Cyclists

[JimSh]

One for the Contrarians.
Pinched from Facebook.

Joe Becigneul
The bicycle is the slow death of the planet.

General Director of Euro Exim Bank Ltd. got economists thinking when he said:
"A cyclist is a disaster for the country's economy: he does not buy cars and does not borrow money to buy.
He does not pay for insurance policies. He does not buy fuel, does not pay for the necessary maintenance and repairs. He does not use paid parking. He does not cause serious accidents.
He does not require multi-lane highways. He does not get fat.
Healthy people are neither needed nor useful for the economy. They don't buy medicine. They do not go to hospitals or doctors. Nothing is added to the country's GDP (gross domestic product).
On the contrary, every new McDonald's restaurant creates at least 30 jobs: 10 cardiologists, 10 dentists, 10 dietary experts and nutritionists, and obviously, people who work at the restaurant itself."
Choose carefully: cyclist or McDonald's? It is worth considering.
P.S. Walking is even worse. Pedestrians don't even buy bicycles.

[WelshBeauty]

And motorists are the saviour of the world. I think not.

[ColinS]

If only we could persuade them to use the cycle lanes that we have spent £millions constructing.

[John Ratsey]

If only we could persuade them to use the cycle lanes that we have spent £millions constructing.

Off-road ccyle lanes are often occupied by pedestians and dogs (which ignore any markings segregating pedestrians from cyclists). Consequently cyclists who want to make progress often need to use the roads.

[Kremmen]

In London the cycle lanes are largely empty whilst queueing traffic, due to only half the carriageway they used to have, create extra pollution whilst stationary.

Doesn't make sense

[culzean]

If only we could persuade them to use the cycle lanes that we have spent £millions constructing.

Off-road ccyle lanes are often occupied by pedestians and dogs (which ignore any markings segregating pedestrians from cyclists). Consequently cyclists who want to make progress often need to use the roads.

I have seen that cyclists will regularly use areas set aside for pedestrians, and whizz around cutting in between pedestrians, with absolutely no 'audible warning off approach' ( a legal requirement but you never see a bell on a bike these days ) - On many occasions I have been startled by a bike approaching from behind suddenly shooting past,  cyclist also ride across pedestrian crossings when they are supposed to dismount and push bike across.  In big cities cyclists often ride between pedestrians who are crossing ( cyclist is using the road so crossing at 90 deg to crossing ),  and are notorious for cutting inside large lorries that are making turns on islands and such,  and we all know that the gap inside lorry can close at alarming speed, and then try to blame drivers when they get knocked off their bikes.  The thing that people get upset about is that cyclists think rules of road do not apply to them,  and the more coloured lycra they are wearing, the less the rules apply, and pretty impossible to identify cyclists who break the rules as there is no number plate or ID on the bike.

[ColinS]

In London the cycle lanes are largely empty whilst queueing traffic, due to only half the carriageway they used to have, create extra pollution whilst stationary.

Doesn't make sense

Not just in London.  Here in rural Dorset we often have cyclist in the road by the side of an empty cycleway and cars queuing up to overtake them.  We have mile upon mile of empty cycle paths, no pedestrians, no dogs, nothing.

[olduser1]

You forgot the www gave everyone a right to......

[JimSh]

Cycle lanes are often poorly surfaced and badly maintained.
Many are short and discontinuous. In a lot of cases it's not going to be possible to join up all the bits.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2009/nov/05/readers-worst-cycle-lanes

Full marks to Stirling Council(or whoever is responsible for this stretch of road) although at present it only stretches between two roundabouts (maybe 1km) and then spits you out into the main road again
See attachments

Cycle lanes need improvement to encourage their use.
Motorists , cyclists and pedestrians need to co-exist.
What is required is more tolerance and patience all round. Most adult cyclists are also motorists.
Edit changed second attachment

[Steve_M]

Cycle lanes are often poorly surfaced and badly maintained.
Many are short and discontinuous. In a lot of cases it's not going to be possible to join up all the bits.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2009/nov/05/readers-worst-cycle-lanes

Full marks to Stirling Council(or whoever is responsible for this stretch of road) although at present it only stretches between two roundabouts (maybe 1km) and then spits you out into the main road again
See attachments

Cycle lanes need improvement to encourage their use.
Motorists , cyclists and pedestrians need to co-exist.
What is required is more tolerance and patience all round. Most adult cyclists are also motorists.

Totally agree, the main reason I don’t use most cycle lanes/routes they are totally inadequate for my cycling. Dangerous for all. Mixing pedestrian at 0-3mph with cyclist at 15-30mph just doesn’t mix and with constant dismounting. I’ll ride on the road in the manner as I would drive.