vunerable on the road to the mistakes of both themselves and others.

However its kind of annoying that Motorbikes seem to get branded with the bad stick even though we are comparitive angels compared to the blatent disregard for the highway code that a large percentage of pushbikes tend to show, imagine the uproar if motorbikes routinely ran red lights at junctions/crossings or took shortcuts on the pavement.

Granted, to be fair its not even close to being as bad in and around Plymouth as it is in London.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[Ste]

[Ravo]

[G]