Sums it up really......

[Ttaskmaster]

4 hours ago, DarkPeakCycles said:

That being said, I don't see why bicycles cannot be subjected to an MOT of sorts based on their serial numbers, not easily identifiable on the road but if you are caught without an MOT any insurance etc would be void & the relevant penalties should be applied.  

 

 

I'm sure there are transponder chips or something that can broadcast cyclist details, or even a small plate that can be picked up by ANPR-based systems.

 

3 hours ago, Chorlton said:

Bicycle registration is a poor idea imho.  It would cost ££££ to set-up, administer and police.  All for what?  The possibility of catching and punishing very few people indeed.

 

I suppose it would be cheaper to just let them kill themselves... :lol:

While I've only experienced a handful of cyclist-related incidents that affected me, I've witnessed a fair few, including two fatalities that resulted from a cyclists' actions, or more speficially attempts to manoeuvre around them. In both cases the cyclist fled, with no identification possible.

 

1 hour ago, Awayoffski said:

Ttaskmaster, yes missing something maybe on purpose for affect,

sometimes it is best to slow down, even stop if necessary, not slam on anything, and then get on your way.  

 

Sometimes, yes. Not disputing that.

In this instance I would argue that there was not sufficient time or space in which to either slow down or stop, despite the cyclist repositioning to increase said space, leaving only one of the two options you proffered in the first place, that being the better of the two to begin with.

Were I on my bike, I'd have done something very similar, more so given the entrance/exit point by a fuelling station and the ground around a bus stop, both points where diesel spillages are a frequent risk for slippages and low-sides...

 

I don't care a jot about Bike Bandit beyond the points raised in his video and the conditions brought to substantiate the different arguments therein, at this point. Anything he may say, do, believe or advocate outside this video has no bearing on the case to hand.

 

[Ootohere]

You keep saying bus stop, i have no idea if a Stop or halt or parking spot for busses that maybe is to be painted out, i do not know the location.

It is an odd one where a bus picking up or dropping off passengers would mean all traffic would need to stay behind as the lane coming in the opposite direction could be filled much of the time and a solid white line needs crossing to get passed a bus.

I see similar often but without a solid line, but then i know nothing about Cork or Ireland's road markings.

 

I ride at 16 mph because on an electric bike at 16 is easy, and even not on an electric bike, and bring to a halt is not difficult or just slowing and keeping moving without making some big deal and relying on others doing the sensible thing.

But hey ho, i know what i think of Bike Bandits riding and others are welcome to their opinion.

Edited 23 August, 2017 by Awayoffski

[Ootohere]

PS.

Chip Humans, like dogs get chipped now, it can not be expensive, and all information will be readily available.

do it at 1 year old to all UK residents and to all visitors on entry to the UK.

Simples, Big Brother State but then as it is you can be tracked easily just as now with a Smart Phone on your person when it is registered.

 

The fact no ID is required to be carried in the UK makes the registering of all bicycles, skate boards, scooters, in-line skates, mobility scooters etc as useless as the TV licencing being informed that someone purchased a TV set.

The UK can organise IT systems as well as they manage Her Majesty's Custom & Excise / Inland Revenue, or the DVLA.

So the Microchipping  of humans will be just as efficient really....

Edited 23 August, 2017 by Awayoffski

[RainbowFire]

More update via another site........

 

"Cyclist cleared of manslaughter over woman's death

 

Charlie Alliston was found guilty at the Old Bailey of a lesser offence of causing bodily harm by wanton and furious driving.

The bodily harm conviction carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.

A cyclist who fatally crashed into a woman as she crossed the street has been cleared of manslaughter in a ground-breaking trial.

But 20-year-old Charlie Alliston was found guilty at the Old Bailey of a lesser offence of causing bodily harm by wanton and furious driving.

Alliston, then aged 18, was riding a fixed-wheel track bike with no front brake - not legal on the road - when he collided with Kim Briggs last year.

Prosecutors claim Alliston could have avoided a collision had a brake been fitted when he hit Mrs Briggs at 18mph.

She had been on her lunch break when she was struck as she crossed Old Street, east London, on 12 February, 2016.

He had twice shouted for her to get out of the way but failed to stop or avoid the head-on collision.

He is also said to have shouted at her as she lay in the road with catastrophic "head" injuries.

The HR consultant died in hospital a week later.

Prosecutors took the unprecedented step of bringing a manslaughter charge due to the unusually grave circumstances of the case.

Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, Alliston claimed he did not know it was a legal requirement to have a front brake.

