Inconsiderate cyclists - Examples of poor cycling you have witnessed

[Goldilox]

Now it's a good 15 years since I proudly collected my cycling proficiency certificate, but I'm still aware that you aren't supposed to cycle on the pavement. However I do rather appear to be the only person in Stafford who has read the Highway code and on my walk to work I'm frequently forced to dodge out of the way of fully grown adults who believe they have some kind of right to ride their bikes on the footpath. The clue is in the name - when they are for cycles they put up signs saying 'cycle path'. I'm aware the police are busy failing to catch whoever it is that's burgled me twice in the last year, but I'm sure they're supposed to stop and give you a telling off if they see you doing something blatently antisocial yet I see them drive straight past these idiots! I'm all for environmentally sound transport but I just don't get what's so hard about riding a bike according to the rules of the road, I did it for 14 years until one of the aforementioned burglaries deprived me of my prefered means of transport. /rant

 

[henryscat]

I cycle round the place a fair bit and it irritates me as well. As with any walk of life there's a minority of plonkers who give everyone else a bad name. Especially annoying are cyclists who are quite obviously from their bike/gear they're wearing serious cyclists, should know what they're doing, and who still take to the pavement. The other side of it is that there are plenty of idiots driving round the place who think you shouldn't be cycling on the road and demonstrate it through their overtaking manoevures and/or yelling out the window.

As for the police, it would be nice if they did tackle some of the low level stuff. My pet hate is parking on the pavement which as well as being illegal is just bleeding inconsiderate. But as the police seem to also think that parking their jam sandwiches on the pavement is OK I don't hold out much hope of them actually enforcing that one.

Now it's a good 15 years since I proudly collected my cycling proficiency certificate, but I'm still aware that you aren't supposed to cycle on the pavement. However I do rather appear to be the only person in Stafford who has read the Highway code and on my walk to work I'm frequently forced to dodge out of the way of fully grown adults who believe they have some kind of right to ride their bikes on the footpath. The clue is in the name - when they are for cycles they put up signs saying 'cycle path'. I'm aware the police are busy failing to catch whoever it is that's burgled me twice in the last year, but I'm sure they're supposed to stop and give you a telling off if they see you doing something blatently antisocial yet I see them drive straight past these idiots! I'm all for environmentally sound transport but I just don't get what's so hard about riding a bike according to the rules of the road, I did it for 14 years until one of the aforementioned burglaries deprived me of my prefered means of transport. /rant

 

[Wormella]

On the discussion of bikes - there's a nice looking mountian bike thats been chained to a lamp post on the beaconside cycle path for a few days now - it hasn't moved and it appears to have been left there, but locked up.

Maybe Goldilox should go an liberate it, balance the 'cycle' of karma!

 

[Mrs M]

What annoys me is the cyclists that ride on the road when there is a perfectly good cycle path nearby. I know they are well within their rights and are, most of the time, riding their bikes correctly. But it's dangerous, especially places such as the Lamascote road where the road is very badly marked for whatever direction you want to go in. They get in the correct lane blah blah and dayglo Derek in all the correct gear but it is still dangerous even for the most experienced cyclist. It is very unnerving to other drivers and is more likely to cause an accident. Now cyclists have ranted on for many years (me included)about their rights on the road and the town has started to spend more money on cycle paths and now cyclists don't use them.

 

[db]

What annoys me is the cyclists that ride on the road when there is a perfectly good cycle path nearby. I know they are well within their rights and are, most of the time, riding their bikes correctly. But it's dangerous, especially places such as the Lamascote road where the road is very badly marked for whatever direction you want to go in. They get in the correct lane blah blah and dayglo Derek in all the correct gear but it is still dangerous even for the most experienced cyclist. It is very unnerving to other drivers and is more likely to cause an accident. Now cyclists have ranted on for many years (me included)about their rights on the road and the town has started to spend more money on cycle paths and now cyclists don't use them.

hear bloody hear! i was stuck behind a cyclist for ages the other day on the weston road, who chose to use the road instead of the perfectly empty and clearly marked cycle path

 

[Wookie]

What annoys me is the cyclists that ride on the road when there is a perfectly good cycle path nearby. I know they are well within their rights and are, most of the time, riding their bikes correctly. But it's dangerous, especially places such as the Lamascote road where the road is very badly marked for whatever direction you want to go in. They get in the correct lane blah blah and dayglo Derek in all the correct gear but it is still dangerous even for the most experienced cyclist. It is very unnerving to other drivers and is more likely to cause an accident. Now cyclists have ranted on for many years (me included)about their rights on the road and the town has started to spend more money on cycle paths and now cyclists don't use them.

hear bloody hear! i was stuck behind a cyclist for ages the other day on the weston road, who chose to use the road instead of the perfectly empty and clearly marked cycle path

Does your horn work?

