a typical example of the poor attitude towards cyclists

[Neil]

her letter was a bit pointless as where the main part of the TT takes place has 50 and 60mph speed limits and two wide lanes. The way her letter scans is that there is never anywhere to overtake and that they shouldnt be allowed.

I have to say, I've just re-read her whole letter, and I'm finding it hard to argue against what she says.

I don't read it as she's not prepared to share the roads with cyclists, or can't find anywhere to overtake - I read it, and can easily see from my own history the identical points - it's not the cyclists on the road that's the problem - it's the cyclists racing against time with no consideration to other traffic that's the problem - that, and the more sociable groups who cycle in big-ish groups, 4 and 5 wide.

I used to regularly see the exact same thing, and I understand where she's coming from over it.

It's not a beef against cyclists being on the road, it's a beef against some cyclists focussing so much on the event, that they're not giving any thought, consideration or observation to other traffic.

 

[tintin40]

I'd like to know more as to why the driver will be doing 'time' for this? If she wasn't drunk, on the phone, listening to music and not talking to a passenager. She did stop after hitting the cyclist? To be sent down then she must have been doing some thing very bad.
From my small encounters with roadie meets they are very well behaved and organized.

 

[Neil]

I'd like to know more as to why the driver will be doing 'time' for this? If she wasn't drunk, on the phone, listening to music and not talking to a passenager. She did stop after hitting the cyclist? To be sent down then she must have been doing some thing very bad.
From my small encounters with roadie meets they are very well behaved and organized.

I don't think she was doing anything other than perhaps being careless or negligent.

But that's how it is, these days, if you cause an accident on road, and somebody dies as a result, it's quite possible you'll do time.

Personally, it's not someting I agree with - I realise negligence when somebody dies is a bad thing, but there's worse, to my mind, when people actively intend harm, but by merit of luck don't actually manage to achieve it - they just seem to get a wrist slap.

 

[channa]

I must admit my own thoughts pretty much echo Neils.

Part of being a responsible road user in the grand scale is understanding all parts of the community carstrucks and cyclists have a rogue element and believe the law doesnt apply to them.

How many times do you see a mature cyclist jump red lights in city centres....Would they do it in their car...I think not

Channa

 

[J i m s t e r]

There are, of course, two sides to the argument and to the accident. In an ideal world, the cars are going to be very careful and the riders will put safety ahead of their TT placing.

However, we both know the world is not an ideal place. And both as a cyclist (well, according to some) and a driver, I have to say I've taken what I consider "Risks" in the past - it helps to avoid being stationary for minutes at a time waiting for opportunities to progress. I imagine I am not alone in displaying this human trait. No-one wants to be late.

Whilst the vast majority of these risks are usually calculated (in the blink of an eye) to some degree, and pass trouble-free, there have been a fair few :shock: moments entirely of my own doing. It's therefore only reasonable to assume that every now and then, we will experience our own :shock: as a result of someone else doing the same.

There is risk in everything, from being afraid of being hit by space debris on the way to the shops, to riding in black clobber with no lights at night. It's a pact we get into with Lady Luck, otherwise we'd all be lock-ins. I take my hat off to bike couriers and the like, I really do. But they don't call them organ donors for nothing. I may be well off the mark here, but I expect riding time-trials in traffic is only marginally safer.

As an early-morning commuter, you have to have very low expectations of drivers - they could be tired, hungover (or still drunk), already late or plain nutcases - it seems dangerous enough when I'm experiencing this from behind a wheel.

Best to keep out of their way whenever possible is my approach, which probably explains why I'm not a roadie. I watch roadies sail through a busy roundabout whilst I plod along and take the cycle path. Yes, they are entitled to use as much road as anyone else, but entitlement won't save you.

 

[pigman]

It galls me when I used to read of the country's top time triallists deliberately chasing the fastest courses, which by definition were the busiest roads, and proudly declaring in the comic how they rode out into the middle to get as close as possible to lorries, hoping for that extra drag factor. To me that was as stupid as the schoolkids who play motorway chicken - both using traffic in a dangerous manner to get a thrill. And these were mature men, wives & kids at home. its one of the reasons I didnt ride many TT's (ok I was crap), but I wasnt able to compete on a level playing field cos I didnt want to endanger myself. Its also why most cyclists dont take drugs; an unlevel playing field arising from the potential danger, but thats another topic.

 

[legrandefromage]

Well, at least its got you all talking about it.

If enough people read this, both drivers and cyclists will hopefully think about their actions a little more.

 

[Neil]

If enough people read this, both drivers and cyclists will hopefully think about their actions a little more.

Best point in this.



But you know that only those already predisposed will read, and think about their actions, and those largely who would pose risk (either cyclist or driver) will probably carry on regardless. Life, she is full of these dramas...

 

[retrojon]

I take offence at pretty much all of her letter.

"Often travelling very fast". Where do you even start with such a stupid statement?

Was her car going very very fast then?

It is the typical car drivers rant at having to share a multi-purpose road with other users.

 

[Neil]

I take offence at pretty much all of her letter.

"Often travelling very fast". Where do you even start with such a stupid statement?

Was her car going very very fast then?

It is the typical car drivers rant at having to share a multi-purpose road with other users.

It's not, and you're missing her point.

I've also regularly driven on roads where time trials took place, and I see what she's saying.

It's different to just sharing the road with people cycling, some people competing whilst they're cycling, or socialising whilst they're cycling, have only that interest in mind, become oblivious to other traffic - almost as if it shouldn't be there.

She has a point, some cyclists competing for time, don't like losing any at all. The roads, as you say, are multi-purpose - but they go wrong when normal traffic uses them, and cyclists (effectively) race on them (not racing each other directly, but racing the clock) at the same time.