Topic: Cycling
Please Don’t Kill Me
The IAM today published a press release talking about the number of cyclists who admit to running red lights. The data used was taken from a self selected online poll, not a truly proper survey and performed by a marketing and PR department rather than a mathematician or statistician. I make that comment because they got their maths wrong.
However what has really got my goat is the comments on the lower half of the internet, I’d like to belive that most of the people posting are just keyboard warriors, but the problem is that for some people the simple fact they are in a car or truck or whichever feels it gives them the right to enforce their version of the law.
A lovely specimen called “Peter Bishop” decided to post on the BBC breakfast page on Facebook
if a stupid cyclist cycles on the pavement then clothesline them….serves them right for being illegal, if they cross a red light then run them down…serves them right…..
Peter is one of our lauded public service heroes working in the Gloucestershire Fire Service. You can see the comments at http://on.fb.me/Jab8o5 or if you like tweet Gloucestershire fire service on @Glosfire about it.
The thing is, some cyclists do run red lights, but so do some motorists. I’d bet the number of motorists per 100 people running red lights is higher than the number of cyclists per 100 people running lights. People can be arses to each other, which is a terrible thing however I guess my feeling is this,
I just want to live my life how I choose.
I want to be able to ride my bike without the chance of my girlfriend getting a visit from two police officers to tell her I’m never coming home. When someone says “I’ll knock you off” or threatens you with their car the consequence is that I might die. Is my life really only worth the short delay I’ve caused to your day?
I’m someone’s son, I’m someone’s lover, I’m a flipping human being for crying out loud.
For the sake of argument I’d like to point out that I do stop at red lights, I do however get passed quite often by cars running them.
May 16th, 2012 | Cycling | No Comments
Critical Mass or Mob Rule
I’ve just got back from my second ever Critical Mass… and I came home early.
When I arrived at the cathedral I was a little bit excited to see so many bikes, all shapes, sizes and types. Sure there were a few with clearly broken brakes but it’s summer everyone should be allowed to ride in the sunshine, or I first thought anyway. The ride started off pretty usually (as usually as someone whose been to two can claim) with someone taking the lead and everyone following… Through a shopping centre.
Given it was only the Minories and I have on occasion nipped through, but not usually with that many bikes in tow and then to the first thing that kind of confused and upset me. We went round the roundabout… twice.
Maybe the people at the front were unsure of a direction so I let it slide and carried on… except we did it again, or at least the mass did (I pulled away) at five ways roundabout, going round… 4 times.
4 Times while traffic is backing up at every junction. Now I get the point that the mass “Is Traffic” but I’ve never made a habit of driving round roundabouts 4 times when I have to use a car. In fact making drivers angry by making them wait needlessly serves no purpose, if anything it reinforces their view of cyclists which is we get in the way and hold everything up.
The other thing was something that upsets me no end… Red Light Jumping.
Now if your the back 3 riders in a big group and the junction light goes red on you, nail it through with the group. But pedestrian crossings when they go red, stop. Someone with even more legal priority on the road is trying to cross, and again knocking over pedestrians or stopping them from legitimately crossing does nothing to help the day to day cyclist. I have to pint out I didn’t witness any pedestrians being knocked over.
There was a great deal of difference in riding experience there and I really feel that it’s the more experienced riders job to lead the way and maintain road standards otherwise the newer riders just think they can behave like idiots and when the worst happens get very angry about it not realising that sometimes your actions, position and behaviour on the road have an impact.
I decided about half an hour in that I didn’t want to be part of a ride like this and peeled off and went home, this was probably my last ever critical mass.
June 3rd, 2011 | Cycling | 1 Comment;
Dear Motorists
As a self confessed cyclist I subscribe to a number of twitter users in the cycling community and occasionally a story of tragedy comes up. A cyclist or a group hit by another vehicle while exercising their legal right to freedom of movement.
http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Take-extra-care-appeal-after-cyclist-killed-on-A38.htm was brought to my attention, and it’s not so much the article but the commenter’s that wind me up.
So here’s some free easy to follow advice,
1. Please remember that hitting a smaller object with a larger one usually results in the death or destruction of the smaller object.
2. Please for a moment try to remember that your shiny car is larger and heavier than a cyclist or pedestrian (no matter how much it cost) and then see point 1.
3. If you are unable to cope with moving at speed, observing the world around, and manoeuvring you so that you avoid other legal road users (e.g. other cars, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians) then leave the car at home. Maybe you should just take the Bus.
4. If you want to do something other than drive the car in a safe and responsible manner, maybe you should stay at home.
I think it’s time we all stopped making excuses and implemented strict liability, I mean when was the last time a cyclist killed a driver by riding into their car?
January 27th, 2011 | Cycling | No Comments
Bikes it’s a love hate thing
I’ve not had much luck recently, first my beloved Bromptons rear wheel split this is after replacing the whole wheel in December. Then while putting my mountain bike back together discovered that the freewheel had jammed up over the winter, it’s now a geared fixed. I can actually pedal backwards though I am pretty sure that won’t do the de railer any good. Meanwhile my Kona needs new headset bearings, bottom brackets, and a few spokes for the rear wheel.
All this means that I’ve had to drive to work, which sucks hard.
With all being well, i’ll have a new wheel in the Brompton by sun down on Monday and I’ll find my chain whip and free up the free wheel on the mountain bike. The Kona is going to get some shiny toys over the summer to kit it out as an uber fast winter commuter.
Has this put me off cycling in any way, nah, not whatsoever.
May 1st, 2010 | Cycling | No Comments
Eighties Steel Touring Frame
I’m in Edinburgh for the last weekend of the fringe festival and I was kinda hoping I might come across a steel touring frame for a bargain price while I was up here. I’ve had a bit of a mooch about and visited a car boot sale on the bottom floor of an underground multi-story car park, but alas no frame so far.
I’m heading home tomorrow and I’m going to have to continue my search for a frame for my bargain bombproof touring bike frame on the Internet.
August 30th, 2009 | Cycling | No Comments