Comments on: Give Cyclists Room

By: EricD

EricD — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:40:17 +0000

“This bus overtook this lady but gave far too little space. She is forced on to kerb.”
Look again at her left foot.
I would say she is probably deliberately undertaking the bus by ‘scooting’ along with her left foot on the pavement.
If she were stopping, her foot would be ahead and flat or even heel-down.
Good luck getting past before the bus starts !

By: EricD

EricD — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:36:27 +0000

@ Gabe :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carltonreid/5937441086/
Some councils (Cheshire?) have realised the islands are dangerous !
I doubt if they even make pedestrians safer – just slow cars down, maybe.
[ /!\ nasty incident ] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-4TYhkx1CU
http://insidecroydon.com/2013/02/18/kenley-road-island-could-cause-more-deaths-says-campaigner/
There was a recent UK case where a motorist hit the refuge, lost control then hit a cyclist. Court pretty much let him off – ‘accidents happen’. I don’t remember the location or outcome for the cyclist.

Definitely ‘take the lane’ early. Signal right before moving right. Take care. Good luck!
The worst I’ve had was a car that did an emergency stop just before hitting the refuge – he was nearly rear-ended by the car behind him !

By: Mark Bates

Mark Bates — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 21:36:53 +0000

I was on my way home, wind assisted and travelling at approximately 25mph. The next thing I know a large single decker bus is passing me, approaching the brow of a small hill and coming onto a solid white line. I immediately froze, such was the proximity of the said bus to me. I heard car horns beeping, presumeably from oncoming cars whom the bus was encroaching into their lane. I sprinted after the bus and caught up with it in a nearby village. Furious, I remonstrated with the driver, who simply said he thought he had given me sufficient room. I contacted the bus company who advised me by letter that the driver had been spoken too. Not happy, I contacted the police. An officer, who eventually attended on me at my house, said there was nothing they could do. Furthermore, he said that the bus was entitled to cross the white line when overtaking me as I was on a bike; that he overtakes bikes on solid white lines and that there was no chance of gaining a prosecution of driving without due care and attention or dangerous driving as it would be my word against that of the driver. This advice seemed to contradict sections 163, 165, 166 and 213 of the Highway Code as well as section 36 of the Roads and Traffic Act (RTA). Unfortunately with this kind of attitude from the Police, it is unlikely that we will see any improvement from motorists towards those on bicycles with the likely consequence been continued unecessary deaths and serious injuries. It is high time Parliament amend the RTA to offer cyclists more protection due to our vulnerability and pass guidence onto the Police. This incident has made me reconsider my cycling activities, at least on the roads. Certainly, I feel that the value placed on my life is such that it is not worth risking it on the public highway!

By: steve

steve — Wed, 04 May 2011 17:34:23 +0000

I travel to work regularly on by road bike at speed when I deem it safe to do so. I also drive a car and when I do I give more than ample room for other road users especially cyclists. The opposite is said of other drivers wanting to get to work at speed, racing away…mundane and do not give a toss about any cyclist apart from the obvious tool who rides a bike without thought…we all know them. Added to which I get p*ssed off at drivers who do not give enough room when I am going through road furniture…bollards, narrow sections. I get the ‘we’ll there were bollards I had to pass, sorry’ answer…should’nt even get to that stage…from now on I ma going to get in the middle…If I am in front i should have right of way until its safe for me to pull over and then let the tools pass. If they hit or rear end then they’ll have to answer to the law…I also wear a head cam for evidence now.

By: Lewis

Lewis — Mon, 02 May 2011 22:31:58 +0000

In my town the few cycle lanes that exist are very poor. They’re incredibly narrow and motorists pass VERY closely, justifiable because I’m in a different lane. In these cycle lanes I feel terrified! Far from the effect they are supposed to achieve. However, a new orbital has just been completed that goes through and around the town in different parts. It goes for 17 miles I believe and I’m very eager to try it.

By: tejvan

tejvan — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 14:30:16 +0000

> Gabe, I agree. It’s ironic that many traffic calming measures can make road dangerous. Because some users will just keep same speed and squeeze through.

By: Gabe

Gabe — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 10:35:51 +0000

What’s always bugged me is motorists trying to overtake too close to islands.
There’s a corner near where I live. It goes uphill, has a hidden road entrance and turns sharply into a blind corner. to calm the traffic there’s a long pair of islands with a short gap in between.
And most times I head up there someone will try and over take me, and if they did they’d either hit the second island or have to veer into me to avoid it >.<

By: Fred Southam

Fred Southam — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:07:37 +0000

PS Three feet is not enough

By: Fred Southam

Fred Southam — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:06:18 +0000

When I took a high performance driving course in 2000 I was told by my instructor John Lyon that a high court Judge had ruled in a case that ” A cyclist should be given enough room to measure his own length in the road in cas he fell off” I can’t remember the name of the law Lord unfortunately.

My feeling about cycle lanes is that many drivers feel that if there is a cycle lane it absolves them of the need to give sufficient room for the cyclist. This is compounded by councils putting cycle lanes on roads that are to narrow to accomodate them

By: Lee

Lee — Sat, 08 May 2010 10:19:31 +0000

Hi,

I have started a facebook group called “give cyclists space” Please join to help raise awareness.

Lee