£94m but no change in attitude.....?

I think the main change in driver's attitudes is in line with the general change in society.

People are more impatient and confrontational than they used to be.

That is the main difference.

highlandsflyer":2qzlr7yx said:

I think the main change in driver's attitudes is in line with the general change in society.

People are more impatient and confrontational than they used to be....

Click to expand...

Which accounts for the rise in dickhead cyclists... and dickhead pedestrians

highlandsflyer":2nqhh59j said:

I think the main change in driver's attitudes is in line with the general change in society.

People are more impatient and confrontational than they used to be.

That is the main difference.

Click to expand...

Well I'd accept it's a difference, but to me at least doesn't account for the oft seen / heard comments about cyclists not being on the roads, just general ranting against cyclists. But those banging on about "car tax" and the validity of cyclists actually being on the road seem to have some bee in their bonnet against cyclists actually being traffic.

Neil":3rlddn8t said:

.....comments about cyclists not being on the roads..... just general ranting against cyclists.....banging on about "car tax" and the validity of cyclists actually being on the road seem to have some bee in their bonnet against cyclists actually being traffic.

Click to expand...

Neil, I think a large factor in the perceived increase in the "anti cyclist" angry nazi driver brigade is probably a lot to do with motorists feeling increasingly hard done by and exploited....

Increase in VED (for your "average" vehicle, that is)
Increase in congestion
Increase in cost of fuel
Increase in insurance
Decrease in road maintenance

etc etc

They are more than likely just sounding off at the nearest viable scapegoat. Its also probably tinged with more than just a teensy bit of jealousy, as the fat sweaty and skint driver gets passed by all shapes and sizes of cyclist

G

and possibly an increased level of frustration at the lack of ability to influence anything in an ever faster changing world ?

bikes are now 1/4 London rush hour ? http://www.london.gov.uk/media/mayor-pr ... in-central

and for another scheme in London - skycycle :shock: https://spacehive.com/SkyCycle



although the slip road might be a challenge for some seen on the "boris" bikes

A number of English cities and national parks are to share a £94m cash injection to promote cycling.

Promoting which area of cycling?

Commuting within a city. - Cycle Lanes, road use education.
Recreation to keep fit. - Country and off road cycle paths and old tracks and greenways.
Sport and competitive. - British Cycling, grass routes sponsorship, equal prize money.
Social cycling for fun. - Off road trails, trail centres.
Domestic errands, shops, dropping of kids etc. - 20mph zones, cycle paths, secure bike parking.

Can't please everyone, the money won't go far.

unkleGsif":2j0v4xjz said:

Neil":2j0v4xjz said:

.....comments about cyclists not being on the roads..... just general ranting against cyclists.....banging on about "car tax" and the validity of cyclists actually being on the road seem to have some bee in their bonnet against cyclists actually being traffic.

Click to expand...

Neil, I think a large factor in the perceived increase in the "anti cyclist" angry nazi driver brigade is probably a lot to do with motorists feeling increasingly hard done by and exploited....

Increase in VED (for your "average" vehicle, that is)
Increase in congestion
Increase in cost of fuel
Increase in insurance
Decrease in road maintenance

etc etc

They are more than likely just sounding off at the nearest viable scapegoat. Its also probably tinged with more than just a teensy bit of jealousy, as the fat sweaty and skint driver gets passed by all shapes and sizes of cyclist

G

Click to expand...

And I'm not disputing any of those factors - quite the reverse - I recognise them.

All the same, general sounding off, doesn't quite account for all the bile some cyclists get about purely actually being on the road, and being traffic. That's not in my head, it's for plenty to see - and is in videos all over the place, plus comments on such videos or news stories.

If it was just the whole getting away with it without having to pay tax, surely there'd be bile against those hybrids and electric cars that attract little, if any, VED.

There has been a subtle, yet poignant, step-change in attitude in recent decades, WRT cyclists - not just hostility and lack of consideration, but actually an anti-bias, where many motorists think they've no place on the road. And that ain't just reserved for cyclists, either - horse-riders seem to attract the same kind of views (although typically, perhaps, not in as much of a confrontational aspect as cyclists).

That as may be. I still don't think it is down to increased provision for cyclists away from the road.

I reckon the same arsehats who bitch about cyclists would do it regardless of how much of their journey is shared with them.

highlandsflyer":2w16f1pm said:

That as may be. I still don't think it is down to increased provision for cyclists away from the road.

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So you've never heard tell of cyclists being bollocked for cycling on the road, when in a driver's opinion they should be on a / the cycle path? Or cycling in the gutter? Do you imagine when that happens, the majority of drivers are altruistically thinking of the cyclist's best interests, or their own?

highlandsflyer":2w16f1pm said:

I reckon the same arsehats who bitch about cyclists would do it regardless of how much of their journey is shared with them.

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Plenty of people bitch about plenty of things, but there's a whole lot more people - in some cases, a scary amount of people who believe cyclists should not be on the road, and of key importance, not in their way.

I have never heard of a cyclist being abused on the basis they should be on a cycle path.

I have suggested to cyclists to use a cycle path.

Really don't know why your experience should trump mine.