Video: Richmond Park driver intimidates female cyclist by beepinghorn before overtake
 

Another sunny weekend, another case of a cyclist being intimidated by a motorist in London’s Richmond Park – in this instance, a female rider who was beeped loudly by a driver who was about to overtake her, a disconcerting experience for anyone on a bike.

The footage was posted online by Twitter user The Department for Parks & Recreation, who had been filming motor traffic in the Royal Park.

The tweet prompted a reply from London Cycling Campaign, which urged The Royal Parks to act upon the results of its own consultation and ban through traffic from the southwest London beauty spot.

Despite calls from road safety and active travel campaigners for through motor traffic to be permanently banned from the park, earlier this year the Royal Parks confirmed that it was prolonging its trial Movement Strategy there by a further 12 months until March next year.

The trial, which started last August to coincide with motor vehicles being allowed back into Richmond Park after they were excluded during the first lockdown, is aimed at reducing through traffic while allowing access to car parks, although posts on social media regularly show the roads there choked with cars.

In a separate incident, Royal Parks has said that a cyclist was involved in a crash in the park this weekend in which a young deer was killed.

While the age of the animal was not disclosed, some Twitter users questioned whether a cyclist would have come out of such a crash uninjured.

The post also drew a number of comments critical of cyclists using the park, in response to which one Twitter user linked an article by Friends of Richmond Park (link is external) which said that human carelessness was responsible for the deaths of around 20 deer there annually, with the article specifically mentioning speeding drivers, out-of-control dogs and littering – but not cyclists.


https://road.cc/content/news/richmon...ng-horn-284057

Video: Richmond Park driver intimidates female cyclist by beepinghorn before overtake
 

On 14/06/2021 01:12 pm, wrote:

Another sunny weekend, another case of a cyclist being intimidated by a motorist in London’s Richmond Park – in this instance, a female rider who was beeped loudly by a driver who was about to overtake her, a disconcerting experience for anyone on a bike.

Reminding or advising other road users of the presence of a vehicle is
the *sole* purpose of the legally-required means of giving an audible
warning.

It isn't for tooting outside a friend's house when you arrive to pick
them up. It isn't for admonishing other road users imagined to have done
something wrong. It's for warning, advising or reminding other road
users of your presence.

In a separate incident, Royal Parks has said that a cyclist was
involved in a crash in the park this weekend in which a young deer was
killed.

Perhaps deer should be banned from the Park as well?

But wouldn't it be much easier just to ban cycling in the Park?

Two "problems" solved in one easy move.

Video: Richmond Park driver intimidates female cyclist by beepinghorn before overtake
 

On Monday, June 14, 2021 at 1:12:22 PM UTC+1, wrote:

7 likes

Why would a driver need to "warn" a cyclist (or any other road user) of their presence in this situation? Both were going along the same road in the same direction. Unless the driver was intent on creating one then there was no hazard to the cyclist, the driver, nor anyone else.

The horn is not permission to create a hazard (well, I warned them by sounding my horn, but since they still didn't get out of my way I was forced to..... what, endanger them?)

Slight aside - years ago, a somewhat timid friend of mine was learning to drive. At a right turn junction (lights, but no actual filter), she was a bit hesitant, and then stalled, resulting in the idiot behind "warning" her of his presence - as if she was not aware already.

Right, said her instructor, I now want you to stall three more times. Just leave the handbrake on!

Mungecrundle replied to Sriracha | 2229 posts | 2 hours ago
4 likes


Mostly the horn is used to draw attention to a driver who is engaged in the act of doing something stupid.

It would be more helpful, and one less thing to be concentrating on, if they could use the horn to warn other road users before they do something stupid.
Stephan Matthiesen replied to Bill McLaren | 179 posts | 2 hours ago
7 likes


That doesn't apply to the video at all... There's a constant stream of cars, so cyclists certainly don't need to be "warned" that there is another car coming. And the beep comes from a driver who overtakes against oncoming traffic and then passes too close. The correct action would've been to wait for 2 seconds for the long gap in the oncoming traffic and then overtake properly, giving the cyclists wide space, with absolutely no need to "warn" the cyclist.

If you can't overtake safely, then you shouldn't overtake at all and not just sound the horn while overtaking dangerously.


https://road.cc/content/news/richmon...ng-horn-284057