Cyclists see Roads from Lorry Drivers' Viewpoint

Dear Joe,

All I can do is lobby my Member of Parliament on the subject. When there are more cyclists then the lobbying will be stronger of course, and there are more cyclists every day. 

More cyclists on the road is particularly good for motorists as the motor traffic will decline in volume and so the journey times will improve. It is not cycles that cause the long queues in heavy traffic, but stationary cars and lorries!

On the issue of being a King, unfortunately only my first name is up to snuff for that!

ATB from George

PS: I do not believe that a helmet will help me one little bit if I am side-swiped by a car or lorry! And I am in no club and have no badges!

Dear Howard,

Some motorists are so hopeless that they even drive on the motorway the wrong way ... against the flow of traffic, so I suspect that no group of road users is entirely blame-free!

ATB from George

Dear Jota, 

Of course there are many outcomes that are possible and occasionally happen including a driver swerving to avaid a cyclist and subsequently crashing and dying.

But the statistics do tell the story quite well if you look them up.

For the UK there are comprehensive figures on injuries and deaths fo motorists and cyclists, which can easily be found on the imternt.

ATB from George

Dear Char,

I only visit the Forum so as to enjoy the joust, or sometimes just laugh out at loud funny things ...

I try not to take it to heart.  If I only make people have a thought that they otherwise might not, then it is worthwhile ....

The Carlton is the cycle equivalent to a very nice vintage sports car, and so I feel privileged to have one that I have rebuilt with the very best components of its day. Certainly it is not competitive in absolute speed, but it is fast, and surprisingly so. Surprises cars sometimes, who assume I am doing ten or fifteen mph., rather than perhaps twenty-five. I have done thirty on the flat [far more down hill of course], but have only managed twenty eight since the fractured tibia and consequent knee injury from being side swiped by a car. The best bit was I had no cut that bled!

Amazing really. The back wheel was ruined, and he so nearly missed hitting me at all, though it was a one heck of an impact.

The frame is still straight. Steel frames are amazingly resilient.

ATB from George

And what is "proper training" for cyclists?

This is another troll is it not?

Economics.

Society generally accepts Risks where the probability of a fatal error is less than ten to the power minus 7

Otherwise we wouldn't do much.

Where I live, cyclists occupy a disproportionate amount of Space/Time on the highway in the local town area. I wouldn't like to see any increase. They really do slow down the traffic, quite unecessarily.

You're joking, right?

How about you giving us your views on what would constitue proper training for cyclists ?

Those 800 or so cyclists thought this initiative in London was well worthwhile, but I don't imagine for one moment that any one of them felt it was a substitute for the sort of traing a motor cyclist undergoes.

I would start with something like a motorcycling course for push bikes.

But i'd welcome your constructive proposals

Nope.

Cyclists require no training proper or otherwise.

All that is necessary is for drivers, who kill many more cyclists than cyclists kill drivers, drive more carefully and patiently.

My constuctive proposal is that you stop "look at me!" trolling posts.

Classic. Absolute classic.

Where do you live? Sounds like paradise.

As impatient and uncaring motorists put my life at risk every day by squeezing past me where there isn't safe room to do so (just to save a few seconds), by pulling out on me through stop signs, by "right-hooking" me regularly, by speeding pretty much everywhere, by talking on their cell phones, by texting while driving etc.. I do wonder what training I might take to help me.

Well spotted.

Much of the time in the English countryside, the rest, about half way between Vernon and Kelowna.

Often seems like paradise to me.

We actually call our company in Vernon "Paradise Inn and Vacation Homes"

Perhaps "councelling" and a "bus pass" ? 

Don't feed the troll...

I've cycled reasonably extensively through the english countryside. I know Vernon/Kelowna area pretty well too. Neither is overrun with cyclists. Far from it. I'd often go out for a whole day in the Cotswolds and not really see another cyclist. I really don't know what you're talking about.

I've also sat in plenty of car traffic in the UK (both in and out of town). So much so that I wonder why anyone would choose to own a car.

I live to the east of Newbury. I work to the south west of Newbury, about 30 mailes away on the Hampshire/Wiltshire border. To get to work, the only practical means is by car.

I have a basic choice of two routes, the country lanes around Newbury or the roads through Newbury (none of which go through the town center which is more or less pedestrianised anyway). The rest of the route is a choice of country road or trunk road

I know from experience that the roads through Newbury have a significant number of cyclists. Each and every cyclist effectively blocks one of the two roads through Newbury by cycling at less than 10 mph with a stream of patient motorists behind him/her. The worst section is 1.5 miles long with no place for cyclists other than the road. This section takes 10 minutes to travel becuase of the cyclists. The other section sees cyclists on the footpaths or in the cycle-way (that death-trap that is marked out for them with a white line close to the kerb). Generally the traffic here moves at about 20 mph over this part which is also 1.5 long and takes 5 minutes.

I tend to take the country roads, rather than the town roads, simply because the journey is more picturesque, more relaxing and journey times are more predictable.

People working in or around Newbury don't really have a lot of choice and are therefore forced to travel to/from work at the speed of a few cyclists.

Now I know you're exaggerating.

Pot.

Kettle.

A really vauable first post in a thread about cycling.  Have you anything at all to say about the issue?

I actually really love using my bicycle. I have made choices throughout my life to minimise my need for a car and for driving (although we do have a family car).

Don circumstances may be special (and personally, I have never seen the bike plagues of which he talks), but in reality, the vast majority of frustration that motorists experience is caused by other motorists. They overwhelmingly hold each other up, run into each other, take each others' parking spots. Cyclists barely rate a mention.

Actually, no. In real terms (taking into account inflation) cars, tyres gas etc have never been better or cheaper. Insurance is pretty pricey, but that's because motorist keep crashing.

But what does any of this have to do with cyclists?

Including the few that have chosen to BE those cyclists.