Derbyshire Police - Cyclists have a right to claim the lane

On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 17:44:41 +0000, Simon Weaseltemper
wrote:

On 03/12/2014 17:35, Mrcheerful wrote:
On 03/12/2014 17:28, Simon Weaseltemper wrote:
On 03/12/2014 17:20, Mrcheerful wrote:
On 03/12/2014 17:12, Simon Weaseltemper wrote:
On 03/12/2014 17:04, Tarcap wrote:


"Simon Weaseltemper" wrote in message
...

On 03/12/2014 14:53, Tarcap wrote:

You forgot to paste this bit:

Groups of teenagers on bikes are becoming an increasing sight. Many
may
flaunt the basic road safety measures simply as a way of looking
cool,
nonchalant or carefree in front of their peers. They seldom wear
helmets, and more often than not their bikes will not be equipped
with
lights in the dark. They may also ride erratically, either on or off
the
pavement. This makes them a serious worry for drivers, as their
behaviour is often unpredictable. Be extra vigilant when driving near
groups of cyclists of this nature.

If the subject of discussion makes you feel uncomfortable, why not
just
change the subject? ;-)


How on earth is it changing the subject?
It was taken from the very same article you were quoting from.
If you think that you can cherry-pick anything you like to hear, but
ignore anything you don't, you are very, very mistaken.

The subject was: Cyclists have a right to claim the lane

You changed it to the part headed: Children on bikes

You therefore evaded the issue by changing the subject. That's OK, if
you want to discuss 'children on bikes' or if you have a point to make
about 'children on bikes'. I am not sure what (if any) point you had
but
what I do know is that you changed the subject.



You asked if the Police have it right or wrong, since they appear to be
unable to uphold the laws regarding youths on bicycles, it is unlikely
they have much constructive to offer in other advice about cyclists. To
suggest that cyclists are safer to ride two abreast around sharp bends
is tantamount to saying 'get into the road position where you are most
likely to be hit ' (if for example someone comes wide round that blind
bend)

When riding around blind bends it is invariably safer to 'claim the
lane' (as the police like to call it) or 'ride central' (as the DfT like
to call it) or 'primary position' (as John Franklin, cycle experts and
Bikeabilty instructors like to call it) or 'take the lane' as the
Americans call it.

But some bloke on the Internet called Mr Cheerful say's otherwise. It
really does make you wonder who to believe.


No apostrophe in 'says'

To suggest riding two abreast around blind bends is extremely bad
advice, and could even be cited in the event of a crash and a compo claim.



says = my bad, apologies for my poor punctuation.


"my bad"

ffs

Did you lack an education?

On Wed, 3 Dec 2014 19:14:34 +0000, Rob Morley
wrote:

On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 18:57:17 GMT
(Cassandra) wrote:

On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 14:38:30 +0000, Simon Weaseltemper
wrote:


http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/Safe.../Cyclists.aspx

[quote]

Cyclists have a right to claim the lane

It may come as a surprise to most drivers but cyclists have as much
right as drivers to take up the entire lane. You will often see
cyclists riding side-by-side, and you, as a driver, may think
they’re being selfish by doing so. But the fact is the cyclist is
actually reducing the risk of having an accident; it’s the safest
way for them to cycle, particularly if there’s a blind bend, a
narrowing of the road, a high risk junction, pinch point or traffic
lights ahead.

Reducing accidents by forcing people to overtake at the most dangerous
places to overtake.

That was well thought out.

You'd never consider slowing and waiting to overtake, of course.
That says a lot.

The answer to this is of course the incredible sympathy and patience
mountain bikers show towards pig-headed ramblers who also claim their
lane.

On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 19:12:42 +0000, Peter Hill
wrote:

On 03/12/2014 14:53, Tarcap wrote:


You forgot to paste this bit:

Groups of teenagers on bikes are becoming an increasing sight. Many may
flaunt the basic road safety measures simply as a way of looking cool,
nonchalant or carefree in front of their peers. They seldom wear
helmets, and more often than not their bikes will not be equipped with
lights in the dark. They may also ride erratically, either on or off the
pavement. This makes them a serious worry for drivers, as their
behaviour is often unpredictable. Be extra vigilant when driving near
groups of cyclists of this nature.

No, I can't see a motorist getting off a charge of driving without due
care and attention because they wanted to appear cool, nonchalant or
carefree in front of their peers, either

http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/Safe.../Cyclists.aspx

[quote]

Cyclists have a right to claim the lane

It may come as a surprise to most drivers but cyclists have as much
right as drivers to take up the entire lane. You will often see cyclists
riding side-by-side, and you, as a driver, may think they're being
selfish by doing so. But the fact is the cyclist is actually reducing
the risk of having an accident; it's the safest way for them to cycle,
particularly if there's a blind bend, a narrowing of the road, a high
risk junction, pinch point or traffic lights ahead.

