A message to all Cyclists.

[DigitalSushi]

If you apply this to insurance in general this is pretty damn good point, if someone on a motorcycle or driving a car hits my car the cost of repairs comes out of their mandatory (in the UK) insurance. If an idiot cyclist damages my car I am probably going to be out of pocket for hundreds of pounds. Thats not an implausible amount either, a light cluster for example on many modern cars is worth more than many of those bikes you see around.

I'm a cyclist, I ride a great big Made in the US Scott and I've lived in London, it costs 16 pounds a year to insure yourself on a bicycle. I did actually slam into an Audi A4 (metallic green) and my insurance did pay for the damages.

Unfortunately most other cyclist either don't know about the insurance or don't care, which paints us all in a bad light because it means the majority are ignorant to the facts or are RULE BREAKING RECKLESS SCUMBAGS.

edit: totally my fault too, I was checking out a girl.

 

[J Tyran]

If you apply this to insurance in general this is pretty damn good point, if someone on a motorcycle or driving a car hits my car the cost of repairs comes out of their mandatory (in the UK) insurance. If an idiot cyclist damages my car I am probably going to be out of pocket for hundreds of pounds. Thats not an implausible amount either, a light cluster for example on many modern cars is worth more than many of those bikes you see around.

I'm a cyclist, I ride a great big Made in the US Scott and I've lived in London, it costs 16 pounds a year to insure yourself on a bicycle. I did actually slam into an Audi A4 (metallic green) and my insurance did pay for the damages.

Unfortunately most other cyclist either don't know about the insurance or don't care, which paints us all in a bad light because it means the majority are ignorant to the facts or are RULE BREAKING RECKLESS SCUMBAGS.

edit: totally my fault too, I was checking out a girl.

I am genuinely surprised to hear that cyclist insurance is mandatory as well, the fact almost noone knows or has it is probably down to a lack of enforcement and education. £16 isnt even a lot really.

 

[DigitalSushi]

I am genuinely surprised to hear that cyclist insurance is mandatory as well, the fact almost noone knows or has it is probably down to a lack of enforcement and education. £16 isnt even a lot really.

Yeah the problem is enforcement, most Police officers don't know its a legal requirement because its not seen as a huge issue, we also have to stop for red lights... like my earlier post stated since we are on the road all the same rules applies to us cyclist, which means we have just as much right to be there but we need to stick to the same rules, I've been stopped for speeding.

I'm in Paris now and the old boy (I love old people[footnote]old people didn't get to that age by being decrepit, they got to that age by surviving wars and polio and generally being ninja's[/footnote]) I speak to when getting a baguette in the morning tells me everytime that when he was young cyclist had to have registration plates, I would heartily welcome that today.

 

[J Tyran]

2. Pay TAC insurance, just like a car driver. At the moment, if a bike on the road has an accident involving a car, they are still entitled to the same government medical subsidies that the TAC insurance pays for without having to actually pay it. This insurance makes up for approximately 3/4 of our yearly cost of keeping our car legally on the road. Pay this and you can use my road.

If you apply this to insurance in general this is pretty damn good point, if someone on a motorcycle or driving a car hits my car the cost of repairs comes out of their mandatory (in the UK) insurance. If an idiot cyclist damages my car I am probably going to be out of pocket for hundreds of pounds. Thats not an implausible amount either, a light cluster for example on many modern cars is worth more than many of those bikes you see around.

Wait, you cant sue them to get their wages garnished or something like that?

You can sue, not sure how or if it would be worth the effort though. Unless you could run it through the small claims court, which I am not sure if you can you would probably have to stand out the court and legal fees until the court rules them to be at fault. Then they would have to pay costs and compensation.

In all honesty I have no idea how you would go about it.

 

[Fasckira]

-Legally required insurance for cyclists-

Can you link me to where it states this on a UK site? I checked through .gov and so on, cant find any mention of it being a legal obligation. The closest I could find is one site discussing how they were considering making it a legal requirement 2 years back but no update on it. Genuinely curious as my partner rides a bike every day to work but doesnt have such a thing!

