This is quite near me but I don’t know the road:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10091291/Cheshire-farmer-hurled-billhook-cyclist-followed-home-row-not-using-cycle-lane.html#comments

I like the way they conveniently neglect to mention that a Billhook, described as ‘farm equipment’ is in fact a curved machete. Probably would have sounded slightly different if described as such!

* Driver forced to overtake cyclist
* Cyclist failed to use cycle lane

Predictable anti cyclist journalism from the DM.

Make sure you don’t venture into the comments.

Personally speaking I often tend to avoid the cycle lanes, the ones round here are frequently significantly more risky than the actual road.  The council has played an utter stinker with the one they’ve put in on the stretch between Hampton Court and Bushy Park.

I’m not sure I would have followed someone home for shouting out of the window at me, that’s never going to end well. Doesn’t excuse the driver’s initial and subsequent behaviour though, not at all.

I do always try and use the cycle lanes where they exist even though they are often full of puncture material because a road sweeper doesn’t ever go anywhere near them. I always imagine if I’m in the road where there is a cycle path, it will antagonise any drivers and invite them to “punish pass”, which I am keen to avoid. I hate cycling on the road. Almost every time I go on the road there is a “near miss” of some sort.

There is a stretch of cycle lane in Durham that has plastic bollards down the edge of it. These are not to offer additional protection to cyclists, they are to stop cars parking there! It’s near a school.  As a result a road sweeper can’t go down.

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.7989361,-1.5896971,3a,75y,199.78h,97.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sePQ-s6TXK8MH-Ilr48M_Hg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The quality of “reporting” in that article is frightening. It’s pretty much anti cyclist propaganda.

The cyclist was perfectly within his rights to use the road. The mistake he made was following the driver home and confronting him. Best just to ignore a driver shouting out their window at you. Easier said than done but in the cold light of day it’s best not to escalate the situation.

That article really is scum media. Can we put the DM blocker back into place please?

There is a stretch of cycle lane in Durham that has plastic bollards down the edge of it. These are not to offer additional protection to cyclists, they are to stop cars parking there! It’s near a school. As a result a road sweeper can’t go down.

https://www.google.com/maps/@54.7989361,-1.5896971,3a,75y,199.78h,97.97t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sePQ-s6TXK8MH-Ilr48M_Hg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

In Holland, or where I am in Germany, that road would be narrower and the path on the left would be a decent width shared pedestrian/cycle path still separated from the road by a grass verge. It isn’t always perfect but it is much better and hence many more people cycle.

Although driver cyclist conflict has got worse over the 10 years I have been here, it’s not all about infrastructure. Modern “individualist” lifestyle and politics is driving selfishness and conflict into all aspects of life around the world, I just think that the UK and particularly the US are leading the charge in that direction.

I always imagine if I’m in the road where there is a cycle path, it will antagonise any drivers and invite them to “punish pass”, which I am keen to avoid.

Absolutely respect your choice on the routes you ride.

I ride on whichever option is the better one for me on that journey. One stretch of cycle lane I ignore, as it includes 6 dodgy side road crossings in half a mile, and I exercise my legal right to use the road, as confirmed by the Highway Code. Once past that section, I get on to shared use path to avoid various sets of traffic lights and team crossings on the road.

I rarely have any issues with drivers on the road sections. But I do have a slightly daft sense of “better to die a free man” than to be intimidated off the road, so might just be me.

Whilst I’m all in favour of better cycle infrastructure, I’m wary that provision will lead to compulsion to use it, and then greater issues with entitled drivers when we do have to use roads. I have little faith in the government’s record with the law of unintended consequences or the stupidity of a minority of drivers.

I like the way they conveniently neglect to mention that a Billhook, described as ‘farm equipment’ is in fact a curved machete.

They describe it as a scythe in the second paragraph.

Neither of them come out of this at all well. Cyclist may well be right to be aggrieved following the close pass and the verbals, but that doesn’t justify then pursuing some old dude onto private property to continue the argument, then trying to get more than two grand compo for some slight damage to the bog-standard front wheel of a Spesh roadbike.

