It’s time for another forum cycle/vehicle disagreement

[mik]

That's a ridiculous road layout. So the truck crosses the opposite lane and is immediately faced with a Give Way. This is "stepped" back to allow a car to fit in there and wait - avoiding blocking both carriageways for non-bikes - but not a truck. He was at a Give Way, so he should have stopped, but the cyclist makes rather a mountain of of the molehill (as he was able to stop perfectly safely with only minor hindrance to his journey).

[Rich B]

Seems fairly appropriate in this situation...

[mik]

@Swervin_Mervin Is there any new guidance for road planners? It seems that every authority is coming up with their own novel solutions, which is fine if you know the road/junction intimately, but confusing/dangerous if not?

[Jobbo]

I am sympathetic to the lorry driver, don't get me wrong. But that is intended to be a cycle highway where other traffic gives way. There is a new cycle lane going in not far from us which is similar - segregated, green tarmac, right of way across junctions etc. There will be so few bicycles using it that I think it's going to cause far more accidents than it prevents because motorists simply aren't used to these types of cycle lane with priority.

I cited Amsterdam as an example but it works there due to the critical mass of cyclists.

[Jobbo]

Being right doesn't make you an accomplished road user. I find it scary how many of these videos are appearing with cyclists condemning other road users under the pretence of being right or new rules lol

I think that's a bit harsh - the cyclist has plenty of time to point out that the lorry driver should have stopped, as he has time to kill waiting. Though it isn't a new rule - you always had to give way at 'give way' markings.

[Ascender]

I think we've said this before, but if you ride a bike or drive everywhere ANGRILY and looking for conflict, that's exactly what's going to happen. Often on the bike I'll just slow down or back off a bit if I can see a situation developing and avoid it in the first place.

The weather conditions, the road layout... the cyclist can clearly see the articulated lorry indicating... Would you not just slow down a bit and let him carry out his manoeuvre?

I agree on the confusing road layouts - Edinburgh is really bad because there's such limited space to begin with, that planners are trying to cram in dedicated space for pedestrians, cyclists, buses and cars. Its just not achievable so almost everything they do is confusing and/or seemingly designed to create conflict.

[Mito Man]

Living in London for a few decades I've seen more than my fair share of cyclists who will never walk again or at least walk properly again because they were cycling according to the law and their rights. It's a pretty pathetic hill to die on when you go about ruining your own life to prove what is an easily avoidable incident.
As drivers we all take avoiding action on every drive no doubt, and the same when we're pedestrians, there's always that one car that runs an amber light or misses the pedestrian waiting at the crossing, but you don't immediately jump out in front of the car. Some cyclists on the other hand...

Be a decent human, don't be a cunt, try and enjoy life a bit, don't end up in an ambulance. Not hard is it...

[Jobbo]

There wasn’t an incident though. There was a video of a lorry driver ignoring the road markings.

[jamcg]

The lorry driver could argue that if the bike slowed to take the curve off the cycle lane correctly he would have had time to complete his manoeuvre, as the cyclist takes a racing line rather than staying in his lane, so the cyclist isn’t as squeaky clean as he thinks he is, truck still should have stopped though.

As has been pointed out by others, as a car driver you learn very early on that hgv’s are bigger than you so don’t fight them, you’ll lose. If that was a road and I’d seen the lorry is have backed off and let him do his thing

Also as a driver I could see what was going to happen as soon as the video started, so would already be on guard and ready to stop, rather than ready to push into a dangerous situation, or ready to start confrontation. Some cyclists aren’t happy unless they’re shouting at someone

[dinny_g]

Living in London for a few decades I've seen more than my fair share of cyclists who will never walk again or at least walk properly again because they were cycling according to the law and their rights. It's a pretty pathetic hill to die on when you go about ruining your own life to prove what is an easily avoidable incident.
As drivers we all take avoiding action on every drive no doubt, and the same when we're pedestrians, there's always that one car that runs an amber light or misses the pedestrian waiting at the crossing, but you don't immediately jump out in front of the car. Some cyclists on the other hand...

