How many times can you get hurled abuse in one ride?

[Messie]

All of this tedious point scoring is really getting on my nerves and changing the atmosphere of this forum and what I understood to be the ethos of sv650.org.

I dislike it when IB becomes a platform for one person to shout above all others in order to constantly hear his own voice.

We have had several instances recently on here of rational, intelligent debate which are an oasis of reason in a sea of angsty bike forums. This is not one of those instances.

Go away!

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Jester666

traffic laws regarding cyclists are open to your own interpretation?

This seems to be quite a well founded opinion that alot of cyclists have. Oh its OK the law doesnt apply to me. How many times have I heard people say "I jump red lights because its safer to not stop at a junction because a car might hit me from the rear"

Originally Posted by cartwrim

Nope, don't agree with this at all I'm afraid. If you're on a road with a 40mph limit, and you're travelling in the same direction doing 20-25mph, if someone does happen to knock in to the back of you they'll push you forward a bit and you've got a chance of getting off lightly.

If you're going in the opposite direction and someone veers in to you (cos they're not expecting you there ) you're going to have an impact speed of 60-65mph. You're gonna be seriously injured if not dead. Just cos it seems to make sense to you isn't going to miraculously educate 30 million motorists to your way of thinking!

I was dilly-dallying enjoying the sun and the freedom of being out on my bike... doubt I was doing more than 5-7mph!! .. it wasn't exactly busy on this particular stretch either!! I should imagine only 6-10 cars came toward me in ~2 mile stretch!!

Anyway, even if you were doing 35mph, getting smacked up the rear at 40mph is still going to see you hitting the pavement/kerb/lampost at 40mph!! That is still going to smart!!

But you are right 47mph head-on is going to smart too

Which is why I prefer using the pavement where possible/sensible (i.e. not many/any pedestrians, I know by the law its never sensible)!!

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

This seems to be quite a well founded opinion that alot of cyclists have. Oh its OK the law doesnt apply to me. How many times have I heard people say "I jump red lights because its safer to not stop at a junction because a car might hit me from the rear"

That's forgeting the one coming from the side, which is what happened to some lass the other week did it not? Once you start forgeting to stop at red lights you start conditioning yourself to miss the dangers and then you go splat.

dunno if its been said...but is there a possibility that your actions - cycling against the flow of traffic - could cause alarm to an oncoming car? an older person? or an inexperienced driver? and cause them to panic and swerve...?

Originally Posted by Messie

Jumped up guff!

If you think my threads are tripe, then don't read them!!

Originally Posted by keithd

dunno if its been said...but is there a possibility that your actions - cycling against the flow of traffic - could cause alarm to an oncoming car? an older person? or an inexperienced driver? and cause them to panic and swerve...?

Now there IS a point I hadn't considered!!

It must be Troll feeding time again.

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

Which is why I prefer using the pavement where possible/sensible (i.e. not many/any pedestrians, I know by the law its never sensible)!!

I hate it when cyclists use the pavements . When I first used to go out with my wife on our bikes she had never ridden on the road as she was scared - I quickly got her out of that habit and now she's fine

At the end of the day there are prescribed cycle lanes in some places, not in others. I actually don't know of any near where I live so I've never used one. If I did, it'd be in the direction of the traffic flow.

The fact is that cars will not be expecting to see a cyclist coming towards them on their side of the road and thus are more likely to react abnormally to it. Whether this is panic and swerving, or giving you the finger or whatever, who knows. But the fact that they're giving you the finger or looking at you out of the corner of their eye could in itself cause an accident, even if it doesn't involve you

You could be hit from behind when your in your car or on your motorbike, I don't think motorists are deliberately out to hit cyclists any more than any other road users!

And 5-7mph? Come on man that's walking pace!

Originally Posted by BigApe

It must be Troll feeding time again.

Your another one that always has negativity, if you don't like my threads, then move on ... the threads are 'named' even before you click on it, so why do you read them????

Or do you just like making a fuss so you can be heard? - Yeah, that's it all right!!

Originally Posted by cartwrim

And 5-7mph? Come on man that's walking pace!

As I said, just out for a mindless bimble ... enjoying my 'tunes' and the air/sun not trying to cause anyone any harm/out to make agro!!

Which is why it came as more of a surprise when I got abuse 4 times!!

Dude, cycle lanes are for one way only, they are only one bicycle wide! Face it, you went the wrong way up a lane and got shouted out. Don't do it again!

As for the yobbo's, I'd have done the same myself. But be careful: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7498562.stm

Put yourself in other persons shoes. Knowing your obstinacy, if someone had come down the wrong way in your lane you'd have run them over!