Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

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  • Following up the righteous gesture with "you're welcome, cunts" is entirely optional, should they fail to acknowledge your politeness.

  • While people should be careful when crossing busy roads on foot, I am repeatedly stunned by the attitude of motorists and cyclists to pedestrians who are crossing side roads. In many instances, the pedestrians have looked to see if there's anyone approaching the junction and indicating that they're going to turn into the side road, so they quite sensibly start crossing, only to find some cock in a car or on a bike giving them grief, expecting them to leap out of the way.

    And in fact, when turning from a major road, onto a minor road, one must give way to any pedestrians crossing the minor road.

    But unlike many other European countries, I don't get the impression most road users are aware of this, or take any notice of it.

    Edit - see it's been covered on this page.

  • I feel that in this situation you should've waited instead of shouting at them/swerving around them.

    Are you saying it was completely impossible to stop and wait for them to cross?

    I have mentioned that there wasn't a lot of stopping distance. I shouted to get there attention as they should've be paying more of it. Swerve was to avoid a collision.

    Thin old line rule 170. If they were as vigilant as they should have been, they would have seen roboto and held back. If he came along moments later, as they were crossing, then they would have had priority.

    I've just been out there on my lunch break and witnessed more people just carelessly crossing this junction without checking as cyclists signal to turn down there.

    We can be fairly certain they did the usual thing that all non-cyclist-sympathetic people do, which is let a car go and then completely filter the cyclist from their vision, or belligerently walk in front of the cyclist expecting them to stop or crash to avoid them.

    With knowledge of this cultural status quo, it would seem most prudent to slow down in anticipation.

    In my experience people seem to think that it's not that bad to walk out in front of a cyclist as we all only travel about 8mph and it's a soft landing if there is a collision. I did slow down for the corner as it's not a good corner for leaning (no corner is) and taking at speed.

    I take this turn everyday, I'm very cautious about wandering peds. I just used this one example of my recent memory of it to call out the bad parenting. Kids need to learn to respect the road and how to cross safely, it doesn't help when they get dragged across by their parents.

  • I scored a tick in the motorist's book today.

    As I ascended my local hill, this pedestrian gent in a rather bad mood (maybe his missus had a moment of clarity and dumped him), picked up two traffic cones from nearby roadworks and placed them across the road, blocking the traffic.

    I asked him what he was doing but he sloped off. The car drivers sat there dumbfounded, but as a good cycling citizen I jumped off and cleared the road.

    Rolla member; Sam Jones, helping the people of Croydon get their fat arses to work :-)

  • I don't want to be a dick about it and I approve of the rule in theory but I don't get how you are supposed to turn down side roads in central London if you always give way to all pedestrians, in some places there's basically never a point where there isn't someone trying to cross the road.

  • I'm pretty sure pedestrians crossing/waiting to cross side roads have priority over those turning in.

    This is correct according to the highway code

    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070332

  • ^Those waiting to cross don't though?

    Those already crossing it is blindingly obvious they have priority, you can't run them over!

  • I find it confusing at times too. I cross over this junction (below) in the mornings, and there's a lot of zombiefied pedestrian activity on both sides. I ring my very loud bell pre-emptively when exiting the side road and starting to the cross the 'main' road. The issue would be having to stop at the entrance to the side road on the other side when aggressive or unobservant drivers are coming from the left along the main road. I just have to weigh up the situation each time.

    http://goo.gl/maps/1T6Rp

  • ^^No one has mentioned running anyone over.

    I just have to weigh up the situation each time.

    This.

  • Of course, having weighed up each unique set of circumstances, I always make the decision to accelerate hard, and carve my Brompton through the fucking melee, shouting abuse all the while. It's the only way to stay safe in the urban jungle.

  • Yeah pretty much this^

    ^^No one has mentioned running anyone over.

    Twas a joke sir...

  • I don't want to be a dick about it and I approve of the rule in theory but I don't get how you are supposed to turn down side roads in central London if you always give way to all pedestrians, in some places there's basically never a point where there isn't someone trying to cross the road.

    ^This

    Picking your moment gets tougher and tougher..... If, as stated by law, a bike is a veichle, and as the rules of the road say pedestrians should only start to cross when it's safe to do so - That means when a bike is turning into a crossing and you have'nt stepped out yet, you have to let the traffic pass by. If you step out, you'll obstruct the rider, and base human instinct will exchange embarassment at causing an incident into an enraged victim should you have the misfortune to get hit by said rider by essentially being a ped in the wrong.

