What is hacking you off today?

[Firestorm]

A couple of transport related ones.

i) Adults on scooters. ****ing grow up.

ii) Most cyclists play to the rules. Helmets, paying attention to the road, stopping at red lights and so on. This morning, some **** was cycling along, earphones in, no helmet, tapping away at his phone. Then went through a red light.

There are no rules about Helmets or Headphones, that said there should be one about headphones....

 

[Firestorm]

They were talking about this on a tv programme I saw the other day, surely it's the same as "driving with undue care and attention"? If you have ear-phones in you are pretty much oblivious to anything going on around you - as Kev found the other day when he was passing a guy on a bike quite slowly and the guy just suddenly turned straight into the side of him and was knocked off. Admitted it was totally his fault, he hadn't looked, didn't signal and couldn't hear traffic noise! Prat!

The traffic noise issue is one for debate though, generally a car driver with windows up and radio on will hear less traffic noise that a someone in the open air with headphones on (some of the big, dj style, over the ear ones excepted)

There are a fairly sizable number of people who use bikes but use them as pedestrians on wheels, they don't no how to ride properly, they don't know the highway code , they don't think that road rules apply to them . These are not cyclists, they are idiots who use a bike because they are too thick to pass a driving test.

That said the number of car drivers who don't know the highway code can be pretty worrying too.....

 

[Uncle Leo]

There are no rules about Helmets or Headphones, that said there should be one about headphones....

Well, I used 'rules' as opposed to 'laws' to imply the general convention about what one would consider decent behaviour. Riding helmetless on roads chock full of buses and lorries is of course not illegal, but is, I would argue, pretty daft.

There is a bit of a debate on at the moment about helmets and whether cyclists should need to wear them - http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/ca...Why-I-didn-t-wear-a-helmet-on-BBC-Breakfast-0. While our roads are like they are, I would suggest they should be worn, but hopefully we will get to the point where cycling in 'normal' clothing becomes more feasible.

Earphones and texting though? 25 to life I reckon.

 

[Firestorm]

Well, I used 'rules' as opposed to 'laws' to imply the general convention about what one would consider decent behaviour. Riding helmetless on roads chock full of buses and lorries is of course not illegal, but is, I would argue, pretty daft.

There is a bit of a debate on at the moment about helmets and whether cyclists should need to wear them - http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/ca...Why-I-didn-t-wear-a-helmet-on-BBC-Breakfast-0. While our roads are like they are, I would suggest they should be worn, but hopefully we will get to the point where cycling in 'normal' clothing becomes more feasible.

Earphones and texting though? 25 to life I reckon.

Helmet debates on cycling forums are a minefield,

The general consensus is that , in the main, they cause more major injuries than they prevent . Sometimes because people mount lights / cameras on then thus negating the impact spreading concept (Michael Schumacher's injury is believed to be as a consequence of a Pont impact caused by the camera mount). Also they contribute greatly to rotational injuries of the neck because of the additional size and weight and their habit of getting caught and slowing the movement of the head more than the rest of the body.
They are also only tested to a low impact force, that said they will prevent cuts, grazes and minor bruising
Also there are more deaths of pedestrians with head injuries than cyclists, but I don't see anyone making people where a hat to the shops.

There is also an argument doing the rounds that the health benefits lost by the number who are discouraged from bike riding because of compulsory helmets outweigh the benefits (to the population as a whole) of compulsory helmet wearing (although I have not seen the whole paper)

Personally , I would ban headphones from pavements and roads, peoples spacial awareness is appalling without taking one of the senses out of the equation.
Mobile phones should have something in them which prevents them being used if the handset is moving.
If you want to concentrate on a text or a phone call, fine , just f****ng stand still to do it !!!

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Helmet debates on cycling forums are a minefield,

The general consensus is that , in the main, they cause more major injuries than they prevent . Sometimes because people mount lights / cameras on then thus negating the impact spreading concept (Michael Schumacher's injury is believed to be as a consequence of a Pont impact caused by the camera mount). Also they contribute greatly to rotational injuries of the neck because of the additional size and weight and their habit of getting caught and slowing the movement of the head more than the rest of the body.
They are also only tested to a low impact force, that said they will prevent cuts, grazes and minor bruising
Also there are more deaths of pedestrians with head injuries than cyclists, but I don't see anyone making people where a hat to the shops.

