Well after about 6 weeks of cycling to work in my effort to get into better shape and being the cyclist I can see things from their eyes. so here is my veiws.
Cyclists, to be honest I have had no idiotic cyclists try cutting me up whilst on my push bike so I cannot really say that they are a bunch of idiots.
Motorcyclists, I can safely say with my hand on my heart and without prejudice that I have not had one single motorcycle cut me up, over take stupidly of be idiotic, so I cannot see where all these cyclists are getting their pants in a twist.
Cagers, well had a few tits, not as many as I thought I was going to have if I’m honest but when there tits, they are the highest leve of tit but again in general not to bad
Bus drivers, well this is where is gets interesting, so far I have had 2 buses ram me up a paverment, one I cannot understand followed me at slow speed until I was on the bus stop then cut me up. The other I saw red jumped on the bus and had a go at the guy as there was no need for it…
So my summing up on this one is that Cyclists get a Tick, Motorcyclists get a Tick, cagers don’t get a cross but do not get a tick either theirs is more like a line
but bus drivers they get the biggest bloody cross there is!!!
just thought I’d cover all the bases here and say I don’t think anyone group is as bad as the other, other than bus drivers.
I would still say on the whole cyclists behave more dangerously than scooter riders, there’s not much in it, but you don’t see too many scooters blantently jumping red lights every single day. Whereas we all see cyclists choose to ignore a fundamental law of the road every single day.
I have to say, I came across the most considerate HGV driver I have ever seen the other day.
he could have make a dangeours overtake, but instead stayed behind me for about 3/4 of a mile until it was clear and then he went, I was actually so impressed with his driving I wanted to write to the company about it, but when I looked on the web I could not locate the company…
Also guys I have written this from a cyclists poit of veiw more than anything, but I still think bus drivers are the worst
Sports cyclists with all the gear, not all of them but some, it astonishes me how the ones with the least protection ride the most aggressively like they are a tank, always think they have the right of way and what they are doing is always right.I always steer clear of them for many reasons, one being pretty much none of them are insured so as far as I’m concerned they are a pain in the proverbial to be avoided so they don’t get hurt and I don’t get bothered by an uninsured party that scratched my bike.
Taxi drivers? As a cyclist, motorcyclist and driver they are by far the worst drivers in London in my opinion. They pull out, do U-turns, stop dead, whatever they fancy without indicating or looking where they are going.
I do far more miles onthe push bike than on the motorbike. As a cyclist I have to say it’s just poor road users that **** me off.
Bus drivers are generally ok. Well, the ones that check their mirrors before pulling off.
Car drivers are mostly fine. You get the odd arse overtaking for no reason just before a junction or overtaking and turning left ahead.
White van man has knocked me off my bike twice. Both times I’m cycling on the left of stationary traffic in a cycle lane when an oncomming van turns accross me. Apparently the other car flashed him so it’s not his fault.
Motor bikes are generally ok. The worst you normally get is dumb riders blocking you in. However, I was hit in 2001 at Vauxhall Bridge by a rider who decided he could turn right into me. He just rode off.
Cyclists have caused me no hassles but you do learn to spot the ones who are going to give you grief. Women on ‘sit up and beg’ type bike wobbling along at under 10mph are to be given a wide berth.
I go through red lights. At busy junctions it is far far far safer to go through very slowly on a green man after the pedestrians have crossed than it is to get involved in the traffic light drag race. I have never cut up a pedestrian or forced them to change course. Those who know the junction at Vauxhall Bridge westbound on the north side will know there are three lanes that go to two at the other side. Then there is a speed camera. What you get is lots of racing to get a lane, then lots of breaking to avoid a fine. Not a nice place to be opn a bike in rush hour. Far safer to pootle along when the traffic has been stopped for you to get ahead of the madness.
Yes there are bad cyclists. Just like bad motorcyclists. Today outside Ealing Common station two sports bikes were doing wheelies through the crossing. Madness. However, there’s no point tarring the entire cycling and biking communities based on some idiots.
I’ve seen some pretty bad cyclists, but I’ve not come across any going through a red light in such a way as to particularly endanger anyone. There’s the wobbling and the weird habit of signalling and moving without looking, but they’re reasonably avoidable. At least you’re always approaching them from the same direction. They’ve become more visible now it’s ligher in the evenings, too.
That said, I’ve come to motorbikes from a pedally bike. I’ve probably a better understanding than those who haven’t of why cyclists do things, and so expect it more.
Most cars are OK, but that’s probably because I’m using them as the datum - there’s so bloody many of them, that that’s what any vehicle is by default.
Vans can go either way IME. It’s never nice to be behind them, Royal Mail and UPS vans seem to be the worst driven, but that might just be because of my commute. Some are well driven.
HGVs seem, almost without fail, to be considerately and predictably driven.
Best - those with their eyes open, paying attention and acting responsibly, and showing a touch of humility if they get it wrong. It makes it so much easier.Worst - *any that dare ignore the above.
*Especially goes out to those battered Vespas undertaking anything that moves. :crazy:
Agreed. Taxi drivers are by far and away the worst. Been cycling in London 4 years now and it seems to me that they’ve all had their indicator stalks removed from the steering column. It’s the only explanation for why they never use them. In my experience they appear to also go out of their way to deliberately close gaps to prevent you filtering and squeeze you into or up onto the kerb/footpath.
Bus drivers and white van men are ok, but there’s the odd one that needs a map to find their mirrors.
Cagers just generally don’t pay attention at all and could all benefit from being re-tested every year to keep their licence. I have been hit from behind three times when I had my scooter while stationary at intersections, either because they’re following too close or decide to move off before I have.
Best: Police Bikers (fawn, fawn), Bikers Generally (but see below), Black cabs (*)
*Black cabs u-turning is a real problem- even if they are indicating they don’t always check behind them before pulling out. On the other hand there are particular places where they always u-turn e.g. Westminster Bridge so you shouldn’t be too suprised when they do.
Worst in descending order of crapness: Silver or Black Minicabs, Royal Mail vans, South London Buses, tinkers vans (don’t know if that word is PC for LB but you know what I mean), cyclists, sports BMW riders, adventure BMW riders, Car drivers on mobiles, Pedestrians on mobiles, Jon Snow.
Nice not to have to wear leathers/fullface lid…