Death By Dangerous Cycling - New Laws

[Wanderer Vagabond]

1 minute ago, MJG said:

Now you are getting desperate. You were talking about me being an obstruction last post now we are talking braking distance. Make your mind up please.

If you cannot travel at the same speed as other vehicles on country lanes you are an obstruction. If you try to travel at the same speed, due to your increased stopping distance you are no longer travelling at a safe speed, simple really.

[Guest]

Oh bloody hell he's just referenced it........i could write a book.

[Chewbacka]

I remember years ago a ‘safety expert’ saying the best device to fit to a car was a spike in the centre of the steering wheel pointing straight at the drivers head, tends to focus ones concentration on driving.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

29 minutes ago, MJG said:

No I didn't, because unlike you I've cared for people eating their evening meal through a straw because they didn't wear one.

 

 

And of course I assume that every single one of those people would have been 'saved' by wearing a helmet (they've obviously developed a 'car proof' helmet that I haven't come across yet).

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

And of course I assume that every single one of those people would have been 'saved' by wearing a helmet (they've obviously developed a 'car proof' helmet that I haven't come across yet).

No who said they were 'car proof'.

 

Remind me, I once asked you were you a proper copper or just a pcso, and your answer was well a bit vague, what was it again?

7 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

If you cannot travel at the same speed as other vehicles on country lanes you are an obstruction. If you try to travel at the same speed, due to your increased stopping distance you are no longer travelling at a safe speed, simple really.

Braked trailer stopping distances are marginally increased at safe speeds on country lanes . But you know this surely being an ex copper? Not traffic then?

[Wanderer Vagabond]

3 minutes ago, MJG said:

No who said they were 'car proof'.

 

Remind me, I once asked you were you a proper copper or just a pcso, and your answer was well a bit vague, what was it again?

Since I am retired I am neither and since I haven't made any reference to it anywhere in this thread, it remains irrelevant. Were you a proper nurse? or just an orderly? since it has as much relevance to the topic under discussion (i.e. none).

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Since I am retired I am neither and since I haven't made any reference to it anywhere in this thread, it remains irrelevant. Were you a proper nurse? or just an orderly? since it has as much relevance to the topic under discussion (i.e. none).

Yes I was a registered nurse but I began my career as a nursing assistant, when I get home from France I can scan and copy my SRN certificate and post it here. Qualified in 1980 at South tees district school of nursing.

 

The relevance is about credibility. You have purported to be an ex copper, so are you?

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

 

Meanwhile Arguments about who is best qualified to determine stopping distance of a caravan aside :

 

 

 

 

[Iain_S]

3 hours ago, MJG said:

Oh dear me the 'false sense of security' argument emerges yet again.

 

Christ on a bike,    (oh did you see what I did there)

 

Let's ban, air bags, seat belts, abs, traction control blah blah blah.

Air bags and seat belts have been proved to reduce injury, both in the laboratory and in real life. 

 

I doubt they contribute as much to a "false sense of security" as much as sound insulation and comfy chairs in modern vehicles do 

Edited August 13, 2018 by Iain_S

[rusty69]

Sorry folks. I appear to have stumbled into the caravan discussion forum in error. Can you point me in the direction of the boaty forum please? 

 

Oh. While i'm here. Anyone know the overall stopping distance of a fully laden swift at maximum airspeed velocity?

Edited August 13, 2018 by rusty69

[cereal tiller]

10 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Sorry folks. I appear to have stumbled into the caravan discussion forum in error. Can you point me in the direction of the boaty forum please? 

 

Oh. While i'm here. Anyone know the overall stopping distance of a fully laden swift at maximum airspeed velocity?

African Swift?

[cereal tiller]

7 hours ago, dor said:

I agree with much of what you say.  People are notoriously bad at relative risk assessment.

However a few winters ago my wife was setting off on her bike and lost it at the bottom of the road on some ice.  She slid at a moderate pace, being stopped when her helmeted head hit the kerb.  She was not seriously worse off for the the incident, but was sure that if she had not been wearing a helmet she would possibly have suffered a significant head injury.  There are always incidents which could have had different outcomes.  Do you remember when seat belt laws came in and people argued that they were safer being able to be thrown clear?  I don't think anyone would argue against the benefit of seat belts today.

As in "Thrown clear of the Car and into the Radiator Grille of an oncoming Truck"?

[JJPHG]

Hmmm,

 

Quite an emotive and vociferous little thread we have going on here so here is my tuppence worth.

 

I am an emergency doctor with 25+ years’ experience so have seen the results of car-v- bike.  Invariably car wins (had one were the cyclist won only because they penetrated the windscreen and the driver and ended up with the less severe injuries) and helmets can help – but yes in head on impacts or 'high'-speed impacts they are pretty useless.  Then again even wrapping yourself in sheet metal and having 1 ton block in-front of you doesn’t offer much protection either.  Massive deceleration forces and human bodies are not good companions – protected or otherwise.