That article really is scum media.

I’m sure it’s pretty much straight from court agency copy. Seems like an accurate report of proceedings – all the quotes about the farmer having trouble with cyclists not using the cycle lane were directly from court. Obviously, the DM runs the piece prominently because it fits their scummy agenda, and the comments are a cesspool, but plenty of other media have run it in pretty much exactly the same vein.

and the comments are a cesspool,

The people making the comments are the same people we share the road with when cycling.

I always imagine if I’m in the road where there is a cycle path, it will antagonise any drivers and invite them to “punish pass”, which I am keen to avoid.

This can be true, and I will always use a cycle path where it is safe and convenient to do so. Unfortunately, most cycle paths are unfit for purpose.

the same people we share the road with when cycling.

Can’t say I’ve noticed them sharing.

The quality of “reporting” in that article is frightening. It’s pretty much anti cyclist propaganda.

It’s the Daily Mail – it IS propaganda. Waste of time or well-being paying it any attention. It’s for idiots and it’d take a lot more than anything anyone says to change their way of thinking (paper and readers alike).

Edit, had to check, I though ST had a pop-up between DM links and posted up a valid warning as to the dirge you were about to read, don’t feed the trolls with clicks, etc?

That article really is scum media. Can we put the DM blocker back into place please?

^This. Am not clicking on a DM link.

That article really is scum media. Can we put the DM blocker back into place please?

I have an internal one but I’d rather STW still had theirs in place. I can’t imagine the DM have done anything warranting it’s removal.

As for the article, can’t comment haven’t read it due to the gobshite newspaper that has published it

When I’m shouted at that I should be on the cyclepath, motorists seem confused when they get told that they should be on the motorway.

I’m ashamed to admit that I clicked on a DM link, I now feel dirty 🙁

I’m also intrigued to know what a wheelarch is on a bicycle…

When I’m shouted at that I should be on the cyclepath, motorists seem confused when they get told that they should be on the motorway.

Not surprised, a confusing thing to say. However, it is easy to see why the average (read very thick) driver would assume that if there is a cycle lane then a cyclist should be using it as that is what it is for. Why wouldn’t you use it? (I know why but they won’t have thought it through)

The fact it is not mandatory and if they read their highway code (which they won’t have touched since passing their test n years ago) would tell them this passes them by.

I do always try and use the cycle lanes where they exist even though they are often full of puncture material because a road sweeper doesn’t ever go anywhere near them.

I always avoid puncture material. We have a couple of very good cycle paths where I live but most are best avoided. Actually the one in question is pretty good but the road isn’t exactly rammed with traffic so there really isn’t an overtaking issue on it.

I’m also intrigued to know what a wheelarch is on a bicycle…

Ah, that suggests fork damage, which would explain the two grand compo claim.

where I am in Germany, that road would be narrower and the path on the left would be a decent width shared pedestrian/cycle path still separated from the road by a grass verge. It isn’t always perfect but it is much better and hence many more people cycle.

When I lived in Germany I hated the cycle lanes. Great for people just getting about, but pretty poor if you want to go more than a trundling speed because they crossed thousands of driveways and entrances right up close to walls and other obstructions, so the chance of being chucked over someone’s bonnet as they emerged from their house was pretty high. Pretty bad if you want to get fit cycling.

so the chance of being chucked over someone’s bonnet as they emerged from their house was pretty high.

Its really not. Thats you using your UK based perceptions. the cyclist has right of way and the drivers by and large respect this

I had a good one once with a police officer on a bike threatening to arrest me for not giving way to her as she wanted to cross the entrance of a car park…

Until I pointed out the cycle lane went round the back of the car park and she was in fact riding on the pavement.

I know that cyclepath, it’s bloody brilliant. I’m happy to ride in the road where it’s a crappy narrow shared path or in bad repair but that one is ace. Chucking a weapon at someone is a bit much, but if there’s decent provision made it does make sense to use it, if nothing else it demonstrates that it’s worth doing it again for other road developments.