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Tonights commute home was the final straw 2 near misses from the same van at high speed then I was run off the road by a bus.
Where I live in the New Forest there are hardly any cycle paths or even quiet roads to ride on to get to Southampton where I imagine a large number of forest people work.
The roads are appalling and the drivers attitude to cyclists is disgusting compared to Southampton.
So what can I do to try and get some kind of cycle network introduced. Should I talk to the district council. Talk to Sustrans or just buy an AK47 and go postal?
AK47 FTW. Gun those baskets down!
APF
Complain to the bus company
See I was going to and report get to the police but that doesn't solve the underlying problem of the state of the roads.
report incidents of bad driving to the police,abnd the bus company, take lessons on how to be more assetive on the road, wear bright colours, and get a coppy of Cyclecraft, a book about assertive cycling.
See I was going to and report get to the police but that doesn't solve the underlying problem of the state of the roads.
The police are there to enforce the laws of the uk,
Local TV? Or failing that, newspaper? If people disagree it might at least get them talking.
Hythe ferry?
Join the UK Bicycle Embassy, the CTC, write to your MP, keep riding all the time, accept your growing radicalisation, organise, join others and start protesting on those dangerous roads. Stay strong.
complain the the bus company. ime they at least talk the talk but their cctv will always prove to be inconclusive. it does go on the drivers record.
write to your councillor - keep on at them. perhaps the CTC can help.
G thanks guy s especially mansonsoul. I'm getting the ferry tomorrow as I have had enough but they determinate against cyclists as well,
Get a helmet camera to record the 'near misses'. Could you do something with local cycling clubs to highlight the issue? Maybe they have the same issues? If you go en masse to the local bus companies or the police you could start the ball rolling.
Maybe?
simple, ride on the pavement
every city will have such a problem,you can ride on the pavement
Applemon that's the point by comparison Southampton isn't as bad as the new forest. Going to spend the day researching what groups to join And contacting local clubs.
Maybe they are just getting their own back after reading the Echo.....
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cyclists-frightening-people-in-the-new-forest/page/3
Good luck, foremostly ride ultra defensively, try to not to let the red mist come down etc, can't make things better if you're dead.
Get on your local council website - they will have something for road safety and probably regular engagement events.
I believe filming your commute on a headcam, shouting a lot, then posting it all on YouTube is the guaranteed way of changing the world ...
simple, ride on the pavement
This is the answer.
Simples: ride off road, Hythe to Totton involves a nice little run down the water front and then it's cycle path to town 😉
CTC can help.
As a member of the CTC I have found the organisation quite disappointing in terms of their campaigning style and direct..
better off doing something yourself
where in the NF do you live?
email the bus company and say you've already reported the bus driver to the police. They WILL talk to the driver and it will go on his record. Ive done it for a bus driver and a taxi driver. The taxi driver required me to contact the city council and get them to do it.
If you do go on that ak47 spree i may jion you, im getting more pissed off by drivers. One offered to punch me in the face yesterday and I was going to go postal if he tried it.
I am in Hythe don't fancy going off road in the morning I would be covered in mud by. the time I got to work.
Soma_rich, you shouldn't have to feel threatened or get covered in mud cycling off road to get to work. Remember you stand shoulder to shoulder with thousands of others who have been terrified or maimed by motorists: with people whose loved ones have been mown down; with environmentalists; parents; doctors and others who want motor traffic to slow down and be safer and more respectful.
I have the answer, legalise weed.
Everyone will be so paranoid about crashing they will drive slower and more carefully.
Everyone will be so chilled out it will rid the country of road rage.
what way do you go? marchwood, eling tide mill then on to the bypass?
i suppose the worst bit is riding along jacobs gutter lane. cars fly down there at 50-60 mph and lorrys!! its a sh1t route.
how about electric beach? (dont know if thats its real name but thats what we at 17 port and maritime called it)
You in the port and maritime regiment? We were working on your work boat a few Weeks ago in Dartmouth.
I do take the route past the pilgrim and down to Eling that's probably the worst bit with all the blind corners which everyone over takes on.
I do go along three shore front in the summer but this time of year its drenched.
Do you go through pooksgreen?
I ride from the general to blackfield most days and have found th ecommute not bad at all. Also what times?
Does your local council have a greenway strategy? Put pressure on them to deliver an integrated offroad network.
I do the Pooksgreen route when popping back on the road from a mates house in Marchwood.
Often late at night, and after a cider or 3!
Wouldn't go down Jacobs Gutter lane... ever... dangerous road that one. Amazes me how many do though!
TooTall - Member
Get on your local council website - they will have something for road safety and probably regular engagement events.
You don't want to bother with them, complete waste of time 🙂
Join the CTC, find out if they've got a local Rights Rep. If they have get in touch if not become one.
Join your local Cycle Campaign Group. If there's not one start one.
Become a better driver yourself. Do the advanced test.
Get in touch with your local council and see what more you can do.
I've done all those. It's always a case of three steps forward two steps back. It can be frustrating at times but at least you know you are doing something to help change things rather than just sit back and complain like everyone else.
I've not read the responses so far but if you want to make the roads safer fpr cyclists, the obvious thing to do is not drive a car.
I am beginning to think, that the only way is just to ride in the middle of the road more and the time somebody sounds their horn at you, then just let them pass and when they stick up the 2 fingers to you. Just smile. I have told lots in the past to uck off, but where does that get me ? just bad tempered.
I have been riding right out in the road lately and it's great to see them speeding off all upset. remember "smile and they cry"
Flock of fish
Twin air horns in a bottle cage works for me.
umm, having been hit by a car this week, and nearly killed by a nutter going the wrong way on a one way the other week, I'm feeling what you're feeling, but I have to address my own roadcraft sometimes. I'm used to cycling through london and you have to ride pretty aggresive and dominating, and I've been like that since I've got here in North Wales in 2007. gotta change my act a bit and slow down and realise I'm small and invisible in a different way. Just offering a perspective. Most times the driver is wrong, sometimes I'm wrong. Someone said join CTC, this is a good idea and something I'm gonna do. write lots of letters to local paper, seems to be working re: a cycle path on privately owned promenade round here.
look up vehicular cycling on wikip.
read the forester book if you can.
there's some good articles in the rivendell reader you can find as a pdf on rivbike.
and all the best.I've nearly given up road cycling,so I can sympathise.
I still commute on roads,most days it's fine.mostly because I seem to always find the same drivers.and it's a short commute.
I think one of those dorky side reflectors might be useful.
a mirror also helps you not feel so vulnerable.
em.
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git me one of themthings.