I’m a cyclist and a motorist. I definately think being both helps me avoid cyclists while driving and dying while cycling!

One thing that is noticeable at both the biggest and smallest ends of the spectrum is that the most lethal person on the road is a car driver. Sure 95% are very safe but 5% are oblivious of the situations they create by being ignorant.

The cycle lanes so potholed and neglected on my commute they are unused and every cyclist has to sit right of the line and as the cars insist this is their personal space they often like to invade my personal space. They also cannot comprehend “tucan” crossings and invade my space to cycle infront of them at red lights.

On the flipside.
I am 6″6 wear an xxl hi-viz cycle jersey ride a large white bike have efficient lights and I dont get spotted daily. I pass 6 guys daily with no lights. No hi-viz, black bikes/clothes and no helmet. Not all cyclists are victims of the cold blooded killer 5%ers but of themselves.

I will preface that by saying that I commute to work by bike most days, 30 miles round trip, so see a lot of different road behaviour.

The majority of cyclists around here (Honolulu) completely ignore the rules of the road, which apply to them in the same way as they do to cars. Having grown up in the UK and spent time commuting by bike there also I’m pretty sure the laws are essentially the same.

To be honest I have seen 1 (one) other cyclist following the rules of the road during the past year, although I think they are followed more closely in the UK and Oxford may have more aware cyclists than most places.

I say that cyclists are the biggest danger to other cyclists as it is their behaviour that has affected the views motorists have of cyclists. If a car cuts off a bicycle who is not in a legal position who is in the right and who in the wrong?

In your two shot sequence above there is no bike lane. The driver also seems to have waited for bikes to clear out of the junction before turning (pedestrians, bicycles, vehicles in the background have all changed) but still there is another bike which is but off.

How did the bike being cut off, legally, get there?

As far as I know a bike is considered to be a small vehicle and passing between the curb and other vehicles is not legal (unless there’s a bike lane).

Given that the vehicle in question is a double decker bus (could also be closing in on the curb for a bus stop) it makes it very difficult for either a) the cyclist to see the car in front indicating to turn or b) for the car to see the cyclist.

It does cut both ways and education may be the only way forward…law enforcement on both sides might help to force that issue also.

Sorry for the long winded comment…it’s not a simple topic.

I believe we do not really understand others until we are put in their situation, to educate is to have experience.

I am a better driver because i cycle also. On the other hand some cyclist could do with being ‘educated’ as well, plenty of them think the have a right of passage through traffic.

Maybe a general course on thinking about others may do it all round???

You definitely frequently remember this advice when cycling.

For good (and emergency) braking I can suggest kool stop dura brake pads – I have the salmon (wet) cartridges and they have so much more braking power than regular pads. When I first installed them, I was actually surprised and had to get used to properly dose out so much power. Also nice is to keep the wheel rims clean from oil/etc, esp. when it is raining, to make sure they work.

Just ordered a mixed set for replacement of worn-out ones (on mixed one side is for wet, the other for dry)

Cycle commuting through the urban areas and then into Manchester city centre brings me into the fray amongst all of those experiences where I have to curb my enthusiasm to complain and just accept what car drivers are capable of.

Maybe that is why I have the air horn and hydraulic disc brakes to get me safely to work.

The number of times I’ve had to use either of the apparatus is dwindling with my experience gained to accept my father’s advice as a driving instructor to expect the unexpected.