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Highway code changes, cars and cyclists

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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 22:53 - 25 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Came back from work tonight and the local gym bunny was out, running with the traffic on the road. In the dark. No high vis on the clothing. Over the ear headphones on. She's not the only one around here either.

On the way TO work there was another one running on the road, again with the traffic but this time ignoring the perfectly good pavement and running along .5m out from the gutter in the carriageway.

It's the complete lack of self preservation I can't get my head around, legalities / highway code aside.
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A100man
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PostPosted: 11:06 - 26 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

st3v3 wrote:
I'm a bicycle courier by trade and alot of what normal cyclists do bugs me, but you have to consider why zero fucks are given about those things, what often forces it in the first place.

Wankers in cars.
Every day I deal with twats who turn without indicating, pull out without looking and force their way past at traffic islands.

So inevitably when I catch up to these fucktards and ask if they feel better about themselves now being stuck at a red light or behind 65 other cars queueing, and laugh at their stupidity, they either get physically aggressive or, in lesser circumstances, actually ram me off the road.


They're in a protective metal fucking box, so yeah, I'll take all the priority in the world to keep me safe at work and earn a basic living.
I do not agree with cyclists by and large taking liberties, but also motorists get away with actual murder for the sake of being a bit more entitled than they could be.
Want a level playing field?

Treat some vulnerable road users with a touch of compassion.


Cycling Mikey ambushes the Fucktards.. Their arrogance is breathtaking..

https://www.youtube.com/c/cyclingmikey
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Fat Angry Scotsman
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PostPosted: 13:58 - 26 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

st3v3 wrote:
I'm a bicycle courier by trade and alot of what normal cyclists do bugs me, but you have to consider why zero fucks are given about those things, what often forces it in the first place.

Wankers in cars.
Every day I deal with twats who turn without indicating, pull out without looking and force their way past at traffic islands.

So inevitably when I catch up to these fucktards and ask if they feel better about themselves now being stuck at a red light or behind 65 other cars queueing, and laugh at their stupidity, they either get physically aggressive or, in lesser circumstances, actually ram me off the road.


They're in a protective metal fucking box, so yeah, I'll take all the priority in the world to keep me safe at work and earn a basic living.
I do not agree with cyclists by and large taking liberties, but also motorists get away with actual murder for the sake of being a bit more entitled than they could be.
Want a level playing field?

Treat some vulnerable road users with a touch of compassion.


Is this not a bit of a cyclic argument or am I reading it wrong?

Basically you cycle like a cunt because people in cars drive like a cunt? So, from the perspective of the cunt driving the car you are cycling like a cunt so he can then drive like a cunt and so on.
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st3v3
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PostPosted: 14:42 - 26 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fat Angry Scotsman wrote:

Is this not a bit of a cyclic argument or am I reading it wrong?

Basically you cycle like a cunt because people in cars drive like a cunt? So, from the perspective of the cunt driving the car you are cycling like a cunt so he can then drive like a cunt and so on.
Reading it wrong.

I didn't say how I ride, I said you have to consider why most nobheads on bikes (of all ages and backgrounds) ride that way.

Our bikes advertise the businesses we deliver for, isn't good practice to behave like a tit when it's so easily traceable. If a driver creates a situation then that's different.

@ Stinkwheel interested in legislation for that?
I firmly believe motorbikes are the best of both worlds, you get to filter past all the traffic and make good progress wherever you go.
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Fat Angry Scotsman
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PostPosted: 15:30 - 26 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

st3v3 wrote:
Reading it wrong.

I didn't say how I ride, I said you have to consider why most nobheads on bikes (of all ages and backgrounds) ride that way.


Fair enough, I thought I might have been misinterpreting it.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 15:31 - 26 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

st3v3 wrote:


@ Stinkwheel interested in legislation for that?

There is none.

It'll be covered by one of the Road traffic signs and directions regulations. Effectively, it's illegal to cross the stop line when a traffic light is on red. Doesn't matter what vehicle you are in/on, cyclists don't have an exemption to stopping at the line on red lights.

Properly designed advance stop boxes have a section of cycle lane leading into them which passes through the stop line. Improperly designed ones do not.

The only way to legally enter an advance stop when the light is on red is if you ride a bicycle along a section of cycle lane leading into it. If you cross the stop line on red, you are committing an offence.

