Cyclists should abide by the rules of the road (From Wirral Globe)
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Cyclists should abide by the rules of the road
10:23am Wednesday 28th November 2012 in Letters
WITH all the complaints about drivers not giving cyclists enough room, I just had to submit a letter.
While driving past Arrowe Park last night towards Champions in the dark, there was a cyclist who had all the professional gear on but only had one small, dim red light on his bike.
He was wobbling into the road, so I didn't overtake until it was clear on the other side even though it is a wide road.
On driving past, I saw he had headphones on and to my horror was also texting!
When I had to stop at the traffic lights he was still texting and, because he was turning right, he proceeded to cycle between both lanes of traffic then continued into the middle of the T-junction and waited for the lights to change.
I thought cyclists had to abide to the same laws as motorists?
Name and address supplied.
Comments(7)
Dantealighieri
says...
10:51am Thu 29 Nov 12
No.9
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1:34pm Thu 29 Nov 12
Spiffy
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2:11pm Thu 29 Nov 12
Dantealighieri wrote:Dante you don't arf make me laugh and make a very good point. Texting while riding a bike ? Well, it just shouldn't oughta be allowed and if all else fails they could always go and snitch to their mum.
This is another example of basic common sense we have come to expect from Steady Cyclist. Instead of whinging to the press, this anonymous, yes exactly, anonymous, typically moronic motorists who didn't even have the guts to give a name, who, I bet, breaks every rule of the road even before getting into a car, has the cheek to criticise one of the Planet Saving Green Warriors of God, just because he was listening to music and texting, and wobbling around. How easy do you think it is to text when riding a bike? Another thing is show me in the Highway code anything that states you shouldn't text when riding a bike? Of course if this moron thinks there is some obscure petty rule against it he could have taken the cyclist's registration number, and reported him to the nearby police station, and they could have sent a patrol car out to look for him, or visited him at home later. Perhaps the driver didn't know there was a police station nearby, but now it's a POLICE station there can be no excuse.
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That said, in jest of course, I'd have no sympathy whatsoever if this moron had been knocked off his bike. They were pretty much begging for it.
don't look back in anger
says...
12:50pm Fri 30 Nov 12
Lovelo Bicycles
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4:53pm Sat 1 Dec 12
He could have been riding without due care and attention, but again that would be for a police officer to decide.
fenix uk
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5:48pm Thu 6 Dec 12
As to the other points you made - he did have a back light - and although it was dim - you did see it. Personally when I cycle I like mine to be pretty bright.
Wearing headphones aren't against the law - it might not be that sensible - but who's to say he was listening to anything and maybe not using them as ear muffs or a hands free device for his phone ? If he was in a car that would be fine.
He sounds stupid for texting whilst riding - but thats about all.
Unlike the van who overtook me at the weekend and deliberately swerved in as he came past to within inches of my bars. This was on a quiet road - no oncoming traffic and no reason for him to do that.
My view is that there are stupid people out there and some of them ride bikes and some of them drive cars.
Well done on your responsible overtaking - if only all motorists were that sensible.
steady cyclist says...
7:03pm Wed 28 Nov 12
We should all obey the rules of the road, but at least twice a day laws are ignored by most parents or carers of kids as they pick them up from schools around the wirral..