He also insisted that brakes would not have made any difference when he saw Mrs Briggs come into the road with a mobile phone.

Alliston, from Bermondsey, south London, had denied both charges.

The bodily harm conviction carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail."

 

 

 

This....

"He had twice shouted for her to get out of the way........"

......shows that he had more than enough time to stop. This thing  about a front brake not making a difference is a load a cr@p.

 

Hopefully, he will get the maximum sentence (so it'll actually be about 4 weeks behind bars in the end though.)

Sadly, unlike motorists, cyclists don't appear to be able to be banned (or even accumulate points, as you don't need a licence to ride a bike, so nothing to put the points on!), so he'll be free to do it again. :( :(

 

 

[matt_theforce]

42 minutes ago, RainbowFire said:

 

Hopefully, he will get the maximum sentence (so it'll actually be about 4 weeks behind bars in the end though.)

Sadly, unlike motorists, cyclists don't appear to be able to be banned (or even accumulate points, as you don't need a licence to ride a bike, so nothing to put the points on!), so he'll be free to do it again. :( :(

 

 

 

I do hope he is sentenced accordingly, even 4 weeks behind bars will be more than the motorist got who killed my mate (who was hit due to the driver not paying attention when  driving & still got to keep his license because he needed it for work, there should be no exception).  

 

Even if a cyclist did have a license taken away, what is to stop them getting another bike and riding it again? it's no different to being banned from driving yet still driving on the roads as some motorists do.  Some people don't respect the law & rules so this sort of behavior will always occur amongst certain people, it is by no means acceptable but if proper licensing was brought into effect it could be easier to catch these people.

 

Has anyone seen this on dashcam footage in Wales? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-40998946 , I think its a cracking idea

[RainbowFire]

12 hours ago, DarkPeakCycles said:

Some motorists are just as bad as some cyclists at ignoring red lights & breaking other rules of the road, hence why many cyclists are killed on the roads, a 1tonne car vs a cyclist!! 

<Fixed that for you >

 

Absolutely! However, given the proliferation of red-light cameras, if i go through a red light, the camera will go off, and in a couple of weeks I'll get a letter asking me to cough up some cash and adding some points to my licence. As cyclists neither require a licence, nor can be identified by their vehicle.....time to zip away scot-free (unless karma does something about it or they are stopped by a real, live copper, although, at best, just a fine there). Getting a fine and some points (which affect insurance costs) does tend to focus the majority who receive them - a reminder that they have crossed the line (no pun intended) and there are consequences. £100+ for your troubles.

 

 

3 hours ago, skomaz said:

But you are right - education would help a hell of a lot as many people have absolutely no idea of just how invisible they can be if they are positioned wrongly.  I'm all in favour of things like new technology (eg side radar warning drivers of cyclists alongside HGV's and improved vehicles designs (HGV's with low windows and seating positions for example) but, as you imply, much of the need for such things could be avoided by education and training (and maybe some form of cycling licence???).  I remember seeing an article about people having the opportunity to sit in the cab of a HGV and / or drive a HGV simulator and seeing just how limited the drivers view out was and how difficult it was - they were truly shocked but it taught a valuable lesson on where not to position themselves on a cycle!

 

Education....leading to a certificate to show you have retained said education.

However, even such short clips such as this one....

.....are a good demonstration. Notice the blinky light on HGV?

 

These ones didn't, and came very close to getting squished......

.....kudos to the cyclist with the camera for having the presence of mind to hold back.

Notice the transformer: one moment a pavement user, next moment a road user?

Notice the "hopper" needing to hop the cycle because she can't ride it in the gap? (Others managed to.)

Notice the  cyclists that squeeze passed the camera bike? (And the one looking to see if they can squeeze between the two lanes of traffic)

Notice how the HGV driver hung back to avoid ruining some peoples days, and possibly their lives?

Notice the Honda was turning left too?

 

The shame with this one, is that the copper didn't nick him for going through a red light as well.....

You do have to hope that the cycle cops walked their bikes there though

 

 

 

As a massive aside, this is interesting, as it's a cyclist commenting on other cyclists' riding,so it's not just motorists bashing cyclists......

......this also shows two other cycling stupidities....

1) recumbent cycles (Who actually thinks it's a good idea to get even lower on a low visibility vehicle?)

2) lights. Lights are good, but they serve 2 functions: to be seen, and to see. A flashing light does not help the latter, seriously, not even close!

Watching the video is quite interesting, one thing I did notice is that most of the incidents are not the "lycra-clad loonies" (Sorry couldn't think of a better way to put that one, as a positive)  it's the "sunday/casual riders" (?), those for whom cycling doesn't appear to be a regular occurrence.