So one like this is just as illegal for cyclists to enter on a red light as it is on a car.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tp3O8Ed6fGQ/WN50YQ_mJoI/AAAAAAAAFP0/4ljztu6xLwoSQYNnQvpclO4aNdkl3RF7QCLcB/s1600/ASL%2B%2528Palestra%2529.jpg
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 15:48 - 26 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should see some of the cycle lanes in Cambridge:D

Dropped pin
https://maps.app.goo.gl/vVXcqmtJBhvH29L37
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st3v3
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PostPosted: 21:15 - 26 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
st3v3 wrote:


@ Stinkwheel interested in legislation for that?

There is none.

It'll be covered by one of the Road traffic signs and directions regulations
Then how would it be prosecuted for?

If it couldn't be, pettiness aside, then it isn't illegal.
Cyclists are meant to go beyond the first line that's why it's an Advanced Stopping Line?


Another perspective I forgot to cover in my first reply about the cyclic argument is that at the end of the day a cyclist has no protection, nobody in a vehicle should be aggressive towards them to begin with so the changes are overdue.
By all means wind your window down and be a bit shouty but to close pass them near a traffic island or deliberately park in a bike box is plain nasty/vindictive IMHO says you don't deserve the privilege of driving.
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Last edited by st3v3 on 21:29 - 26 Jan 2022; edited 2 times in total
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Nobby the Bastard
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PostPosted: 21:23 - 26 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

st3v3 wrote:
Then how would it be prosecuted for?



stinkwheel wrote:

It'll be covered by one of the Road traffic signs and directions regulations

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st3v3
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PostPosted: 21:34 - 26 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nobby the Bastard wrote:
...

Mmmm

Through both the 1st & 2nd lockdown I was physically rammed, spat at, pushed off my bike after a fella got out his car and realised shouting didn't scare me plus once had a half eaten pear thrown in my face all by different drivers because I had the sheer audacity to either filter to the front and use a bike box - or in the case of the pear being thrown, went around a car because the moron driving it was so distracted on his phone (an offence in itself) that he hadn't seen the lights change. He saw me go by on his offside and decided to drag race ahead, then slam on, wind the window down to call me a C*, at which point I shouted "I bet your mother is so proud" before he sped off again, threw the pear he was chomping through at my face. In the middle of a global pandemic.
He is lucky I didn't catch back up to him, he wouldn't have had a window left to roll down.

There's lots of situations I don't agree with through the changes, some stuff wasn't broken enough to need changing but some of it definitely is.

Another perspective I forgot to cover in my first reply about the cyclic argument is that at the end of the day a cyclist has no protection, nobody in a vehicle should be aggressive towards them to begin with some changes are overdue.
By all means wind your window down and be a bit shouty but to close pass them near a traffic island or deliberately park in a bike box is plain nasty/vindictive IMHO says you don't deserve the privilege of driving.

Another example of how broken the system can be is Katie Price, how many times has she been caught driving while she shouldn't be and still got away with it?
It's an institutional problem, yeah some cyclists can be tossers but overall they can't do alot of damage...
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 00:58 - 27 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

st3v3 wrote:
Then how would it be prosecuted for?

If it couldn't be, pettiness aside, then it isn't illegal.
Cyclists are meant to go beyond the first line that's why it's an Advanced Stopping Line?


What I meant by "there isn't any" is that there simply isn't any legislation exempting cyclists from the requirement to stop at the stop line on a red light unless they entered the advance stop via a cycle lane. Many advance stop boxes do not have a cycle lane. Even more cyclists don't use it to enter them when one is present.

So if you want actual chapter and verse, it's:

Section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. which makes it an offence to fail to comply with a road sign:
Quote:
Where a traffic sign, being a sign—

(a)of the prescribed size, colour and type, or

(b)of another character authorised by the [F2relevant authority] under the provisions in that behalf of the M1Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984,

has been lawfully placed on or near a road, a person driving or propelling a vehicle who fails to comply with the indication given by the sign is guilty of an offence.



The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002

section 10 which lists the signs (including red lights) applying to S36 RTA.

