half_pint
[email protected] opined the following...
> I don't see how it encourage motorists to break the law they do that
> all the time anyway.
Because they view cyclists as people who only use the road when it suits
them and thus treat them with little or no respect. It also (As many
have justified to me) encourages them to occupy ASL boxes since
"cyclists don't follow the rules, why should I?".
> I don't believe I have ever seen one!!!
> Anyway I always pass standing traffic and sit in front of it if it
> is possible to do so safely.
Where do you live? I thought they were an Edinburgh thing until I
encountered them elsewhere. I've seen them in every city I've been to in
the last year or so.
A few posts previously you said you jumped onto the pavement to avoid
sitting in front of traffic.
> I am on little danger on the pavement and I take great care when returning
> to the road, I do not rely on motorists seeing me, I will not re enter
> unless
> there is a large gap available'.
Actually, you are statistically in greater danger on the pavement. If
you have to wait to rejoin the traffic then you have gained nothing, as
you could have have remained in the flow of traffic in the first place.
> But u do risk being intimidated and some cars may try to force
> a way past.
Intimidation is very easy to get around. When they beep the horn, wave
(Whole hand, not a single digit). It's very rare that someone will
actually try to hit you, they'll just beep the horn. Other than being
irritating, it doesn't do you any harm. I get a few prats a month who do
something like this, but I'd rather that the prat was getting wound up
and concentrating on me, than ignoring me altogether.
A car can only force past if you let them. If you cannot ride in a
position where they can only overtake by crossing the central line, then
the road is probably wide enough to let them past safely.
> I cant say I agree there will be bad motorists whatever cyclists do.
Yes, and they should be ostracised, rather than encouraged. Every time I
see a motor vehicle enter an ASL when they had no cause to do so, I make
a point of explaining it to them (Especially if they are bus / taxi /
other "professional" drivers). I try to do the same to cyclists who jump
reds, but the last one I spoke to gave me an earful for it "What f*cking
business is it of yours anyway? Why should I f*cking care?" (I'm sure
that students were supposed to be the intellectual cream of society!).
> If I feel it is better/safer to use the pavement I will, I can't recall
> and pedrestrians ever complaining, they are not usually bothered
> by it unless they are exceptionally petty.
The pavement is more suited to pedestrians. The quanitity of "street
furniture" inhibits your sight lines and prevents sensible lines from
being taken. Pedestrians have a habit of meandering which makes it
harder to overtake and your overall speed must be slower (Certainly, I
couldn't ride the pavements as fast as I can the roads!). There is a
risk from driveways and you lose priority at junctions. In all, while
you may have the illusion of safety, the reality is far from it.
And I read that as "unless they are exceptionally pretty" and wondered
why you went out of your way to harass pretty pedestrians. It struck me
as a somewhat unusual chat up technique.
Jon