Cyclists causing traffic problems
 

I had to go into Oxford this morning and at the time I usually go the traffic is not to bad. Today it was a complete crawl, not extra traffic just cyclists, as soon as the mass of cars got past the first one there was another and then again and then another. With traffic coming the other direction and the width of the road was the problem,



I know the rules with the 1.5m is there to protect them and I agree something had to be done but as most people cant judge 1.5m most give at least double that and because of the width of the road this causes traffic problems.


Has anybody else noticed this since the campaign on cycle safety.

Certainly have, except that in my case it is on the narrow country roads on a Sunday morning when they proceed in convoy. There will be more accidents as motorists get frustrated.

Whilst in the UK recently on a normal road, two cyclists were riding two abreast and well separated from each other so taking up the complete side of the road. They made no attempt to go into single file or close up to each other. It appears that they were of the mindset that due to the new laws they can be as disruptive as they like and cause as much of a hold up as they like:shrug:

Followed one into the next town recently. Gave him plenty of room when I passed him. Little further on there was a set of temporary traffic lights on red. I stopped behind a works van and watched as said cyclist passes me with somewhat less than 1.5m and did the same the the van, not slowing down. Carried on over the lights on red too. Would have loved to stop him and ask why he thought the rules of the road didn't apply to him.

Also saw one exit a one way street incorrectly recently, how the Bini in front of me missed him I don't know.

Cyclists are causing long tailbacks on some roads near us. It's really bad when they're on a hill with poor visibility as they grind up the hill in gear 21!

Some cyclists on the road are claiming their space with what seems like a half-challenging militant attitude. That seems to be foolish, an attitude of ‘if you kill me, it’s your fault’. Also it seems the old fashioned method of pedestrians and wheelchairs only on pavements has suddenly been waived in favour of bikes and electric scooters using pavements as dodgem tracks. Tempted to adopt an elbows-out self defence mode.

I had a similar experience yesterday. Came round a bend that has restricted visibility to find a large van coming towards me, on the correct side of the road, and a runner directly opposite the van, coming towards me on my side of the road. The runner made no attempt to move off the road, didn’t even slow down, it he did provide me with an ideal opportunity to test the new brakes I fitted the day before ( callipers, discs, pads on front).
The idiot just smirked- I like what has been written above ‘ it’s you fault if you kill me’. That’s just how it felt.
Brakes worked well, fortunately for both of us.

I have not noticed any difference.

macafee2

I thought Oxford and its dreaming spires was famous for its cyclists? But if we all cycled would there be any traffic jams?


(NB From a cyclist for 70 years)

The city is fine for cyclists, its the roads that enter Oxford that is problem.