Drivers!

To be honest I have more incidents with pedestrians than with cars. Very rarely cycle anywhere through the city centre without at least one incident a day. Either not seeing you coming or not caring that you are coming as they are wandering across the road.

One couple took offence yesterday when I suggested they might get over the road faster if they weren't so fat.

I live in Pembrokeshire, I get almost squashed by Tractors on a regular basis, obviously texting whilst driving a huge tractor with a massive trailer isn't illegal especially when you are doing 40mph.. but don't worry I find the stone clad hedgebanks, bristling with ancient shitty barbed wire very comfortable to steer my assorted bikes into.
As a experienced cyclist i now ride extremely aggresively but also am polite and prevent people overtaking me when clearly they are about to stuff up things,
i have started to ride with a bike lock near to hand, being taken off my bike 3 times last year i am prepared for a deft warning swing..

It's close passes I get a lot of. I can't decide which are worse, the people who don't cross the centre line of the road even though they could, or the ones who don't cross the line because there is traffic passing in the opposite direction. Head pummelling is too good for them in either case.

Tazio":255vhs9j said:

To be honest I have more incidents with pedestrians than with cars. Very rarely cycle anywhere through the city centre without at least one incident a day. Either not seeing you coming or not caring that you are coming as they are wandering across the road.

One couple took offence yesterday when I suggested they might get over the road faster if they weren't so fat.

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I wonder if this is a side-effect of Edinburgh being a big tourist destination? Aimless, gormless city-centre pedestrians (usually tourists, I'm afraid) seemingly with a death wish used to be a major problem when I lived in York, probably more so for the local bus drivers than for cyclists.

David

In Bournemouth it's the old people that is the worry. The funny thing is, Bournemouth's not as full of them as you'd think. Just the ones that are here, can't drive. I had to complain to the local bus company last week though, as a bus went past me on a windy day, without crossing the centre line as there were cars coming the other way. Nearly sucked me under his wheels. This is however, unusual, they are actually quite good most of the time round here.

David B":1sk6tzdp said:

I wonder if this is a side-effect of Edinburgh being a big tourist destination? Aimless, gormless city-centre pedestrians (usually tourists, I'm afraid) seemingly with a death wish used to be a major problem when I lived in York, probably more so for the local bus drivers than for cyclists.

David

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We get it in Bristol too, not helped by an inexplicable need for them to read text messages while crossing the road :facepalm:

Saves you seeing the bus/truck/car that put you in hospital I guess :roll:

I've actually lost track of the number of cyclist fatalities there has been on New Forest roads in recent years, they almost happen on a monthly basis now :cry:

Tazio":1o57uyhb said:

To be honest I have more incidents with pedestrians than with cars. Very rarely cycle anywhere through the city centre without at least one incident a day. Either not seeing you coming or not caring that you are coming as they are wandering across the road.

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Yes this. This happens without fail every single day. Given that my commute is a majority of riverside/promenade paths, I'm encountering pedestrians far more frequently than motorists. I must say that as a sweeping generalisation pedestrians just don't have any spacial awareness about them - they refuse to acknowledge any aspect of their surroundings, especially when texting :facepalm:. I also have an issue with dog walkers allowing their despondent/disobedient dogs to walk right in front of my wheel only to scold me for nearly hitting their dog :roll:

i'm just happy i get to use this again:

I totally agree with all the observations on this thread

I have had so many incidents, car doors, abuse from Women and men in huge 4x4's (normally from within the cabs and from a distance :evil: , tractors etc. Its got to the stage now that sadly, i only ride my racing bike at organised events BHF, Macmillan, sportives etc which have marshalls and lots of other riders who will (hopefully) scrape me off the road and call the ambulance.

Now i ride just on the towpath, disused railways etc.

Take care and look after yourselves everyone :!: