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Post by lincolnexile on Aug 1, 2021 17:31:56 GMT
I do a fair bit of cycling, both on and off road. I'm not one of those that goes out on a Sunday morning with a dozen others and rides 3 wide pissing everyone off because I also drive a car and realise what tw@ts some cyclists are.
However I've just read that as from next year I should be riding my bike in the middle of the road on country roads and making myself as visible as possible to prevent myself getting mowed down. But if a vehicle that's quicker than me, which is most vehicles to be honest, comes up behind then I should move across to the left, if I can safely. The problem is that there's a lot of electric and hybrid cars on the road now and you don't always know a car is coming up behind you until it's passing you. So if you can't hear the car then you'll probably still be in the middle of the road when the car is trying to pass you which will probably result in a pissed off driver getting a bit closer to you to teach you a lesson or hitting the horn as they go past.
All in all I wouldn't say the new directive of riding in the middle of the road is safer at all. Personally I haven't got a problem riding on the left side of the road so why can't they just leave things as they are rather than complicate things?
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Aug 1, 2021 19:50:52 GMT
Cyclists should stay on designated cycle paths or pay additional road tax IMO. An absolute danger to other road users.
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Post by Lobster on Aug 1, 2021 21:20:05 GMT
It seems like everyone I know who cycles regularly has been in at least one serious accident that could have killed them.
I don't think our roads are set up for cyclists and motorists to share really. A lot of Europe seems more geared up for cyclists. I support anything that encourages people to drive less though.
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Post by everhopeful on Aug 2, 2021 10:02:53 GMT
Cyclists should stay on designated cycle paths or pay additional road tax IMO. An absolute danger to other road users. Not many roads have designated cycle lanes, especially outside of town centres, but I DO think that cyclists should have insurance, rather than road tax. |
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Post by lincolnexile on Aug 2, 2021 10:58:53 GMT
Cyclists should stay on designated cycle paths or pay additional road tax IMO. An absolute danger to other road users. Not many roads have designated cycle lanes, especially outside of town centres, but I DO think that cyclists should have insurance, rather than road tax. No insurance firm in their right mind would insure a cyclist. |
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Post by Lobster on Aug 2, 2021 11:49:54 GMT
Cyclists should stay on designated cycle paths or pay additional road tax IMO. An absolute danger to other road users.Strictly speaking, the far bigger danger on the road is cars. |
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Post by arthuro on Aug 2, 2021 15:19:58 GMT
Cyclists should stay on designated cycle paths or pay additional road tax IMO. An absolute danger to other road users. As someone who says that they are concerned about the environment and transmission of Covid your disdain for cyclists is somewhat strange, contradictory but not surprising. By using bike rather than car this reduces pollution and using a bike rather than going on public transport helps reduce transmission of the virus and yet you want to tax cyclists which is one way of discouraging the use of an environmentally friendly and Covid safe method of transport. |
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Post by Al on Aug 2, 2021 16:12:49 GMT
Cyclists should stay on designated cycle paths or pay additional road tax IMO. An absolute danger to other road users. It's based on emissions. Don't know about you but I don't generally give off any emissions bar the odd uphill fart. It's a good job you don't drive either given some of your opinions on cyclists |
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Post by Al on Aug 2, 2021 16:14:58 GMT
Not many roads have designated cycle lanes, especially outside of town centres, but I DO think that cyclists should have insurance, rather than road tax. No insurance firm in their right mind would insure a cyclist. The premiums would be ridiculous given the high risk to the cyclist. Would make it completely unaffordable |
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Aug 2, 2021 16:16:41 GMT
No insurance firm in their right mind would insure a cyclist. The premiums would be ridiculous given the high risk to the cyclist. Would make it completely unaffordable Probably because they know cyclists think they’re a law unto themselves and pay little attention to other road users. |
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Post by Al on Aug 2, 2021 16:18:49 GMT
It seems like everyone I know who cycles regularly has been in at least one serious accident that could have killed them. I don't think our roads are set up for cyclists and motorists to share really. A lot of Europe seems more geared up for cyclists. I support anything that encourages people to drive less though. We're extremely lucky in the Chester area to have access to nesrly 40 miles worth of off road cycle paths. I used to commute daily from deeside to Warrington by cycling, looking back now I was a bit mad to do it, given the risks involved, HGVs, other road users etc. If I were to ride on the road again it would very much be down the back lanes away from the major traffic routes. Yes you will still get the odd car but the risks to yourself are greatly reduced. |
