Britain's Embracing The Bike, Apparently!

[David Lombari]

http://www.independent.co.uk/

[Dan B]

[url]http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article656400.ece[/url]

Interesting read - but a lot like the usual filler, just with new stats and sound bites.

I would jump out of my seat for something like "A23 inside the M25 to be cycle-only, closed to motorists".

[Dan B]

I like the referenced Nigel Havers article better!

[quote]"The Independent"In an otherwise uncontroversial interview about the treasures of the National Trust, the 56-year-old was asked what he would like people to take more notice of. He replied: "Cyclists who jump red lights and ride on pavements because they're all bastards."

[David Lombari]

Don't want to open up a big can of worms again but it's got to the stage where I'm braking at a red light and am concerned about how many bikes are going to shunt me from behind.

It's really getting to be a pain and could get dangerous if the expectation of a following vehicle, be it car or bike, is for a cyclist to keep going rather than stop.

I make the required hand signal for stopping but I think that's lost on a lot of cyclists.

[adrian]

"Speaking from his car on a mobile phone, he said: 'I absolutely hate cyclists (...) they must obey the rules.'" Priceless. Kn**head.

These days I seem to have more run-ins with other cyclists than with motorists (not that they're becoming any more enlightened - see above). Got a b***ocking the other day from a guy because I didn't leave him enough room to undertake me (at speed) at a red light. Sheeeesh - the things you see when you're not carrying your flamethrower.

[Dan B]

Hands up: I did ride on the pavement yesterday. It was on the road up to Pebble Coombe, where it's pretty narrow, and I had traffic coming the other way and a very timid Merc on my rear wheel. Those of you who know it, no pedestrians ... I bunny-hopped off, rode a bit until the Merc gratefully overtook, and back on again.

There are exceptions, but I don't make it a rule to ignore the rules.

David - I get a kick out of watching d*ckheads roll through while I'm stopped in their path. I've had a couple try to barge through while I'm between cars on the white line! "Exactly why should I move again? Are you the Queen of Sheba?"

Mind you, motorcyclists have tried the same thing, and get up my nose when they sit all over the green bike area at lights. But they tend on the whole to be quite sane. And they stop.

Don't get me started on scooters. Nasty, dirty things with, for the most part, clueless operators.