Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

"Ian F." typed


Isn't there anything you cyclists can do, as a group, to stop these idiots
cycling on pavements, running red lights and so on? Isn't there a pressure
organisation or something? How can we (pedestrians) help?

It's really *very* difficult.

Camden Cycling Campaign is trying to help the Council with some catchy
slogans to deter pavement cycling but we *aren't* responsible for other
POBs.

CCC members attended a meeting of campaigning pedestrians at Camden Town
Hall about three weeks ago. It was then reported in local papers that
'the enemy' had 'gatecrashed' the meeting. Co-operating with some groups
of pedestrians isn't always easy!

Enforcement of traffic law is the responsibility of the Police etc.

POBs give all cyclists a bad name and make campaigning for measures to
improve the lot of cyclists far more difficult.

The roads in Outer London are packed with drivers who are really hostile
to cyclists and frequently tell them to get onto the pavement. The local
Press can be very hostile too.

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

Ian F. wrote:
rant

I downright refuse to stop before that green bit at the front of the lights
that meant for cyclists - I always stop on it! Why should the miserable,
pavement-pedallers have any more of the road than they already have? They've
got one lane, now they want two extra! When they pay road tax like we do,
then I might consider it!

/rant

Ian

Humm, illegal, its a bike only advanced stop line, however a lot of
traffic lights now have extra loops under them and change much
quicker/for longer (the ones outside here do). Most POB students either
don't sit over them, or just ride through the red and onto the
pavements, so the traffic never gets enough time to move more than one
car at a time, great traffic planning that.

Niel.

Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

"Ian F." writes:
Isn't there anything you cyclists can do, as a group, to stop these idiots
cycling on pavements, running red lights and so on?

Shoot them and burn the bodies?

Isn't there a pressure organisation or something? How can we
(pedestrians) help?

I occasionally comment when I judge I'm not likely to get punched in
the face for doing so, but I can see little else. Many cyclists tend
to write in in support of enforcement initiatives when reported in the
press, as well.

That reminds me, there's a sad letter in the Metro I should respond
to. (Someone hit and injured by a pavement cyclist who doesn't know
they _can_ get compensation).

A

Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

Tom Anderson wrote to uk.transport.london on Thu, 9 Sep 2004:


Sadly, this also seems to apply at red lights. I've lost count of how many
times i've cycled up alongside a line of traffic at some lights and come
to rest a little way ahead of the stop line (i'm a sinner, i know), only
for the car next to me to rev up and move forward all of six inches to
draw level ...

The trouble is, for every sensible, courteous and law-abiding cyclist,
as members of this group surely are, there are enough of the other
kind.... I, as a pedestrian, was very nearly run over two days ago by a
cyclist who decided that the red light didn't apply to him - this was a
Pelican crossing, or whatever they're called nowadays. I'm in my 50s
and agile, but what if I'd been in my 80s and slow? I'd have had no
chance at all against him....

And, like motorists, or bus drivers, come to that, the few ghastly ones
tar all the good ones with the same brush.
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/

Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

Ian F. wrote to uk.transport.london on Thu, 9 Sep 2004:

Isn't there anything you cyclists can do, as a group, to stop these idiots
cycling on pavements, running red lights and so on? Isn't there a pressure
organisation or something? How can we (pedestrians) help?

One elderly, lame old girl of my acquaintance more or less forces them
to stop by waving her walking-stick in front of them and says, very
calmly, "Now, either get off your bike, or get off the pavement!"

I don't suppose it does anything to help, but *she* feels better!
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/

Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

Dave Kahn wrote to uk.transport.london on Thu, 9 Sep 2004:

On Thu, 09 Sep 2004 20:32:17 +0100, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
wrote:

Ah, so you haven't heard that cyclists have above-average income, are
more likely to own a house, a car and any other measure of material
wealth except a satellite dish (and that's probably changed now the
Tour is on ITV2).

Nonsense. The discerning cyclist gets ITV2 on Freeview.

Except that coverage is better on Eurosport and you can't bloody GET
that on Freeview any more. WAIL! I WANT EUROSPORT.....
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/

Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

"Annabel Smyth" wrote in message

Except that coverage is better on Eurosport and you can't bloody GET
that on Freeview any more. WAIL! I WANT EUROSPORT.....
--

There may be more of it on Eurosport, but last time I watched it there the
commentary was so boring and off the point that I swore never again.

Phil, Gary and Paul are far better.

By the way, you never could get Eurosport on Freeview, that was back in the
days of ITV Digital.

Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

On Thu, 9 Sep 2004, Ian F. wrote:

"David Splett" wrote in message
...

It might be a downright refusal on your part, but it's not a very clever
one.

I'm not claiming it *is* clever. It's just my daft little protest
against people using our roads who don't pay for them! ;-)

You are trying to out-John-Rowland John Rowland, AICMFP.

When I'm cycling and I encounter cars that haven't stopped in the
correct place, I simply pass over the ASL and stop in front of them.

ASL?

Arsehole Separation Line - it separates mine from the ones driving cars.

See:

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/16.shtml (section 154)

Why not just learn to drive your vehicle correctly,

I do drive my vehicle correctly.

I seriously considered the possibility that you were just trolling, but
then i remembered how most drivers actually drive.

yelling abuse at elderly people and so on.

I'm usually too busy raping nuns and schoolteachers to do that on my way
to work.

tom

--
The revolving disc of plagues is particularly fun. -- greengolux

Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

On 10 Sep 2004, Ambrose Nankivell wrote:

"Ian F." writes:

Isn't there anything you cyclists can do, as a group, to stop these idiots
cycling on pavements, running red lights and so on?

Shoot them and burn the bodies?

This is a really stupid suggestion.

We *obviously* need to string the bodies up in a public place, pour
encourager les autres.

tom

--
The revolving disc of plagues is particularly fun. -- greengolux

Bus driver complaint and OYBike
 

On Thu, 9 Sep 2004, Danny Colyer wrote:

POB's tend to be relatively slow cyclists (except for those couriers
that I've read about). So a POB will sail past a Real Cyclist at a red
light, then get in the way when the Real Cyclist catches up after the
lights change. Repeatedly, when there are as many traffic lights as in
London.

I have nothing to add to this; i just wanted to say that THIS DRIVES ME
ABSOLUTELY ****ING INSANE!!! These idiots should not be allowed to ride a
bike. Or to breed. Or, in fact, to live.

It's not just that they're not as quick as me - and i'm not exactly a
speed demon - but that they actually seem to trying to go as slowly as
they can. I think it's the same people who handle any bit of acceleration,
no matter how tiny, by hoisting themselves up off their seats and putting
all their weight on it, like they were ****ing King of the Mountains or
something. IT'S A FLAT ROAD! YOU CAN ACCELERATE SITTING DOWN!

/rant

More seriously, and in the spirit of Hanlon's Razor, i wonder if it's a
gear thing: these people don't realise you need to use a low gear to
accelerate, so they're trying to do everything in top, so they wear
themselves out and don't go very fast. I know it took me a long time to
get the feel for the right cadence, despite years of my dad nagging me to
shift down and speed up *every* time we went biking (or perhaps because of
....), so if people haven't had any teaching at all, maybe they just don't
know.

tom

--
The revolving disc of plagues is particularly fun. -- greengolux