Here's one for your lefty wets - Jeremy Clarkson on Cycle Lanes in Holland Park Ave

BigLicks67

scrumhalf said:

UnclePsychosis said:

scrumhalf said:

You'll never get most people cycling in cities, it's utterly impractical.

Tell that to the Danes and the Dutch. 

That would be the Dutch for whom a one yard slope over a mile is considered ro be a mountain. I'd like to see them go up Muswell Hill in the wind and rain.

Here's one, Marienne Vos, going up the Mortirolo (14% in places) and a damn sight tougher than Muswell Hill.

BigLicks67

Fretwired said:

And then the zebra crossing crowd .. this is how I was hit ... the guy didn't even apologise

Cyclists should be forced to have insurance and abide by the traffic rules - I can sit outside at a local coffee shop and watch cyclists break the rules - running red lights, weaving through pedestrians on zebra crossings, cycling on pavements at speed, whizzing the wrong way around the town's one way system. Funnily enough it's not the kids or old folks .. it's the lycra clad arseholes who think they can do what they like. Challenge one at your peril ..

I've seen drivers do all these things mentioned and they have insurance etc. The mother of a guy I know ran an old lady over and killed her on a zebra crossing. As far as I know she wasn't wearing lycra at the time, which goes to show arseholes come in all shapes and sizes and more often than not, only do real damage when they are driving a big hunk of metal.

ewal

One thing that's obvious from cities where cycling is popular is that they do it in everyday clothes and yes, often without a helmet (shock, horror!).

I think that's one of things we need to get over - stop the fetishisation of it - you really don't need any special gear to ride a bike ...

JohnnyPlectrum

UnclePsychosis said:

Genuinely think one of the first steps to improving driver-cyclist-pedestrian relations is for the general populace to realise that road-tax *isn't* a thing and hasn't been since 1937. 

Personally I find it a slightly terrifying insight into humans that so few drivers seem to be aware of that. 

Couldn't agree more.
I try to avoid getting into cycling / motoring arguments because it quickly becomes very apparent that a substantial proportion of willing-to-argue motorists have no idea what cyclists are legally entitled to do, little clue as to their own obligations and no idea of their own place in road hierarchy.
Frustratingly, despite my history of muscle cars, rallying, circuit racing and general petrolheadery, 5 years as a cycle commuter watching the sole-occupancy commuter, pavement parkers, yellow line abusing, arrogant, self-entitled general motoring types has turned me so anti-car it's depressing.
Autonomous travel can't come soon enough although I've no idea how it could ever mix with human driven vehicles?

fields5069

Sassafras said:

I don't see why cyclists as road users shouldn't have to take a test. Theory and practical. They don't pay road tax, they could at least pay for testing.

I did that twice, in 3rd and 4th year juniors. I got 96% and 97%, respectively. Go me!

p90fool

ewal said:

I think that's one of things we need to get over - stop the fetishisation of it - you really don't need any special gear to ride a bike ...

Exactly, I never wear "cycling" gear and no longer even own any motorcycle clothing other than the stupid hat. 

People love to be seen to be wearing the right stuff, but it has way more to do with being seen as cool by the correct tribe than any other reason. 

crunchman

ewal said:

One thing that's obvious from cities where cycling is popular is that they do it in everyday clothes and yes, often without a helmet (shock, horror!).

I think that's one of things we need to get over - stop the fetishisation of it - you really don't need any special gear to ride a bike ...

Cycling shorts are more about avoiding a sore bum.

hollywoodrox

As an ex biker of 30 odd years  I would prefer the roads full of driverless cars . The amount of times people pulled out in front of me while talking or texting on a phone even after crackdowns on behaviour like this , and the amount of people who did not signal their intentions . So many times I have been waiting to pull out on the main road, car coming from the right signals he is turning into my road, but something tells me to not pull out and sure enough he continues straight on. Same with people pulling out in front of me without warning , you kinda got a feeling they were gonna do it and most of the time they would 

Johnnyseven

p90fool said:

People love to be seen to be wearing the right stuff, but it has way more to do with being seen as cool by the correct tribe than any other reason. 

I have to disagree with you here. I wear cycling clothing for comfort and practicality, I wear cheapo kit from Decathlon which is hardly cool and I couldn't give a monkey's what anyone thinks. Not everyone wears Rapha and treats the commute like a fashion show. Whilst it's right to say you don't have to wear special kit it does make it easier and far more comfortable. I cycle 10+ miles each way, it would be a slow uncomfortable experience if I didn't wear cycle gear and wore normal clothes. I'm sure i'm not the only cyclist that wears it for this reason.

jonnyburgo

The biggest reason that most people don’t cycle is the attitude is “fuck that” . The amount of times people at work have said that to me because there are a few Hill climbs. People are lazy or set in their ways, scared or even embarrassed to be seen on a bike. Sure for practical reasons a car can be necessary but for a commute of say under 15 miles each way a bike is a piece of piss, or would be once you get used to it. That is if it wasn’t for dickheads in cars who don’t understand safe distances

Fretwired

BigLicks67 said:

Fretwired said:

And then the zebra crossing crowd .. this is how I was hit ... the guy didn't even apologise

Cyclists should be forced to have insurance and abide by the traffic rules - I can sit outside at a local coffee shop and watch cyclists break the rules - running red lights, weaving through pedestrians on zebra crossings, cycling on pavements at speed, whizzing the wrong way around the town's one way system. Funnily enough it's not the kids or old folks .. it's the lycra clad arseholes who think they can do what they like. Challenge one at your peril ..