Edited 23 August, 2017 by RainbowFire

[skomaz]

that second video is the sort of thing i see every day a d makes me cringe

[Ttaskmaster]

6 hours ago, Awayoffski said:

You keep saying bus stop, i have no idea if a Stop or halt or parking spot for busses that maybe is to be painted out, i do not know the location.

It is an odd one where a bus picking up or dropping off passengers would mean all traffic would need to stay behind as the lane coming in the opposite direction could be filled much of the time and a solid white line needs crossing to get passed a bus.

I see similar often but without a solid line, but then i know nothing about Cork or Ireland's road markings.

 

I ride at 16 mph because on an electric bike at 16 is easy, and even not on an electric bike, and bring to a halt is not difficult or just slowing and keeping moving without making some big deal and relying on others doing the sensible thing.

But hey ho, i know what i think of Bike Bandits riding and others are welcome to their opinion.

 

You don't have to know, you can see it there in the video.

And yes, many urban roads are too narrow to create a bus lay-by or permit crossing into the oncoming lane to pass a stationary bus, so traffic does have to sit behind until it moves off. As well as lay-bys where permissible, Reading has a good number of these in-road stops along the older roads and during heavy traffic nothing can safely overtake, not even a cyclist. As well as diesel slicks, the stops often have deep depressions that can have you off your bike if you hit them badly, in which case it is usually better to overtake when the oncoming lane is clear. Take a Streetview wander along Oxford Road in Reading, you'll see what I mean. 

 

Think what you like about Bike Bandit. I have a similar opinion of people like Ghostrider and Royal Jordanian, but I can still tell when they are right and when they are wrong...

[matt_theforce]

12 hours ago, RainbowFire said:

<Fixed that for you >

 

 

As you say its 'some' of every road user that are the problem & give others a bad name.

 

I've seen that mocked HGV video before, as a non HGV driver it is an eye opener and such video's education should be made mandatory for all road users, that is the only way everyone can know the what other road users can see.  

 

I'm a leisure & commuter cyclist & don't like to be branded along with cyclist's that do irresponsible things (as you can tell  ), it's also not unheard of for me to speak out loud to other cyclists I see running red lights or trying to squeeze down the side of HGV's/Cars or filtering when you can clearly see lights turning green, apart from them not knowing the risks I don't understand the need to get in front at all costs (this also goes towards some motorists pushing/close passing cyclists).

 

We all use the roads at some point for our enjoyment, I like others have taken the long route home from work to enjoy an extra long drive or cycle (as if a 30 mile cycle commute each way isn't enough ).  

 

I still maintain each road user must have a valid road users license, Cyclists should have to pass a CBT (this could be modified to use a pushbike as most of the road positioning, bike handling skills are the same) & the Theory test, all Motorists should also need to pass the CBT & be given the option of doing it on a motorbike or pushbike.  At the Theory test stage, questions & videos could cover all modes of transport (including HGV).  You could also add on extra's like basic HGV training (not to certify you to drive one on the road) but could give you a HGV Awareness on your licence which could bring your Insurance down?

 

I have Loads of ideas, anyone think they are valid? Could start a Briskoda petition to try and get it looked at?

 

[KenONeill]

@DarkPeakCycles - Did you really just say 'I will place anyone who can not obtain at least a "pedestrian's licence" under indefinite house arrest?' Because that's what your last boils down to.

[Ootohere]

Motorist would not have landed cyclist's 'wanton and furious driving' charge _ Law _ The Guardian.mhtml

[RainbowFire]

23 hours ago, skomaz said:

that second video is the sort of thing i see every day a d makes me cringe

 

And, as with most things, they are the minority that give the majority the bad name.

I get it too, being a BMW driver.

[KenONeill]

@Awayoffski - Which isn't surprising, since the charge of "wanton or furious driving" can only be brought against a cyclist or the driver of a horse-drawn vehicle. There are other, more or less equivalent, charges which apply to self-propelled vehicles.

[Ootohere]

Yes so many in England and Wales are.

As a Solicitor specialising in Cycling matters in Scotland was explaining on Radio Scotland the Traffic Laws and by-laws are very different and it would be a Civil Matter currently claiming against uninsured and even insured pedestrians / cyclists, horse riders, and even motorists and the Laws in Scotland also need updating into the 21st century the larger or heavier vehicle usually being considered to be at fault.

Cyclist bigger heavier than just a person, motorbike / moped bigger / heavier than cyclist etc.

