Is the UK the worst place in the world to cycle?
Discussion
POIDH said:
I live in Scotland and commute daily on a bike and cycle a few thousand miles a year. I feel things are better here, and the further out of cities you get the better it gets. Most drivers are great.
I cycled across London twice this year on a rental bike while there for work. Oh my it is nuts there. Really scary driving, and so much aggression. I won't do it again.
I have noticed that after 15 years of living where I do, the last month has seen the first two aggressive and shouty drivers ever. Real meatheads with phrases like 'pay road tax' and 'get out the way' (on a 200m stretch of road to Tesco!). I feel the press and Tory party have stirred things up in the last couple of months, and some of our fellow road users are happy to be stirred up. I don't like it and feel less safe.
It's a shame you don't say where in Scotland. It's a BIG COUNTRY .I cycled across London twice this year on a rental bike while there for work. Oh my it is nuts there. Really scary driving, and so much aggression. I won't do it again.
I have noticed that after 15 years of living where I do, the last month has seen the first two aggressive and shouty drivers ever. Real meatheads with phrases like 'pay road tax' and 'get out the way' (on a 200m stretch of road to Tesco!). I feel the press and Tory party have stirred things up in the last couple of months, and some of our fellow road users are happy to be stirred up. I don't like it and feel less safe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk5SkiBna24
I'm in the SW and have mixed experiences.
Julian Scott said:
If 'pulled over' was just the cyclist giving more space & waving you past, I do that a lot - especially if there its a layby/sliproad/wider bit of road/etc.
If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
Stop press indeed : He stopped and put both legs on the ground If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
we both gave each other a cheery wave.Have to say up here in the north east (Scotland) the driving standards are pretty good. I’d call it a cycling paradise. I feel there is two way respect and I’ve not yet had an incident here - perhaps it’s because I can go and ride for two hours and not see a car!
loskie said:
It's a shame you don't say where in Scotland. It's a BIG COUNTRY .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk5SkiBna24
I'm in the SW and have mixed experiences.
One of my favorite bands! But whenever this song comes on I always think of Tenants! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk5SkiBna24
I'm in the SW and have mixed experiences.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OWm4oFiN7bU
thepritch said:
Julian Scott said:
If 'pulled over' was just the cyclist giving more space & waving you past, I do that a lot - especially if there its a layby/sliproad/wider bit of road/etc.
If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
Stop press indeed : He stopped and put both legs on the ground If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
we both gave each other a cheery wave.Have to say up here in the north east (Scotland) the driving standards are pretty good. I’d call it a cycling paradise. I feel there is two way respect and I’ve not yet had an incident here - perhaps it’s because I can go and ride for two hours and not see a car!
Roads round here (Cheshire & Peaks) are likewise pretty good, especially if (like me) you choose roads/times that are away from mass traffic. I've had very very few issues with drivers, as have those I ride with - but there are plenty of people who seem to invite problems regardless of the number of wheels and choice of propulsion.
Julian Scott said:
thepritch said:
Julian Scott said:
If 'pulled over' was just the cyclist giving more space & waving you past, I do that a lot - especially if there its a layby/sliproad/wider bit of road/etc.
If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
Stop press indeed : He stopped and put both legs on the ground If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
we both gave each other a cheery wave.Have to say up here in the north east (Scotland) the driving standards are pretty good. I’d call it a cycling paradise. I feel there is two way respect and I’ve not yet had an incident here - perhaps it’s because I can go and ride for two hours and not see a car!
Roads round here (Cheshire & Peaks) are likewise pretty good, especially if (like me) you choose roads/times that are away from mass traffic. I've had very very few issues with drivers, as have those I ride with - but there are plenty of people who seem to invite problems regardless of the number of wheels and choice of propulsion.
Siao said:
Julian Scott said:
thepritch said:
Julian Scott said:
If 'pulled over' was just the cyclist giving more space & waving you past, I do that a lot - especially if there its a layby/sliproad/wider bit of road/etc.
