 | Home > Off Topic > Motorists should thank cyclists for being on the road |
 
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| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5110   
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Indeed it was 
Not Kim Jon-ung just a normal everyday Welsh Dictator  For those who like Welsh Mountains and narrow boats have a look at my videos and photos at..
http://www.youtube.com/user/conwy1 |
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23rd Mar 2015 2:55pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816  
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Well, we call cyclists "la mobilité douce". Free translation is soft, or gentle, mobility.
Bikes and e-bikes are environmental friendly and every less car driving into the city is worth it. So the right thing to do is not to tax cyclists, but for cities to invest in dedicated bike lanes and in better bikers safety. That is what is done here in Switzerland, and in many places, including the entire canton of Geneva, everybody who buys a new e-bike, which are mostly used for commuting, gets a cash back subsidy paid by the local authorities. We have thousands of those on the road, and I assure you, it helps the general mobility. So look positive at cyclists. 
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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23rd Mar 2015 5:11pm |
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| ARC99 Member Since: 19 Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1831  
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Oh and just to add to my rant earlier.
Make an offence to use a road when a cycle lane or path when one is available next to the road. Make a charge against cyclists to pay for the cycle lane or path to save hard pressed councils having to fork out the money. Don't make old people mad. We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to  us off.
Richard |
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23rd Mar 2015 5:47pm |
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| nosnibod Member Since: 15 Aug 2007 Location: West Midlands Posts: 370 
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Firstly - my declaration. I am a cyclist and a motorist. I drive over 20,000 miles a year and I cycle most weekends, mostly on a tandem with my better half.
Secondly, I'm shaking my head with the ignorance and intolerance being displayed on this forum - I thought we were better than that? We're all human beings, just getting on with, well doing things on a human scale. Yes there are idiots in all walks of life, and we have to cope with them in a considered and hopefully benevolent manner. You cannot generalise and you cannot treat an individual in a certain manner just because you saw/heard/read of others of the same type/group/user/whatever acting in a particular way. So please, folks, be nice to each other, eh? We're all just trying to enjoy life. There are enough bad things happening in the world without this sort of thing. Dave Green Goddess - 1998 Defender 110 300tdi |
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23rd Mar 2015 7:12pm |
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| Walmsleys Member Since: 19 Feb 2015 Location: Leyland Posts: 110 
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Nosnibod. I agree with that, the number of times I was almost knocked off by car drivers when I was a regular cyclist was huge.
None of us has more rights on the road than others - we just need to think a bit about how we all behave. 2015 Urban Truck 90XS in Havana (previously 2013 D4 XS in Fuji White) (previously 2011 D4 XS in Stornaway Grey, auto, black leather, reversing camera and removable tow bar) (previously 2011 Freelander 2, blue (Mrs B's) (previously 2007 TDV6 D3 SE Zermatt Silver, auto, black leather, an Uncle Ray plate and AT2s) (previously 2001 Freelander One, blue) (previously 1967 Series 2, Green) |
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23rd Mar 2015 7:15pm |
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| shaggydog Member Since: 12 Aug 2012 Location: Kent Posts: 3347 
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I think as a country we need to invest deeper in our infrastructure.
