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Post by spaceflightorange on Jun 6, 2013 11:51:19 GMT
I'm not proud of it but...
There's a large crossroads outside our office in the centre of Manchester (Quay St and Deansgate)
The lights were on red and the Green Man was lit so my colleague and I were crossing. I noticed a cyclist ride around the stopped traffic and get to the front, fair enough, but he never stopped, and neither did I.
He slowed right down before running into me and said "Hurry up, mate" so i responded "It's a red light, mate" He said something else which i didn't get and started to cycle off through the people crossing, so i shouted "Arsehole!"
I can't stand drivers who don't give cyclists room or respect, But I really hate cyclists who ignore the rules of the road (there are a lot of fixie riders in Manchester who ignore them) Got my blood boiling.
Riding like this is not helping the cyclists cause.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2013 12:07:47 GMT
I would have done the same
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2013 13:03:17 GMT
Well said.
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panda
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Post by panda on Jun 6, 2013 13:28:52 GMT
Well done. I feel equally infuriated when cyclists don't obey the rules of the road. We are all in this together, so do us a favour, abide by the rules, be polite and you may save lives...who knows, it may be your own!
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Post by goffski on Jun 6, 2013 13:33:36 GMT
There's a lot of them out out there! I tend to see the same couple of guys every morning, i'll be stood waiting at a red light and they just ride straight past me. These are not really cyclists, just using the bike as a means of transport. What really winds me up is when i do see cyclist ignoring the highway code. Would they do the same thing in their car? No!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2013 13:39:25 GMT
I just did similar in Leeds, funnily enough I'd an Evans Cycles bag in my hand as I just picked up some bits and bobs. Some guy in a full suit on an Specalized SWorks with toeclip pedals and no helmet was riding down the path on the right hand side of the road (so IMO technically on the wrong side of the road as well!). He was going far too fast on too small of a path where there were a lot of pedestrians including a few bairns and almost went into me as he was too impatient to wait to pass some slow walkers. I told him off and said he was a disgrace to cyclists (not to mention I'm sure the Velominati would have a few choice words - sacrilege!).
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Post by spaceflightorange on Jun 6, 2013 13:40:28 GMT
There's a lot of them out out there! I tend to see the same couple of guys every morning, i'll be stood waiting at a red light and they just ride straight past me. These are not really cyclists, just using the bike as a means of transport. What really winds me up is when i do see cyclist ignoring the highway code. Would they do the same thing in their car? No! Yes, you're right, you do see a lot of people in "civvies" riding bikes and ignoring the rules, and like you it really winds me up more when a fully kitted out cyclist ignores them. In this case the guy was the latter.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2013 15:17:16 GMT
Just to throw some fuel on the fire...I must say I'm equally annoyed with pedestrians now. On my route home, there is a cycle path and a pedestrian path. Now it's nice and sunny, plenty of people walking but the problem is they can be in big group and walk on the cycle path. I'm having to slow down ever minute to either ring my bell or stop completely as I don't want to take the risk of hitting someone.
I'm not saying pedestrian shouldn't use a cycle path, not at all but just look out ahead of you and see if anyone is coming down and move out the way; after all, it's a CYCLE path.
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Post by goffski on Jun 7, 2013 8:51:46 GMT
^^THIS^^
I'm starting to notice this more and more, there's a big bike painted and one side and people on the other and they look at you as if to say what are you doing riding down here. This is the reason i tend not to use the cycle paths and stick to the roads.
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Post by mevenstiller on Jun 7, 2013 8:54:54 GMT
Just to throw some fuel on the fire...I must say I'm equally annoyed with pedestrians now. On my route home, there is a cycle path and a pedestrian path. Now it's nice and sunny, plenty of people walking but the problem is they can be in big group and walk on the cycle path. I'm having to slow down ever minute to either ring my bell or stop completely as I don't want to take the risk of hitting someone. I'm not saying pedestrian shouldn't use a cycle path, not at all but just look out ahead of you and see if anyone is coming down and move out the way; after all, it's a CYCLE path. When I got the bike I went out on these cycle paths to avoid the heavy traffic, now I deliberately avoid them. The most irritating incident I experienced was a sudden stop because a suited elderly gentleman wandered into the path. He told me to watch where I was going. Ignoring the fact that I stopped (which basically means I was watching where I was going), there was a big old bicycle symbol painted on the ground below our feet. I didn't point to it at the time because I'd realised too late, but if I had my time again...
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Post by spaceflightorange on Jun 7, 2013 9:13:40 GMT
Just to throw some fuel on the fire...I must say I'm equally annoyed with pedestrians now. On my route home, there is a cycle path and a pedestrian path. Now it's nice and sunny, plenty of people walking but the problem is they can be in big group and walk on the cycle path. I'm having to slow down ever minute to either ring my bell or stop completely as I don't want to take the risk of hitting someone. I'm not saying pedestrian shouldn't use a cycle path, not at all but just look out ahead of you and see if anyone is coming down and move out the way; after all, it's a CYCLE path. I used to commute for 8 miles on a cycle path and at 7:30-8am it was great. but in the evening... I've changed jobs now, but i still use a small section of it to get away from the main roads when I go for a ride in the evening, and there is one couple with 3 large dogs who insist on running them off the leads. One dark evening they caused me to come off my bike. The guy helped me up, no real harm done, but the other week the woman was out on her own and on the phone, and the dogs just ran in front of me, I never go too quick on this stretch anyway and stopped but she could see the expression on my face and the look on hers suggested she was ready for an argument. My understanding is that it is illegal to have dogs off the lead in any public place in Liverpool. The path is part of the National Cycle Network, so its not me in the wrong. I love dogs, just hate their owners
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Post by psyclepath on Jun 7, 2013 9:48:47 GMT
Most cycle paths (especially the shared used type, which pedestrians just ignore, though I can't blame them, it is only a white painted line separating them after all) are unsuitable anyway if you are travelling above around 10mph. So ie they are only suitable for kids on BMXs or OAPs. They are so badly designed it winds me up no end, as you get drivers moaning that your aren't using the path (which you don't have to anyway). I agree with not jumping red lights and obeying the rules etc, but where does this idea that it gives cyclists a bad name come from? What is it that makes people tar all cyclists as one law breaking group, yet if a driver jumps a red light no one says "those drivers, always jumping red lights and speeding" And find me a driver who has never ever broken the speed limit? They don't exist, yet I can easliy find you a cyclist who has never broken the speed limit and quite possibly one who has never ever jumped a red light.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2013 10:48:27 GMT
yeap yeap yeap to all of the above. Post Olympics, all these councils are coming out with 'we are cycle recognised district' BS. What they mean is, they have a cycle path and have put up a sign. There is no real investment and planning, just words! I'm thinking of ditching the cycle path and using the road but its a 40mph road. That doesn't bother me in itself as I cycle on 70mph national speed limit roads for weekend rides but this goes through industrial areas (white vans and dumper trucks) so a bit worried of getting hit. Poor government planning and the fact cycling is not deeply rooted in the society as other european countries, means we're all blaming each other. Like this...p.s. I've been chased by dogs on a bike also. Scary stuff, couldn't accelerate as fast them lol
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Post by Whitestar1 on Jun 7, 2013 14:11:30 GMT
I can't be bothered to ride with a bell, I stop riding on cycle paths, parks and pavements.
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