h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Today I was nearly knocked flyng by some idiot cyclist sailing straight through a red light when it showed the green man for me to cross the road. This happens incredibly often in London; I can't remember the last time I saw a cyclist stop at a red light. And the other thing is they belt along on the pavement when they don't feel like sticking to the road.

They continually whine about the arrogance and dangerous driving of vehicle drivers and yet many of them treat pedestrians in the same arrogant way.

I don't know if this is particularly a London thing or not.,but it's really pi*sing me off.

Here in Ireland the pedestrians just walk onto the road whenever they feel like it, regardless of it being red or green.

I've stopped doing that in London because of the white van drivers!

Who are they?

no, it isn't just london, it's everywhere.

I once witnessed a copper giving a fine to a cyclist who was cycling through a pedestrianised area. The shock on their face was most amusing.

Some people just don't realise that a bicycle is classed as a road vehicle. And yes, you can get nicked for speeding on one, and being drunk in charge of one (my friend had that walking home with her bike after a party. Luckily she hadn;t actually got on it when the copper pased and advised her it would be a good idea to keep walking).

Dunno about now, but there used to be a wheel size limit for pavement cycling, so that kids could (to protect them) but adults couldn't.

Time to get a monkey bike

I see both sides of the coin.
I'm a cyclist myself and have found myself in some horrendous and dangerous situations thanks to the arrogance and dangerous driving of car users.
By the same token, I get toally p*ss*d off with cyclists who tear down the street at top speed, and take absolutley no notice of traffic lights or pedestrian crossings.
I guess it boils down to the consideration and curteousness of each individual.

When I'm in a particularly evil mood I deliberately hinder cyclists on the pavement, it's my right of way, not theirs.

Mr Dreadful. I feel like pushing the next one who comes up behind my on the pavement into the road.

Xanatic, white van man is what you might call the 'terrorist' of the culture of road users!

I have a dog who likes to push cyclists over when they ride along the pavement... so far she's only done it twice, but one of those times she knocked a guy into some vary hard railings, and when he complained that I should keep her under control I pointed out that he shouldn't ride where it has a no cycling sign

In case anyone thinks I'm an out and out bas*ard it's adult cyclists on the pavement who deserve rough treatment. I understand that children are doing it because roads are dangerous for kids!

Totally agree with you, Red. Number of times I've been nearly mown down by cyclists outside work...

Where I work is on a 2-lane road with pedestrian crossings - the inside lane is a bus/taxi lane, so often the view is obscured, you're crossing on a green-man-walking pedestrian crossing, and a mad cyclist nearly kills you as he's riding up at speed between the two lanes and ignoring the stop signals.

RF

I must admit I'm a (careful) pavement cyclist. If I ride on the pavement and hit a pedestrian they live. If I ride on the road and get hit by a car I die.

Also there's an element of vanity. If I cycled on the road I'd feel a need to wear one of those awful helmets that can turn any cool cat (such as me) instantly into a geeky trainspotter type.

yes those cycle helmets really are on a par with those funny knotted hankies that grandads used to wear at the seaside!

Are cycle helmets not required by law in your country?

Not in merre old englande, no. Strongly advised, and I still think it is a miracle of somesort that so many kids do wear cycle helmets. I don't think I would have.

I think it really took off when Esther Rantzen highlighted the problem.

Only compulsory for s/ nerds to wear

No they are voluntary unlike motorcycle helmets! Actually that's quite an interesting point you make because in many ways cyclists exist in a kind of lawless hinterland. I'm not sure that a bell or horn is compulsory. They frequently don't bother with lights at night. And nobody would think twicw about cycling home from the pub when drunk unlike a car driver.

There may well be laws but they are never enforced as far as I know. That's why they sail through red lights and ride on the pavements. The police just don't seem to bother with them!

Maybe it's to do with the fact that they are the only road users not to pay vehicle tax?

Yes! Tax the cyclists! And...while we're at it, let's tax those other road users who are completely wearing out the roads, with their leather/rubber/plastic thingies, yeah, pedestrians! they pay no tax to walk on roads. Apart from...er...tax...and local tax...let's tax them again! And spend the money on something else!

And we should arrest them for being in charge of a pair of shoes, too.

RF