Why is there so much animosity towards cyclists in Sheffield?

[InigoMontoya 10]

In my opinion, cyclists are a menace on the roads, yesterday, for the first time in years, i was approaching a cyclist from behind , he/she looked over the shoulder , acknoledged i was behind him/her and indicated with right arm to make a right turn. Hats off to that person.

 

yet so many times, especially when i commute to Stockport via castleton on a weekend, gangs of them, probably from a cycle club are riding two, sometimes 3 abreast and they will not single file to allow cars to pass , they know they have a huge queue of traffic behind them, but i have to wait sometime a couple of miles for a safe place to pass.

 

They know the problem they are causing, but because they are in a group, they have safety in numbers, if one wishes to remonstrate with them, they have back up from the rest of the group.

 

Do i like cyclists, No i do not, would i make them pay road tax? , no i would not. But if i was a police officer on patrol , i would pull up the whole group and deal with each individual for impeding the flow of traffic , if such a law exists in England.

 

They are "the traffic".

[JFKvsNixon 11]

In my opinion, cyclists are a menace on the roads, yesterday, for the first time in years, i was approaching a cyclist from behind , he/she looked over the shoulder , acknoledged i was behind him/her and indicated with right arm to make a right turn. Hats off to that person.

 

yet so many times, especially when i commute to Stockport via castleton on a weekend, gangs of them, probably from a cycle club are riding two, sometimes 3 abreast and they will not single file to allow cars to pass , they know they have a huge queue of traffic behind them, but i have to wait sometime a couple of miles for a safe place to pass.

 

They know the problem they are causing, but because they are in a group, they have safety in numbers, if one wishes to remonstrate with them, they have back up from the rest of the group.

 

Do i like cyclists, No i do not, would i make them pay road tax? , no i would not. But if i was a police officer on patrol , i would pull up the whole group and deal with each individual for impeding the flow of traffic , if such a law exists in England.

 

Read this thread again. When riding in groups the Highway Code suggests that it's safer for cyclists not to ride in single file, as it makes it easier for other road users to over take them.

 

The problem arrises from drivers that do not know the Highway Code getting all flustered and angry. Maybe a few refresher driving lessons might not only help you out, it may make the road a little safer for everyone?

[Eater Sundae 12]

In my opinion, cyclists are a menace on the roads, yesterday, for the first time in years, i was approaching a cyclist from behind , he/she looked over the shoulder , acknoledged i was behind him/her and indicated with right arm to make a right turn. Hats off to that person.

 

yet so many times, especially when i commute to Stockport via castleton on a weekend, gangs of them, probably from a cycle club are riding two, sometimes 3 abreast and they will not single file to allow cars to pass , they know they have a huge queue of traffic behind them, but i have to wait sometime a couple of miles for a safe place to pass.

 

They know the problem they are causing, but because they are in a group, they have safety in numbers, if one wishes to remonstrate with them, they have back up from the rest of the group.

 

Do i like cyclists, No i do not, would i make them pay road tax? , no i would not. But if i was a police officer on patrol , i would pull up the whole group and deal with each individual for impeding the flow of traffic , if such a law exists in England.

 

Re bib. This crops up over and over again, and has done so in the last couple of days on one of the current threads, probably this one. It's usually easier to safely overtake a short wide group than it is to overtake a long single file group, as you need less of a break in the oncoming traffic. The problem for cyclists in single file is that some motorists will try to squeeze past, in the face of oncoming traffic, instead of giving the cyclists a safe wide berth, or worse still, partially overtake and then try and merge in amongst the cycles in the face of oncoming traffic.

[mbarret 10]

Read this thread again. When riding in groups the Highway Code suggests that it's safer for cyclists not to ride in single file, as it makes it easier for other road users to over take them.

 

The problem arrises from drivers that do not know the Highway Code getting all flustered and angry. Maybe a few refresher driving lessons might not only help you out, it may make the road a little safer for everyone?