I personally hate cyclists on the road but I have a more justified reason. Here in Milton Keynes we have a redway system, a sort of widened footpath designed for cyclists and pedestrians that runs parallel to the grid road system. It was designed of course to allow cyclists and pedestrians to essentially go where ever a car could without having to be right next to busy roads (every road outside of a housing/shopping area is 60/70, depending on lanes).

The system is near perfect as it keeps the majority of cyclists safe on their path which is not attached to the road (so no cars to swerve near them) while on the other side of the see-saw it keeps cyclists off of the high speed roads. Note however I said "the majority" and "near perfect" because unfortunately despite this system we still get a small percentage of cyclists who insist they need to be on a 70mph road doing 15mph, cycling in the middle of the lane. That is pretty rage inducing stuff! As every junction here is a roundabout its just plain dangerous for them as well, especially when some of the other cars take the roundabouts at high speed.

 

[Sansha]

Dear cyclists,

When I was seventeen working across town, I didn't have a driver's license or desire to get one and was happy peddling across to get to my job. One morning I got to work and nobody else showed up, so I went back home.
I remember approaching a crossing on a road. I don't remember if I stopped, looked briefly or just blazed right through.
What I do remember is waking up on the other side of the road three feet from my bike, my head pounding with a concussion that lasted two days, and my helmet shattered from the point of impact on the pavement.

If not for my helmet, I would absolutely have been killed.

Fucking wear them I have zero sympathy for any cyclist killed because he was too cool/uncomfortable/cheap for a helmet and brained himself on the road

And if you're going to occupy the road, you need to obey the same rules and basic self-preservation measures as cars, or you'll at best annoy everybody, or at worst become dead.

A cyclist who was well-known with commuters and even the police - multiple citations - for flying out into a particular roundabout finally ate it a few months ago. Traffic in his lane had stopped, and as usual he sped right out into the open. He never stopped or so much as glanced up for oncoming traffic.
A garbage truck doing 40mph directly struck him, destroyed his helmet and split his skull open, as well as devouring his bike and ruining his body.
He was dead before he hit the ground, where he left a smudge of where his fucking brain matter spilled out on the road for eight days after it had been scooped up.

I've cut off cyclists. I've faked out swerving to hit them. I look out for them in lanes where they should be, and they do for the most part behave themselves. But the few bad eggs are not only annoying and inconvenient, but dangerous, not just for themselves but for the motorists who have to put in the effort to not kill people.

Please be good,
- Sansha

 

[punkrocker27]

They want to be treated the same as cars, fine, more power to 'em. In that case, they should all be pulled over and smacked with a fine for obstructing traffic, same as an automobile would. They only get away with it because they're not two-ton death machines, the smug assholes, leaving cops better things to do

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

I don't mind sharing the road with cyclist, but there has to a be common ground for everyone that is going to use the road.

If you're riding a bike on the street, WEAR A DAMN HELMET. And that's not to make us feel safer, but to keep you cyclists safe. If motorists need to wear seat belts and motorcyclists need to wear helmets, then cyclists need to wear helmets.

Also, officers; if you see a cyclist on the road without wearing a helmet, FREAKIN' STOP THEM. Not sure if you care or find it necessary to enforce the law to everyone on the road for safety, but it clearly needs to be enforced.

Do all this and everything will be fine.

If your over 18 you don't have to wear a helmet. It's only enforced by law if you are a minor.

BELIEVE ME, it's always minors that I see without a helmet and they are always riding in front of, if not beside, police. So the reason I'm upset, more or less, it that there are minors riding on the streets with no helmets and the police can't be bothered to set them straight.

 

[punkrocker27]

I have a better one!
Dear drivers!
Stop trying to beat the red fucking light, just wait until it turns green again you dunderheads! When it turns red, it means "Stop" not "MOVE FASTER!!"

That is all, personally, I cycle and I have a problem with pedestrians not moving out of the middle of the sidewalk, please move to one side to let people who are faster than you proceed without hitting you.

This. Is the same as every driver's gripe with cyclists. Luckily enough, streets actually have lanes fucking designated for cycling, unlike sidewalks which are, believe it or not, exclusively meant to be walked upon (unfortunately.) Yeah, we get in, 'murica on a whole has no sympathy for you. But cutting everyone off and making them late isn't the same as lobbying for a more efficient system of transportation, nor is it saving the planet. Sure it might keep you in shape, but only until you're dead.