If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
Stop press indeed : He stopped and put both legs on the ground If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
we both gave each other a cheery wave.Have to say up here in the north east (Scotland) the driving standards are pretty good. I’d call it a cycling paradise. I feel there is two way respect and I’ve not yet had an incident here - perhaps it’s because I can go and ride for two hours and not see a car!
Roads round here (Cheshire & Peaks) are likewise pretty good, especially if (like me) you choose roads/times that are away from mass traffic. I've had very very few issues with drivers, as have those I ride with - but there are plenty of people who seem to invite problems regardless of the number of wheels and choice of propulsion.
.Julian Scott said:
Siao said:
Julian Scott said:
thepritch said:
Julian Scott said:
If 'pulled over' was just the cyclist giving more space & waving you past, I do that a lot - especially if there its a layby/sliproad/wider bit of road/etc.
If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
Stop press indeed : He stopped and put both legs on the ground If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
we both gave each other a cheery wave.Have to say up here in the north east (Scotland) the driving standards are pretty good. I’d call it a cycling paradise. I feel there is two way respect and I’ve not yet had an incident here - perhaps it’s because I can go and ride for two hours and not see a car!
Roads round here (Cheshire & Peaks) are likewise pretty good, especially if (like me) you choose roads/times that are away from mass traffic. I've had very very few issues with drivers, as have those I ride with - but there are plenty of people who seem to invite problems regardless of the number of wheels and choice of propulsion.
.Siao said:
Julian Scott said:
Siao said:
Julian Scott said:
thepritch said:
Julian Scott said:
If 'pulled over' was just the cyclist giving more space & waving you past, I do that a lot - especially if there its a layby/sliproad/wider bit of road/etc.
If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
Stop press indeed : He stopped and put both legs on the ground If it was fully stopping & unclipping, then that is worthy of stopping the presses.
we both gave each other a cheery wave.Have to say up here in the north east (Scotland) the driving standards are pretty good. I’d call it a cycling paradise. I feel there is two way respect and I’ve not yet had an incident here - perhaps it’s because I can go and ride for two hours and not see a car!
Roads round here (Cheshire & Peaks) are likewise pretty good, especially if (like me) you choose roads/times that are away from mass traffic. I've had very very few issues with drivers, as have those I ride with - but there are plenty of people who seem to invite problems regardless of the number of wheels and choice of propulsion.
.
Out on my bike yesterday and had what I think is the first 'near miss' I've had this year.
I was behind a line of traffic, the two vehicles in front of me being a car/caravan and a van. We went through traffic lights on green where a Range Rover coming the opposite way was wanting to turn right.
I was obviously hidden from his view and he went to gun it through what he thought was a gap before the next cars 100m or so behind me and headed straight for me. I had to go to the right of him to avoid being hit, he slammed on which then blocked the junction before the lights then changed.
Initially shouted at me for riding like a **** before recognising it was his mistake and apologising.
Pure accident, poor observation, no harm done. Not bad to be half way thought the year of riding 2-4 times per week before the first incident.
I was behind a line of traffic, the two vehicles in front of me being a car/caravan and a van. We went through traffic lights on green where a Range Rover coming the opposite way was wanting to turn right.
I was obviously hidden from his view and he went to gun it through what he thought was a gap before the next cars 100m or so behind me and headed straight for me. I had to go to the right of him to avoid being hit, he slammed on which then blocked the junction before the lights then changed.
Initially shouted at me for riding like a **** before recognising it was his mistake and apologising.
Pure accident, poor observation, no harm done. Not bad to be half way thought the year of riding 2-4 times per week before the first incident.
Julian Scott said:
Out on my bike yesterday and had what I think is the first 'near miss' I've had this year.
I was behind a line of traffic, the two vehicles in front of me being a car/caravan and a van. We went through traffic lights on green where a Range Rover coming the opposite way was wanting to turn right.
I was obviously hidden from his view and he went to gun it through what he thought was a gap before the next cars 100m or so behind me and headed straight for me. I had to go to the right of him to avoid being hit, he slammed on which then blocked the junction before the lights then changed.
Initially shouted at me for riding like a **** before recognising it was his mistake and apologising.
