OT: New driving laws and cyclists etc

and I knew someoen who was killed cyclingb home from our local station in that mode.

I drive, cycle, walk, use public tranport etc. I've seen walkers act stupidly, I've seen drivers act stupidly, I've seen cyclists act stupidly.

However I'm also able to see that not ALL of them act stupidly. To make that mental leap you need to be a bigot. Because bigotry blinds you to making observations contrary to your preconceived notions.

You use of "all" above is a case in point.

On the other hand, with no passing place close by, the car would have had a long wait in the last one for slower moving cyclists to reach it (and on a busy day, the next lot could have appeared by then), while the cyclists could easily pull off the road anywhere, without risking sinking into the verge and need not have to use an actual passing place.

Only when I visit a relly in Putney. And then only via the A217 from the Reigate direction.

I've not seen any trend, to extra identification on bikes here.

The SN digits on the bottom bracket of my bicycle are pretty deep, so too much angle grinder, would snap the bike in half. The older bicycle has thinner metal... and thinner digits. It's hard to say whether it's worth the attempt.

If it's worth stealing, it is worth selling in another city. The registry system, such as it is, may not be set up to be country wide.

The most I've lost, is a front wheel. Today I lock both wheels to the frame, so I won't lose another wheel.

Paul

I'll say again. Position yourself comfortably at a local busy traffic light controlled junction. Note down any traffic law infringements, and by what.

Then work out the percentage by cars, motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians.

Then lecture about bigotry.

"In 2020, under free-flowing traffic conditions, 56% of cars exceeded the speed limit on 30mph roads compared to 53% on motorways and 12% on national speed limit single carriageway roads."

And that is just one law. Motorists have far more laws to obey. They break far more than the average cyclist.

Wow! Who'd have thought that? Got any stats for cyclists vs motorists running red lights? Stats for cyclists vs motorists ignoring pedestrian priorities on crossings?

Of course many speed limits are broken. New Labour changed the rules under which they are set and many roads now have artificially low limits that are so low for the road design that people feel that they are crawling - the EU even criticised the UK for for it some years ago.

Yes, it is strange that one has to point out such obvious hypocrisy.

No, but if you want to make a case that Dave isn't just the silly old bugger he appears to be, you may want to look at pedestrian KSI stats at crossings, by cyclist vs motorist. I can't be bothered, I'm pretty sure we all know what they would tell us.

The timings for the traffic lights ones would be interesting too. My observations (and it would be interesting to see the stats on this) is that motor vehicles got through just after the lights have turned red or just before they have turned green, and very rarely when the lights have been red for some time. On the other hand, some cyclists (*) go through them when the lights have been red for a while and conflicting traffic is flowing left and right - they just weave around it.

(*) The "Highway Code doesn't apply to cyclists" brigade.

The only reason a cyclist doesn't break the speed limit is because it's impossible or too hard work.

Don't try driving in London. Covid was an excuse to change near all from

A speed which was deemed safe for many decades became unsafe overnight.

Quite. And anyone who thinks different needs to visit Specsavers immediately. And crease cycling until their vision is adequate.

Are you REALLY trying to claim that because A might (or might not) have committed an offence, it's perfectly OK for B to commit an offence (whether the same one or not)?

That's nursery school playground logic, isn't it?

No, HTH.

Constructing Strawmen? Yeah, it is school playground logic, and lots of other places too.

The reason cyclists don't break speed limits is that the limits only apply to motor vehicles. They can and do go faster without breaking the relevant law (although they might be guilty of other offences).

Not always...

A cyclist caught speeding in Richmond Park has accused police of "hiding behind a tree" after he was ordered to pay more than £600 by magistrates.

Paul Harness, 40, was found guilty of speeding and riding a bicycle without due care and attention when he was clocked doing 38mph down Sawyers Hill by police.

He denied both offences but was fined £400 at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court and ordered to pay an additional £220 in costs.

The day after the hearing, Harness posted an angry message on his Facebook where he hit out at the officer who clocked him following the incident in January.

He wrote: "Got spotted by the cops overtaking on the outside at about 27 mph and going back to the inside to go around a car turning right,this time I did not get caught by his speed gun did not get done for speeding @38mph and cycling without due care and attention did not have to plead not guilty in front of the magistrate did not have to listen to a cop who calibrates his speed gun every day and hides behind a tree in Richmond park hammering me in front of the court,what a sad case he is!"