 

 

I am very capable of reading, my spelling might be a little dodgy, and i did read the tread completely, hence my points about the careful cyclist, being respectful and acknowledging other traffics presence.

 

I referred to comments about "should cyclists be taxed" , i put my opinion forward.

 

I have been a driver for 28 years now, passed first time , never had a motoring conviction and have full no claims comprehensive insurance. I also cycled in my younger days.

 

I do not need to read the highway code, i have been driving longer than most of these cyclists have been born, i suggest you read my previous post again, my main point, just to help you out, was my annoyance at the ignorance most cyclists have towards other road users.

 

I can assure you, that the only people who actually disagree with my comments, are cyclists themselves.

 

Rest assured, i shall not enter into further discussion with you, i have made my point and opinions clear, i have better things to do with my time.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

I am very capable of reading, my spelling might be a little dodgy, and i did read the tread completely, hence my points about the careful cyclist, being respectful and acknowledging other traffics presence.

 

I referred to comments about "should cyclists be taxed" , i put my opinion forward.

 

I have been a driver for 28 years now, passed first time , never had a motoring conviction and have full no claims comprehensive insurance. I also cycled in my younger days.

 

I do not need to read the highway code, i have been driving longer than most of these cyclists have been born, i suggest you read my previous post again, my main point, just to help you out, was my annoyance at the ignorance most cyclists have towards other road users.

 

I can assure you, that the only people who actually disagree with my comments, are cyclists themselves.

 

Rest assured, i shall not enter into further discussion with you, i have made my point and opinions clear, i have better things to do with my time.

 

So you have cyclists that follow the Highway Code, frustrating a driver that wants to overtake in way that breaks the highway code, and you believe that the cyclists are the ones at fault.

 

If that's your stance, it's probably for the best that we don't have any further discussion.

[Eater Sundae 12]

I am very capable of reading, my spelling might be a little dodgy, and i did read the tread completely, hence my points about the careful cyclist, being respectful and acknowledging other traffics presence.

 

I referred to comments about "should cyclists be taxed" , i put my opinion forward.

 

I have been a driver for 28 years now, passed first time , never had a motoring conviction and have full no claims comprehensive insurance. I also cycled in my younger days.

 

I do not need to read the highway code, i have been driving longer than most of these cyclists have been born, i suggest you read my previous post again, my main point, just to help you out, was my annoyance at the ignorance most cyclists have towards other road users.

 

I can assure you, that the only people who actually disagree with my comments, are cyclists themselves.

 

Rest assured, i shall not enter into further discussion with you, i have made my point and opinions clear, i have better things to do with my time.

 

Re bib. How do you keep up with changes in legislation?

[Cyclone 10]

I think we have gone over this a number of times Cyclone. As a proportion of the road users, Cyclists represent a tiny monitory of road users who flout the rules, but as a proportion of cyclists their number is far higher compared to other road users.

And I still say it's confirmation bias.

If you were actually looking for speeding cars you'd soon realise that nearly every motorists breaks the speed limit on nearly every journey.

 

On certain roads in Sheffield you can guarantee you will see over half the cyclist breaking the rules.

That would still be less than the motorists speeding then.

I'm all for segregating parts of the foot paths for cyclists, especially in areas where there cyclists have been injured.

If it's possible it's a good idea. Pedestrians seem to be incapable of staying off cycle paths next to footpaths.

 

---------- Post added 28-04-2015 at 11:43 ----------

 

The world does not stop and start in your eye line. I traverse Sheffield daily on my way to another city. I see cyclists all the time, and I see many, I would go as far as to say, the majority, break the rules on the roads I use. It is the exception to see a cyclist being patient and not just sailing through pedestrian crossings.

This is contrary to what most other people see. Which is why I believe it's confirmation bias.