 

[db]

Does your horn work?

yes, but i don't see what that has to do with driving

 

[Lucy]

I used to cycle to uni, along Wolverhampton Road and then up Weston Road. At that time the only cycle paths I could touch was a metre section at the back of old Tesco, then a small section by the hospital. There was no way I was ever going to cycle on the road where there weren't cycle paths, I'd have been dead within a week. I'm not sure if the paths actually go places nowadays, but 5 years ago they had no purpose!

 

[Gramaisc]

Some of the cycle paths are quite good - Beaconside, the old Uttoxeter railway, etc., and some are virtually pointless and barely usable - Tixall Road, etc. There are also difficulties where pedestrians are mixed with cyclists and the interaction with dogs also causes problems.

 

[henryscat]

For the most part cyclists are better off on the road as usually the alternative off-road cycle path is inadequate. Some research suggests that off road cycle paths can be more dangerous to cyclists. If you take Lammascote Road as an example in a short stretch it crosses the petrol station entrance x2 and the leisure centre access. Where cycle paths cross T-junctions, entrances, and driveways the cyclist has got to look through 270 degrees to check that its safe to proceed, making it a lot more likely that you could miss something. On the road the most you ever have to look through is 180 degrees - i.e. left and right, and behind you when necessary to check its safe to move out when signalling right. Off-road paths are also only suited to low-speed cycling because of frequent give-ways, sign posts in the way, and possible interaction with pedestrians. Anything getting on for 15mph+ on a bike (which most cyclists will comfortably reach) and you're definitely safer, quicker, and better off on the road.

Going back to Lammascote - I often negotiate the gyratory on-road. There's no problem providing you signal your intentions and position correctly in the road.

What annoys me is the cyclists that ride on the road when there is a perfectly good cycle path nearby. I know they are well within their rights and are, most of the time, riding their bikes correctly. But it's dangerous, especially places such as the Lamascote road where the road is very badly marked for whatever direction you want to go in. They get in the correct lane blah blah and dayglo Derek in all the correct gear but it is still dangerous even for the most experienced cyclist. It is very unnerving to other drivers and is more likely to cause an accident. Now cyclists have ranted on for many years (me included)about their rights on the road and the town has started to spend more money on cycle paths and now cyclists don't use them.

 

[henryscat]

In towns the average speed of cyclists and traffic isn't much different - at rush hour cyclists are quicker! On my journey to work when traffic is reasonably free flowing, my journey takes more or less the same whether cycling or driving - and I do obey all give ways and traffic lights in both the car and on the bike.... Rush hour coming home I am definitely faster on the bike.

hear bloody hear! i was stuck behind a cyclist for ages the other day on the weston road, who chose to use the road instead of the perfectly empty and clearly marked cycle path

 

[Goldilox]

What annoys me is the cyclists that ride on the road when there is a perfectly good cycle path nearby. I know they are well within their rights and are, most of the time, riding their bikes correctly. But it's dangerous, especially places such as the Lamascote road where the road is very badly marked for whatever direction you want to go in. They get in the correct lane blah blah and dayglo Derek in all the correct gear but it is still dangerous even for the most experienced cyclist. It is very unnerving to other drivers and is more likely to cause an accident. Now cyclists have ranted on for many years (me included)about their rights on the road and the town has started to spend more money on cycle paths and now cyclists don't use them.

hear bloody hear! i was stuck behind a cyclist for ages the other day on the weston road, who chose to use the road instead of the perfectly empty and clearly marked cycle path

Admittedly it's a few months ago, but the last time I tried to cycle up Weston road I ended up doing the same because there was a car parked on the cycle path every six yards making it all but useless.

 

[henryscat]

Those two aren't too bad as they're fairly uninterrupted stretches of path. Tixall Road would probably be better off without the advisory cycle lane. Similarly I'm unsure whether its worth having the advisory lane on Eccleshall Road especially as it disappears every time the road narrows for a pedestrian refuge!

Some of the cycle paths are quite good - Beaconside, the old Uttoxeter railway, etc., and some are virtually pointless and barely usable - Tixall Road, etc. There are also difficulties where pedestrians are mixed with cyclists and the interaction with dogs also causes problems.