TSRGD regs Section 36 which requires you to stop at a red light.
Quote:

The significance of the light signals prescribed by regulations 33, 34 and 35 shall be as follows—

(a)subject to sub-paragraph (b) and, where the red signal is shown at the same time as the green arrow signal, to sub-paragraphs (f) and (g), the red signal shall convey the prohibition that vehicular traffic shall not proceed beyond the stop line;


TSRGD regs Section 43 (My emphasis. which prohibits you moving beyond the stop line on a stop signal.
Quote:
(2) Where the road marking shown in diagram 1001.2 has been placed in conjunction with light signals, “stop line” in relation to those light signals means—

(a)the first stop line, in the case of a vehicle (other than a pedal cycle proceeding in the cycle lane) which has not proceeded beyond that line; or

(b)the second stop line, in the case of a vehicle which has proceeded beyond the first stop line or of a pedal cycle proceeding in the cycle lane.

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yen_powell
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PostPosted: 10:53 - 27 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:



The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002


That's gone, we are blessed with the TSRGD 2016 now. I still use my 2002 book because I can flick through it and find a sign easily (it's in number order). The 2016 regs is half portrait, half landscape and in a weird order, it's really awkward to use.
https://tsrgd.co.uk/pdf/tsrgd/tsrgd2016.pdf
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Fat Angry Scotsman
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PostPosted: 13:06 - 27 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think there is a small number of cuntish cyclists, I think the vast majority are cuntish cyclists. In almost every single case I see a cyclist they will go through a red light or go up onto the pavement and use cycle across the pedestrian crossing.

Then again, I do take the point on board that they are very vulnerable and people should be giving them space, etc. I find it extremely hard to disagree with that and think they should be respected as road users. It's a two-way street though.

I think the crux of the matter is that all parties involved: are cunts. If you act like a cunt: you'll be treated like a cunt. If you look like a cunt: people will think you're a cunt.

We see this in motorcycling, where some people just outright fucking hate motorcyclists. It's not you in particular they hate, it's what you represent that they hate. You're not the specific motorcyclist that woke them up by blazing down the street with your loud can in the early hours, you're not the specific motorcyclist that fucked their wife because she's bored of them: but you are a motorcyclist nonetheless. You're an object that hate can be projected on as opposed to an individual human being.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 13:43 - 27 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

yen_powell wrote:
stinkwheel wrote:



The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002


That's gone, we are blessed with the TSRGD 2016 now. I still use my 2002 book because I can flick through it and find a sign easily (it's in number order). The 2016 regs is half portrait, half landscape and in a weird order, it's really awkward to use.
https://tsrgd.co.uk/pdf/tsrgd/tsrgd2016.pdf


Interesting. The governments official online highway code still references the 2002 regs. Despite having just been "updated".
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yen_powell
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PostPosted: 17:41 - 27 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:

Interesting. The governments official online highway code still references the 2002 regs. Despite having just been "updated".
The new regs relax a lot of stuff. Getting out of yellow box junction tickets because they weren't set out properly has gone, getting out of parking tickets in bays because the line type is incorrect has gone.

I've got a printed copy and as I say, I still use the 2002 book for day to day stuff and just double check in the 2016 afterwards, it's a clusterfuck of a book.

The Traffic Signs Manual books (Chapter 1-8ish) that explains the 2016 regs and best practice didn't come out till quite recently in most cases. Chapter 5 which covered road markings and zebra crossing got updated in 2019 but now minus zebra crossings. Took me a while to find out there was a new Chapter 6 which had them in, that is all about signalled crossings and junctions and they have slipped zebras in there.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 07:33 - 28 Jan 2022    Post subject: Re: Highway code changes, cars and cyclists Reply with quote

UncleBFester wrote:
So a min gap of 1.5m must be maintained when overtaking them. They can now legally be 2 abreast too.

Does anyone else wonder how that works if you are halfway past a line of parked cars and the lycra brigade then force their way through.

No gap available of 1.5M available. Do you then have to reverse back to a suitable point....

I foresee comedy carnage with the new powers bestowed on them giving them the 100% option to be dead right.

Any number of scenarios spring to mind where they will now insist on their legal right being enforced.

If I'm on the bike it's no bother but around the narrow leafy lanes of Hertfordshire the Tour De Twat are going to be a nightmare for cars.


It's never been illegal to ride two abreast.

The import point to know amd remember is that cyclists ride two abreast to help reduce the time and distance overtaking vehicles need to pass.

That is for safety and helps reduce delays to faster traffic.

