Very naughty Citroen C5

[Stickyfinger]

oh dear....that is not a good advert for Citroen C5 drivers

[Fake Concern]

Drivers aren't defined by their cars!
Pretty mad though!

[elma]

I see a theme

Worst bit is I only knew of this video because he's a friend of a friend.

[Gibbo2286]

I think the old boy was right, it needed saying, these lads on bikes with their helmet cameras seem to think they're the new police force but in the main they worse road users/abusers than most motorists.

If you see something that appears to be dangerous driving you call the cops not go in blasting your mouth off.

[Mandrake]

Hmm, the car did cut the corner a bit, but I see much worse than this every day on the junction directly outside my house, except in my case I am usually pulling up to the junction right beside the middle line so I can turn right, only to have to stop suddenly well short of the junction as I approach because some idiot coming from my left turns into my street cutting the corner directly in front of me. Happens to me all the time and it does annoy me.

However in that video its clear that nobody was near the middle line trying to turn right and there wasn't even a full size car to the left of the left lane - it was only a bicycle. So yeah, a little bit of lazy corner cutting on the part of the car driver but nothing that looked dangerous to me and plenty of room around the cyclist. On the other hand the cyclist was an obnoxious (-expletive removed-) who seemed to think he was the police force just because he had a camera on his head. While I wouldn't have been as abusive as the guy in the car in return I probably would have still had a go at him if he's started shouting me down across the street.

I'm a cyclist myself (occasionally) so it really annoys me that so many cyclists on the one hand are critical of the behaviour of cars, and yet seem to think they're above the law and that red lights don't apply to them. As a pedestrian I've nearly been clipped by cyclists 3 times just in the last year crossing the street in Glasgow where the lights have gone red (for the cyclist) and the crossing has gone green for me and they've just blatently kept going through the intersection at full speed as if red lights are only for cars and nearly run me down even though I'm in full view crossing the road.

One guy in particular I threw my hands up in disgust and shouted something like "Red lights are for you too ********" (fill in your guess here ) to which he started shouting back abuse at me, the person who he nearly ran down who was crossing with the green cross sign...no sign of remorse or apology for nearly knocking me over whilst breaking the law. Sadly I was running late for my train home otherwise I would have stopped to have a proper argument with him as some of these cyclists really need to be told, and I'm embarrassed to also be a cyclist when there is this kind of behaviour going on. Even though I've "only" had 3 near misses recently I see the flagrant disregard for red lights from cyclists every single day in the city.

It's sad that there is so much road rage and basic inconsiderate behaviour on the road. It's really not necessary.

[jimmymarsbar]

I see a theme

Worst bit is I only knew of this video because he's a friend of a friend.

Is that Jeremy Corbyn?

[oli_25_uk]

Without wanting to inflame the whole drivers vs cyclists thing, it's worth noting that the biggest difference between the two is that if a cyclist does something stupid, the worst a driver can expect is a big bill for damage to their car, where as if a driver does something bad to a cyclist they can die.

As a driver I know the pain and frustration of seeing bad cycling and as a cyclist (I commute to work every day by bike), I know the pain of 3 broken vertebrae and a tibial plateau fracture caused by being hit by a driver on a roundabout.

Cyclists are verbally and physically abused every day by drivers riled up by the fact that we ride defensively - taking up road space - but many of us have learned that (as well as being the way we are taught to cycle by the highway code) it is by far the best way to ensure that we arrive at our destination in one piece.

So remember that ultimately as a diver you are protected by a strong steel exoskeleton, airbags, crumple zones and the like, where as from a safety point of view a cyclist is naked and therefore constantly fearing for his/her life.

[Mandrake]

So a pedestrian is not at risk from a cyclist then ? If I am knocked down by a cyclist doing 20mph and crack my head open on the road or pavement I'll be OK ? Where is my steel exoskeleton and airbags then ? What if I were elderly and frail ? (I would imagine there are a lot more elderly and frail pedestrians than cyclists)

I get your point, but this is not just cars vs cyclists, you also have to consider cyclists vs pedestrians. Cars are dangerous to cyclists and cyclists are dangerous to pedestrians, but pedestrians are at risk from both cars and cyclists.

