It makes a lot of sense to ride a bike, particularly in urban traffic, and as an ex-biker I always try to make room for them to get by me.
Many of the major roads in London are 2 lanes each way, but not dual carriageways. I have noticed an increasing tendency for bikes and scooters to overtake their 2 lanes of traffic by crossing into the oncoming traffic lane and refusing to move back even though both oncoming lanes are occupied with cars heading toward them; keep left signs in the middle of the road are simply overtaken on the right. It develops into a game of ?chicken? with the car often having to take the avoiding action.
I have lost count of the number of times my mirrors etc have been clipped by a bike trying to squeeze by when I am stationary.
The empathy I had with bikers is waning fast..
Bob H
Can empathy wane? Evaporate? Well you know what I mean
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Make that "Chicken" in the Subject!
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I remember on my first bike thinking I was invulnerable and how cars were just another item of street furniture to get by. I learnt quickly after seeing the result of a few accidents mostly between car drivers! I realised what a ton of metal could do.
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visited a mate in an othopedic ward of hospital starting his 12 month recovery from a big car smash...
he was the only car victim there, surrounded by about 20 bikers in a similar bad way...
so thats pretty stark odds...
too many little old dears pull in front of bikes and kill bikers and get let straight back out on the roads by the courts...
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Drove down the M40 tonight into London in mist and rain.
Quite a lot of bikers also, despite the weather, some obviously couriers.
Most riding really sensibly.
So which is the one we all remember? Of course the single rider who overtook between lane 2 & 3, pulled over to lane 1 in front of me and undertook a few before swinging out to lane 3 and then opening it wide. Yes the vehicles in front in lane 2 should have been in lane 1, but does that mean its safe to undertake at target speed plus 30?
Unfortunately like in so many things its the few who spoil it for the many.
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I hate anybody - car drivers, lorries or bikers - who act as if the rules of the road don't apply to them. I do very little urban biking, but bikers who have no consideration for others are among my pet hates along with company reps who eat with one hand and talk on their phones with the other. We're not invulnerable.
Please, Bob, maintain the empathy. These guys are fools to themselves but don't represent the majority.
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Bob H wrote:
>
I have noticed an increasing tendency
> for bikes and scooters to overtake their 2 lanes of traffic
> by crossing into the oncoming traffic lane and refusing to
> move back even though both oncoming lanes are occupied with
> cars heading toward them;
Of course the police are too busy looking for speeding drivers to worry about the dangerous ones...
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Each type of vehicle has a minority of users who ride or drive inconsiderately.
For m'bikers it may be inappropriate overtaking.
For cyclists it is probably going through red lights.
For car drivers it is may be tailgating and middle lane hogging.
For taxis, stopping or turning without sufficient warning.
Etc., etc.
Let he who is guiltless cast the first stone.
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