 

My husband (the usual contributor) worked with TRL back in the day and remembers this false sense of security theory.  It is real and whilst no single safety ‘improvement’ elicits a cognitive feedback their cumulative effect does change habit.  In other words, we will always tend to drive towards the limits of our perceived ability and that of the vehicle or for that matter bike. 

 

On the comment about obstructing the highway by not travelling at the same speed as traffic it might be worth reminding the poster that usually people travel at or close to the speed LIMIT.  It’s not the speed at which you have to travel.  I personally like the idea that if a vehicle (bike, caravan, tractor whatever) fails to allow traffic to pass at suitable passing points that they get fined for every vehicle in the queue above let’s say for the sake of argument, 6.

 

Enjoy

[MHS]

22 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Sorry folks. I appear to have stumbled into the caravan discussion forum in error. Can you point me in the direction of the boaty forum please? 

 

Oh. While i'm here. Anyone know the overall stopping distance of a fully laden swift at maximum airspeed velocity?

There are many parallels though. Many caravanners struggle with reversing, worry about battery life, empty their Thetford loos like us and hope to find a quiet place with a lovely view to stop for the night. 

[rusty69]

1 hour ago, cereal tiller said:

African Swift?

French! 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, cereal tiller said:

African Swift?

A SWIFT code is an international bank code that identifies particular banks worldwide. It's also known as a Bank Identifier Code (BIC). CommBank uses SWIFT codes to send money to overseas banks. A SWIFT code consists of 8 or 11 characters

[rusty69]

3 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

A SWIFT code is an international bank code that identifies particular banks worldwide. It's also known as a Bank Identifier Code (BIC). CommBank uses SWIFT codes to send money to overseas banks. A SWIFT code consists of 8 or 11 characters

I find that hard to swallow, 

[Alan de Enfield]

11 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I find that hard to swallow, 

Being such a Gannet, you shouldn't do.

[Kendorr]

10 hours ago, Graham Davis said:

And of course you made a note of ther registration numbers and reported them to the Police, didn't you?

I spy flying pigs!!

Actually, I didn't. But you try to get the registration number of a car that passes you too close at 30+ mph (yes cars do go that fast) and remember the numbers by the time you've got home after completing your 48 mile ride!

 

I'm not trying to defend cyclists, because there are some total idiots out there. However, some of the comments about cyclists iare unjustified and people should read the highway code to see, not only what cyclists should be doing, but also what they as motorists should be doing.

 

I extend an invitation to Graham Davis to come and join me on a bike ride and see for himself, no flying pigs, a majority of very good motorists, but a few who are too impatient to wait for a second or two for a clear road in order to safely overtake.

[rusty69]

I’ve got a bike, you can ride it if you like
It’s got a basket, a bell that rings
And things to make it look good
I’d give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it
 

[Momac]

9 hours ago, dor said:

Do you remember when seat belt laws came in and people argued that they were safer being able to be thrown clear?  I don't think anyone would argue against the benefit of seat belts today.

I understand not wearing seat belts is common among van drivers and their passengers .

After a recent accident ,involving a company van ,someone I know  had to inform the employees of the company  they must wear  a seat belt . 

 

Back to cycling - I don't think anyone should be banned from the road but everyone should use the highway  responsibly.

I am an occasional cyclist, only go slow , try to use cycle paths rather than the road where possible  , and confess to not owning a crash helmet.

 

[dor]

44 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

I’ve got a bike, you can ride it if you like
It’s got a basket, a bell that rings
And things to make it look good
I’d give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it
 

I know a mouse and he hasn't got a house

I don't know why I call him Gerald.

He's getting rather old but he's a good mouse.

 

[roland elsdon]

Ok so im going out to upset everyone. In my training for the uci world championships in varese italy on 2 september, (amateur masters)  going to remove my crash helmet ( which i always wear and  switch off my 2 rear hi vis lights and front light (which i always use) take the bell off my training bike. More to the point to improve my impressive musculature ( i wish) i shall tow a zero emission sprite widecaravan with a pump out loo. By sticking to narrow lanes i will not be hit by suv (stupid ugly vehicle) from behind. I will stop every oncoming vehicle and point a camera at the occupants. 

I will laminate my professional qualifications and 1966 cycling proficiency certificate to the back window and a picture of my zero tax rated car that has no towbar

Avoid warwickshire northamptonshire leicestershire and oxfordshire

until i drive to italy in about 2 weeks.

apologies in advance but not doing anything illegal

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, roland elsdon said:

....................switch off my 2 rear hi vis lights and front light (which i always use) take the bell off my training bike.

Isn't that indicative of the stupid (lack of) regulations surrounding cycling.

 

When sold, a bike must by law, have a bell fitted, but once it leaves the shop the bell can be removed as there is no legal requirement for a bell to be fitted when the bicycle is used on the road.

However, as I'm sure you are aware, it is illegal to cycle after dark on a public highway without both lights and a reflector. Where to fit them and when to use them is defined by "Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations"

[peterboat]

10 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

If you cannot travel at the same speed as other vehicles on country lanes you are an obstruction. If you try to travel at the same speed, due to your increased stopping distance you are no longer travelling at a safe speed, simple really.

The law of the land thinks different they set the towing speed limits