have you also seen they are about to change the law and if you hit a bike YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE! regardless of what the retards do,your insurance company will have to pay so insurance will be going up again.
i dont care much for cyclists,the majority are ok i suppose but its the retards who ride 3 across then glare at me as if coaches should not be there.they are all self smug little gits who seem to think they own the road though.about time we started taxing them for road use

I am a cyclist, saves me having to do 45 mins cardio in the gym and petrol money, ive done 5000 miles in 18 months, work out how much petrolI've saved. By my maths its approximately £750-800, more than i brought my coupe for.
It does annoy me when people ride bikes on the pavement, or use no lights, but car drivers are total arse's. They park in cycle lanes illegaly, just because they are too lazy to walk 100 yars to a car park, they cut up up, especially at roundabouts, the highway code says cyclists keep to the left regardless of what way you going, so when i approach a 6-exit roundabout in the left it may mean I'm taking the 5th exit, so don't look surprised whan I bang on your window and call you a c**t.
On my old bike the bar ends had worn through the handlebar grips leaving sharp unfiled metal sticking out, great for dropping onto cars that cut me up!
I must have a go at at least 2 drivers everyday I cycle to work.
however the most considerate drivers to cyclists are the modified car owners, yep despite police and the media saying their the spawn of satan and shouldn't be on the road, they give the most room simply because they don't want a barend run along their paintwork.

as well as taxed and insured


they should half footpaths and make bike lanes.im sick of nearly killing some wobbling halfwit

Im sprry but Im with the cyclists on this. I really enjoy cycling but I avoid roads as much as possible, 99% of car drivers have no respect or knowledge of dealing with cyclists. most dont even slow down, they simply drive past leaving a 1-2 gap on a wide open country road at 60-70mph. they dont even move across on dual carriage ways. But the worst are bus drivers. they have no clue of when they have rounded a cyclists fully, the bus is have way past you and the dangerous idiots start pulling across. you either stop or go under there wheel. then there are hgv and coach drivers who are even worse than the bus drivers for doing it. I believe that when i drive i try to give every other road user as much consideration as i can. everyone else just seems to view it as war zone. the only things i will do is if some cuts me etc i will do the same back to them even if it means going out of my way to do it. also i will not let anyone pull out nd go around a que of traffic and try and push in front of me. if they keep trying i start to push them out towards the oncoming traffic. you wouldnt barge to the front of que in a shop what gives mr bmwaudimerc the right to do tht on the road. the que ends being longer because everyone has to stop to let the selfish gits back in.

the only thing i try to do is avoid the wobbling halfwit listening to an ipod whom it takes me half an hour to overtake cos he's all over the road-or riding alongside his mate chatting to him.......i finally get past him and whats he do............i pull up at traffic lights,he shoots through the lights on red-and they do it all the time-then i have to try and overtake again.for a bunch of people who moan coaches overtake too close cyclists are sure keen to undertake you so they can be overtaken again.
and there is a new breed of road nazi.
he wears a silly pointed helmet and dayglo yellow,works as an assistant bank manager monday to friday so bought a mega expensive bike and goes out with 20 mates at weekends.but because they are all important-whilst busy road racing-illegal in a car yet would still hurt someone badly if they hit them-and chatting to mates-3 abreast also illegal obstructing the road-they think can do as they please-important "i have a bike so im an in thing" doesnt really do it for me.half a dozen got hurt a few years ago doing what? go on guess? riding 3 a breast,yet the car driver is blamed nobody asks what they are doing causing an obstruction.
lets make a few things clear here-
A)most important-most cyclists are just normal people who are reasonably safe
B)those who aint usually talk with two plums in their mouth,wear an ipod and dayglo and ride 3 abreast are a pain in the arse.
i would like to see bikes placed in bike lanes where they are safe,kept wrapped in cotton wool from professional drivers who are likely to knock off a halfwit who's too busy i-podding,talking on a mobile or not paying enough attention or riding like a total tit,or who's too busy head down arse up to notice the 40 foot vehicle thats turning left.tax them and make them have insurancepaul is right though on car drivers who are a general menace to all.and probably bus drivers too who have an ax to grind with the world

i personally feel road manners in general have just gone, when i was young every time my dad gave way to some, let them out of junction they always gave a signal to say thank you (and always do today if someone lets me out etc) now people just floor it and ignor the fact you did them a good deed. well it true of this country in general everyone will take what they can and never give you thank you or a toss for anyone else.

