Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

Sometime's I just can't even come close to understanding some people's line of thinking. Crossing the strand outside charing cross this morning along with another 20 or 30 people, the lights start flashing amber as most people are going across the second lane of traffic, so what does matey boy on the bike do? Wait 30 seconds for everyone to finish crossing, nope it was head down start peddling straight for the middle and hope everyone gets out of his way. Utter fuckwit

No.

So, I'm going to buy a WRX wagon and install a kick arse stereo in it to drown out the blow off valve as I boost my way around London.

May have convinced Tiswas to race us across Europe on the Holiday With No Name.

It's Volvo vs. Ford action, with bikes in the back.

those who offer their pushchairs/prams/buggys into the flow of moving traffic as a potential sacrifice in order to get traffic to stop. .

I once hit a guy who did this with his child. His excuse was "But the pavement was full".

I once hit a guy who did this with his child. His excuse was "But the pavement was full".

You hit him with his own child? Chapeau!

Pro's running red lights, riding on the wrong side of the road, riding four abreast, disgraceful.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2010/09/25/213651_news.html

Glad the senior sergeant's wife has brought it to his attention so he can crack down on such awful behaviour.

Anyone ever been stopped by these cops on bikes? My GF got cautioned for skipping the red light coming into Holborn from Theobolds rd the other day, and occasionally they do a sting at the in angel at the start of essex rd.

I got stopped by the fattest copper in the world for filtering down (at 2 mph next to the curb) the inside of a queue to a red light on Embankment. Heaved his bulk our of the car (thus blocking one lane in morning rush-hour, super idea) and claimed I was "overtaking on the inside".

What a total tool. I just rode off noting that if he wasn't so fat and a complete disgrace to the uniform he would be able to chase me; he didn't.

Make that the fattest police officer in th UK as the world includes the US and I believe the police in the US are starting to use mobility scooters nowadays.

Anyone ever been stopped by these cops on bikes? My GF got cautioned for skipping the red light coming into Holborn from Theobolds rd the other day

You're not allowed to turn right there either. So 2 illegal things.

I got stopped by the fattest copper in the world for filtering down (at 2 mph next to the curb) the inside of a queue to a red light on Embankment. Heaved his bulk our of the car (thus blocking one lane in morning rush-hour, super idea) and claimed I was "overtaking on the inside".

What a total tool. I just rode off noting that if he wasn't so fat and a complete disgrace to the uniform he would be able to chase me; he didn't.
You are allowed to filter past traffic on any side with the traffic is travelling under a certain speed (15mph?? Not sure).

It's normally better to filter on the right, there has been some discussion of this over in the cycle training forum, might be worth a read for those who tend to filter on the left.

As proof that everyone can make mistakes, even ones who bitch about other cyclists on here:
Finished my journey home yesterday by very very slowly coming out of a junction on Mare Street just next to the Dolphin, in between to stationary cars just as their lane (the left) went on green and they started to move forward. Seeing this I looked to the right to make sure no cars were coming down the right lane (which was on red) and I could cross onto that lane and make my way to my front door when BANG! I smashed my shoulder into the back of the car to my left.

The car in front of him was a learner and had stalled. I apologized profusely to the man in the car who gave me the shit eye but then drove off.

Felt like a total tit for the next few hours! Should have got off an walked across the crossing...
Monsta

your werse than bmxers!

What a lovely generalisation. Cunt.

I'm calling myself out for iffy road positioning after a few months away. Today was my first time out in London for a long time and I LOVED it.

Had to have a word with a couple of weapon nodders who were undertaking a left turning cement truck this morning (Cally road x market rd). It was one of those retrofitted ones with mirrors, loads of lights down the left and a fucking loud speaker announcing the left turn.

2 of them sailed down the left - the latter one actually clipped the left corner of the truck then shouted at the driver (who was doing everything right).

Asked the second nodder if he realised how close he was to being squished - absolutely no idea, just said "oh he should have been looking". No understanding when I tried to point out blindspots etc... then he wobbled off through a red.

Older chap, quite normal otherwise, probably a dad...

Theres an old boy who sometimes cycles the first part of my commute, a 75m stretch of dual carriage way with lights at the top and always has streams of pretty havy traffic travelling down it. He always rides right over on the right hand side of the right hand lane, in the gutter, I guess so he doesn't have to cross the traffic at the end. Feel like I should follow him and tell him it's not safe, but not sure I could fully explain why.

Is there a gutter in the middle of the road?

It sounds as if he is in the correct lane if he is turning right, just he should be in primary position to stop cars undertaking him.

Oh, it's got a central divide, hence the gutter on the right of the road. It's fair enough for him to be on the right lane but he should be in primary right? As it is he's gutter riding, and in a place where most drivers would not expect to see him. Makes me cringe every time I see him, just looks inherantly deadly.

^ would it not make sense in a way that he's moving over to allow the traffic to continue to flow? Like secondary in the left, maybe could be called tertiary? Agree this shouldn't be right in the gutter, but the principle works imo.

Had to have a word with a couple of weapon nodders who were undertaking a left turning cement truck this morning (Cally road x market rd). It was one of those retrofitted ones with mirrors, loads of lights down the left and a fucking loud speaker announcing the left turn.

2 of them sailed down the left - the latter one actually clipped the left corner of the truck then shouted at the driver (who was doing everything right).

Asked the second nodder if he realised how close he was to being squished - absolutely no idea, just said "oh he should have been looking". No understanding when I tried to point out blindspots etc... then he wobbled off through a red.

Older chap, quite normal otherwise, probably a dad...

jeebus. Blinkers. I also heard one of those this morning. People still sailed down the left...

Aye they're a brilliant idea as the speaker's fucking loud and there's an amber indicator light sticking out of the LHS of the truck right in the eyeline so it's hard to miss.... or so you would think...

Last night I pulled up at a set of lights (partly as I had seen a police car just behind me.

Nodder breezes past on my left hand side through the lights and then slams on brakes as there are cars going across the junction. I say "please use your eyes and brain, you just ran the red light, having just passed a police car and you don't even have any lights." the rider turns round, a woman with the wizened face of yoda scowls but does not reply.

Last night it was pissing down which always makes seeing unilluminated cyclists even harder to spot. Lights turn green and I continue down the road, a taxi pulls alongside and I expect the usual earful of abuse instead it's "good on you mate, she needed telling and glad to see you are makin yourself visible". The two sets of exposure front and rear lights had definitely got the seal of approval from the cabbie.

^this is the interchange you have with a cabbie, I don't even know you...

yeah, what's going on DJ? have you met a nice girl or something? found jesus?

God and a girl

I expect the usual earful of abuse instead it's "good on you mate, she needed telling and glad to see you are makin yourself visible".

Was that before or after you blinded the poor cabbie with your light on the helmet?

Tall guy on a dark green conversion, camden road, greenland road, down the side of regents park, you turned off just before oxford circus tube.
Clearing your nose over your shoulder when there's another cyclist behind you is really poor form. Doing it twice so you've definitely seen them the first time is dickery.