Jump to content

Death By Dangerous Cycling - New Laws


Featured Posts

13 hours ago, Murflynn said:

our local parks tolerate bikes but suggest 10mph maximum. 

Towpaths were designed for folk and horses going at walking speed - I cannot see why anyone using the towpath should not be limited to that - and pavements and or any other 'footpath'.  or at least a rule that cyclists dismount when passing pedestrians.  Seems entirely counterintuitive that boaters are encouraged to slow to about 2mph to pass moored boats - because of the inherent risks involved, but cyclists can tinkle a bell and whizz past at 15.  

  • Greenie 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, MHS said:

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. 

Unlike boaters - many caravanners have had to take a separate driving test* - part of which includes safely & accurately reversing the combination**.

 

*If you passed your driving test after 1/1/97 you are not allowed to tow a trailer in excess of 750kg

 

**"During your car and trailer driving test, you’ll have to manoeuvre your car and trailer into a restricted space and stop at a certain point.

This diagram shows the start and end point for the reversing exercise, and where cones will be positioned".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, peterboat said:

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

I think part of the problem is dim car drivers who live in blissful ignorance of the law don't actually realise this and curse caravanners because they dont realise we are generaly restricted to 10mph less than they are.

 

(We used to have to display a 50 sticker back when I first started caravanning just to remind them).

 

Of course this only really matters on single carriageway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, nbfiresprite said:

No such thing as Road Tax. It is Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) Which is based on CO2 EMISSIONS per kilometer.  Rate of duty will be calculated based on the vehicle’s CO2 emissions not the driver. The bottom rate is zero.

Vehicle emissions are based on the engine,  where for a bike, the cyclist is the 'engine', where CO2 emission is quite high - more so when pedaling hard.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

French motorists are-were also very considerate to bicyclists. I think the law there is usually in the cyclists favour if they're hit by a vehicle. I remember a bunch of us cycling along a narrowish lane in France where we seemed to hold up a Citroen 2CV for miles and miles. It was either too frightened to overtake us or it couldn't go fast enough to do it.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

If you cannot travel at the same speed as other vehicles on country lanes you are an obstruction. 

Good point.  I don't therefor expect to be shouted down in cycling discussions when I describe them as obstructions

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Towage of caravans is minority and generally a summer season thing anyway. Its the horrid, enormous SUV things that charge around all year round and jam up everthing with usually just one person in it trying to look important. They're getting wider and wider too, as are nearly all modern vehicles. Certain so called large performance cars as as wide as a bus and can hold up traffic behind them for miles because they're too wide to pass parked vehicles with enough clearance.

Edited by bizzard
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Jerra said:

Good point.  I don't therefor expect to be shouted down in cycling discussions when I describe them as obstructions

You may like to read the Highways Act 1980 for definition of an obstruction of a highway.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/part/IX/crossheading/obstruction-of-highways-and-streets/enacted

 

alternatively :

 

Obstruction : Any unauthorized obstruction that hinders the use of a public highway, such as a fence, gate, or ditch, is illegal and constitutes a Nuisance. ... In a number of jurisdictions the obstruction of highways is a criminal offense.

 

A slow moving vehicle is not an obstruction.

 

The Highway code mentions as follows :

 

The Highway Code asks slow moving vehicles to pull in when safe to allow traffic to pass. Rule 169:“Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. “Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.”

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

You may like to read the Highways Act 1980 for definition of an obstruction of a highway.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/66/part/IX/crossheading/obstruction-of-highways-and-streets/enacted

 

alternatively :

 

Obstruction : Any unauthorized obstruction that hinders the use of a public highway, such as a fence, gate, or ditch, is illegal and constitutes a Nuisance. ... In a number of jurisdictions the obstruction of highways is a criminal offense.

 

A slow moving vehicle is not an obstruction.

 

The Highway code mentions as follows :

 

The Highway Code asks slow moving vehicles to pull in when safe to allow traffic to pass. Rule 169:“Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. “Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.”

Point of order M'Lud.  It wasn't me who said if you can't travel at the speed of the other road users you are an obstruction.  However using the definition of whoever posted (I can't be bothered to go back and look) all cyclists on all roads round here are obstructions.

 

They certainly don't obey rule 169!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cyclists are not obstructions

they are evolved human beings with wives children and dependents.

for a variety of reasons they use the roads legally, as do horseriders , walkers amd joggers, as well as various forms of vehicle.

no one has any more right than anyone else regardless of putative road charging.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Jerra said:

Point of order M'Lud.  It wasn't me who said if you can't travel at the speed of the other road users you are an obstruction.  However using the definition of whoever posted (I can't be bothered to go back and look) all cyclists on all roads round here are obstructions.

 

They certainly don't obey rule 169!

Cyclists do not have to obey Rule 169, they are allowed to ride 'in the middle of the road' to stop traffic overtaking if they consider it is not safe for the car to overtake them

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Cyclists do not have to obey Rule 169, they are allowed to ride 'in the middle of the road' to stop traffic overtaking if they consider it is not safe for the car to overtake them

 

 

At which point they become an obstruction.  Perhaps not in the law but under the definition of the word "a thing that impedes or prevents passage or progress; an obstacle or blockage."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When tackling steep hills we used to weave ZigZag from side to side all the way up which lessened the gradient and saved us dismounting to push the bike up. Motorists behind weren't very pleaed. We only did this when there was a mob or ''Pelliton'' of us, as the road racers call a bunch of em'', of us though cycling along so that motorists wouldn't dare to get mad and angry about it. Cycling along up hills individually we would get off and push it up, just in case. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, doratheexplorer said:

I have a newt called Tiny.

The old ones are the best. 

 

Crunchier! 

3 minutes ago, bizzard said:

When tackling steep hills we used to weave ZigZag from side to side all the way up which lessened the gradient and saved us dismounting to push the bike up.

You tacked your bike uphill? Very tackless! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.