 

[Stryc9]

Dear Motorists,

Stop contributing so much to pollution and learn to ride a bike or catch a train. You probably don't need a private vehicle.

Thank you.

This attitude right here is what makes me want to bludgeon cyclists. You're not better than me just because you ride a fucking bicycle everywhere you go. Some people live out where the buses don't run, have to get up to go to work before the buses start running, don't have bus service in their area, or live far enough away from their workplace that riding a bicycle isn't practical. Get off you environmental high horse, ride your bike on the side of the road where you belong and stop being such an entitled little prick.

 

[MetalMagpie]

You do not have the right to be in the same lane as a driver. You do not have an engine. You are not a car.

Unfortunately, in the UK there isn't a great deal of cycle lane coverage in most cities. So cyclists are supposed to be on the road with the cars. As a pedestrian, I get really annoyed by cyclists who cycle on the pavement.

Cyclists: You are not pedestrians. You are legally vehicles. If you are too old to have stabilisers on your bike, then you are too old to cycle on the pavement. So get back on the bloody road and stop trying to run me down!

Of course, a better solution would be to build more cycle lanes. Then all three groups can have their own room and live in harmony. But that takes money and space. In the current economy, London has neither to spare.

 

[manic_depressive13]

This attitude right here is what makes me want to bludgeon cyclists. You're not better than me just because you ride a fucking bicycle everywhere you go. Some people live out where the buses don't run, have to get up to go to work before the buses start running, don't have bus service in their area, or live far enough away from their workplace that riding a bicycle isn't practical. Get off you environmental high horse, ride your bike on the side of the road where you belong and stop being such an entitled little prick.

Wow, dude, chill out. I don't even own a fucking bike. I was just countering the OPs whining.

 

[MiriaJiyuu]

I don't mind sharing the road with cyclist, but there has to a be common ground for everyone that is going to use the road.

If you're riding a bike on the street, WEAR A DAMN HELMET. And that's not to make us feel safer, but to keep you cyclists safe. If motorists need to wear seat belts and motorcyclists need to wear helmets, then cyclists need to wear helmets.

Also, officers; if you see a cyclist on the road without wearing a helmet, FREAKIN' STOP THEM. Not sure if you care or find it necessary to enforce the law to everyone on the road for safety, but it clearly needs to be enforced.

Do all this and everything will be fine.

My bigger problem is around here I find

A) Cyclists like to be in the middle of the road for some reason (you are asking to be hit if you do that imho)

B) Not wearing reflective colors, I'm sorry but you can't wear black/dark colors when riding on the road, especially at night, if a vehicle can't see you they can't be morally faulted for hitting you (though they will be under the law...), you gotta wear highly visible colors, I don't care if you look like a highlighter at least you are seen.

 

[Something Amyss]

You do not have the right to be in the same lane as a driver. You do not have an engine. You are not a car.

I can't speak for Australia, but where I live, they do have the right. They actually are required to use the road.

 

[McMullen]

*ahem*

Get. Off. The. Road.

You do not have the right to be in the same lane as a driver.

And you do not have an understanding of the laws that apply to cyclists. Bikes are considered vehicles, and expected to be either in the same lane as you or in the bike lanes. There might actually be reasons for those cyclists to not be in the bike lanes. For my part, I prefer to stay in them, because I know there's people like you all over the place who think they have a monopoly on the road lanes. That doesn't mean they're always available (or safe, such as a long line of parallel parked cars in or next to the lane, any one of which could have its driver side door open right before you get to it).

You're armored, you're faster, and unless you screwed up, you should be able to make up for the time lost to cyclists. You also have a bit too much rage, and are probably a bigger danger on the road for that than any cyclist.

 

[Laughing Man]

The answer is simple, when cyclists start paying road tax and insurance they will then have as much right to be on the road as I do in my car. Until that point they can shut it with respect to moaning about drivers. Yeah drivers act like idiots, they do stupid things but then so do a lot cyclists, since the driver is the one paying for your modified cycle friendly road, for your cycle friendly bike only cycle path and doing so with a road network that is in piss poor condition as it is, as far as I am concerned the cyclists can just shut the fuck up.

When you pay for it THEN you have a right to complain.

