Laura007 Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 .............never have a bell, or some sort of "move out of the way im behind you" device on there bikes??? the amount of times just lately i have had a cyclist up my bottom and all you can here is them tutting and blowing trying to get by. im on the pavemant for goodness sake. why is not compulsary to have one fitted on your bike? sorry to all the bike riders out there. but............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Ooooo how annoying, especially when they should be on the road. When I get tutting and huffing and puffing, it tends to slow me down (and I am usually pushing a pushchair!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I do that sometimes. hehe sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Funnily enough Laura, this happened today, on a wide enough pavement which I would happily share with cyclists, but didn't realise there was one behind me. So, I thought, oh, I'd have moved if they'd rung their bell. Then, I thought, you don't hear them often, but we always did years back, as a warning. Then, I thought, yes, but if he had rung his bell, wouldn't we just think, "Don't be impatient, don't you dare ring that bell at me, get off your bike, get off the pavement..." I'd love to see more safe cycling provision. St. Albans has just had a town cwntre enhancement costing over 5m & rising, on a 1.2m plan.... It included a token bike lane, in between a bus lane & the main traffic, in the same space that was there for just 2 lanes before! It was too narrow for a bike, the buses over hang the bus lane, which left them in the cycle lane. Being too narrow (less than a bike width ) it was taken out again, and County blamed the residents of St.Albans "because they wanted a bus lane, so we gave them one". You couldn't make it up could you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 being a bike rider and a runner I can understand both points of view! Bikes on pavement are a bad idea, dangerous for both rider and walker but as Sheila mentioned lots of councils put cycle lanes in the dumbest places, many in gutters pot holed left over bits of road. Then wonder why people dont use them! I personally try not to use the pavement when I'm on my bike but on some roads like dual carriageways you really are taking your life in your hands. I've had countless crashes caused by drivers simply not seeing me in the road and pulling out on me. Apprently as I found out on my new bike all new bikes must have reflectors and bells by law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I want to know why club cyclists think it's fine to cycle four abreast on narrow country lanes The temptation to poke a sharp stick out of the window............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I want to know why club cyclists think it's fine to cycle four abreast on narrow country lanes The temptation to poke a sharp stick out of the window............ Weeeeeeee, heeeeeeee, heeeeeeee I am always tempted to pinch bums as I pass cyclists on the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Well, Paola, that had never occurred to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I get so annoyed that it never occurred to me either There's that advert where a woman whacks a cyclist with a big wet fish - now that sounds like fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Big wet fish? I've never seen that advert! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Probably just as well Martin................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Probably! HeHe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Hmm. I got hit by a mad old lady about two months ago. I managed to avoid hitting her car with my bike, but my (unhelmeted) head dented her front wing. Her insurers sent me a bill last week for £1000. for a dent. that wasn't my fault. This makes me cross. I do have a bell, but I never ride on the pavement. But another cyclist nearly killed me running a red light and then shouted at me, so I'm not fond of cyclists either. rant done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I'm a cyclist in Oxford, and take my life in my hands every time I venture out on the road. And, I don't cycle on the pavement, but there are a number of shared bike / walking routes round here. It's difficult to know what to do when pedestrians are ahead - like someone said, ringing the bell can also sound rather agressive and can cause the walker to jump the wrong way. So I slow right down and say "excuse me" if they don't notice. And for those of you who want to push cyclists over when you are in your cars, I'm afraid someone got there first "Series of attacks as cyclists pushed off their bikes" http://archive.oxfordmail.net/2006/6/29/98704.html not funny, imo Best wishes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Drives me mad too - but my brand new bike does have a little bell fitted. I remember a paper or programme that was looking for the most stupid cycle lanes in the uk - like 50cm bit of road painted red etc. It annoy's me that people huff and puff behind you when you're walking but I treat them like I did the man in the 5 series bmw this week in the outside lane...when he FLASHED at me to move out of his way...I was doing 90 so slowed to 60mph in seconds - well I thought something was wrong when he flashed like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I want to know why club cyclists think it's fine to cycle four abreast on narrow country lanes Yes, I get that too Lesley! They won't let me pass them and when I eventually manage to (after about 2 miles!), they all glare at me as if I am totally outrageous and shouldn't be on the road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 That makes me irate too Ginette. If I remember rightly, there's something in the highway code about doing that. At least I htink it was mentioned when I did my cycling proficiency about 35 years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I agree, but then I did mine at the same time! I thought you were allowed to ride in twos but only if there was nothing trying to pass you. It's standard road practice to give way to other users, isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I teach cycling proficiency at my children's primary, and as far as I know 2 abreast is OK until something needs to pass, then single file. karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 That's right. So they should've given you room Ginette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 And that means that what we learnt, all those years ago, still stands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 What gets me is that the people who do that are usually the ones who moan about a lack of respect from drivers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Yes, you are so right Clare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken on a mission Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Where I live we have loads of cycle paths because of the disused railway tracks. Unfortunately these do get shared with pedestrians which can be very dangerous if neither party takes any notice of which side is for whom. As for a bell, I don't have one because my voice does the job quite well for me and I would consider it rude to just ring a bell when a nice polite 'excuse me' is much better The council have also painted some of the wider roads with cycle paths but the roads have been resurfaced that many times that the drains at at the bottom of a deep hole What really annoys me is that on one main road we have a cycle lane painted at each side of the road, one on the path and another going the same route on a disused railway line. A bit much I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