Be a decent human, don't be a cunt, try and enjoy life a bit, don't end up in an ambulance. Not hard is it...

100% this!!

[Swervin_Mervin]

@Swervin_Mervin Is there any new guidance for road planners? It seems that every authority is coming up with their own novel solutions, which is fine if you know the road/junction intimately, but confusing/dangerous if not?

The junction with the HGV above conforms with the newer guidelines that support the Active Travel measures/policy that is being implemented nationally (an actual Act in Wales). At T-junctions these include vehicles on, or turning into, the minor road giving way to the cycle lane. I've had to design a couple myself now as I've had sites that have crossed cycle routes.

There's nothing dangerous or confusing about them unless you're an idiot, which I appreciate does potentially cover a great deal of drivers in this country. And besides, sometimes confusing is actually safer as it focusses people's attention on the road ahead and what they're doing, rather than their latest tiktok clip. These sorts of layouts are pretty standard in many EU countries, particularly the Scandinavian ones, and they seem to get along fine. It's still a relatively new thing here though so it will take time for people to adjust.

As for the incident above, HGV driver completely at fault without any excuses.

[mik]

Tenuous link as it’s just a “cycling account”

[scotta]

Tenuous link as it’s just a “cycling account”

Well he seems like a nice chap...

[Rich B]

Tenuous link as it’s just a “cycling account”

Well he seems like a nice chap...

Tough one that, if you got an Uber and he was doing almost double the speed limit on any other roads, you'd probably complain too. 90 in a 50 or 70 in a 40?

It's only because it's a (presumably) old 30/40mph road that's been made into a 20 that it's made a bit twatty (and double twatty putting it online).

[mik]

Tough one that, if you got an Uber and he was doing almost double the speed limit on any other roads, you'd probably complain too. 90 in a 50 or 70 in a 40?
It's only because it's a (presumably) old 30/40mph road that's been made into a 20 that it's made a bit twatty (and double twatty putting it online).

Yeah it just comes across as "speed is bad m'kay" without sufficient context to really assess it. I've been in plenty of taxis that were speeding - particularly on early morning airport runs - but the risk was invariably to them from a licence perspective. If I felt their driving was unsafe, I'd tell them. (On a business trip we had to get a taxi in Istanbul to to just pull over and drop us as the guy was driving like a loon - overtook a police car at 65 in a 30 (and the police car didn't react )).

[jamcg]

Tough one that, if you got an Uber and he was doing almost double the speed limit on any other roads, you'd probably complain too. 90 in a 50 or 70 in a 40?
It's only because it's a (presumably) old 30/40mph road that's been made into a 20 that it's made a bit twatty (and double twatty putting it online).

Yeah it just comes across as "speed is bad m'kay" without sufficient context to really assess it. I've been in plenty of taxis that were speeding - particularly on early morning airport runs - but the risk was invariably to them from a licence perspective. If I felt their driving was unsafe, I'd tell them. (On a business trip we had to get a taxi in Istanbul to to just pull over and drop us as the guy was driving like a loon - overtook a police car at 65 in a 30 (and the police car didn't react )).

The Uber drivers from Prague airport are a bit mental. It then you look at everyone else and realise they’re the ones taking it easy………

[Simon]

Years ago in Prague we were rushing to the opera. We were staying in a 5 star hotel at the time and had one of the hotels drivers take us as we were running late. He managed a good "close your eyes" in broken English and drove the wrong way up a one way street for a few hundred yards as a shortcut. We just got there in time. Were the last into the theatre before they closed the doors and just as the conductor came out.

[mik]

Cool.

I recon that bucket will hold enough grit for at least 30m.

[Mito Man]

I can’t tell if that account is genuine or parody

[mik]

At least we can learn from countries with more experience