Was coming across the chain ferry in Poole this afternoon and was getting really annoyed with motorists who were pulling over into the cycle lane without even checking their mirrors. I ended up banging on the sides of 2 cars who did this.

5 minutes after this I then came across the upsetting sight of a poor cyclists lying in the road having been hit by a car. By the position of the car and where the cyclist was in the road, it looked very much like the car driver had turned without looking. There were already a crowd of people around him, so I didn’t stop

I do really hope the poor chap is ok.

But the more I think about this, the more I get really p!ssed off and think when are us cyclist going to be treated with more respect. So many car drivers think we are just vermin.

I am curious to understand whether cyclists in other countries are offered greater protection by the laws of the country than we are here?

We have little protection, even on a cycle path on the pavement we have less rights than pedestrians!

A lot of non cyclists are under the impression cyclists should be insured, and to a certain point it would be a good idea, especially if you get legal cover and a bike policy can interact with a car policy. At the same time it would never work as you cant police something like that.

I hope hes ok as well.

I was just reading about the Netherlands and Denmark where they have ‘presumed liability’ That is what we need here in the UK. It basically means the motorists is liable by default unless they can prove otherwise. They say that as a result of this, motorists give cyclists more room.

First few days of summer holidays, everyone desperate to get away on their travels. Fully loaded cars, kids screaming in the back, drivers on unfamiliar roads, traffic jams – all just leads to frustration and stupid moves.

I saw a motorcyclist down today – on the Cat & Fiddle road descending towards Buxton, the first few turns are nicely flowing and open then they get progressively tighter.

One guy had just gone straight on instead of left. Thankfully no other vehicles involved and the air ambulance was on scene, road ambulance turned up at the same time as I did.

Most of the driving I’ve seen has been pretty reasonable of late but the lack of protection that the law offers is a joke. 🙁
Hope the cyclist you saw is OK.

A lot of non cyclists are under the impression cyclists should be insured, and to a certain point it would be a good idea,

I’m insured (3rd party through BC) but it doesn’t appear to be bringing me any better treatment than other cyclists!

All we need is all drivers to behave like almost all the drivers on our club ride today. First time in ages, we didn’t get a single horn, shout or overly close pass. If one driver can do it, so can they all…

There’s a lot of growing up needed to be done by the Great British Public at the moment…

A lot of non cyclists are under the impression cyclists should be insured

And in fact many, if not most, are. Unlike operating a motor vehicle, cycling carries sufficiently low risk to third parties that it is covered by ordinary 3rd party liability insurance that is included as standard in pretty much all home contents insurance policies.

Obviously I hope the cyclist is ok in the same way I hope all people involved in accidents are ok.

I don’t like the ‘us’ and ‘them’ attitude though. I am a motorist and a cyclist. Every morning I drive to work from Hayfield to Stockport and see loads of cyclists doing things which put themselves at risk. Running red lights is the main one. It’s frustrating because, in my opinion, it gives cyclist a bad name.

Conversely, when I am out on my bike there seems to always be some maniac in a car who wants me dead. I feel the need to have a ‘please don’t kill me, I pay emissions tax too’ poster on my back.

I grew up in Adelaide and feel that cyclists are given greater consideration over there. There will clearly be those, including myself, with negative experiences. The roads in Adelaide seem to accommodate cycle lanes better and there are many cycle paths, away from the road, to use. So you can get from Glenelg/ Plympton/ West Beach to the city centre without having to cycle on the road.

Every morning I drive to work from Hayfield to Stockport and see loads of cyclists doing things which put themselves at risk. Running red lights is the main one. It’s frustrating because, in my opinion, it gives cyclist a bad name.

Every morning I ride to work (along a route which is 90% identical to yours) and I see loads of car drivers doing things which put themselves and other road users at risk. Running red lights is the main one but there’s also speeding, using mobile phones, blocking junctions, failing to indicate, dangerously overtaking…
It’s frustrating because, in my opinion it gives drivers a bad name (said no-one ever).

See where I’m going with that?

Search my past posts. You will find one from about a year ago that says something like , every time I’m on my bike, I see drivers being idiots. Every time I am in my car I see cyclists being idiots.

It’s more detailed than that but I cannot be bothered typing it all out again.

My point is, I agree but this ‘us and them’ attitude will get no one anywhere.

see loads of cyclists doing things which put themselves at risk. Running red lights is the main one. It’s frustrating because, in my opinion, it gives cyclist a bad name.

I see loads of drivers doing just that. And using ‘phones, speeding, etc. Allof which are far more dangerous than anythng cyclists do. When driving offences are effectively adressed, then we can start to scrutinise cyclists behaviour. Not before. Because demonising cyclists is never going to be helpful.