Pure accident, poor observation, no harm done. Not bad to be half way thought the year of riding 2-4 times per week before the first incident.
Julian - what time of day was this?I was behind a line of traffic, the two vehicles in front of me being a car/caravan and a van. We went through traffic lights on green where a Range Rover coming the opposite way was wanting to turn right.
I was obviously hidden from his view and he went to gun it through what he thought was a gap before the next cars 100m or so behind me and headed straight for me. I had to go to the right of him to avoid being hit, he slammed on which then blocked the junction before the lights then changed.
Initially shouted at me for riding like a **** before recognising it was his mistake and apologising.
Pure accident, poor observation, no harm done. Not bad to be half way thought the year of riding 2-4 times per week before the first incident.
My experience of ten years of cycling is that outside certain times of the day its fine.
Rush times Mon-Fri and the main hours of the weekend you really need to keep your wits about you and pre-think all possibilities of an accident. For example if I am waiting in traffic now I never position myself near the pavement. Its a real pain for the cars behind but I make sure that I am seen by both sides of the road.
Greenmantle said:
Julian Scott said:
Out on my bike yesterday and had what I think is the first 'near miss' I've had this year.
I was behind a line of traffic, the two vehicles in front of me being a car/caravan and a van. We went through traffic lights on green where a Range Rover coming the opposite way was wanting to turn right.
I was obviously hidden from his view and he went to gun it through what he thought was a gap before the next cars 100m or so behind me and headed straight for me. I had to go to the right of him to avoid being hit, he slammed on which then blocked the junction before the lights then changed.
Initially shouted at me for riding like a **** before recognising it was his mistake and apologising.
Pure accident, poor observation, no harm done. Not bad to be half way thought the year of riding 2-4 times per week before the first incident.
Julian - what time of day was this?I was behind a line of traffic, the two vehicles in front of me being a car/caravan and a van. We went through traffic lights on green where a Range Rover coming the opposite way was wanting to turn right.
I was obviously hidden from his view and he went to gun it through what he thought was a gap before the next cars 100m or so behind me and headed straight for me. I had to go to the right of him to avoid being hit, he slammed on which then blocked the junction before the lights then changed.
Initially shouted at me for riding like a **** before recognising it was his mistake and apologising.
Pure accident, poor observation, no harm done. Not bad to be half way thought the year of riding 2-4 times per week before the first incident.
My experience of ten years of cycling is that outside certain times of the day its fine.
Rush times Mon-Fri and the main hours of the weekend you really need to keep your wits about you and pre-think all possibilities of an accident. For example if I am waiting in traffic now I never position myself near the pavement. Its a real pain for the cars behind but I make sure that I am seen by both sides of the road.
Salted_Peanut said:
nickfrog said:
Quite an angry lady. By "lady" I use the term loosely.
Wikipedia said:
Laura Perrins (née McGowan, born 1981) is the Irish co-founder and co-editor of The Conservative Woman. She has written for The Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail, ConservativeHome and The Catholic Herald. In 2013, she was included in the BBC's 100 Women.
Perrins has appeared on Question Time, Any Questions, the Today programme and Woman's Hour, reviews the papers on BBC News, and Sophy Ridge on Sunday and on numerous occasions on Sky News as well as Today with Seán O'Rourke on RTÉ.
Perrins has appeared on Question Time, Any Questions, the Today programme and Woman's Hour, reviews the papers on BBC News, and Sophy Ridge on Sunday and on numerous occasions on Sky News as well as Today with Seán O'Rourke on RTÉ.
It's *always* the Conservatives, I mean always. Cycling is as conservative an activity or mode of transport as could be wished, but always Conservatives are moaning about it.
Which for me is the perfect metaphor for how Conservatives are not conservative, and I'm hoping they get wiped out in the general election.
On another note, I've just been to Ukraine on an aid convoy, and was pleased to see the cyclists in the countryside, ordinary people on ordinary bikes, and I didn't see any angst from any drivers. So I would cycle in Ukraine, but I think twice about cycling in UK.