I've seen drivers do all these things mentioned and they have insurance etc. The mother of a guy I know ran an old lady over and killed her on a zebra crossing. As far as I know she wasn't wearing lycra at the time, which goes to show arseholes come in all shapes and sizes and more often than not, only do real damage when they are driving a big hunk of metal.

I bet the guy went to prison though - his car had a number plate. The cyclists that hit me rode off.

Fretwired

ewal said:

No-one pays road tax. I assume you mean vehicle tax which is emissions based so not applicable to bikes.

Testing - I'm not wholly against the idea, however it would be another barrier to cycling, and there's already more than enough.

What is there to test on a bike? It should be quick and easy. You're happy for idiots to ride defective bikes with no brakes. Tell that to Kim Briggs family.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/18/cyclist-charlie-alliston-jailed-for-18-months-over-death-of-pedestrian

BigLicks67

Fretwired said:

BigLicks67 said:

Fretwired said:

And then the zebra crossing crowd .. this is how I was hit ... the guy didn't even apologise

Cyclists should be forced to have insurance and abide by the traffic rules - I can sit outside at a local coffee shop and watch cyclists break the rules - running red lights, weaving through pedestrians on zebra crossings, cycling on pavements at speed, whizzing the wrong way around the town's one way system. Funnily enough it's not the kids or old folks .. it's the lycra clad arseholes who think they can do what they like. Challenge one at your peril ..

I've seen drivers do all these things mentioned and they have insurance etc. The mother of a guy I know ran an old lady over and killed her on a zebra crossing. As far as I know she wasn't wearing lycra at the time, which goes to show arseholes come in all shapes and sizes and more often than not, only do real damage when they are driving a big hunk of metal.

I bet the guy went to prison though - his car had a number plate. The cyclists that hit me rode off.

She was fined for driving without due care and attention, there was no jail term

Johnnyseven

Fretwired said:

ewal said:

No-one pays road tax. I assume you mean vehicle tax which is emissions based so not applicable to bikes.

Testing - I'm not wholly against the idea, however it would be another barrier to cycling, and there's already more than enough.

What is there to test on a bike? It should be quick and easy. You're happy for idiots to ride defective bikes with no brakes. Tell that to Kim Briggs family.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/18/cyclist-charlie-alliston-jailed-for-18-months-over-death-of-pedestrian

His bike did have a rear brake, just not a front brake. It's debatable if the situation would have had a different outcome if he did though. Not much you can do if a pedestrian steps out  in front of you crossing on a red man.

Fretwired

BigLicks67 said:

She was fined for driving without due care and attention, there was no jail term

She was prosecuted though - most accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians result in the rider fleeing on his bike. Happened to me three times. There's no way you can identify them.

p90fool

Johnnyseven said:

p90fool said:

People love to be seen to be wearing the right stuff, but it has way more to do with being seen as cool by the correct tribe than any other reason. 

I have to disagree with you here. I wear cycling clothing for comfort and practicality, I wear cheapo kit from Decathlon which is hardly cool and I couldn't give a monkey's what anyone thinks. Not everyone wears Rapha and treats the commute like a fashion show. Whilst it's right to say you don't have to wear special kit it does make it easier and far more comfortable. I cycle 10+ miles each way, it would be a slow uncomfortable experience if I didn't wear cycle gear and wore normal clothes. I'm sure i'm not the only cyclist that wears it for this reason.

I do get that, and if I'm doing more than forty miles or so I do bother with proper cycling shorts, but honestly, the rest of it is nonsense. 

A "proper" cycling top may be marginally more aerodynamic than a t-shirt, but seriously, who gives a shit? 

Johnnyseven

My cycling jerseys dry much faster than a t shirt. If you get as sweaty as I do in the summer it avoids having to put a wet top back on in the afternoon for the cycle home. The pockets are extremely useful too.

BigLicks67

Fretwired said:

BigLicks67 said:

She was fined for driving without due care and attention, there was no jail term

She was prosecuted though - most accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians result in the rider fleeing on his bike. Happened to me three times. There's no way you can identify them.

You are trying to compare a death with a few bumps and bruises and then trying to equate that to all cyclists in lycra being arseholes. Keep digging that hole my man.

My secondary school history teacher was hit by a car purportedly doing 60 mph in a 30 mph zone, his body was found 30 yards further up the road from the scene of the collision, the driver fled the scene.

In 2017 there were 470 pedestrian deaths on the roads, how many of those involved cyclists and and how many of those evaded justice?

jonnyburgo

Fretwired said:

BigLicks67 said:

She was fined for driving without due care and attention, there was no jail term

She was prosecuted though - most accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians result in the rider fleeing on his bike. Happened to me three times. There's no way you can identify them.

Three times? Is your nickname Lucky by any chance? .

JohnnyPlectrum

Johnnyseven said:

My cycling jerseys dry much faster than a t shirt. If you get as sweaty as I do in the summer it avoids having to put a wet top back on in the afternoon for the cycle home. The pockets are extremely useful too.

My commute is 10 miles each way. Padded shorts are a must. Tops are chosen to suit the weather. Other than my club kit and race kit I tend to wear generic cycling stuff as it's pretty much the right stuff for the job.
A flappy T-shirt would drive me mad. I've never risen to the MAMIL type 'insult' because:
a) I look good in Lycra
b) complementing me on choosing the correct attire is not an insult.

However there is definitely a rise of full-kit-wankers but I guess they're just the cycling equivalent of fat guys down the pub drinking lager whilst wearing football kit with someone else's name on the back?