Folling on from that was close,how not to ride a bike!

Cyclists jumping red lights ! surely not
Not having a go at you personally Blue but.
Wankers like these cause mayhem on the streets of london every day....riding around like loons with no insurance or road tax expecting sympathy when they come a cropper
saw a dead one down the old kent road on Weds who was crushed under a lorry trailer after trying to weave through traffic like a bat out of hell.....not a pretty sight but his own stupid fault.
last thing we need is you tube glorifying this kind of behaviour. IMHO

Totally agree Scotty

What really surprised me Scotty/Julian was only the cabbie at the end tried to mow one of them down!

quote:

Originally posted by Blueknowz:
What really surprised me Scotty/Julian was only the cabbie at the end tried to mow one of them down!

Shame he didn't

Scotty

This video did the rounds a few weeks ago and there were a couple of threads at the time so my comments are already out there, however since you 'saw a dead one' did that mean that you came across the poor soul dead or did you see the accident?

just wondering.

james

I arrived just after the accident happened and was caught up in the aftermath of traffic.
The police came quickly and covered the body with a blanket a passer by who saw it told me that the cyclist put himself in a suicidal position by trying to squeeze through a gap between the railings and the trailer but was going too fast to react. I felt sorry for the lorry driver who was distraught. this is the second cyclist death that i have seen on the old kent road in recent years.
They seem oblivious to the dangers of lorry trailers in particular and the fact that they have no protection around them like car/van drivers do.

Hi Scotty

As I say my veiws on the fools that jump red lights have been expressed elsewhere. As it happens I cycle into and out of London on the Old Kent Road every day and depending on what time you do it, it can be a nightmare. Early rush hour in is pretty safe, any later difficult. Rush hour full stop on the way out is dangerous.

One of the worst points is the traffic lights at Tesco on the corner of the park. Here, I am regularly 'raced' to the next turning on the way out by a driver who wants to beat me and turn right. Why, only because they think they can accelerate and then slow down ahead of me to turn. They usually can't, its not far enough. All that happens is that they may be just ahead of me, a matter of feet, and its me that has to brake to save myself. And that's if they indicate, and many don't. Many many drivers seem to think that indicating should occur within metres of a junction rather than as an indication to other road users that they are about to do something. I cannot tell you how often that a driver will turn in front of me or change lanes or pull out of a side road in front of me without indicating in a day.

Earlier this year there were some 3 deaths in london of cyclists crushed against railing on corners, not because they were undertaking a truck but because the truck didn't look, overtook them and crushed them against the railings.

It has almost happened to me by both trucks and buses as I am sure it has almost happened to most cyclists!

I suppose my point here is that while cyclists who jump lights and weave etc are fxxxwits , they kill themselves. ( and I absolutely take your point about the poor driver too). But I regularly have to save myself because of a motorist. Their 'mistake' will kill me and just leave a scratch on their car and that seriously pixxxs me off. I know I am not alone.

Just wanted to redress the balence on the thread a little here. Any death, nevermind injury, is immensely sad but from my experience I they are not usually caused by the antics of the cyclist however foolish.

(And no I don't like the video or think they are in any way clever)

atb
james

It is exactly the kind of cycle riding that causes motorists to tar all bike riders with the same brush, and so have no respect for them. And I can't blame them.

It not only makes the roads less safe for those using them at the same time as these a******s, but makes it more dangerous for those who try to ride a bike responsibly.

I've probably posted this thought before but I also cycle through London, including daily commuting. The success of cycle to work schemes has greatly increased the number of cyclists, particularly as the weather becomes milder and daylight hours increase. Along with this I have noticed that at certain times of the day junctions become swamped by cyclists and the railings are now endangering more people than they are protecting. when a large vehicle pulls in/ turns left, there is nowhere for cyclists to go and I suspect that the novices suffer particularly in not being able to read the junctions as well.

The sooner that all junction railings are removed, the better - I'm sure it would greatly increase survival rates for the average commuter. The authorities have started doing this, just wish they'd accelerate the programme.

Loons will always find a way to self destruct.

Peter

I used to ride a motorbike until it got too dangerous. people just were not seeing me) then i rode a cycle for a time which was even more dangerous due to the fact that i had no power to get me out of trouble.
I now drive a van and a car and have my class 1 hgv licence but am always looking and thinking .....BIKE !
The trouble is that lots of drivers now drive on auto pilot not paying enough attention sometimes even on the phone or putting on make-up etc.
I feel very sorry for cyclists in London...i really do but some not ALL ask for trouble.

quote:

Originally posted by lutyens:
I suppose my point here is that while cyclists who jump lights and weave etc are fxxxwits , they kill themselves.

You may well be right that riding like an idiot increases the risk but it is actually car and truck drivers that overwhelmingly kill cyclists (and themselves).

I've said it before on here, but motorists tragically continue to demonstrate that it is they who are unable to use the roads safely.

Hi Winky

exactly, see my next sentence.

but fxxxwit motorists doesn't excuse fxxxwit cyclists. Or vice versa.

lol
james

Agree James. I wasn't arguing with you but rather just picking a point up to link. Takes all types, eh?....

Sorry Winky............I said it was past my bedtime

james