(* For sake of accuracy, one of our members was witness to a 9 yr old boy killed riding his bike in collision with a bus. Msy have involved a power outage. I know no more than this. It doesn't alter my opinion of what I saw and experienced myself).
heebeegeetee said:
Thanks for link.
It's *always* the Conservatives, I mean always. Cycling is as conservative an activity or mode of transport as could be wished, but always Conservatives are moaning about it.
Which for me is the perfect metaphor for how Conservatives are not conservative, and I'm hoping they get wiped out in the general election.
On another note, I've just been to Ukraine on an aid convoy, and was pleased to see the cyclists in the countryside, ordinary people on ordinary bikes, and I didn't see any angst from any drivers. So I would cycle in Ukraine, but I think twice about cycling in UK.
(* For sake of accuracy, one of our members was witness to a 9 yr old boy killed riding his bike in collision with a bus. Msy have involved a power outage. I know no more than this. It doesn't alter my opinion of what I saw and experienced myself).
Apart from the Shadow Transport Minister who had to backtrack on her comments, and separately the comments on 'dangerous cyclists'. And that's just this month.It's *always* the Conservatives, I mean always. Cycling is as conservative an activity or mode of transport as could be wished, but always Conservatives are moaning about it.
Which for me is the perfect metaphor for how Conservatives are not conservative, and I'm hoping they get wiped out in the general election.
On another note, I've just been to Ukraine on an aid convoy, and was pleased to see the cyclists in the countryside, ordinary people on ordinary bikes, and I didn't see any angst from any drivers. So I would cycle in Ukraine, but I think twice about cycling in UK.
(* For sake of accuracy, one of our members was witness to a 9 yr old boy killed riding his bike in collision with a bus. Msy have involved a power outage. I know no more than this. It doesn't alter my opinion of what I saw and experienced myself).
All politicians are
s. They all just jump on any bandwagon going. We will have a change of colour by 5th July but still governed by a bunch of s. ;-)Had my first scare in a long time here south of Greater Manchester. Small Renault SUV pulled into me from side road turning left. As per I saw him and attempted to make eye contact. There were no cars behind me and he looked straight through me and pulled out. It was around 6pm so still daylight. He contacted me offside bumper into my pedals, and pushed me about 1m sideways, somehow I stayed upright.
Face to face as he's pushing me, I shouted 'stupid c**t' full volume lol. In fairness he pulled over and was very apologetic.
500lumen bike light is now flashing whatever time I go out. I would consider myself a very defensive and considerate cyclist. Despite that it only takes that one moment...
Face to face as he's pushing me, I shouted 'stupid c**t' full volume lol. In fairness he pulled over and was very apologetic.
500lumen bike light is now flashing whatever time I go out. I would consider myself a very defensive and considerate cyclist. Despite that it only takes that one moment...
this is the 'kiss of death' typing this but in the 15 years of cycling in and around the lanes of Rutland (and into Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Northants) I can only think of 1 person who pulled out of junction without looking and a few close pass aholes (2 intentional)
Feel either charmed or just the area is relatively light in traffic (if you keep away from the A roads) and most people seem fairly respectful of each other. Did the RAFA 100 on Sunday, in fairness the weather was rank for half of it but didn't hear any talk of problems at the beer and burger tent at the finish.
holes (2 intentional)Feel either charmed or just the area is relatively light in traffic (if you keep away from the A roads) and most people seem fairly respectful of each other. Did the RAFA 100 on Sunday, in fairness the weather was rank for half of it but didn't hear any talk of problems at the beer and burger tent at the finish.
Julian Scott said:
Apart from the Shadow Transport Minister who had to backtrack on her comments, and separately the comments on 'dangerous cyclists'. And that's just this month.
This one? "Labour’s shadow secretary for transport rides a bike and offers support for cycling infrastructure"https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-3-j...
heebeegeetee said:
Julian Scott said:
Apart from the Shadow Transport Minister who had to backtrack on her comments, and separately the comments on 'dangerous cyclists'. And that's just this month.
This one? "Labour’s shadow secretary for transport rides a bike and offers support for cycling infrastructure"https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-3-j...
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