I was just reading about the Netherlands and Denmark where they have ‘presumed liability’ That is what we need here in the UK. It basically means the motorists is liable by default unless they can prove otherwise. They say that as a result of this, motorists give cyclists more room

according to my recent thread it was education and a bit more cooperation from both sides that was needed not some draconian blame culture

I don’t like the ‘us’ and ‘them’ attitude though. I am a motorist and a cyclist. Every morning I drive to work from Hayfield to Stockport and see loads of cyclists doing things which put themselves at risk. Running red lights is the main one. It’s frustrating because, in my opinion, it gives cyclist a bad name.

In Scotland, in 2011, 95% of the accidents resulting from ignoring traffic lights were caused by motorists. I don’t know the figures for the rest of the UK, but I would guess that motorists are overwhelmingly responsible for red light jumping and the resulting accidents UK wide as well.
It’s really frustrating that people keep repeating this stuff about the behaviour of cyclists. Sure, there are bad cyclists our there, but when you look at the accident figures, they are not actually causing any significant damage.
Meanwhile, motorists in the UK kill around 5 people every day. Are these drivers not giving the rest of us a bad name?

But the more I think about this, the more I get really p!ssed off and think when are us cyclist going to be treated with more respect. So many car drivers think we are just vermin.

I was following a car today along a national speed limit B road approaching a crossroads where there was a group of roadies waiting to cross. One of the cyclists in the group decided to go which was always going to be pretty close with cars approaching at 50mph, then another one of the group decided to follow 😯

The car infront had to brake and steer round him, to be honest people like that deserve to get knocked off their bikes as he was even looking at the approaching cars when he pulled out 🙄

It only takes a few idiots to change peoples opinions. Unfortunately the amount of idiots on the roads these days is increasing, some of them are cyclists and some of them are drivers 😉

I was just reading about the Netherlands and Denmark where they have ‘presumed liability’ That is what we need here in the UK. It basically means the motorists is liable by default unless they can prove otherwise. They say that as a result of this, motorists give cyclists more room.

Apparently, this is more myth than reality:

Strict liability in the Netherlands

Meanwhile, motorists in the UK kill around 5 people every day. Are these drivers not giving the rest of us a bad name?

I work on the assumption that every single driver out there is a **** homicidal maniac out to get me, until proven otherwise. I find this helps me stay alive.

Whenever I am on the pushy, several drivers annoy me with their cr@p driving, red light running, thinking the footpath is a road and inconsiderate behaviour to others.

Whenever I am in the car, several cyclists annoy me with their cr@p riding, red light running, thinking the footpath is a road and inconsiderate behaviour to others.

I said this a year ago. Can I reiterate, I am a cyclist and a motorist. I don’t have any fact or percentages to reel off but I stand by my point. Us and them won’t solve anything.

Both drivers and cyclist flout the laws. It’s frustrating.

I bet I am not innocent. Although in 22 years of driving I have never had a single motoring offence (please feel free to tell me how I’ve simply never been caught) I’ve ridden on the footpath plenty of times too. Bit of cheeky, innit?

I think the big difference, between a cyclist cycling and a car driver driving badly, is that the car driver has a one tonne weapon with a great deal more kinetic energy.

Cyclists who cycle badly are most likely to get themselves killed. A car driver driving badly is going to kill others

The roads on/off the chain ferry are grim this time of year, the New Forest was similarly unpleasant by about 11am today as the holiday crowd did their best to kill people or animals in their quest to get to the campsite 5 minutes early.

Hope the rider was okay.

I almost got taken out yesterday by a dodzy bint driving a Nissan Micra in Windsor.

Caught up with her at the next junction and she was sending a f****** text/e-mail!

I followed a car today and she seemed to be accelerating as she was braking so I kept my distance as the brakes were coming on quite a lot but not actually braking. When it turned into a duel carriageway I went past her and she was texting or facebooking on her phone which is why she was covering the brake so much! A quick beep and motion to put down her phone and she got quite embarrassed.

Likewise I spend some of my job telling cyclists to get off their bikes in busy pedestrian areas, stop riding the wrong way down one way streets and use lights in darkness. Its tedious!

I was on an open road sportive a couple of years ago and the bloke in front of me ignored give way signs and markings and just bimbled across a crossroads in front of a VW doing 30ish. There was a sickening crunch that I’ll never forget, the bloke folded over the bonnet, smashed his head into the windscreen and was launched clean across the road into a ditch, well beyond the junction. His carbon bike made it 30 yards further, over a hedge and into a field. I was the first to him and really, really didn’t want to be. He had some pretty nasty leg injuries but was conscious (helmets work!) so we kept him warm and looked after him until the ambulance arrived.

Half an hour later and one of the ambulance crew (who were stabilising him at the scene) came over to talk to me. I was sitting by the road, apparently looking a bit shocked. A nearby pub gave me free coffee until I was ready to get back on the bike. I dumped any idea of finishing the sportive and rode home, pulling into driveways if a car came by. I didn’t ride again for two months.

So, I hope the OP is OK as these things are pretty nasty to witness, and I hope for the best for the rider involved.