liquidindian
Hello
"Routinely" is overstating it, when it happens I'm not going fast enough for it to be a problem.I am sure plenty of regular commuting cyclists routinely experience similar,
"Routinely" is overstating it, when it happens I'm not going fast enough for it to be a problem.I am sure plenty of regular commuting cyclists routinely experience similar,
That explains a lot.As a motorcyclist, almost on every single journey. Sometimes one can spot them in advance, but other times they will literally materialise on the middle of the road squeezing past a van or lorry without ever bothering to look right for any two wheeled traffic travelling quite legally in the middle of the road. I am sure plenty of regular commuting cyclists routinely experience similar, whether when riding kerbside or in the middle of the road.
Which post please?motorcyclists, and the high number of injuries they cause in the data posted back up thread.
We know all this - you've written many versions of this particular rant throughout the thread, just like the ones about cyclists.As a motorcyclist, almost on every single journey. Sometimes one can spot them in advance, but other times they will literally materialise on the middle of the road squeezing past a van or lorry without ever bothering to look right for any two wheeled traffic travelling quite legally in the middle of the road. I am sure plenty of regular commuting cyclists routinely experience similar, whether when riding kerbside or in the middle of the road.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong or unreasonable about expecting pedestrians to at the very least look properly if they have unwisely decided to cross a busy road crammed with stationary cars, vans and lorries.
Of course there is a duty of care falling onto two wheelers too, and in fact if cyclists and bikers were as fucking careless as most pedestrians are, collisions and injuries would be twentyfold what they are now. But the bottom line is that it takes two to tango regardless of burden of responsibility based on vulnerability. If only because at the end of the day, not being in breach of the Highway Code doesn’t really matter if you still end up seriously injured or worse.
Perhaps it’s because I have regularly been all kinds of road user over the years, from ped to cyclist to biker to car driver. But I never cease to be amazed at the appalling lack of situational awareness and complete lack of the most basic notion of self-preservation a very significant proportion of pedestrians in this country demonstrate. It’s almost as if they’re actually unaware of the existence of bicycles and motorbikes, despite having lived among them for their entire lives.
Motorbike speeds on 20mph roads.Which post please?
Erm... I go very slow- the very reason why I don't slam into a zombie lemming once a week on average. That is irrelevant to the fact that it's the pedestrian who is acting reckelessly and unjustifiably.That explains a lot.
look back at the extreme and routine speeding by motorcyclists, and the high number of injuries they cause in the data posted back up thread.
Slow the fuck down.
Better cycling infrastructe, when balanced and reasonable, can only be a good thing and I would welcome it.We know all this - you've written many versions of this particular rant throughout the thread, just like the ones about cyclists.
We know you think pedestrians and cyclists behave badly.
But you keep ignoring the question of what you want to happen, in order to emulate what you claim is significantly better behaviour in these other places you mention.
Prove you're not a tribalist by making some actual suggestions how to improve things instead of ranting about road users that aren't you.
You do realise that without adjusting for population size and distance travelled (ie exposure) using each mode of transport those figures are utterly meaningless.In Germany jaywalking is illegal in some circumstances, but also socially unacceptable. This makes Germany safer for pedestrians.
Fatalities -
UK
Total: 1752
Pedestrians 470
Cyclists: 100
Germany
Total: 3046
Pedestrians 417
Cyclists 445
Note that the UK is a remarkably safe place for cyclists compared to Germany. Anyone serious about reducing road deaths will focus not on more cycle lanes but on ensuring pedestrians are more careful, perhaps by introducing some appropriate legislation.
You do realise that without adjusting for population size and distance travelled (ie exposure) using each mode of transport those figures are utterly meaningless.
In the UK we’ve largely made walking and cycling “safe” by making it unpleasant enough that few people do it much.
Motorbikes aren’t safer than cars because they kill fewer pedestrians, they’re more dangerous because they kill more pedestrians per mile travelled .
The Netherlands has very high numbers of death by >65s cycling compared to anywhere else. Because they have mass cycling by >65s (many of whom die if natural causes, while still cycling).
Better cycling infrastructe, when balanced and reasonable, can only be a good thing and I would welcome it.
Regarding pedestrians, since no infrastructure in the world (other than erecting West Bank-style walls between every pavement and the adjacent road, which I'm sure most people would object to) is going to stop a significant proportion of them behaving irresponsibly, what I would like to see is regular campaigns by the government urging pedestrians to check before crossing, in particular in congested road situations. And to not emerge onto a road from behind buses and other large vehicles. And to look out for cycles and bikes. Coupled with the introduction of jaywalking legislation in the immediate vicinity of traffic light-regulated crossings, and warnings followed by fines for repeat offences for anyone who ignores the red man crossing light.
They don't do it magically, that's right.Such adjustments don’t magically convert the number of deaths from something that is “utterly meaningless” to some sort of special truth that will win you an argument.
Jaywalking, lol
Get to fuck with that bullshit.
Driving at 15 mph is too fast??Or you could just not ride too fast in congested traffic.
Note that in Germany it’s basically not enforced, but has engendered a culture of pedestrians obeying crossing signals. Obviously a good thing.
If there’s a pedestrian in the way, yes.Driving at 15 mph is too fast??
Driving at 15 mph is too fast??
But that's the point. There are no pedestrians on the way, or even visible. If they took the basic precaution of looking before appearing in the middle of the road behind a tall vehicle, then there would not be a problem at all.If there’s a pedestrian in the way, yes.
Just very very unlikelyDriving at 15 mph is too fast??
Or the other solution is, allow two-wheeled vehicles to bypass congested traffic, which is one of the major points of the very existence of bikes, at a safe but reasonable speed, rather than virtually going at 2 mph because some people are too fucking reckless and/or entitled to take any responsibility whatsoever for their actions.You understand that 'too fast' is a relative thing right? 'too fast' effectively means 'can't properly react to hazards in the road'. So yes. It is too fast. It's not as if pedestrians are the only hazards in congested traffic in any case.
Also how many miles of heavily congested traffic with a high probability of pedestrians and low visibility are you actually covering? 2 miles where you're going 10mph instead of 15mph is going to add a whole 4 minutes to your commute.
some people are too fucking reckless and/or entitled to take any responsibility whatsoever for their actions.
Certainly not by me, and plenty of other bikers (though there are always some idiots of course), when travelling in the middle of the road in congested traffic conditions. We don't know in which circumstances those collisions took place, but only a complete cunt (not long for the world anyway) would travel at speed in the middle of the road with stationary traffic.Just very very unlikely
Post in thread 'Entirely unashamed anti car propaganda, and the more the better.'
Entirely unashamed anti car propaganda, and the more the better.
I could start walking everywhere and become an entitled zombie lemming, I guess...Maybe just give up the motorbike, I don't think it's for you.
I mean you can prove anything with facts can’t you. I prefer to rely on ignorance and blind prejudice.They don't do it magically, that's right.
Go for it. Really show us other pedestrians up. We'll be dead impressed, I promise.I could start walking everywhere and become an entitled zombie lemming, I guess...