 

[db]

In towns the average speed of cyclists and traffic isn't much different - at rush hour cyclists are quicker! On my journey to work when traffic is reasonably free flowing, my journey takes more or less the same whether cycling or driving - and I do obey all give ways and traffic lights in both the car and on the bike.... Rush hour coming home I am definitely faster on the bike.

this is true.. many's a time i get beaten by a cyclist on the way home from work! still, it's frustrating as a motorist when you see a clear road ahead of you, but you can't overtake a cyclist because they're in the middle of the road, or not on a cycle path..

basically, let's all agree that motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians don't get along lol..

 

[Gramaisc]

Where cycle paths cross T-junctions, entrances, and driveways the cyclist has got to look through 270 degrees to check that its safe to proceed, making it a lot more likely that you could miss something. On the road the most you ever have to look through is 180 degrees - i.e. left and right, and behind you when necessary to check its safe to move out when signalling right.

You need to look through the best part of 360 degrees when trying to cross Portal Road where it joins Beaconside, and have the X-ray vision to see through the hedge. I suggest a fly-over.

 

[Wormella]

Where cycle paths cross T-junctions, entrances, and driveways the cyclist has got to look through 270 degrees to check that its safe to proceed, making it a lot more likely that you could miss something. On the road the most you ever have to look through is 180 degrees - i.e. left and right, and behind you when necessary to check its safe to move out when signalling right.

You need to look through the best part of 360 degrees when trying to cross Portal Road where it joins Beaconside, and have the X-ray vision to see through the hedge. I suggest a fly-over.

A fly over there would be awesome. That is my least favourite bit of my almost entirely cyclepath happy trip home. Either way you go it utterly wrecks your momentum

 

[Gramaisc]

Looks simple enough to me.

Have you noticed a tendency for people to cycle on the right? In my innocence, I assumed that the same general rules would apply on cycle paths and so I keep to the left, only to find myself, more often than not, confronted by someone approaching on the same side. Bloody cyclists!

 

[The Stafford Beast]

I'd use some cycle paths, although they just seem to be there for the sake of having a cycle path, rather than safely leading to anywhere useful. Take the one between Curry's and Halfords - If you're going to LIDL or bowling alley, it's fine, but if you're going up to Stone Road, it's useless. I tend to stay on the road so that I can bypass having to get off my bike at the pedestrian crossing outside Halfords. Also, the one by Esso/ASDA... it has so many stops and starts, surely it's better to stay on the road for a sustained right-of-way. Much more safer than having to look both ways at the 2 esso gaps, 1 leisure centre gap, and then crossing the ASDA delivery entrance, which most members of public use to enter the car park now (myself included to save the fuel of having to drive all the way round).

A good cycle path would be along Corporation Street. It would improve the flow of traffic around the dangerous chicanes, and also there is lots of room to do it. Obvious in my opinion. Might even write to Mr Kidney to suggest the idea.

On the other hand, the cycle path along Beaconside is ok. And yes, cars should not park on the cycle path along Tixall Road. Very annoying being most people have a nice drive they could park on instead.

 

[Gramaisc]

A lot of the cycle paths do seem to be there for theatrical purposes. There was , and might well still be, a very short, isolated, section down the side of the old library, across the entrance to Bailey's Yard, which served no purpose, other than to be a cycle path for accounting purposes. It was also quite amusing when the original cycle path along the river behind Asda ended at a flight of steps.

 

[shoes]

What annoys me is the cyclists that ride on the road when there is a perfectly good cycle path nearby. I know they are well within their rights and are, most of the time, riding their bikes correctly. But it's dangerous, especially places such as the Lamascote road where the road is very badly marked for whatever direction you want to go in. They get in the correct lane blah blah and dayglo Derek in all the correct gear but it is still dangerous even for the most experienced cyclist. It is very unnerving to other drivers and is more likely to cause an accident. Now cyclists have ranted on for many years (me included)about their rights on the road and the town has started to spend more money on cycle paths and now cyclists don't use them.

Cycle paths are absolute bollocks though, I can understand wanting to ride on the road. If you're on the road you sail past every junction on the left, whereas on a cycle path which invariably is a proportion if the pavement you have to stop at every single junction, wait to cross, cross and then build up speed again. I do agree that it its frustrating for drivers, however as a cyclist I can appreciate the cyclists POV.

By the same token I have actually deliberately ridden into people who are walking 3 abreast across the cycle path when there is an empty pavement next to them, exactly the same principle only its legal because they can't identify you. I don't suggest knocking cyclists off their bikes unless you have duff plates on. I mean at all.

EDIT: Read thread and THEN post ben, just realised The Stafford Beast made the exact same point