We need better rail connections, better roads and more cycle paths. I don't think this will ever be resolved until you move cars and cyclists apart. My issue with Cyclists is pretty much the tone of the thread title. They seem to be so proud to be entitled to be on the road they forget that it is not a right and that actually any idiot can get on a bike and ride. In order to drive you need to have training to a certain level and pass before your allowed to do it on your own. They take up space on the road and hold up traffic and seem to do it with a smug "well I'm allowed to because its for my own safety" attitude, which to me doesn't make me think "what a sensible chap" but more "Why are you in such a dangerous position in the first place?" The amount of times I have seen lorry trapped behind a cyclist because he has decided to hold up traffic and if they are ever confronted they automatically defer to the moral high ground of "well I'm saving the environment by riding my bike rather than driving a car" when in fact they are making it worse by single handedly increasing the journey times of hundreds of people. Just this evening I was confronted with a cyclist on the A21 - A 50mph road and he was giving everyone grief who DARED to overtake him. I just can't rationalise it. Cycling as a sport and way of transport should be encouraged and nurtured. But cyclist groups need to pull there fingers out and fund new cycle paths/Networks and the improvements necessary rather than just moaning and making everyone else's life a misery. Running Restoration Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/post323197.html#323197 Self confessed mileage hunter  |
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23rd Mar 2015 7:48pm |
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| a13x Member Since: 25 Sep 2011 Location: Burton on Trent Posts: 553
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Couple of points
Should pay road tax -already mentioned, 0 emissions = 0 cost. Should use the cycle paths - not all cycle paths cater that well for all bike users. Try travelling at 30mph going up and down curbs, swerving in and out of junctions where the path stops and starts. The cyclist has as much right to use either the road or path as other road users. Choosing to use the road instead has been chosen as a better option. Cyclists do not choose the easiest option to end up under s wheel of the lorry. Take up the whole road as it's safer - well yes it is safer, something instructed in me from my motorbike cbt at 16. Being restricted to 30mph on a moped, safer to take the road up than be in the gutter with everything overtaking you whether safer or not. Those users who ride a motorbike will understand this although not always necessary with a bigger big. Try riding in the gutter with a 40t Arctic running past you with inches to spare because it was told you were reckless to 'take up the whole road' Should take a test - what 7 year old is in a position to sit an exam/take a test? This thread only shows the level of ignorance given to cyclists from the general road users. A keen car/motorbike and cycle user signing off. |
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23rd Mar 2015 8:30pm |
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10381
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I worked in the cycle trade for 10+ years.
Raced bikes from 1980-2004. I still commute to work at least 3 days a week on a bike. If you 'anti-cyclists' got out and rode a bike, as lawfully as you preach, I doubt you'll last very long. I am aware that there are stupid 'cyclists' out there...... I've seen 2 guys riding along roads that I'd never dream of riding on, over a small time scale, they were both killed. Open your eyes please (in both senses of the word). Show some respect. |
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23rd Mar 2015 9:00pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971 
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I'm all for cyclists, recreationally it's good exercise and you see things you probably wouldn't otherwise, and for commuting it keeps cars off the roads. Lots of good points. My dad commuted every day in to central Birmingham for years until he retired, and that meant we were a one car family instead of a two car family.
I'm not in favour of numpties though. You do get a lot of numpties driving cars too, but it seems there are a higher proportion (or they're more obvious) when on a bike. I was driving on a local road over the weekend which is reasonably wide and has good visibility - the sort you can happily maintain 60 down. Got stuck behind someone driving in the middle of the road (as in straddling the central white lines) doing 30. When in a tractor, you scarily often come round a corner, meet an oncoming car on a section of road plenty wide enough to pass on and they swerve towards you in a panic. And then there are tourists who you politely pull over for so they can pass, before getting stuck behind them because they're driving so slowly. It's a bit difficult to overtake with a tractor and trailer but it's tempting sometimes
Still, in a couple of months when the bank holidays start we will probably be cutting grass for silage. That means a lot of road work for us when there are cycle races through the village. Not something I look forward to at all. Last year we were working over both bank holidays trying not to kill people that seemed to think they were invincible. The family cyclists off on a gentle pootle round seem grateful if you stop by a passing space for them. The lycra clad racers, less so. |
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23rd Mar 2015 10:26pm |
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10381
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I'm not built for Lycra
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24th Mar 2015 6:07am |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971
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get on your bike then, you might be soon!
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24th Mar 2015 7:58am |
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| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5699 
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24th Mar 2015 8:10am |
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10381
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There's a site dedicated to it...
http://fullprokitw.com/ |
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24th Mar 2015 8:14am |
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| walfy Member Since: 29 Aug 2007 Location: Frome Posts: 2658 
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As for cyclists not paying VED because they are zero emission vehicles doesn't wash with me.
They shold pay for the benefit of using the road structure. Roads aren't repaired by the pixies late at night for free. The traffic lights, which most cyclists ignore anyway don't run on fresh air. They need electric. So there are implied costs to using the orads. Even the low emission, VED exempt vehicles still pay a tax. It's included in the cost of the fuel they use. So it's not exactly free motoring for them. As for fairness in VED classes, don't get me started. I have a nice 110 which isn't that bad to tax. My wifes Volvo is a tad more expensive but then it does go a bit faster and more fun to drive. What me off is the fact that I have to pay £130 each for both my quads and they do less than 100 miles a year on the road  110 D250 SE HT
110 USW SOLD RRE HSE Dynamic Gone, wife killed it VOLVO XC60 R Dynamic with some toys Polaris RZR 900XP SOLD |
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24th Mar 2015 10:35am |
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