 

That goes hand in hand with identification, so when they do break rules, their insurance goes up which will affect peoples behaviour in the same way it does with car drivers. It will also allow people redress when a cyclist has damaged their vehicle. I spoke with a pretty angry cyclists not so long ago who wanted to sow metal studs into his gloves so he could scratch cars that got in his way

You want to financially penalise all cyclists in order to punish the behaviour of a minority, who mostly put themselves at risk anyway.

And you don't care that this would actually make it more dangerous for all cyclists.

 

---------- Post added 28-04-2015 at 11:44 ----------

 

In my opinion, cyclists are a menace on the roads, yesterday, for the first time in years, i was approaching a cyclist from behind , he/she looked over the shoulder , acknoledged i was behind him/her and indicated with right arm to make a right turn. Hats off to that person.

 

yet so many times, especially when i commute to Stockport via castleton on a weekend, gangs of them, probably from a cycle club are riding two, sometimes 3 abreast and they will not single file to allow cars to pass , they know they have a huge queue of traffic behind them, but i have to wait sometime a couple of miles for a safe place to pass.

 

They know the problem they are causing, but because they are in a group, they have safety in numbers, if one wishes to remonstrate with them, they have back up from the rest of the group.

 

Do i like cyclists, No i do not, would i make them pay road tax? , no i would not. But if i was a police officer on patrol , i would pull up the whole group and deal with each individual for impeding the flow of traffic , if such a law exists in England.

 

Perhaps you should actually be aware of the law of the road as a motorist??? And after that the highway code? You're complaining about cycles taking up the same space that motor vehicles take up, you're in the wrong.

[mattleonard 10]

That goes hand in hand with identification, so when they do break rules, their insurance goes up which will affect peoples behaviour in the same way it does with car drivers.

 

Assuming identification works, and if there's actually a problem to be solved in terms of cyclists behaviour (which in most cases there is not), then the much more significant cost of the legal liability is much more likely to be the significant factor in deterring misdemeanours.

 

Having said that, I'm yet to see any evidence that insurance costs make a huge amount of difference to the standard of people's driving.

[Berberis 10]

This is contrary to what most other people see. Which is why I believe it's confirmation bias.

 

The only bias is you. I made it clear it was my opinion and my observation but you assume everyone else thinks like you. That's bias and arrogance combined, well done.

 

You want to financially penalise all cyclists in order to punish the behaviour of a minority, who mostly put themselves at risk anyway.

And you don't care that this would actually make it more dangerous for all cyclists.

 

You not say the same for car drivers, or EVERYONE ELSE who uses the roads (apart from horses I suppose).

 

I'm unsure how you have connected cyclists being identifiable with making it more dangerous for them, but I never said I didn't care either. You are making that up.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Berberis

[stifflersmom 11]

 

On certain roads in Sheffield you can guarantee you will see over half the cyclist breaking the rules.

 

Out of interest, which roads would these be? It doesn't have to be an exhaustive list, a few examples will do.

[Berberis 10]

Assuming identification works, and if there's actually a problem to be solved in terms of cyclists behaviour (which in most cases there is not), then the much more significant cost of the legal liability is much more likely to be the significant factor in deterring misdemeanours.

 

Having said that, I'm yet to see any evidence that insurance costs make a huge amount of difference to the standard of people's driving.

 

I think it does and here is the Cylcone disclaimer; It is my experience that drivers who break the rules regularly, get caught and once their insurance is hiked up and they are in danger of losing their licence they act differently while on the roads.

[mbarret 10]

And what law's do you consider i should brush up on CYCLONE, and what part of the highway code,

 

56,000 posts makes me think you have nothing better to do than come on here trolling.

 

I made a genuine and legitimate comment on my opinion of cyclists in general, my opinion.

 

As for me complaining about cyclists taking up the same room as motorists, i think you need to brush up on your reading skills, my complaint was quite clearly a lack of respect from the majority of cyclists towards other road users, plain and simple.

 

sad sad man.