Any dangerous and inconsiderate behaviour from any road user should be discouraged. That includes blatant disregard for red lights by cyclists who think it's OK to keep going and weave amongst pedestrians who are legitimately crossing the road. This is not just theoretical or occasional thing - I see it happening nearly every day on my walk from train station to work and back. I'm sure you don't do this but a very high percentage of the cyclists that I see do (more do than don't) and give cyclists a bad name. When I actually see a considerate cyclist who stops at a red light and doesn't try to "cheat" all the time it actually puts a smile on my face.

[Stickyfinger]

My concern is never the cyclist as such. Having lived in London/Manchester and driven cars and motorbikes and cycles, I have seen it/had it all happen to me

My main problem these days is the road racing/time trials that we have on the roads every bloody weekend/lots of evenings. It is inherently dangerous as a basic activity (with low driving skills/mums-net/young/angry drivers) for but mix that with very poor cycling skills, road fixation, three abreast overtaking and "wobble bars" there WILL be a death of a lycraista around here soon.

Motorists have to live with the massive increase in traffic and so should cyclists, turning main A roads (all we have) into a sports facility is really not clever or safe.

[BenC5HDi]

I cycle regularly, usually around 50 miles per week, maybe more. Since I took it up again in 2009, I've *never* been beeped at, had abuse shouted at me, or been threatened by a driver. I put this down to the fact that I ride my bicycle on the road in exactly the same way as I drive my car. There are occasional places where I'll nip through a red light, or use the pavement, but if one uses good judgement, I don't see it as a problem - for example, in the centre of our village, if I'm turning left, I'll nip up onto the pavement and ignore a red light (OBVIOUSLY only if the pavement is empty!), turn left and rejoin the road 150m further on. This isn't because it's faster, it's because it's safer for me and less frustrating for the queue of cars I'd hold up. The road when turning left is very narrow and uphill for about 300yds. There's always a lot of traffic. By going up the pavement, if it's clear, then I don't risk frustrating any idiot drivers and have them try to squeeze past in a stupid place. No one has ever complained and I've been doing that 6 years. If I'm turning right or going straight on, then I'll use the road normally, as the exit roads are normal and wide.

I got hit by a cyclist in a pedestrian area in High Wycombe in 2000. I was with my pregnant wife, and he shouted "get out of the f**king way" as he approached. As I was 17 stone at the time, and my wife was out the way, I adjusted my footing slightly and moved just so caught me hard enough to fall off. (-expletive removed-).

[BenC5HDi]

My concern is never the cyclist as such. Having lived in London/Manchester and driven cars and motorbikes and cycles, I have seen it/had it all happen to me

My main problem these days is the road racing/time trials that we have on the roads every bloody weekend/lots of evenings.

When I used to partake in such things in my teens, we always had to check with the police and organise them at suitable times when the roads wouldn't be busy. This meant many very early Sunday mornings, or curiously, Wednesday evenings. Nowadays, I wholeheartedly agree with you. We have some round here that seem to set off around 6pm , in rush hour traffic, it's bloody insanity! The roads are "country" roads, but heavily trafficked, and also get horse boxes and tractors on them, so navigating them, plus a load of self-centered lycra (-expletive removed-) is hard work.

[oli_25_uk]

I agree about cyclists using pavements - it's very dangerous to pedestrians. But remember in 2014 alone 113 cyclists died and over 21 000 were injured - mostly on the roads. In the years between 2001 and 2009 (I can't find any more recent figures) 18 pedestrians were killed by cyclists. it's an order of magnitude different.

No one type of road user owns the roads (and despite the misnomer of 'Road Tax' - as I'm sure you all know - it's VED (Vehicle Excise Duty), so we all have an obligation to share the space we have responsibly.

