I think what bothers me most is that there's not going to be any 'protocol' for how to deal with this - the situation where both people step in the same direction when walking towards each other on the pavement could end so much more painfully here... :)
The protocol is that you swerve violently and shout "WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!" at them, they don't understand English so either ignore you or give you a wide-eyed vacant stare, and both of you continue on your way, with them wondering what the problem is and why the crazyman was shouting at them, and you feeling extremely pissed-off and (depending on how near a miss it was) shaky.
I think enforcing the law by stopping and fining people where currently allowed would be a good start, and much more sensible than licencing people to cycle. Are you going to want a pedestrian license too?
You're right, enforcing the current laws would work too. Shame they rarely do. At least I've seen them try once of twice.
As to if you where going to liscense cyclists, I think you could only practically do it as a liscense to ride in the city centre or similar, and have it revoked for no lights etc etc. I doubt though the cost of setting it up and the almost certainly poor way such a think would be managed would ever make such a scheme worth will.
As for pedestrians, while many are suicidal, they rarely display the same level of absolute contempt for the law as if doesn't apply to them that many university students display. I think pedestrians are just more intimidated by the squish factor of cars.
I personally don't see what is so hard about stopping at red lights, and have lights on you bike. But it seems that a large number struggle.
I wonder what the stats are for no light/pavement cycling/red light jumping in oxford/cambridge. I'm guessing it must be 10's of percents.
Echoed, plus increased awareness that traffic laws apply to bicycles, too.
I've seen the following, in Reading (though thankfully at a quiet junction, so no actual harm done):
The scene. A mother and child (of about 6/7), are both riding independently. When the two purposely jump a red light at a junction: Child: 'Hey mum, don't we have to stop at red lights' Mother: 'No dear, that only applies to cars, not to us'
I'd naively assume rules-of-the-road and that both cycles should stick to their respective lefts.... That said, if the other cyclist was aware of basic rules of the road, he wouldn't be in your cycle lane!
I saw it in the photo but assumed (foolishly, clearly) that it was going to resolve in the normal manner for such things. (Not giving anything away here, I hope.)
Argh! For this, handlebar-mounted cattle-prods were will hopefully be invented.
The other hazard in the picture of course is the bloody rain. :-( I've finally got back on the bike after 1 x stomped wheel and weeks of teh ill, and what a day for it... Botley Road was just one long puddle this morning, including one bit which was so flooded that the cars were noticing it and letting the bikes go round it!
Gah, replied to this once and it didn't work. Damned LJ.
Stomped wheel> bastards!
Rain> not quite as bad here and thank heavens for waterproof trousers. Though I fear they'll be of limited use in real downpours, my thighs were still slightly damp when I got in this morning (oo-er missus).
Puddle> I'm impressed they were so nice!
I guess it's harder work getting home than to work?
I guess it's harder work getting home than to work?
Who, me or Art?
Homewards is easier for me because the Botley Road cycle lane is slightly better/easier westbound... though really it's very good in both directions and I've nothing to complain about! It's just that on the way back you don't have to wait FOREVER (even with the push-button thingum) at the ring-road junction.
Wheel-stomping bastards> It wasn't as expensive as I expected to get it fixed, but still, GRRRRR. I will have to keep the bike in the hall now which is a PITA for us and next door (though next door have said they don't mind too much), and I don't know what we're going to do when Owen starts cycling as well because there really isn't room for two bikes in the hall. I thought leaving it in a residents car-park would be safe enough (especially when there's people in and out all the time for the Iceland unloading bay) but I suppose all those cars etc means it's basically an adventure playground for the local disaffected yoof. (And hey at least they didn't knife my car tyres or anything.)
The really annoying thing is that the bike was chained up within sight of our back balcony so if I'd been there I could have probably hit the buggers with a supersoaker.
I meant more because it's slightly more uphill back to Botley. I cycled both directions from the station when we were over for the Ox-Cam ride and staying with Chris. I know what you mean about the push button! Why on earth can't they have a detection loop? And like actually do something when it's activated.
Stick a video camera on the balcony instead and report them if it happens again? Hard to recognise yoofs though I guess.
I suspect they'd just nick the video camera... :-( I'll have a think though & see if I can set up some kind of cheap webcam. And then invoice the Vale of White Horse for provision of CCTV services. 8-)
Didn't think it was much uphill back to Botley -- I'll pay more attention tonight!
If you mean the one opposite the McDonalds there is a loop, but the button is more reliable. And in my experience pressing the button will give you a green just before the cars to your right will get their next green. Being too impatient to wait for one cycle of the lights seems a little MTV generation.
And yes, I would say that from Osney to Elms parade is flat. After Elms parade you start getting hill.
