Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#1
Since moving my office and having a 10 minute walk to and from work plus spending my weekends largely over in the Canterbury direction, I have become increasingly aware of the menace cyclists are to life and limb.
Last week some moron who clearly substituted one of those idiotic looking crash hats for his brain was powering his bike between cars stopped at the traffic lights on York Street straight through the lights without a pause.
Then this morning another such prat powered past me on a bike, on the footpath, close enough so I felt him brush me as he passed.
At least the first idiot was on the road. These bikes, specially being ridden at speed have no place on a footpath and, what is more, they are not exempted from the traffic laws.
At least those riding along country lanes as if they own the road are on the road....
What is even more annoying is their self-rightousness. Yes they are getting exercise and that is good, green - so what, walking is also green.
They may ride along immersed in some Tour de France or Olympic fantasy, in their lycra and dumb hats, but they are a menace to all other road and path users and need to be dealt with.
Oh - I read not long ago that some LibDem (yes it had to be a Limpdem) said that in an accident between a car and cyclist there should be a presumption in law against the car driver..... That is the last thing we need....
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#2
Central London is awash with them, cutting up when they fancy, then playing the victim after they are knocked off their bike.
When i used to drive into work i turned left at Mile End, got in the correct lane and clearly indicated my plan.
If it was a red light then quite often a cyclist would simply go through it, a green light one would overtake me on the left to go straight on causing me to brake heavily.
Closer to home we have a man in his 40's ride at breakneck speed along the pavement on the Folkestone Road scaring the living daylights out of the elderly and a chap in his 70's regularly used to ride on the narrow path by the Dour in Pencester Gardens before it was widened into a cycle way. Actually brushed my toes when i was sitting on a bench.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
#3
As a general observation cyclists now seem to be (or think they are) above the law seeing how so many seem to behave.
Pavements are designed for pedestrians not cyclists unless the path is a designated cycle path so I agree with the above posts. I know all of them are not bad but when it comes to Dover sadly more and more seem to be oblivious to us pedestrians.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 767- Registered: 30 Aug 2012
- Posts: 458
#4
I agree, these thoughtless folk need to be stopped before someone gets knocked down, York st, the roundabout and lower folkestone rd can be really dangerous. Have you also noticed that bells and lights now seem to be items of choice? As a walker I find the use of the footpath by bikers to be totally out of order, if, as they say, the rd is too dangerous then my advice is to get off your bike and walk.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#5
tip, buy a strong broom handle,[for wheel spokes].
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#6
A tempting thought Brian but when a police officer grabbed the handlebar of a rogue cyclist in a pedestrian precinct the miscreant then went running to the press as the victim because he fell off his bike.
Guest 1316- Registered: 7 Aug 2014
- Posts: 1
#7
Barry, you might be interested in promoting our petition:
http://tinyurl.com/ratrunners
Round here we get them bombing the pavement in the dark, no lights, hooded, so as to avoid being identified by patrols. It's time this 'aggravated pavement cycling' carried a heavy penalty. Meanwhile the councils are installing dual-use crossings in places with no cycle lanes, which is an open encouragement to illegal use of the footway. If not, what are such crossings for? I don't see how they serve any purpose to the legal road cyclist, after all.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#8
Guest 725- Registered: 7 Oct 2011
- Posts: 1,418
#9
That Indy article is a spoof right?
"women of any ethnic group who wish to wear modest clothing, and I count myself in that category, are not going to cycle. It is a discriminatory form of transport".
The end of satire?
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
#10
Coming back from Hythe the other day we encountered 25 cyclists just past the Capel turn off. The traffic was building up behind them because every now and again some of them would decide to double up and just pull out to do so. I think all cyclists should have to have some sort of insurance the same as cars. . . . . and don't get me started about horse riders on busy roads!!!
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".