How many lives do you need out on the bike these days??!

[gavr]

The worst experience I've had of anti-cycling drivers was one reacting to a rude gesture from my mate having beeped his horn and screamed out the window at us simply for riding two abreast on a quiet Sunday approaching Holme Moss, the arse pulled up the car ahead and came towards us brandishing a baseball bat

 

[47p2]

Well it seems we should all be cycling in Edinburgh


Hot off the BBC press tonight

A scheme for Leith Walk has been included in the Scottish government's cycling infrastructure plans.

Up to £3.6m will be available for "promoting active travel" on the busy route into central Edinburgh.

Transport minister Keith Brown has been outlining how an additional £20m allocated in the Scottish budget will be spent.

Mr Brown said it demonstrated the Scottish government's commitment to cycling infrastructure.

The funding will support the Community Links programme run by Sustrans Scotland, which is open to bids from all local authorities across the country for infrastructure projects to promote cycling and walking.

Mr Brown said: "This new additional funding demonstrates the Scottish government's commitment to delivering infrastructure to make cycling a safe and realistic travel choice.

"We are offering local authorities the chance to promote active travel and encourage them to look at developing exemplar projects that will make a difference to helping more people to walk and cycle for everyday local journeys.

"We are also looking to local authorities to contribute too, given the considerable potential for local benefit from investing in their communities."

John Lauder, national director of Sustrans Scotland, said: "The role of local authorities in helping realise the vision of the CAPS (Cycling Action Plan for Scotland) is crucial given that people want their local shopping and residential streets to be welcoming places to get about by bike.

"I hope that this announcement will help local authorities to see the merit in dedicating more of their own funding to help people make short trips under their own steam rather than relying on their car."

 

[sisyphus]

had the opposite of this while driving in bristol on Monday when a cyclist just turned into me without any indication - scared the s--t out of me. Some crap cyclists out there too.
As a cyclist - you do risk your life on the roads in bristol - constant vigilance and Id rather get off and walk at some roundabouts.

 

[Bats]

Just had three nearlies in the space of 20 minutes, and I only went one mile!

First up, van pulls out of a side road without looking, turns to go the same way as me, FINALLY sees I exist, then slams on the brakes! So I've gone from having to slow down to let him in, to nearly going over the bloody bars to stop from crashing into him.

Coming home, I'm in the right hand lane exiting tesco car park and turning right. Fiesta to the left of me, in the middle lane. I start to make my turn, GENIUS in the fiesta floors it to undertake me, swerves into my lane, slows down, makes eye contact and gives a wave as if to say "thanks mate for letting me in!"

One turn away from the house, at the temporary traffic lights for yet another roadworks. The light turns amber, I start to ride off, suddenly the dark blue transit that was behind me guns it to overtake. I was the first at the lights, maybe four meters in front of me was the cones. If the roadworks had started I would have ended up swerving into a big hole, rather than just a cordoned off bit of road.

Give bus drivers a decent wage, nationalise the trains again, ban cars, and give everyone one of those tartan shopping trolleys. That'll sort it.

 

[TGR]

Just to add one thing, in Norn Iron the standard of driving is really scarey - i drive an old Audi A6 and i get scared every time i drive into the town - roundabouts are a particular worry. In my Audi i am well protected against idiots in cars and it is a big enough car to be seen but it makes no difference.

A recent experience had my wife screaming and me holding her back in her seat as a Mercedes driven by a silver haired lady pulled out right in front of me on a dual carriageway - i was able to swerve to avoid a bad accident but that was luck as the outside lane was empty. Speed reduction - 70 moh to 30 mph in 50 feet - brown skid mark on drivers seat!! I maintain that the other driver did not see me - even when i tooted my horn at her afterwards. I should mention that my 7 ys old was in the car and had it not been for her i would not have worried about increasing the speed of the Merc with my front bumper.

NOw you are wondering what i am talking about - aren't you??? This is a bike forum.

Well, my point is - even with my slightly large keg - i am smaller than an Audi A6, I do not have airbags and i do not bounce - it is far worse on the bike - far, far worse and i am not easily scared.

Richard

 

[Robbied196]

So far as cycling is concerned I count myself lucky to live in Shrewsbury. I'm not sure how, or why, but Shrewsbury had dedicated cycle paths 40 years ago. The cycle path network has been extended and improved over the years so that much of the town is accessible with minimal direct contact with vehicles. Outside of Shrewsbury I try and avoid 'A' roads as much as possible, especially the A49, but again I'm fortunate that I can disappear down some Shropshire lanes and not see another vehicle for hours.

I'm another returning cyclist after a 30 year break! I always used to go out on Sunday club rides in my youth but someone made the rather obvious point the other day. Quiet Sunday rides have been ruined by the relaxing of the Sunday trading laws. Now we have 7 days a week shopping and 7 days a week traffic

 

[Midlife]

Just as an observation...... I was driving home yesterday on a straight country road (60 MPH limit), pitch black and no street lights and came across a bunch of about 12 riders. The first two or three were stacked at the left but the rest were in an echelon from one side of the road to the other because of a side wind, as would a peloton.

OK, I knew what they were doing and just stayed behind until they noticed me but any other driver might have just mown a couple down.

Shaun

 

[Goldie]

I've been forced to live in warrington. .

That had me in stitches. Evrything you say about Wozza is spot on. It is a uniquely horrible place to be on a bike. And yet it needn't have been built like that. All those 50mph roads have big wide grass verges that could take a lovely dedicated bike lane where you could zip along admiring the vehicular carnage from a safe distance.

I'm probably teaching granny to suck eggs here but it all gets a lot better once you're south of the Ship Canal. Beyond Stockton Heath are miles of country lanes where you'll see barely any traffic. I always feel like I could end up somewhere in mid Wales without really meaning to.

 

[Bats]

Honestly that's a good tip! I've only been here less than two months and mostly just been hiding indoors doing the decorating.

God I miss St Helens... Bus lanes!!!

 

[M-Power]

Respect to the Scots for showing us southern softies how its done. I used to remind some of the loonies on performance car forums to be aware of the possibility of cyclists around blind bends on country roads. Not a lot more scary than hearing a fast approaching driver at 10/10ths when you have no wiggle room on the road.