Cyclists should never cycle in the gutter as it gives no room for
avoiding obstacles and leaves no room to fall if an accident occurs,
increasing the risk of falling into the road and potentially under the
wheels of a vehicle.

[unquote]

Have the police got it wrong? Or got it right?


Cyclists generally ride on the pavement in any case.

Then why not encourage them to take the lane?

Sandy Eggo has signs on certain streets telling motorists and cyclists that a cyclist can occupy the entire lane.


Bret Cahill

On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 14:38:30 +0000, Simon Weaseltemper wrote:

http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/Safe.../Cyclists.aspx

[quote]

Cyclists have a right to claim the lane

It may come as a surprise to most drivers but cyclists have as much
right as drivers to take up the entire lane. You will often see cyclists
riding side-by-side, and you, as a driver, may think they’re being
selfish by doing so. But the fact is the cyclist is actually reducing
the risk of having an accident; it’s the safest way for them to cycle,
particularly if there’s a blind bend, a narrowing of the road, a high
risk junction, pinch point or traffic lights ahead.

Cyclists should never cycle in the gutter as it gives no room for
avoiding obstacles and leaves no room to fall if an accident occurs,
increasing the risk of falling into the road and potentially under the
wheels of a vehicle.

[unquote]

Have the police got it wrong? Or got it right?

They have it right, but slow traffic still has an obligation to let
faster traffic pass *when it is safe to do so*.

On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 15:57:01 +0000, Simon Weaseltemper wrote:

On 03/12/2014 14:53, Tarcap wrote:

You forgot to paste this bit:

Groups of teenagers on bikes are becoming an increasing sight. Many may
flaunt the basic road safety measures simply as a way of looking cool,
nonchalant or carefree in front of their peers. They seldom wear
helmets, and more often than not their bikes will not be equipped with
lights in the dark. They may also ride erratically, either on or off
the pavement. This makes them a serious worry for drivers, as their
behaviour is often unpredictable. Be extra vigilant when driving near
groups of cyclists of this nature.

If the subject of discussion makes you feel uncomfortable, why not just
change the subject? ;-)

He often does. To something called "psycholists (aka '****wits')"

On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 18:57:17 GMT, Cassandra wrote:
On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 14:38:30 +0000, Simon Weaseltemper
wrote:


http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/Safe.../Cyclists.aspx

[quote]

Cyclists have a right to claim the lane

It may come as a surprise to most drivers but cyclists have as much
right as drivers to take up the entire lane. You will often see cyclists
riding side-by-side, and you, as a driver, may think they’re being
selfish by doing so. But the fact is the cyclist is actually reducing
the risk of having an accident; it’s the safest way for them to cycle,
particularly if there’s a blind bend, a narrowing of the road, a high
risk junction, pinch point or traffic lights ahead.

Reducing accidents by forcing people to overtake at the most dangerous
places to overtake.

How, exactly, does a cyclist FORCE a following vehicle to overtake?
Are these cyclists equipped with tail-gunners who semaphore to the
following car 'overtake or I'm going to machine-gun you'?

Even more, how does this cyclist force the following car to make their
move at a dangerous place? Why doesn't the car driver simply wait the
two or three seconds until they are past the blind bend, pinch point
or whatever?

Has the possibility of maybe waiting until it's safe to undertake a
manoeuvre ever crossed your mind?

regards, Ian SMith
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On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 19:12:42 +0000, Peter Hill wrote:

I've seen a group of 5 kids all appearing to be under 10, cycle at
oncoming traffic in the offside lane. They had been zig zagging up
the nearside lane but switched to oncoming lane when the oncoming
car appeared from around a bend 100m away. Their nearside lane was
completely empty and had a 20 ft wide parking area between it and
the curb.

Gosh. Children do silly things and have little road sense.
Whodavthortit.

Do tell us where bears **** when you work it out, won't you.

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On 04/12/2014 16:18, Ian Smith wrote:
On Wed, 03 Dec 2014 19:12:42 +0000, Peter Hill wrote:

I've seen a group of 5 kids all appearing to be under 10, cycle at
oncoming traffic in the offside lane. They had been zig zagging up
the nearside lane but switched to oncoming lane when the oncoming
car appeared from around a bend 100m away. Their nearside lane was
completely empty and had a 20 ft wide parking area between it and
the curb.

Gosh. Children do silly things and have little road sense.
Whodavthortit.

Do tell us where bears **** when you work it out, won't you.


Bears go privately in the woods, cyclists do it on the village green:

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/1081..._Lycra_louts_/

On Thu, 4 Dec 2014 16:11:05 +0000 (UTC)
Ian Smith wrote:

Has the possibility of maybe waiting until it's safe to undertake a
manoeuvre ever crossed your mind?

It's often not safe to undertake. :-)