From a scooter perspective...

Hi guys

As a scooter rider in London I'd like to give my opinion about cyclist in London. I read lots of negative things about scooters so I think it is fair for me to make some points about you guys !

I mostly ride my scooter around the City, canary wharf, London bridge, bermondsey. I have a scooter since more than 10 years.

I had lots of issues with cyclists in London, nothing serious (no accident, no fights, no damage) but lots of "f. Off", "p. off" and other nice words or heated arguments.

I would like to share the top 2 of the very annoying things I notice on a daily basis and makes me mad:

• cyclists in the middle of the bus lane. When you (not all of you) guys will understand the fact that these lanes have to be SHARED between other cyclists and scooters/motorbikes? Please leave some space, check on your right before passing other cyclists, and most importantly keep left at all time, this is NOT a cyclist only lane.

• red light = green = I don't care as I'm a cyclist. This one makes me so angry. Do you guys want to end your life on the street ? Red means red. STOP! Maybe you think there is no one but you might miss a spot and bump into a car or...scooter. This happened to me multiple times...it makes me very angry.

I would like to express the wish of mutual respect and care for each other. We are both on 2 wheels and both face the same risks on the road.
Take good care and wear a helmet!

• cyclists in the middle of the bus lane. When you (not all of you) guys will understand the fact that these lanes have to be SHARED between other cyclists and scooters/motorbikes? Please leave some space, check on your right before passing other cyclists, and most importantly keep left at all time, this is NOT a cyclist only lane.
  
  
  

Or you could wait back until its safe to overtake? Riding in the left hand of bus lanes is one of the worst places on the road to ride, most active place for people parking up, crappest surfacing on the road from buses stopping and starting/people parking, grids, and people meandering around bus stops

Thing that annoy me about scooters:

Using ASLs, it just rustles my jimmies.

Riding in bus lanes, evil eyes at me not riding in the gutter. I don't like riding in the gutter, it is full of drain holes and crap. You can overtake if you want, there's another lane, right there. Or be patient, we'll see each other at the lights.

Why is Friday so popular for popcorn?

It's magnets or something...

Why bother, Vespaboy? I mean really, what do you hope to achieve with the above?
Good luck with you awareness campaign and all that but I really think you are posting this on the wrong forum.... Oh and get a real bike

On your second gripe ... yeah, fair comment. I stop at all reds, lots don't, I know it annoys other road users and peds. It annoys me that all cyclists get tared with the same brush - but hey, what can you do?

On the first gripe .. with respect ... piss off. I will NOT ride way over to the left so that everyone can pass me. I will however ride as far to the left as I (I as in ME) deem it safe for ME. Roads are full of pot holes, raised man-holes and all manner of shit and often riding in the middle of a bus lane is the only safe place. To tes this I suggest you head down any bus lane (or any road for that matter) on your scooter as you think cyclists should ride, and tell me you feel safe (if you even stay on your bike). So I hear what you say, but I will ride where I feel safest. If you want to vertake me, then feel free, but I will NOT put my life at risk by riding in the gutter.

Rant over :)

and most importantly keep left at all time, this is NOT a cyclist only lane.

Do you not know how to overtake then?

In fact more than that.

As a cyclist in London I'd like to give my opinion about scooterists in London. They are a bunch of twats who ride like idiots. That is why i tell them to "p off" and "f off".

Happy to help.

Yeah, this thing with having to ride right over on the left. I get that from car drivers too, "why do you take up a whole lane when you are only on a bike". And the thing is, the cars take up a whole lane, so why can't I? They chose to sit in the big metal box and clutter the place up... I mean they leave it on the road when they have finished with it... how rude is that. At least I put my bike away.

I know, I know, the guy above is a scooter guy, not car. But it still applies, as peeps have said above, riding tucked over in the left, in the gutter like a second class road citizen.. that's not for me, or for anyone really.

Having said that, I think OP was trying to be constructive. I have ridden scooters, motorbikes and bikes, and I think we are sort of in the same place to some degree. So, I'll take the good wishes from his last para and be happy. 'tis Friday after all.

I have the day off work, a job interview at lunchtime, and the rest of the day to chill, so it is a good day for me.

