I agree with some points raised on here, there are good and bad riders/drivers in every vehicle group but getting back to the OP, common sense would tell you not to go down the inside of an indicating bus waiting at the traffic lights to turn left and also does the highway code also advise that a bus has right of way and also it says don’t overtake when traffic is queuing at junctions or where you would force another road user to swerve or slow down… I think its down to education and training as riders and drivers we have to have training, although I’d like to think that cyclists would like to have training before hitting London’s roads I know its not the case
London drivers/cyclists/pedestrians are the most self-righteous, arrogant, me-me-me people in the country. A country where few are able to accept the consequences of their actions without trying to blame someone else.
Any idiot on a bike knows not to ride up the nearside of a left-indicating bus, but why accept personal responsibility where you can come over all self-righteous and blame the driver for not looking? Never mind the fact that it’s raining, the driver’s visibility is impaired by a bus full of wet passengers steaming up the windows (which the heaters are too ineffectual to deal with), passengers who think it’s alright to stand beside the driver’s cab blocking his/her nearside view, and the driver having already checked that the nearside is clear has his/her attention drawn away by goings-on in front of the bus, but those cyclists still seem to think that it’s their right to nip up the nearside so as to get to work 2 seconds quicker than everyone on the bus.
I’ve done the job myself Tyger, still do the occasional shift on a casual basis, and know the kind of nob-heads that you have to constantly deal with - both in the public and depot ‘management’. 9999 times out of 10,000 the cyclist gets away with it. That remaining one time is Darwinism at its finest!
a day ago - QuoteI don't think that attitude is implicit in the OP at all -- I think Tim was just surprised these particular cyclists would place themselves in a riskier position than they needed to, right or wrong. I presume you are referring to Highway Code Paragraph 183, advising that one should give way to any vehicles using bus/cycle lanes when turning. Now take a look at the Friday Street junction, maybe on your online map service of choice if you don't go that way normally. The cycle lane ends at the lights and does not continue through the junction, meaning that the cyclists in this case would have had to try very hard to assert their 'right' to take priority over the bus when the lights changed, and could have easily allowed Tim to complete his legitimate manoeuvre safely by, for example, not pedalling for a couple of strokes and momentarily tucking in behind him to evade a left hook from a following vehicle. Simple courtesy and self-preservation is the answer to most questions, and rarely adds to your actual journey time.Why tf would they put themselves in such a stupid position???
— Janey
Because that’s where the piss poor cycle infrastructure puts them.
Try it. Try cycling in London. The painted “cycle lane” is in the gutter, there is a line of stationary motors, where is the bike supposed to go? If you squeeze across the stationary motors and filter down their offside you will be left stranded once they move - cyclists can’t twist their wrists like we can. Once stranded like that you will have impatient drivers behind screaming “get outta the fcuking way”. So you get back into the gutter and find yourself on the inside of another queue. What do you do? You carry on in the “cycle lane” and it brings you to the situation the OP describes.
There is a problem with drivers, and it’s implicit in the OP’s post. Even though he was careful to observe what was going on around him - and I applaud him for that - he seems to think “I was still indicating left” absolves him from responsibility and passes it onto others. It does not. The Highway Code is very clear, if you are changing direction it is YOUR responsibility to look out for other road users. The cyclists in the incident described had every right to go straight, the vehicle turning is the one which has to take care.
I have cycled in London for nearly thirty years. The infrastructure could be much better – and most of the time you are better off riding as if it was not there – but London isn’t Naples, nor is it LA. It isn’t impossible to avoid conflict with left-turning vehicles, especially if you ride within the stopping power of your brakes. Like you do on your motorbike?
I get what he was saying, as London road users we see it all the time, people take risks for whatever reason and sadly some don’t get away with it … with a bit of training maybe the risk takers would think twice … I wasn’t thinking of 183, good point … I was thinking of 72 and 167
I was told by a friend who is a retired police officer that the highway code is not a law but a guideline. Don't know if it's true but I drive like I don't own the road and I'm quite willing to give way if it helps the flow of traffic. I will admit that twenty year old me would be spinning in his grave at the next statement. I think that getting rid of traffic police was a massive mistake because people don't fear being caught and punished so they will drive like a moronI agree with every word written here.
Yes, the parts of the Highway Code which say “should” are advisory, such as telling pedestrian to wear reflective ‘Sam Browne’ belts after dark. Those parts which say “must” are referring to road traffic acts, such as you must stop at a red traffic signal.
One of the things I have come across is in the training of airline pilots which happens often I believe is the elimination of negative reinforcement of bad habits. People will do something wrong, bad or dangerous and get away with it, this makes it easier the next time and in their minds it’s easier to do. This then becomes a self reinforcing cycle, and a lot of money on training and retraining is spent by good companies to stop this happening.
I hate when they just ‘pop’ out between the cars without a care in the world, their headphones on, and not one glance to see who’s coming.
Got the fright of my life on Friday when some hipster dipsh*t decided that it would be much easier to filter in the middle of he road… Popped out right in front of me. I tooted so long and he was totally oblivious. How is it safe to a) not look, b) listen to headphones so loud you can’t hear a beeping horn or c) ride down the middle of the road.
They’re going to give me a nervous disposition!
They're going to give me a nervous disposition!I used to get actual palpitations when approaching Old Street roundabout. There's no point getting stressed and angry with them though as they seem to feed off that like one of the monsters in an episode of Star Trek.
Going through streatham the other evening heading south on the A23 past st Leornards church when somebody stepped out in front of me Thank heaven for ABS!