Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Categories
In this Discussion
Top Posters
- Arkady 5356
- miss annie 5139
- andy 4506
- Ali 3405
- krappyrubsnif 3208
- tosscat 2291
- David 2179
- ADGS 1875
- kreuzkav 1733
- Mirandola 1618
Comments
"following a collision between the woman and the vehicle."
I know a bike is a vehicle. And it's probably technically correct... But a ton and a half of metal hitting a a 70 year old on a push bike feels like it should be talked about more like when a pedestrian is hit.
I am not a lycra clad speed demon. I wear a helmet, hi viz jacket, and have front lights, back lights and battery operated fairy lights all over my bike frame and yet still some motorists fail to see me even though when everything is on the ISS would probably notice me. I cycle carefully and mostly in the bus lane or TfLs quiet routes as I don't want to be laying dead on a pavement because someone just didn't bother to look to see if they were sharing the road with someone else. Yes, a minority of cyclists are selfish and reckless just as a minority of motorists are. This doesn't mean that we should all be treated as if we don't deserve to be on the road.
I'd be in favour of motorists also doing cycling skills awareness as then you could see how difficult it sometimes is for a cyclist to take emergency evasive action when motorists do something to endanger us.
I agree with you @joust
I used to cycle but after a couple of near misses and a grunt by way of apology I didn't like the odds, it is much worse around the school run times as well.
I take my son to and from school in Gillespie Rd in a bike trailer, and perhaps because the trailer is hard to miss have had very few incidents with cars/vans, etc. (in fact, they are usually surprisingly respectful). The biggest danger, in my view, is pedestrians just stepping into the road heedlessly. They aren't always on their phones either.
I cycle into the City daily, way out of rush hour because of it: everyone demonises everyone else rather than bothering to collaborate.
You get a glimpse of how things could be when things go wrong: traffic light fail, snow etc, and people are forced to look out for each other, taking time, eye contact and usually much smilier and more pleasant.
From my enquiries, both the council and TfL deny they're responsible for it, so I've no idea who is. If it was made into a yellow box they could rake in the cash.
How hard can it be to stop at a red light? I've driven over that crossing and it's not difficult.
Agree re pedestrians stepping out, usually phone zombies. Last week, someone staring at their phone stepped off the kerb and stopped dead in the road to read something. Insane.
No one uses those cycle lanes under the bridge do they? Pedestrians don't even see what they are for. I use the road, or preferably Fonthill Rd - I come up the bit of Seven Sisters from Hornsey Rd junction to Fonthill. Fonthill Rd is very quiet at night.
As for statistics, @Ali , remember the saying, "There are lies, there are damned lies, and there are statistics"! I'm basing my opinion on the state of motoring just by being a frequent user of SGR, and observing in particular the intersection of SGR and Tollington Park—there has definitely been a decline in driving standards around here in the past twenty years or so (speeding through to beat the lights, breaking the lights, poor positioning for turning, dangerous overtaking, etc.) As for the increase in cycling, if there are proportionately fewer accidents, it may be because cyclists have been intimidated into using back roads. In other words, there's more cycling going on, but mostly on the routes that are considered safer. Cycle superhighways and using apps to determine safer and more pleasant routes are fine ideas, but cyclists still have the right to use any road as part of their route in safety.
As for the lanes under the bridge over SGR, I have often seen cyclists on them, but sometimes going in the wrong direction, thereby making themselves a hazard for other cyclists and pedestrians.
The problem with pedestrians walking on those cycle lanes is that unobservant pedestrians don't realise it's a cycle lane, and so blithely walk along it.
Actually there are two problems, the other being that during busy times, the pedestrian section isn't wide enough to contain the foot traffic. In the mornings there are many people rushing to get to work, and often the only way to overtake slower pedestrains (or pass others coming in the opposite direction) is to walk along the cycle lane.
Come to think of it there are three problems: From the Highway Code, it seems that cycle lanes are somewhat discretionary; pedestrians are allowed to walk along them (if the contrary were true, it would probably be impossible to enforce anyway). Not surprising, then, that you'll often see (frustrated?) cyclists opting to use the road instead of the cycle lane.
Four! Four problems, the fourth being the car wash just up SGR from the bridges: they often park cars partially on the pavement, narrowing the space and forcing pedestrians onto the cycle lane.
The most risible part of the pavement linking the two bus stations is the painted figures on the pavement (I think they're still there) indicating which side of it you should be walking on depending on your direction. They seem to have no effect.