 

[AwesomeWunderbar]

I don't mind sharing the road with cyclist, but there has to a be common ground for everyone that is going to use the road.

If you're riding a bike on the street, WEAR A DAMN HELMET. And that's not to make us feel safer, but to keep you cyclists safe. If motorists need to wear seat belts and motorcyclists need to wear helmets, then cyclists need to wear helmets.

Also, officers; if you see a cyclist on the road without wearing a helmet, FREAKIN' STOP THEM. Not sure if you care or find it necessary to enforce the law to everyone on the road for safety, but it clearly needs to be enforced.

Do all this and everything will be fine.

If your over 18 you don't have to wear a helmet. It's only enforced by law if you are a minor.

Up here, it's all mandatory.

But hey, if you're willing to spill your brains because you're too lazy/insecure to add one piece of body armor, more power to you. Excuse me if I don't cry about your surgery.

Ah, well in Canada it's not, sorry bout that.

And if your talking to me specifically, I am 17 and I have to wear a helmet and even if I didn't I still would. If you weren't and were saying it only to the people who don't I agree. It's stupid to not wear a helmet it can only help.

 

[AwesomeWunderbar]

I don't mind sharing the road with cyclist, but there has to a be common ground for everyone that is going to use the road.

If you're riding a bike on the street, WEAR A DAMN HELMET. And that's not to make us feel safer, but to keep you cyclists safe. If motorists need to wear seat belts and motorcyclists need to wear helmets, then cyclists need to wear helmets.

Also, officers; if you see a cyclist on the road without wearing a helmet, FREAKIN' STOP THEM. Not sure if you care or find it necessary to enforce the law to everyone on the road for safety, but it clearly needs to be enforced.

Do all this and everything will be fine.

If your over 18 you don't have to wear a helmet. It's only enforced by law if you are a minor.

BELIEVE ME, it's always minors that I see without a helmet and they are always riding in front of, if not beside, police. So the reason I'm upset, more or less, it that there are minors riding on the streets with no helmets and the police can't be bothered to set them straight.

True, because they tend to think they are indestructible. But unfortunately I have to say the police probably have better things to do, I'm not saying your wrong, they certainly should be reprimanding them. It's mainly up to parents to make sure that their kids are wearing a helmet, if I didn't wear mine, I wouldn't have a bike anymore.

 

[Ryotknife]

Once we realise that cars shouldn't be the primary form of transport for cities, then all shall be good. Think Brussels here, that has a lot of people using bikes, but it could be better. Also there won't be road congestion either

we just need to design cities to use bikes, not cars

not really feasible in sprawled out cities or...just places that get cold. I dont feel like riding a bike 3-4 hours a day to and from work. 15-30 minute drives to work with no traffic are commonplace in many places in the US alone.

dear cyclists,

please obey basic traffic protocols. Just because you are on a bike doesnt mean that you dont have to obey ANY rules and can do whatever floats inside your head.

Also, firecrackers are illegal in my state, so you dont have to worry about people throwing them at you.

 

[lacktheknack]

I don't mind sharing the road with cyclist, but there has to a be common ground for everyone that is going to use the road.

If you're riding a bike on the street, WEAR A DAMN HELMET. And that's not to make us feel safer, but to keep you cyclists safe. If motorists need to wear seat belts and motorcyclists need to wear helmets, then cyclists need to wear helmets.

Also, officers; if you see a cyclist on the road without wearing a helmet, FREAKIN' STOP THEM. Not sure if you care or find it necessary to enforce the law to everyone on the road for safety, but it clearly needs to be enforced.

Do all this and everything will be fine.

If your over 18 you don't have to wear a helmet. It's only enforced by law if you are a minor.

Up here, it's all mandatory.

But hey, if you're willing to spill your brains because you're too lazy/insecure to add one piece of body armor, more power to you. Excuse me if I don't cry about your surgery.

Ah, well in Canada it's not, sorry bout that.

And if your talking to me specifically, I am 17 and I have to wear a helmet and even if I didn't I still would. If you weren't and were saying it only to the people who don't I agree. It's stupid to not wear a helmet it can only help.

I'm IN Canada... which province are you in? Or have I just been LIED to all my life?

(Not that it matters, because helmets should always be worn anyhow, as we agreed. )