[Mandrake]

I cycle regularly, usually around 50 miles per week, maybe more. Since I took it up again in 2009, I've *never* been beeped at, had abuse shouted at me, or been threatened by a driver. I put this down to the fact that I ride my bicycle on the road in exactly the same way as I drive my car.

I've never had an altercation with a car when cycling either, or even had a car so much as toot their horn at me. Because I'm also a car driver who encounters cyclists I know just what a pain an innocent cyclist can be to get around safely in certain road conditions (especially here in the UK where roads are so damn narrow) so when cycling I go out of my way to keep out of the way of cars, give them opportunity to pass etc, and just generally be considerate towards cars.

There are occasional places where I'll nip through a red light, or use the pavement, but if one uses good judgement, I don't see it as a problem - for example, in the centre of our village, if I'm turning left, I'll nip up onto the pavement and ignore a red light (OBVIOUSLY only if the pavement is empty!), turn left and rejoin the road 150m further on. This isn't because it's faster, it's because it's safer for me and less frustrating for the queue of cars I'd hold up. The road when turning left is very narrow and uphill for about 300yds. There's always a lot of traffic. By going up the pavement, if it's clear, then I don't risk frustrating any idiot drivers and have them try to squeeze past in a stupid place. No one has ever complained and I've been doing that 6 years. If I'm turning right or going straight on, then I'll use the road normally, as the exit roads are normal and wide.

In a small town with mostly clear pavements then yes, I sometimes do the same and go onto the pavement for certain short stretches, however I'm always extra careful about giving pedestrians a wide berth and if I encounter any that I can't get around I'll either get off and walk my bike past them or go back on the road to avoid them if there is no traffic. I would never ride on the pavement in the middle of a busy city like Glasgow though, it's completely infeasible and unsafe.

I also have nothing against a cyclist pulling up at a red light on the left of the road, getting off their bike and walking it onto the pavement to use the crossing with other pedestrians. As far as I'm aware it's legal to walk your bike along the pavement and walk it across the crossing. Sometimes this is the safer option than staying on the road, especially if the left lane is turning left only, and I'll admit to alternating between riding on the road and walking on the pavement/crossings as I see fit.

What I never do though and rally against is cyclists who either just keep right on going after the light has gone red, or stop with the cars and then immediately start riding again on the road when the crossings go green in all directions, as if they are pedestrians using the crossing that is 6 feet to their left. Why cyclists think either of these two actions is acceptable beggars belief. If you're riding you're a road vehicle which means red stop lights apply to YOU. To gain the rights of pedestrians you must dismount your bike and walk it.

[Gibbo2286]

I agree about cyclists using pavements - it's very dangerous to pedestrians. But remember in 2014 alone 113 cyclists died and over 21 000 were injured - mostly on the roads. In the years between 2001 and 2009 (I can't find any more recent figures) 18 pedestrians were killed by cyclists. it's an order of magnitude different.

No one type of road user owns the roads (and despite the misnomer of 'Road Tax' - as I'm sure you all know - it's VED (Vehicle Excise Duty), so we all have an obligation to share the space we have responsibly.

Not to the dead pedestrian.

Your figures are a bit vague too about the causes of the cyclist deaths, were they all killed by bad motorists or did they simply come off because they were going too fast in inappropriate conditions.

When I was sixteen I had a fractured skull as a result (I'm told, I have no recollection myself) of hitting a dog in the dark.

[Stickyfinger]

I agree about cyclists using pavements - it's very dangerous to pedestrians. But remember in 2014 alone 113 cyclists died and over 21 000 were injured - mostly on the roads. In the years between 2001 and 2009 (I can't find any more recent figures) 18 pedestrians were killed by cyclists. it's an order of magnitude different.

No one type of road user owns the roads (and despite the misnomer of 'Road Tax' - as I'm sure you all know - it's VED (Vehicle Excise Duty), so we all have an obligation to share the space we have responsibly.

This I wholeheartedly accept and support as a basic principle.

I am not allowed to use my car in races and sporting events on the road......rant rant