There is also an argument doing the rounds that the health benefits lost by the number who are discouraged from bike riding because of compulsory helmets outweigh the benefits (to the population as a whole) of compulsory helmet wearing (although I have not seen the whole paper)

Personally , I would ban headphones from pavements and roads, peoples spacial awareness is appalling without taking one of the senses out of the equation.
Mobile phones should have something in them which prevents them being used if the handset is moving.
If you want to concentrate on a text or a phone call, fine , just f****ng stand still to do it !!!

On that note can pedestrians please just walk in a ****ing straight line.


FWIW cyclists shouldn't have to wear helmets.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

On that note can pedestrians please just walk in a ****ing straight line.


FWIW cyclists shouldn't have to wear helmets.

Is it law to wear a helmet when on a bike in the UK then?

 

[Uncle Leo]

Is it law to wear a helmet when on a bike in the UK then?

No, not law. I'd say it is a good idea if you are riding a bike around central London - especially if riding it like a total penis - but it isn't a legal requirement.

 

[dingleydangley]

Opinionated drivers who don't know the stats on road deaths and who probably haven't sat on a bike since they were five.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Opinionated drivers who don't know the stats on road deaths and who probably haven't sat on a bike since they were five.

To be clear, I cycle reasonably regularly (albeit for leisure rather than to get to work) and the observations I've made on this thread about (some) cyclists come from the view of a pedestrian walking from the tube to my office.

Anyhow, you don't need to be an experienced cyclist to know that tapping away at one's phone with earphones in while cycling along a busy London street and then jumping a red light is ****ing stupid.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Is it law to wear a helmet when on a bike in the UK then?

Judging by half the cyclists I see in central London it's law to be a helmet when on a bike.

 

[dingleydangley]

To be clear, I cycle reasonably regularly (albeit for leisure rather than to get to work) and the observations I've made on this thread about (some) cyclists come from the view of a pedestrian walking from the tube to my office.

Anyhow, you don't need to be an experienced cyclist to know that tapping away at one's phone with earphones in while cycling along a busy London street and then jumping a red light is ****ing stupid.

Don't disagree with you, but my point stands. Injuries and deaths caused by cyclists are rare. The same can't be said for drivers, many of whom have plenty to say about cyclists, even when they're breaking every rule under the sun. Oh, and I drive thousands of miles a year. I also cycle a few thousand and, like you, am more than entitled to comment on these morons.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Don't disagree with you, but my point stands. Injuries and deaths caused by cyclists are rare. The same can't be said for drivers, many of whom have plenty to say about cyclists, even when they're breaking every rule under the sun. Oh, and I drive thousands of miles a year. I also cycle a few thousand and, like you, am more than entitled to comment on these morons.

Essentially, I think we agree. Less ********s on the road please, whether they are on bikes, behind a steering wheel or on foot!

 

[MK Shrimper]

**** journey into work. Should have walked it, would have been quicker. :angry:

 

[Pubey]

I think, where possible, every driver should have to pass a basic cycling proficiency test.

 

[Uncle Leo]

I think, where possible, every driver should have to pass a basic cycling proficiency test.

Do they still do the test at schools?

 

[Pubey]

Do they still do the test at schools?

I'm not sure. It's a good idea to do it at school as an optional thing if you want to cycle to school, but I think when you're 17/18 and doing your driving test, then you should have some real-life experience and qualification of cycling on the road, which will raise awareness about how when driving you need to be really considerate about other road users and pedestrians.

Also, motorway driving needs to somehow be incorporated into the driving test as well. Maybe make it compulsory to do a one day teaching and test thing within 1 year of passing your normal driving test.

Basically - Pubey for Minister for Transport

 

[MK Shrimper]

Basically - Pubey for Minister for Transport

You have my vote if I can have a payrise. Otherwise THOSE photos will be released to the Murdoch Empire...... #baaaaa

 

[EastStandBlue]

Also, motorway driving needs to somehow be incorporated into the driving test as well. Maybe make it compulsory to do a one day teaching and test thing within 1 year of passing your normal driving test.

Isn't that basically Pass Plus?

 

[Pubey]

You have my vote if I can have a payrise. Otherwise THOSE photos will be released to the Murdoch Empire...... #baaaaa

Much like your fridge, your pay is going to be frozen for years, and you'll be stuck where you are :smile:

 

[Pubey]

Isn't that basically Pass Plus?

Yeah but compulsory rather than optional. I don't think Pass Plus really has a significant impact on premiums which is why it's relatively underused.

Also much of it is theory which in many cases removes the benefit of it. if you live in Cornwall then drive to Exeter to do it on the M5, rather than read a book and then freak out the first time you hit a motorway with a bunch of the mates in the back as you drive to Reading Festival.