    The rules get ever foggier, I guess you have to make a judgement call when you're more in the right than in the wrong, and take the opportunity when it's there.

  • ^Those waiting to cross don't though?

    Those already crossing it is blindingly obvious they have priority, you can't run them over!

    But there are drivers out there who behave as though they feel entitled to do so.

    Sometimes it may be because they have decided to take the turn several seconds before, and they're still doing 30mph and not indicating as they approach, so the peds will continue to step out, only to get a blast of the horn, a bit of the verbals (just death threats and stuff like that)

  • Typically, there is a whole thread on the matter

    http://www.lfgss.com/thread11847.html

    and http://www.lfgss.com/thread50556.html

  • I don't want to be a dick about it and I approve of the rule in theory but I don't get how you are supposed to turn down side roads in central London if you always give way to all pedestrians, in some places there's basically never a point where there isn't someone trying to cross the road.

    really? yes there's always someone trying to cross. indicate, make your aural warning of choice if you feel the need, bell or voice, wait until there's a gap (there will be a gap, you just have to wait) or more often than not, some of those people walking will see you and wait for you. not so problematic really.

  • Me yesterday evening on the walworth road towards Camberwell, Overtook a guy who was clearly thinking of pulling out and overtaking the slow moving traffic. I kinda squeezed you out, sorry. You were riding a classic black road frame with chrome forks, I was on a black langster. I should have hung back and let you go first.

    And then you jumped the lights so I thought fuck it.

  • This guy doesn't have enough 'class' to use this forum, but maybe he'll see this. Utter belmer on a Dawes fixie with a white chain on Vauxhall bridge this morning. Riding brakeless with no foot retention. Fucking champ.

  • Its more that im getting pulled in on by the time im on my third rotation so i have to brake practically as soon as i start and by this time theres often cars coming up close by so im stuck behind someone doing 5mph

    PAH! You just need some HTFU! :-)

    If you stand on the pedals, wrench off the bars, etc you can get some really decent acceleration out of the usual 66-70GI ratio. Doubly so with clipless - it's like having rockett-powwah-fixeh!! They might stay with you for the first few yards, but then you strip them bare by 40m or so.

    Ditch the clips and straps, hipster!

  • We can be fairly certain they did the usual thing that all non-cyclist-sympathetic people do, which is let a car go and then completely filter the cyclist from their vision, or belligerently walk in front of the cyclist expecting them to stop or crash to avoid them.

    With knowledge of this cultural status quo, it would seem most prudent to slow down in anticipation.

    Granted. And I like to wave people out - especially if I haven't got a head of steam up yet, I feel like it's good PR for cyclists.

    On the other hand, I do hate those situations where you're left sat in the middle of the road just inside a side street. I'm always worried that somebody in too much of a hurry crossing from the far side of the traffic won't spot me. It's one of the times where you've got no avoidance choices.

  • really? yes there's always someone trying to cross. indicate, make your aural warning of choice if you feel the need, bell or voice, wait until there's a gap (there will be a gap, you just have to wait) or more often than not, some of those people walking will see you and wait for you. not so problematic really.

    It can be very problematic. I love stopping, giving way to and interacting with peds and motorists- my way blurring the us and them line. However on a bike I don't have brake lights and if I'm looking to turn off a quick moving major road and you as a ped choose not to look I'm putting myself at high risk of being hit from behind by inattentive drivers following also looking to turn but are not expecting me to stop half way into the turn.

    Turning off London Bridge into Tooley Street is a killer for this: folk stepping out on red daily.

  • What's needed is a big audible warning that peds don't associate with cyclists, like the Acme Thunderer.

  • Or an Airzound.

  • I just scream... Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrggggggghhhh!!!!!!!!

    It works for me, although I imagine 'no brakes' Would kinda work too?

    Although I've not needed to use that tactic since I stopped working in the city.

  • i imagine 'no brakes' would kinda work too?

    "Can't stop! Don't want to either!"

  • I use on a regular basis "OI! OI!" and "Carfeul Now!" as a warning, announcement of my possible intentions, it gets people to look up as they are about to cross the road, whether it's a major one that they can't be bothered to find a crossing for, or stepping off at the junction to a minor road.

    If you can see what pedestrians want to do, then a verbal announcement leaves them much less shocked than swinging past them at speed.

    I prefer to call out as the use of bells, just fucks me off no end, with everyone ringing and ringing, its as if pedestrians tune it out. I believe using my voice, makes for more interaction, as its as much about the tone in which its used as the words that you are using..

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Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

Posted by Avatar for Multi_Grooves @Multi_Grooves

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