If a peloton of 4 or more bikes moved in single file it's the same length as an articulated truck or bus.
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st3v3
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PostPosted: 15:10 - 31 Jan 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:


TSRGD regs Section 43 (My emphasis. which prohibits you moving beyond the stop line on a stop signal.
[(2) Where the road marking shown in diagram 1001.2 has been placed in conjunction with light signals, “stop line” in relation to those light signals means—

(a)the first stop line, in the case of a vehicle (other than a pedal cycle proceeding in the cycle lane) which has not proceeded beyond that line;]
Most of legislation is framed in what's mutually reasonable, so an advanced stopping line as in your pic to me says, regardless of the no preceeding cycle lane, it is reasonable to expect a cyclist to filter for and stop in that box. The stop line for the cyclist is the advanced one, not the initial marked out for vehicles, evidenced by the big green square and painted bike symbol.

If a cop ticketed me for using that or a cager hit me in it I'd be taking it as far legally as money/lawyer intelligence allowed.


I do appreciate that legislation and case law is always lightyears behind innovation and changes, that is partly why this mess between road users occurs at all.

Fat Angry Scotsman wrote:


I think the crux of the matter is that all parties involved: are cunts. If you act like a cunt: you'll be treated like a cunt. If you look like a cunt: people will think you're a cunt.

We see this in motorcycling, where some people just outright fucking hate motorcyclists. It's not you in particular they hate, it's what you represent that they hate.....but you are a motorcyclist nonetheless. You're an object that hate can be projected on as opposed to an individual human being.
Exactly this.


I spent 10 years driving cars and riding bikes daily before I lost my licence, the 2 years I didn't have one were a massive refresher on what being stuck on a bicycle between thoughtless idiots in metal weapons was like. I think all drivers should have an annual cycling proficiency session, or at the very least a moped CBT.
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 16:08 - 31 Jan 2022    Post subject: Re: Highway code changes, cars and cyclists Reply with quote

MCN wrote:
UncleBFester wrote:
So a min gap of 1.5m must be maintained when overtaking them. They can now legally be 2 abreast too.

Does anyone else wonder how that works if you are halfway past a line of parked cars and the lycra brigade then force their way through.

No gap available of 1.5M available. Do you then have to reverse back to a suitable point....

I foresee comedy carnage with the new powers bestowed on them giving them the 100% option to be dead right.

Any number of scenarios spring to mind where they will now insist on their legal right being enforced.

If I'm on the bike it's no bother but around the narrow leafy lanes of Hertfordshire the Tour De Twat are going to be a nightmare for cars.


It's never been illegal to ride two abreast.

The import point to know amd remember is that cyclists ride two abreast to help reduce the time and distance overtaking vehicles need to pass.

That is for safety and helps reduce delays to faster traffic.

If a peloton of 4 or more bikes moved in single fil

e it's the same length as an articulated truck or bus.


You a real fungi lol

They aren't in 2s and 4s around here, more like 20s and 40s and whether they are 2, 3 abreast or strung out like pants on a line matters not. They do 35 ish almost everywhere but uphill and then they string out even further.

The volume of them some days you need escorts and closed roads.

They are a blight on the freedom of movement of every other road user.
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 08:24 - 02 Feb 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

What i don't get is the mentality of those who ride in the dark, be it at night or very early mornings.

When i was a nipper, bike lights were total dogshit.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/marty_light_hist.html sums it up. MY first lightd were dynamo powered with a pair of

https://cdn-0.sheldonbrown.com/images/berec-lights-sm.jpg

Added as backups. Utter utter shite and the batteries lasted no time at all.

These days with those Cateye things with their LEDS and 8 hour batteries that can see for 20 miles, i can't understand for the life of me why folk don't use them.

Seen another handful this morning, no lights on or a front, or a rear only and no hi Vis or reflectors on either the pedals or the wheels. More reason than ever for a good dashcam so when you do mash one of these pondscum into the tarmac you can prove that you really had no chance of seeing them wobbling along in the middle of the road as is their right.

Which brings me on to the next issue, those that DO use LED lights seem to have a penchant for using the ones with no directional beam ..... all you have is this bright blinding glob of a Neutron star coming towards you. Bike and rider invisible behind it.

https://bikelightdatabase.com/beamshots/#left%5Bmode%5D=87&left%5Blight%5D=creeu2genericlight&right%5Bmode%5D=72&right%5Blight%5D=tsl1200 shows pretty well what some of the best and worst do in terms of beam pattern.

No rules, No regulations and no one to regulate the ones there are. What we are left with is Darwinism.

