Hello Dear Reader

It is monday so it is time for a good old moan, Todays toping of attack is Cyclist

in 2008 Bristol was named Britain’s First Cycling City – to quote the council website

Cycling City is a source of great pride for Bristol and South Gloucestershire Councils. It represents clear recognition of our solid commitment to promote and encourage cycling through better infrastructure, training and promotion. Cycling City status is not just an award – it is an opportunity. The total funding of £22.8 million brings the potential for unprecedented levels of innovation, involvement and creativity.

“Our aim is to double the number of regular cyclists in Greater Bristol.

To do this we need to deliver information and infrastructure which links people, where they live, to work, school, shopping and leisure activities as well as providing them with the skills to confidently undertake such journeys.

I read the above and I think great, I use to be a very keen cyclist and as part of getting fitter I aim to get back on my bike and things like the Better by Bike Campagne are a great way to promote the use of bike as a sustainable and environmentally friendly form of transport. Also if you use tools like the Cycle Route Planner on Transport Direct.info then getting there by bike is great way to travel.

Where is your problem Kiff? I here you ask.

Well my problem is with Cyclists and their apparent inability to understand that a Red traffic light mean stop it even says it in the Highway code

69

You MUST obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals.

[Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD reg 10(1)]

71

You MUST NOT cross the stop line when the traffic lights are red. Some junctions have an advanced stop line to enable you to wait and position yourself ahead of other traffic (see Rule 178).

[Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36(1)]

Yet for some reason cyclists seem to think they are above the highway code and it does not apply to them. I would like to say that this is a small minority of people who do this however I think it is the majority but even the Prime Minister does it

Does it really cause a problem Kiff? you ask

Yes it does, I mean if you stupid to cycle through a red light and get mowed down by the car coming the other way well then that is just natural selection in process isn’t it.

However my problems is not about the protection of the cyclist but of the idea to get people on their bikes. When people campaign about the need for cycle lanes to protect cyclists and how road users never respect cyclists or when schools teach young children about cycle and road safety. The argument is fundamentally flawed when the car driver comes back and says well they don’t obey the laws of the road so why should they be on the road.

Just the other day I was walking across a pedestrian crossing at a 4 -way junction and two cyclists came through the red lights and in front (very close) of me. Ok if a cyclist hit me on his bike I am guessing he  and his bike would probably come of worse however what it is was my daughter or another child or and old person walking across the road and they plowed through them on their bike.

Cyclists say well we have to protect ourselves, I say it is a selfish ignorance of those around them.

Well that is my rant over for now. If you are a cyclist next time you come up to a red light, think about the hard work that had been done to promote cycling and how much damage you are doing to their work by cycling through the red light.

Or if you cycle and think I am way of mark, please comment below and tell me why you think you should cycle through a red light

TTFN

K

TTFN

Kiff

©ChrisMeadows2012

Hello Reader – Are you new to Jabbering All Day Long can I suggest that you check out our Starter for Ten Page which will hopefully give you a guide  as you take your first couple of footsteps around this site.