Motorist faces jail for assaulting cyclist

Cockney said:
Left on red would be a very sensible move.
Click to expand...

Cant think why not. Even in busy places like NY and San Fran, you can do this on most roads. What I noticed in my trips to the US (3 this year), is that motorists are very aware and tolerant of being able to do that
 
stupar said:
Do you think it would be deemed acceptable for a motor vehicle to go through a red light on the basis of "its a quiet road and nothing is coming".
Click to expand...

Seemed to be OK for an AUDI to do exactly that yesterday evening. Ona set of lights that have 3 different types of crossing - normal traffic, cycles and pedestrians. The cycle lights are all too often inconvenient for cycles so they are almost universally ignored (nearly been "had" by psycholists going through their red light when "my" light has been green several times). The AUDI is the first powered vehicle I've seen run that red light.


Jelster said:
Most motorcyclists that behave in that manner seem to get their just deserts one way or another.
Click to expand...

I know plenty of old bikers and have known all too many bold bikers. Can't think of any that are both...


Cagey75 said:
drunk walking can get you pulled over if the cops are bored enough - they will call it drunk and disorderly, seen it happen to people on their way home because they stumbled a bit, not even close to other people
Click to expand...

Technically it's an offence to be drunk in public. Also illegal to provide more drink to someone (or for consumption by) someone already drunk.
 
nilagin said:
I have no problem with sharing the road with cyclists so long as the act sensibly and show awareness to the traffic around them. The problem is, the second anyone can stop a bike from falling over whilst pedalling they can share the road, they don't have to take any training, pass a test or take any form of site test. That was ok when there was very little else on the roads but not an ideal situation now.
My point earlier about certain cyclists using a road near me that I feel is unsuitable for them also applies to some motorists. I travel on a 70mph dual carriageway to and from work and on each journey there will be two or three cars travelling at below 50mph. Lorries then have to overtake them and that slows all the other traffic. Now those sub 50mph motorists have every right to be on that road, but as there is a road running parallel to the dual carriageway with a 50mph limit surely that would be more suitable for them. It would cause less congestion, less pollution and less frustration. My wife isn't comfortable with driving on dual carriageways, so other than a couple of local stretches, she avoids them like the plague.
As I said before, when I cycled to work I always used the most direct route that caused the least interruption for others on the road, for the busier roads I would make myself aware of cars behind me and let them pass if I was causing a bit of congestion.
It just takes a bit of forethought and everyone can get where they want to quite easily and safely.
Click to expand...

I agree with much of that.
Watching that CH 5 "documentary" as well was a bit of an eye opener. I'm not sure I'd like to live on box hill either. I don't think the hostility is just because of numbers though, we get it here on fairly remote, quiet roads where the disruption is genuinely fairly minimal.
 
Nod said:
Technically it's an offence to be drunk in public. Also illegal to provide more drink to someone (or for consumption by) someone already drunk.
Click to expand...

Yes, but have you ever heard of someone getting arrested for merely being drunk? they always add the disorderly part, and they can use any excuse like you mis-step or walk into a lamppost. I've done both completely sober :D
 
Last edited:
Cagey75 said:
Yes, but have you ever heard of someone getting arrested for merely being drunk? they always add the disorderly part, and they can use any excuse like you mis-step or walk into a lamppost. I've done both completely sober :D
Click to expand...

Yes but not charged. They were basically arrested to get them somewhere safe (a cell) overnight then released without charge when they had sobered up in the morning. Many years ago, when the old bill were rather less stretched and a bit more tolerant!
 
But the pedestrian would have their hands full with the bicycle - how would they carry the horse? Hard to balance a horse ridden bicycle on a shoulder. I reckon!
 
cambsno said:
Cant think why not. Even in busy places like NY and San Fran, you can do this on most roads. What I noticed in my trips to the US (3 this year), is that motorists are very aware and tolerant of being able to do that
Click to expand...

I was in texas in june and covered 1500 miles. I must say the standard of driving out there was very high. Polite too. If lanes merge they just alternate no problem. Only saw 1 idiot driver all the time out there.
 
cambsno said:
No way! So I am driving along - green light and then hit a cyclist coming over a Xroads jumping a red... no responsibility whatsoever.
Click to expand...

If you read what I wrote again, I didn't mention breaking the rules for s***s and giggles, I mentioned making mistakes.