If cycling is so good for you and saves you so much money on not running a car, why would you not invest some of that money saved into saving your life.

Or an even better idea, buy a new bike? Compulsory purchase and fitment of lights as part of that sale. Discount it if you have to - even something basic would do. At least it would level the odds out.

Compulsory bar end mirror on the right bar would be sensible too - then they don't have to 'rely on spidey sense' to see what is coming. I can't imagine being on the road without one. I always had one fitted, almost 30 years later i can't believe they're not mandatory.
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ThunderGuts
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PostPosted: 09:45 - 02 Feb 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Reading this thread with a lot of interest as I cycle commute in and out of Manchester regularly (it was 5 days a week, but I'm running some days instead now).

So, let's get a few quick summaries out of the way first;

1) The changes to the HC I think are fine and aren't radically changing anything for the most part, instead are increasing emphasis and accountability. I'm all for that. Let's not forget as motorcyclists we benefit from the hierarchy too, although whether it happens in practice is another matter.

2) Let's get away from "some cyclists are idiots", "some car drivers are idiots" etc. etc. - the correct phrase is "some people are idiots". It doesn't have any particular bearing on what mode of transport they use and these people probably exhibit idiotic behaviour in all sorts of inventive ways. Yes the weekend lycra brigade can be a "special breed", but I really wouldn't be surprised if they're idiotic drivers too (and the vast majority of them will drive, probably leased Audi estates).

3) Perception is distorted as humans are naturally subjective; we will be particularly enraged by extreme examples and progressively more nonchalant of behaviour which doesn't affect us. So we will vividly remember the 3 total idiots we came across but if we saw 20 well-behaved cyclists we would probably forget them in minutes or even seconds. The same way we remember a lunatic who overtook in a dangerous place and could probably name the make, model and colour, but probably couldn't remember the vehicle we spent all the time behind on the rest of the journey.

My perspective is as a cyclist I seem to be at the receiving end of a lot of dangerous driving. I'd probably say most of it is actually unintentional and is actually borne out of ignorance, either people unaware of how big their vehicles are or how fast they're going, or possibly just not familiar with how close "close" is. Some drivers however are genuinely aggressive and this behaviour I think is appalling given the potential consequences of their actions. Such behaviour to another car might result in a bump, but to a cyclist it could cause serious injury or worse. Other than possibly gesticulating when I have been at the receiving end of some dangerous behaviour, I otherwise don't interact with other vehicles other than how you would expect, e.g. signalling, thanking when being waved into the next lane (e.g. to pass a stopped bus, and I make a point of recognising and thanking courtesy as I think positive reinforcement is important). I follow the rules as I believe it's the right thing to do just much as because it's the law.

My perspective as a motorcyclist is basically the same as the above, but I tend to find events occur less frequently, but that's probably because I'm flowing with the traffic at the same speed so will interact with far fewer vehicles in a given journey than as a cyclist. I do try to be a bit more "zen" as a motorcyclist too but I think that's easier than if you're on bicycle.

Bottom line is all road users need to respect each other's weaknesses and circumstances; be it giving sufficient room to overtake a cyclist, or not cutting up a HGV struggling to climb a hill. Let's hope that the idiotic cyclists don't let the new HC go to their head.
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ThunderGuts
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PostPosted: 09:50 - 02 Feb 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

UncleBFester wrote:
What i don't get is the mentality of those who ride in the dark, be it at night or very early mornings.

......

Or an even better idea, buy a new bike? Compulsory purchase and fitment of lights as part of that sale. Discount it if you have to - even something basic would do. At least it would level the odds out.

Compulsory bar end mirror on the right bar would be sensible too - then they don't have to 'rely on spidey sense' to see what is coming. I can't imagine being on the road without one. I always had one fitted, almost 30 years later i can't believe they're not mandatory.


Not so sure on the mirror idea (might work on some bikes, but on my commuter with 120psi narrow tyres it'd be shaking/vibrating so much it'd be useless), but I think we should adopt the German/Dutch approach to bicycling lighting; most bikes have dynamos (which are effective these days) with LED lights. They are bright enough to see by, have a proper shaped beam pattern so don't dazzle and aren't easy to steal either (and if everyone has them, the motivation for stealing drops a bit too). I am a big fan personally, have dynamo lighting on three bikes and it's fantastic. Fully agree the off-road (and they are marketed as such) battery LED lights are not suitable for road use; you either point them right in front of you to avoid the dazzle but then can't see anything, or point them up and they cause dazzle. Their beam pattern is to illuminate trees/branches on off-road paths, hence why you want a cone of light rather than a "letterbox". It's not appropriate for the road.
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 10:19 - 02 Feb 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yup. I just can't my head about not making some stuff mandatory when it's clearly a safety issue. If you're going to give the vulnerable higher priority at least make them visible.