true enough.there is far too much sticking up fingers etc

I agree with Paul, people just don't care about others anymore. A lot of people are just selfish, they want to get where they want to be and everyone else is in the way.

I don't mind proper cyclists who obey the highway code, I'm one of those, but I only use my bike when it isn't cold or raining (one day a year) It's the chavs who ride off the paths without looking or with looking and not caring, ride on the wrong side of the road, in the dark, with dark clothing and no lights on bikes that look like they have just nicked them form a 4 year old, which they probably have and are using it as a getaway vehicle from some other crime, they are the ones that really annoy me. Drivers should be rewarded for taking them out of the gene pool. But when one of them does get hit they were a model student, everyone loved them, it's all the drivers fault, we must reduce the speed limit to 20 on that road

I know that is a generalisation and some genuine kids do get hit by stupid drivers, like the driver of the Bifa wagon that tried to kill me last year. And don't even start me on the school kids on foot who cross the road regardless that a car is coming and then scowl at you for having the audacity to want to drive on the road. Where I work the college students are even worse, they will stand on the road at the gateway smoking and won't move for you. It's stange that on those occasions my winscreen always needs cleaning when I do get past them.

Rant over, for now

Yep, Paul and Catherine, thats bang on...

As previously mentioned, I'm a pretty considerate driver and will let most things out of junctions etc. Only exceptions to this are Food Chain lorries (40mph or less merchants, that law needs changing ) and tractors (drive on the fields, thats why you have big tyres ) but I notice that more and more drivers do not thank me. Fair enough, maybe you just want to make haste into the gap I created before some loon pulls into it. Whatever. The ones that REALLY hack me off are the 4x4 drivers who, on the near enough single track roads out my way, absolutely will not get on the verge. It's a friggin off-roader, FFS - and having near enough forced you off the road, just drive off. Ignorance of this level makes my blood boil...

Leading on, I'd love to know what level of education the youth of today get with regard to road use as a pedestrian and a cyclist. We get 'em in the town walking 5 deep and often in the road too. I know EXACTLY the look you're on about, Catherine. We're damned lucky not to have had caualties along that road, if one does occur though it'll be a case of "SOMETHING MUST BE DONE" and odds are it'll be some form of 'Traffic Calming', because that'll be cheaper and easier than attempting to educate the kids.

spot on catherine i nearly nailed a moronic hoodie strolling across the road-he starts shouting abuse when i nearly had him.........til i jumped out and he's 2 foot tall.he ran like hell.shame

I would have thought it made sense to ensure a rider was insured though for loss and injury as a minimum.

I walk in Central London every day and for the most part everything and everyone gets on fine but there is just no need for a cyclist to "sneak through on a red". You're putting your life in the hands of the driver who's going through the junction legally. Or even worse - as I've seen it - the cyclist who's doing the same thing but going across your path - now that's nasty!

I did read an article (think in Sunday Times) where a cyclist took the position of a lorry driver and was shocked how little they can see from close up to the vehicle. The front of the cab has several blind spots which as a cyclist you should stay clear of.

I don't see how so many cyclists complain of drivers not letting them undertake traffic if there isn't a cycle lane on that bit of road as enough people go on about how bad it is for a car to undertake as other drivers aren't expected to look left before moving for some reason, why would they see a bike if they can't see a car.

Fair enough if there is a cycle lane use it, if not then be prepared to use the road as anyone else, if you want to pass traffic pass it on the right, and if you undertake a bus/coach/hgv at least check to see if it is indicating and plan for it to turn even if it isn't - just to be safe.