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Post by Lobster on Aug 2, 2021 16:59:29 GMT
The premiums would be ridiculous given the high risk to the cyclist. Would make it completely unaffordable Probably because they know cyclists think they’re a law unto themselves and pay little attention to other road users. My experience of cycling on the road is minimal, but I would think any cyclist who paid little attention to other road users would be in an accident within an hour. No doubt there are some idiot cyclists about, but it seems to me like even a lot of rational people become impatient and aggressive when they get behind the wheel of a car. Never understood it myself. |
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Post by lincolnexile on Aug 2, 2021 17:20:40 GMT
Probably because they know cyclists think they’re a law unto themselves and pay little attention to other road users. My experience of cycling on the road is minimal, but I would think any cyclist who paid little attention to other road users would be in an accident within an hour. No doubt there are some idiot cyclists about, but it seems to me like even a lot of rational people become impatient and aggressive when they get behind the wheel of a car. Never understood it myself. You’re right about there being some idiot cyclists who ignore red lights and ride on footpaths, but I’d say there’s far more idiot motorists out there. |
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Post by Harry Lime on Aug 3, 2021 10:28:03 GMT
Lets face it, if we started from scratch now, we'd never allow people going 10 miles an hour with no protection, to share the area with half a ton of metal travelling at 20 to 60 miles an hour. It's asking for trouble.
Our society relies on our ability to travel distances. I walked an hour to work each day, until I got relocated to the middle of nowhere. Then I had to get a car, or change job. Not many people work that close to home now. Years ago people moved home when jobs changed. Now it happens that often, so you just drive further.
The councils should do more to ensure our roads are fit for purpose. No potholes and ruts. Traffic moving freely. That way safer for all and less pollution. Actually the change to working from home could solve this in one go, and help save the planet.
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Post by Lobster on Aug 3, 2021 10:56:30 GMT
I tried driving lessons for some time in my early 20s, and took two tests. I came to the conclusion that I didn't enjoy driving, wasn't good at it and the world didn't need me behind a wheel. That's probably meant I've had to sacrifice a lot of freedoms and limited my career options.
I resent the idea that non-drivers lack independence and are like man-children. A lot of people are lost without their car and satnav. I actually know how to get places, read maps, plan routes etc. I've worked in Chester, Wirral, Liverpool, North Wales you name it, always relying on public transport, and I've never been warned about my punctuality. Plus I'm helping the environment and preventing the numerous accidents I would no doubt have caused by now if I'd fluked through a driving test.
My solution - free public transport for people not named as the driver of a vehicle.
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Post by eyeswideopen on Aug 4, 2021 10:31:02 GMT
Its all about money though in the end.
The Government and not just this one, any Government are reliant on taxes to pay for the services we all need.
Road tax is a huge income for them, reducing road tax for greener vehicles is fine in the short term, just wait until we all have one and watch something else get taxed.
Cyclists paying road tax? You cant even keep them off the pavements or going through red lights, it will never happen.
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Post by Blockhead on Aug 4, 2021 15:49:25 GMT
Its all about money though in the end. The Government and not just this one, any Government are reliant on taxes to pay for the services we all need. Road tax is a huge income for them, reducing road tax for greener vehicles is fine in the short term, just wait until we all have one and watch something else get taxed. Cyclists paying road tax? You cant even keep them off the pavements or going through red lights, it will never happen. It's not road tax anymore. It's Vehicle Excise Duty, and the aim is (or should be) to reduce emissions through discouraging the use of more pollutant vehicles, not raise revenue. Cyclists paying 'road tax' is nonsensical for this reason - it's not for the upkeep of the roads If every drove greener vehicles, the tax has worked. How about we make the billionaires pay their fair share of income and corporation tax to pay for the services we all need? |
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Post by eyeswideopen on Aug 6, 2021 10:39:30 GMT
You can call it what you like or dress it up as a move towards a more green environment, the simple truth is services have to be paid for.
Once we are all driving electric vehicles, the tax on electric will shoot up, penalising people who don't even drive.
Whilst i agree wholeheartedly that billionaires and tax avoiding companies should pay their fair share, for some reason every government has been reluctant to chase them.
Perhaps they have too much to lose themselves.....
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