The rider we're travelling with appears to be operating a video camera while using the road. That's my guess. ;-)
That variety of cyclist is worse than the ones who use the pavement, but I have a technique for dealing with the latter...you can safely grab their handlebars and bring them quickly to a stop, and they then can't move at all until they've listened to your lecture.
oh, if only I had the guts to do that to pavement cyclists! My route to university uses one pavement which is genuinely a cycle-path, and people seem to think this means the entirety of the rest of the route is also fair game.
Of grabbing people's bikes when they are cycling? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. I am hesitant to believe the claims of "safely" since I know I at least would probably fall off if somebody did that to me and then you could possibly at a certain stretch of the imagination be done for assault. It would certainly be no better than pushing somebody off their bike. I think your best bet is to stand in the way safe in the knowledge that if they hit you it won't kill you and it will be their fault.
From the still I was about to say "the fucktard standing in the middle of the cycle lane" but no, it's a few levels of fucktardery above that, isn't it. Sigh.
That is an awesome horn you have mounted on the bike, by the way.
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I've had that happen to me once or twice, but really, how stupid do you have to be?
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IME, anyway. :-/
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There was a reason I removed the audio track, to spare our younger listeners... ;-)
(Actually, I yelled "Other side!", but it's not really distinguishable over rattles and road noise)
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We really should enforce a cycling license soon.
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(Anonymous) 2006-12-11 01:56 pm (UTC)(link)As to if you where going to liscense cyclists, I think you could only practically do it as a liscense to ride in the city centre or similar, and have it revoked for no lights etc etc. I doubt though the cost of setting it up and the almost certainly poor way such a think would be managed would ever make such a scheme worth will.
As for pedestrians, while many are suicidal, they rarely display the same level of absolute contempt for the law as if doesn't apply to them that many university students display. I think pedestrians are just more intimidated by the squish factor of cars.
I personally don't see what is so hard about stopping at red lights, and have lights on you bike. But it seems that a large number struggle.
I wonder what the stats are for no light/pavement cycling/red light jumping in oxford/cambridge. I'm guessing it must be 10's of percents.
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I've seen the following, in Reading (though thankfully at a quiet junction, so no actual harm done):
The scene. A mother and child (of about 6/7), are both riding independently. When the two purposely jump a red light at a junction:
Child: 'Hey mum, don't we have to stop at red lights'
Mother: 'No dear, that only applies to cars, not to us'
o_O
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The CAA's comment was: It is perhaps fortunate that both aircraft turned the wrong way!
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I saw it in the photo but assumed (foolishly, clearly) that it was going to resolve in the normal manner for such things. (Not giving anything away here, I hope.)
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werewill hopefully be invented.The other hazard in the picture of course is the bloody rain. :-( I've finally got back on the bike after 1 x stomped wheel and weeks of teh ill, and what a day for it... Botley Road was just one long puddle this morning, including one bit which was so flooded that the cars were noticing it and letting the bikes go round it!
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Stomped wheel> bastards!
Rain> not quite as bad here and thank heavens for waterproof trousers. Though I fear they'll be of limited use in real downpours, my thighs were still slightly damp when I got in this morning (oo-er missus).
Puddle> I'm impressed they were so nice!
I guess it's harder work getting home than to work?
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Who, me or Art?
Homewards is easier for me because the Botley Road cycle lane is slightly better/easier westbound... though really it's very good in both directions and I've nothing to complain about! It's just that on the way back you don't have to wait FOREVER (even with the push-button thingum) at the ring-road junction.
Wheel-stomping bastards> It wasn't as expensive as I expected to get it fixed, but still, GRRRRR. I will have to keep the bike in the hall now which is a PITA for us and next door (though next door have said they don't mind too much), and I don't know what we're going to do when Owen starts cycling as well because there really isn't room for two bikes in the hall. I thought leaving it in a residents car-park would be safe enough (especially when there's people in and out all the time for the Iceland unloading bay) but I suppose all those cars etc means it's basically an adventure playground for the local disaffected yoof. (And hey at least they didn't knife my car tyres or anything.)
The really annoying thing is that the bike was chained up within sight of our back balcony so if I'd been there I could have probably hit the buggers with a supersoaker.
Grr.
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Stick a video camera on the balcony instead and report them if it happens again? Hard to recognise yoofs though I guess.
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Didn't think it was much uphill back to Botley -- I'll pay more attention tonight!
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And yes, I would say that from Osney to Elms parade is flat. After Elms parade you start getting hill.
David
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That variety of cyclist is worse than the ones who use the pavement, but I have a technique for dealing with the latter...you can safely grab their handlebars and bring them quickly to a stop, and they then can't move at all until they've listened to your lecture.
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Securely attached to the handlebars requiring no intervention from the accused, m'lud:
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That is an awesome horn you have mounted on the bike, by the way.
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