The finger of blame not being on you shouldn't be an excuse to cast common sense aside. If you are vulnerable take extra care yourself, brushing up on where you stand legally will only help you if you survive long enough to make it to court. Deciding to make every accident involving a cyclist the car driver's fault regardless of what happened is a ticket for cyclists to take even more stupid risks because they know they'll get a massive payout and legal backing regardless....

"Ooooooooooh I can jump this red light, pass traffic on all sides as I weave around and fly down along the kerb on the inside of lorries and I'll get paid all the way to the bank if something goes wrong "

Instead we should make cyclists need insurance to drive on the roads - the thought of premiums going up might scare them into actually thinking about what they're doing instead of turning up the ipod to max and drowning out one more sense, and since they already cast aside "common" sense that pretty much leaves them navigating by smell and taste


On the flip side car drivers should be penalised more for parking in cycle lanes for these reasons, especially driving in them - they are EXTRA to the width of the road, if they can't manage to stay in a normal size lane and require the cycle lane part too then something is majorly wrong!

Bikes should be licenced, and have the same rules as cars applied. Maybe if they paid road tax I wouldn't have to pay as much as I do (but I doubt it), and maybe I wouldn't feel so aggrieved that they get priority when they contribute nothing

eggcatcher is

But 5 year olds do ride bikes, although it won't be commuting to work, they are around cul-de-sacs, I've got dents in my bonnet caused by an 8 year olds bike. There is no way to track bike insurance, most people who'd pay it are the ones who use hi-vis and lights anyway, and the only time we are liable for anything is if we are on pavement not designated as a cyclepath, and we hit a pedestrian. Unless a pavement is a cyclepath we are not allowed by law to use it, but on the road, where a bike may put a scratch in a car (if you get too close to me you WILL get scratches) but a car may kill a cyclist, where its a death by dangerous driving charge for the driver. So its in the interest of drivers to give bikes room, or you'll be in prison getting raped by a big hairy bloke in the shower.

.........with a ginger beard and bald head

you gotta admit though eggcatcher isnt it dangerous allowing bikes to ride wrong way up a one way street? are you saying we need better education for everyone or what? or is it a no winner

a car my well kill a cyclist. a motorbike may well kill a cyclist. and vehicle can, just as a cyclist can kill someone on the pavement when they hop-up it to avoid a red light, or worse, a baby in a pushchair while doin the same thing as a mother or father comes out of a shop/round a corner. But guess what......the mother/father will still have to look out for the CYCLIST. if your the most vunerable one, use your brain and look out for yourself. again i come back to the difference in mobility, a cyclist can stop and move out of the way alot quicker then any vehicle can, and who's goin to come off worse if you don't??

An after thought about the tax, who has to pay for all these cycle lanes, cycle traffic lights, barriers and fences to protect the cyclist??? the MOTORIST

Whatever happened to the Cycling Proficiency Test?

Does it still exist? I remember doing it about 30 years ago.

Now got a bruise on my arm where some c**t (thats the only word for this bloke) in a 4x4 didn't go round me this morning, I was cycling up the dual carriageway and he caught me with his wingmirror, somehow I stayed on and didn't get too hurt, and at least I can smile knowing he's now got to pay for a new mirror, and I'll have a nicce bruise to show off.

my coach features numerous scratches round the front where cyclists have shoved through in traffic(and bikers).dont even start me on 4x4 drivers who are mostly fashion accessory women taking their kids to school

there should be a sort of compulsory 'test' people have to take if they want to buy a 4x4 based on thier need for it not their want. for example i have a close friend who lives right out in the sticks, and if theres really bad weather (like at the minute...blizzard :-) ) he can't get in or out of his tiny little village unless he uses his dad's 4x4 as its right out in the sticks, on top of a massive steep hill. unlike the mum round the corner who has a rediculous BMW X5 to take the kids to school and do her daily duties, nothin that can't be done in a focus/megane or similar.