My problem with Scooter riders is they are great big wimpy bed wetters who are not man enough to ride Motorbikes or fit enough to ride Bicycles.

But Vespa? No, I had a Lammy! And we are talking about the 80s here. Not first time, but maybe second time around for scooters.

• cyclists in the middle of the bus lane. When you (not all of you) guys will understand the fact that these lanes have to be SHARED between other cyclists and scooters/motorbikes? Please leave some space, check on your right before passing other cyclists, and most importantly keep left at all time, this is NOT a cyclist only lane.
  Thanks for you contribution.
  

Sharing a lane does not mean having to keep out of the way for a vehicle travelling faster at that particular moment.

Just because you don't understand taking a primary /assertive position in the road, doesn't mean that everyone should get out of your way.

tl;dr You're wrong

wear a helmet!
Helmet thread >>>>>>>>>>>>>.

tl;dr You're wrong. Again.

So it's more like

My problem with Scooter riders is they are great big wimpy bed wetters who are not man enough to ride Motorbikes or fit enough to ride Bicycles.

Haha.

This was a good idea for a thread, tho.

"Dear people! I've joined your forum to tell you all why I hate you, because I'm a massive crybaby"

PS: SCOOTERIST! I assume you've sat a CBT although perhaps you haven't got a proper licence yet. Did your instructor ever tell you where to ride in the road? They should have been telling you to get into the middle of the lane at all times. You should have filed that instruction under "safety", because that's what it's for - it makes you visible, gives you swerving room, and discourages following traffic from squeezing you during dodgy overtakes. It is exactly the same for cyclists. Back to the training skule with you.

1. why do you need to overtake as soon as you get behind something slower, just wait ffs, you are still faster in the bus lane than in the regular lane. Stop hovering over my shoulder

2. RJing is probably irritating to jealous car drivers. I also drive a van, and I don't give a fuck about cyclists jumping red lights - it's their life. I wait at 95% of lights, but for example if someone presses the button at a crossing, then crosses early, I'm not going to wait at an empty crossing

3. stop blocking gaps in traffic, you are not going to get through, however you are stopping me making progress

4. get a real bike, you fanny fart

Sorry Vespaboy, but if you've been riding 10 years you should know all about primary position and why a cyclist as well as a motorcyclist should be riding in it.

Hold back and overtake when it is safe, and extend the same courtesy that you would expect to be extended to you.

It's a scooter.

So it's more like

If it's anything like my scooter it's more like

..>.........*

Why is Friday so popular for popcorn?

It's magnets or something...

Nah this place has been popping all day yesterday as well. It must be time for the annual forum angsty cry wank / meltdown.

I see on the active members looking at this therad that young Vespaboy is still here. Yet no comment on the responses from the cyclist fraternity? Feel like you've had your arse slapped? Good boy ... run along now :)

The OP raises some valid points.

Fair play for posting that.

Good to see all of the knee-jerk reactionary posts. Don't hold back guys!

pop pop

- cyclists in the middle of the bus lane. When you (not all of you) guys will understand the fact that these lanes have to be SHARED between other cyclists and scooters/motorbikes? Please leave some space, check on your right before passing other cyclists, and most importantly keep left at all time, this is NOT a cyclist only lane.

it's my road too, why do you think you have right of way over a cyclist ? i'm not gonna ride in the gutter just so you can get where you are going a few seconds quicker
you are lucky to be allowed in the bus lane !

maybe you have one of those scooters with loads of mirrors so you are actually as wide as a car and can't pass ? if thats the case just make a careful manoeuvre into the 2nd lane and over take as you would with any car / bus / lorry etc

- red light = green = I don't care as I'm a cyclist. This one makes me so angry. Do you guys want to end your life on the street ? Red means red. STOP! Maybe you think there is no one but you might miss a spot and bump into a car or...scooter. This happened to me multiple times...it makes me very angry.

I just hope you don't exceed the 30mph speed limit ANYWHERE on your journey or you'd come across as a complete hipocrite cunt telling other what they should do whilst flouting the highway code yourself.

i hope you are a squeaky clean moped-ist and break no rules of the road