As for those off road dome pattern lights, i reckon some folk just buy the highest lumen output they can find cos 'brighter is better innit'.

As for enforcing it .... given that there's about 18 coppers for the whole of Herts ........ it's going to take a few Dashcam captured Darwin moments for things to change.

Can't wait for spring so i can get back on the motorbike.
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A100man
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PostPosted: 10:41 - 02 Feb 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

ThunderGuts wrote:
Reading this thread with a lot of interest as I cycle commute in and out of Manchester regularly (it was 5 days a week, but I'm running some days instead now).

So, let's get a few quick summaries out of the way first;

1) The changes to the HC I think are fine and aren't radically changing anything for the most part, instead are increasing emphasis and accountability. I'm all for that. Let's not forget as motorcyclists we benefit from the hierarchy too, although whether it happens in practice is another matter.

2) Let's get away from "some cyclists are idiots", "some car drivers are idiots" etc. etc. - the correct phrase is "some people are idiots". It doesn't have any particular bearing on what mode of transport they use and these people probably exhibit idiotic behaviour in all sorts of inventive ways. Yes the weekend lycra brigade can be a "special breed", but I really wouldn't be surprised if they're idiotic drivers too (and the vast majority of them will drive, probably leased Audi estates).

3) Perception is distorted as humans are naturally subjective; we will be particularly enraged by extreme examples and progressively more nonchalant of behaviour which doesn't affect us. So we will vividly remember the 3 total idiots we came across but if we saw 20 well-behaved cyclists we would probably forget them in minutes or even seconds. The same way we remember a lunatic who overtook in a dangerous place and could probably name the make, model and colour, but probably couldn't remember the vehicle we spent all the time behind on the rest of the journey.

My perspective is as a cyclist I seem to be at the receiving end of a lot of dangerous driving. I'd probably say most of it is actually unintentional and is actually borne out of ignorance, either people unaware of how big their vehicles are or how fast they're going, or possibly just not familiar with how close "close" is. Some drivers however are genuinely aggressive and this behaviour I think is appalling given the potential consequences of their actions. Such behaviour to another car might result in a bump, but to a cyclist it could cause serious injury or worse. Other than possibly gesticulating when I have been at the receiving end of some dangerous behaviour, I otherwise don't interact with other vehicles other than how you would expect, e.g. signalling, thanking when being waved into the next lane (e.g. to pass a stopped bus, and I make a point of recognising and thanking courtesy as I think positive reinforcement is important). I follow the rules as I believe it's the right thing to do just much as because it's the law.

My perspective as a motorcyclist is basically the same as the above, but I tend to find events occur less frequently, but that's probably because I'm flowing with the traffic at the same speed so will interact with far fewer vehicles in a given journey than as a cyclist. I do try to be a bit more "zen" as a motorcyclist too but I think that's easier than if you're on bicycle.

Bottom line is all road users need to respect each other's weaknesses and circumstances; be it giving sufficient room to overtake a cyclist, or not cutting up a HGV struggling to climb a hill. Let's hope that the idiotic cyclists don't let the new HC go to their head.


Agreed - 100%. Thumbs Up
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ThunderGuts
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PostPosted: 15:55 - 02 Feb 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

UncleBFester wrote:

As for those off road dome pattern lights, i reckon some folk just buy the highest lumen output they can find cos 'brighter is better innit'.


It's interesting actually; I have a 1200 lumen mountain bike light which is very bright, but my 2.4W dynamo light actually lights up the ground better. Sure, for actual mountain biking the dynamo light would be unsuitable as there's no illumination above the horizon (at all!), but it goes to show putting a moderate amount of light in the right place is far more effective than just throwing thousands of lumens out randomly.
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 16:37 - 02 Feb 2022    Post subject: Reply with quote

See i think some of this stuff has reached an intensity / brightness where regulation for the road needs to exist and be published like all the HC updates.

There's at least 3 folk i see on the way to work in the dark who are clearly using off road lamps.
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