That is to include horses as well on public highways and by-ways.

 

Dangerous & Inconsiderate Cycling is covered in the Law / legislation as well as other offences so at least Police Officers from Police Scotland should be aware of the law and offences and what they can take actions over with 'fixed penalties' or where they need to make a report to the Procurator Fiscal for consideration for prosecution or other actions, cautions etc.

SB_12-24.pdf

'Strict Liability' as on here is what they must want changing i take it.

Edited 25 August, 2017 by Awayoffski

[Ttaskmaster]

14 hours ago, RainbowFire said:

I get it too, being a BMW driver.

 

That's understandable, though - My hatred of working on them notwithstanding, those BMWs I have driven all seemed to want me to misbehave. They felt geared up specifically to be driven like utter pillocks, a bit like a 600cc Hornet, actually.

[Ootohere]

http://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41306738 

Sentenced to 18 months @ young offender institute.

He was 18 year old, not anymore though.

[CWARD]

1 hour ago, Headinawayoffski said:

http://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41306738 

Sentenced to 18 months @ young offender institute.

He was 18 year old, not anymore though.

 

The explanation of his lack of emotion is pathetic. 

 

I do think the law is outdated and needs to revisited as it clearly not suited for purpose anymore.

 

I hope Charlie Alliston enjoys his new job as someone's sex toy. 

[lfc958]

He is smirking his socks off cos he just got away with killing someone it is just plain wrong.

 

The whole setup for cyclists now needs to be closely looked at, they can get away with damaging a car and it is the car owner that has to foot the repair bill, the courts have now decided they can kill someone and basically get away with it.  :( 

 

I am still trying to work out when most city cyclists became stupid to need bright yellow stickers on vans. buses and trucks telling them NOT to go between them and the pavement at junctions ? !  I have seen on visits to London that most still do it despite the stickers.  I can only come to the conclusion that Darwinism is over ruling common sense    

Edited 18 September, 2017 by lfc958

[Ootohere]

The UK Government / 4 Countries Governments and the likes of the London Mayor can easily bring in Laws or City By-Laws where working couriers need licensed and have to wear a Bib or such with a ID number something similar to Taxi Plates, simple to have Customers responsible for handing over anything or taking delivery only from 

couriers with ID vests on.  Maybe do the same with Couriers in Vehicles, well delivering from vehicles.

It would be a start on making pavements & junctions safer.

 

Edited 18 September, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[VWD]

Simple. Cyclists(Cyclepests) have to  undergo similar training to CBT for bikes, and display this on rear of bike+ carrying a certificate on person( in case they are riding a non certificated cycle). Any non conforming get stopped and asked to produce certificate. Non certificate and cycle gets impounded. Any infringement of traffic laws ,and cycle gets impounded.

[CWARD]

9 hours ago, VWD said:

Simple. Cyclists(Cyclepests) have to  undergo similar training to CBT for bikes, and display this on rear of bike+ carrying a certificate on person( in case they are riding a non certificated cycle). Any non conforming get stopped and asked to produce certificate. Non certificate and cycle gets impounded. Any infringement of traffic laws ,and cycle gets impounded.

 

Agree with this basically like a cycling proficiency test I did whilst at school but with additional emphasis on road safety. I would also like all car drivers to have done the same too and then maybe we get a bit of mutual respect going instead of cars versus cyclist way things are going at the moment. 

A bike register in conjunction with a cycling certificate would be good, any non-registered or bikes not registered to the rider and the bikes would be confiscated which should help reduce bike thefts too.  

[Ootohere]

They are bikes not Air Gun, Rifles or Shot Guns.

 I would love to see how you would have all hire bikes & dismantled bikes kept on some register as the DVLA are not even capable of keeping track of motorised vehicles and if taxed, insured 'In Trade' etc even with ANPR.

(Police Scotland / Dundee Police are stepping up monitoring Gumtree / Ebay / For Sales because of an increase in bike thefts.)

 

You might as well register shoes / trainers, teach people to be pedestrians.

[kevberlin]

I'd love to know who is going to enforce all this new legislation and registration. 

As it stands much road traffic law fails to be enforced as a result of other government  "priorities.

Let's perhaps start with enforcing driver mobile phone usage as a way of making the roads safer rather than focussing on so called  dangerous cyclists with a pointless registration scheme.

[CWARD]

Can't we have wishful thinking 

[kevberlin]

10 minutes ago, CWARD said:

Can't we have wishful thinking 

Ha ha. Just shows what an old cynic I am perhaps. Love your positivity.