Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Hooligan Cyclists
When are the police going to take action on law-breaking cyclists?
Twice today, within the space of half an hour, I turned (in my car, so of course it was probably my fault) into one of the one-way Ladder roads and was nearly hit by a cyclist going the wrong way. Then I get shouted at by the cyclist who thinks it's my fault that he's stupid.
Twice today, within the space of half an hour, I turned (in my car, so of course it was probably my fault) into one of the one-way Ladder roads and was nearly hit by a cyclist going the wrong way. Then I get shouted at by the cyclist who thinks it's my fault that he's stupid.
Tags for Forum Posts: Wightman Road, cycling
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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It is my dream that I will one day be able to cycle down my own street towards Duckett's Common legally with a council sanctioned contraflow, I mean these streets used to be two way for cars, there's plenty of room for a bicycle.
Don't the police have enough on their plate without being hassled by some geriatric motorist into chasing cyclists?
It sounds like you bumped into a couple of hooligans and adding cyclist to the title is just not on. Shall I start one titled "idiot drivers"?
Merry christmas.
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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
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I have to say, here in Germany it is the general rule that bicycles are allowed to use one-way streets in both directions..
As can be seen here on these signs in Bremen, or here in Cologne.
This stops one-way streets becoming race tracks, because most car drivers tend to assume that they have the 'right of way' and generally speed along without bothering to look out for anything coming towards them (see comment above).
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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I think allowing contraflow cycling is an excellent idea - that is if everyone understands that is the rule so they do check both ways.
I've also read about experimental schemes in Holland and Germany where all traffic signs, lights and pedestrian crossings were removed (in small towns) and it actually reduced accidents. The reasoning was that a sign saying "60" was interpreted as meaning "Drive at 60".
The lack of signage seemed to make drivers and pedestrians more aware of what was going on around them rather than trusting that a green signal meant it was safe to proceed.
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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If a geriatric driving a car is a geriatric motorist, is not a hooligan riding a bike a hooligan cyclist?
Are you condoning lawbreaking ? Is it ok to cycle on pavements, sail through red traffic lights, ride at night without lights, cycle across pedestrian crossings without dismounting ?
If you let people decide which laws are inconvenient to obey, why obey any laws at all ?
And Stephen, although the general rule in Germany seems sensible, it is not the general rule here.
No car driver should ever assume that they have the " right of way " and I can't imagine a car driver "speeding along " without looking to the front, if only to avoid hitting someone running into the road.
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I see as many cars go through red lights as I see cyclists, and the cyclists go through a lot more carefully (not that I am one of them). I see drivers texting and talking on cellphones, I am cut up by drivers that think that they don't need to give way to me, I see drivers speeding (that's going much faster than the speed limit for people who've forgotten what it is) and I see them driving cars that obviously have not recently passed an MOT. Do I post something on HoL titled "Idiot drivers"? No.
Preserved for posterity among the many forum posts for HoL is one that says "Hooligan cyclists" and that is what annoys me the most.
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I have posted before on here about car drivers ignorning red lights and talking on cell phones. I would like the police to do something about them too.
The point that you are missing is that I wish the police would enforce the law and that the Government would give them the resources to do so.
I am not pro motorist or anti cyclist - I am both a motorist and a cyclist. I am anti what the Americans call in the wonderful term - "scofflaws"
You are entitled not to post anything you like on HOL. I am sure if Hugh or Liz feel that my initial post was inappopriate they will delete it
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HoL is unmoderated. Feel free to rename your post "Cyclists going the wrong way on the ladder".
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Please accept my humblest apologies for the geriatric drivers comment. It was uncalled for and I feel bad about it.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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John McM, John D is showing a fine grasp of the art of getting readers for his comments in the best traditions of a red top commentator by titling his piece in such a 'controversial way' and if I were him I would not change it. The discussion has quickly matured into one on alternative ways of controlling traffic flow among other things, a level of debate that we've come to expect from HOL members.
As to the 'geriatric motorist' comment indeed you should feel bad, and I hope you are quaking in your boots at what will happen when the young Mr Finnegan claps eyes on it and takes you to task.
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Permalink Reply by Danzigger on
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Perhaps the police might be performing a service more useful to the safety of all of us by taking action against law breaking motorists. While it is unacceptable for any road user to break the law, the potential for serious injury when a car disobeys the rules is far, far greater than that of a cyclist. If cyclists are treated as having less right to be on the road by motorists, as they often are, then it is little wonder that they treat the rules of the road with a degree of contempt.
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Every day I see motorists pulled over by the police. but they seem to ignore cyclists.
If a car goes through a red light and hits a cyclist is the potential for serious injury greater than if a cyclist goes through a red light and hits a car ? And a friend of mine was hit by a cyclist riding on the pavement, fell, hit her head and spent the next five years in a vegetative state. You don't often see cars deliberately driving on the pavement.
If cyclists are allowed to treat the rules of the road with a degree of contempt it's little wonder that law-abiding motorists feel aggrieved at being demonised.
I believe that the zero-tolerance policing policy in New York City has resulted in a reduction in crime across the board. John McM might like to ponder that next time he has his bike stolen :-)
I really don't want this thread turned into a motorist V cyclist war - as I said I'm both.
What I do want to see is laws being enforced.
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You have to laugh don't you! - In response to John's call for yet more zero-tolerance.. I thought I'd translate what the German City of Bremen had to say on the matter.. I decided to translate it via google..: This is what they came up with:
Das Gegeneinander erfordert viel Miteinander
Einbahnstraßenpflicht
Die allgemeinen Verkehrsregeln gelten auch für Radler. Nur eigens gekennzeichnete Einbahnstraßen dürfen Radfahrer in beide Richtungen befahren. Nicht geöffnete Einbahnstraßen dürfen nur in der erlaubten Richtung befahren werden.
Rechthaber haben Unrecht
In Einbahnstraßen ist es immer besser, PKW-Fahrer und Radfahrer verhalten sich konsequent defensiv, um partnerschaftlich aneinander vorbeizufahren. An allen "Engstellen" gibt natürlich der Klügere nach. Wichtig ist es auch, dass Autofahrer beim Ein- und Ausparken nicht "eindimensional" denken, sondern in beide Richtungen schauen.
Rechtsradler haben Recht
In "geöffneten Einbahnstraßen" können aus einmündenden Seitenstraßen Fahrradfahrer auftauchen. Kommt ein Radler von rechts, hat er Vorfahrt! Rechts vor links in Tempo-30-Zonen gilt also grundsätzlich – auch dort, wo manche Autofahrer meinen, Gas geben zu dürfen.
The conflict requires a lot of togetherness
Way street duty
The general traffic rules also apply to cyclists. Only specially marked way streets may cyclist traffic in both directions. Not open-way streets may be permitted only in the direction they are.
Haber right are wrong
In one way streets, it is always better, car drivers and cyclists behave consistently defensively to vorbeizufahren together in partnership. At all "bottlenecks" of course there's brightest after. It is also important that motorists in and parking out not "unidimensional" thinking, but in both directions.
Radler have legal rights
In "open-way streets" can einmündenden from side streets cyclists emerge. If a cyclist from the right, he Priority! Right in front of the left tempo-30-zones is therefore in principle - also where some motorists believe gas may be.
I'm sure you all understand what they mean.... :o)
Seriously though, the gist of the thing is: Tolerance towards other road USERS whether on bikes or in cars is the key...! Zero tolerance just exacerbates things.. In the U.K. you already lock more people up than anyone else in Europe.. and I haven't seen any figures that show that treating people like animals makes them better citizens... so I don't see how zero-tolerance would help..
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