Which is the point - mistakes should not cost lives, but regularly do when motorists are introduced into the equation. If you drive (or cycle) for convenience, then you are disproportionally introducing danger on others for no reason other than your convenience. I think morally that's problematic, despite the fact we as a nation have normalised the danger. Which again disproportionately effects people on bikes and foot.
Thankfully the tide is slowly turning with many populated areas (towns and cities) blocking access to private vehicles for this very reason.
 
Lots of people have a problem with left and right.
 
cambsno said:
Cant think why not. Even in busy places like NY and San Fran, you can do this on most roads. What I noticed in my trips to the US (3 this year), is that motorists are very aware and tolerant of being able to do that
Click to expand...
Did you also notice the "first come first go" system on 4-way box junctions (without lights)?
Lived in SF for a year and never once saw an incident.
 
Cockney said:
I was in texas in june and covered 1500 miles. I must say the standard of driving out there was very high. Polite too. If lanes merge they just alternate no problem. Only saw 1 idiot driver all the time out there.
Click to expand...

Europe too. It appears to be just us that floor up the outside lane and force both lanes to slow down rather than just merge like a zip
 
Nod said:
Yes but not charged. They were basically arrested to get them somewhere safe (a cell) overnight then released without charge when they had sobered up in the morning. Many years ago, when the old bill were rather less stretched and a bit more tolerant!
Click to expand...

I have actually seen cops pull up and offer people who appeared to be a bit shakey, a lift home. In general so long as you're not being a nuisance or a danger to yourself or anyone around you, they let it slide. But you get the odd cop who needs to fulfill some daily quota and will pull people up for staggering a bit.
 
Maybe it varies state to state but I've been to St. Louis/Mis and NYC and the drivers are nuts in both!
 
Graham W said:
Here's a thought.
Only cyclists and horse riders have a right to use the roads...everyone else has to be licenced.
Click to expand...
Probably down to the complexity of operating the mode of transport and that every other vehicle is classed as “powered transport”
 
jamesev said:
Probably down to the complexity of operating the mode of transport and that every other vehicle is classed as “powered transport”
Click to expand...
Where does that put bikes with electric motors then?
 
KitsuneAndy said:
Europe too. It appears to be just us that floor up the outside lane and force both lanes to slow down rather than just merge like a zip
Click to expand...
TBH And I'm sure there is more places, but the only "Merge in turn" I've seen in the UK is around the Norwich area.
Generally it works, until some Muppet tries to merge out of turn or come from several yards back while the lights are green, but there is congestion where the road narrows
to force their way in, compounding the problem, that some other Muppet created :rolleyes:
The recent "opening up" of the Dereham road heading toward Longwater business park, is brilliant (y)

viv1969 said:
Right on red works very well in California.
Click to expand...
The first experience of that was in SD while visiting, I just looked at my mate as he did it, with a WTF?
But of course it all became clear and yes it does work.

I'm not quite sure that introducing a left on red here would work though.
Most "normal" roads aren't really wide enough to allow cars to pass on the inside so there would be a little frustration building up.
Those roads that are wide enough "usually" have a left filter lights anyway.

nilagin said:
Where does that put bikes with electric motors then?
Click to expand...
Its the most green form of transport there is.
No exerting energy to peddle so no excess Co2 breathed out for the trees to clean up.
Or indeed taking more than their fair share of o2
No sudden Methane "Exhaust" as extra pressure is applied to the peddles going up hill.
Its a win win (y)
 
nilagin said:
Where does that put bikes with electric motors then?
Click to expand...
If the motor only gives assistance ie won't rin unless youbare also peddling and cuuts out at 15mph then it is a bicycle. Otherwise it would be a motirised vehicle and subject to all the licensing requirement that comea with that.
 
Marc said:
but then they do this!
Click to expand...
And we both know that horses can be a little unpredictable if startled. I wonder who's " fault it would be if the horse gave them "both barrels" ?


It'd be just like playing skittles :D
 
Last edited:
Good! Pity they didn't fine him 10x the amount to ensure he never did it again. This has nothing to do with your average cyclist, because most people don't cycle at speed in packs, this looked like some cycling club muppets.

ALso, back around again - some bell-end motorists do this to lone cyclists all the time and get away with it.
 
Cagey75 said:
Good! Pity they didn't fine him 10x the amount to ensure he never did it again. This has nothing to do with your average cyclist, because most people don't cycle at speed in packs, this looked like some cycling club muppets.

ALso, back around again - some bell-end motorists do this to lone cyclists all the time and get away with it.
Click to expand...
Genuine question....they undertake lone cyclists?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top