Driving standards

[JDW]

Here's a fun one:

 

Look at this ped-cyclo-zebra crossing thing.

 

Some of it is a zebra crossing so cars should give way to pedestrians.

The cycle bit looks like it's part of the crossing except that it has give way markings so the crossing has no purpose unless motorists stop out of sheer confusion.

 

crossing.jpg

I do believe this is what's called a tiger crossing, because the first one was painted in yellow instead of white. I'm not sure if the cycle lane give way markings are standard, but it does seem a bit confused like that. The correct way to use it for a car driver is to treat it as a zebra. Stop before the dashed line, whether its a pedestrian or cyclist. Its pretty much the same as has been going on for years on the continent, especially (linking in nicely with the above post about side roads) where cycle lanes (or cycles on pavements) cross side roads - on the continent, of course, a car driver turning in to a side road would be expected to give way to the cyclist if its marked as a crossing, as is often the case in urban areas

[Guest]

But as soon as you put the cyclist on the pavement (either on a cycle path or because you've made it legal for cyclists to be on pavements) they have to give way at every single side road, watching out for traffic coming from at least three directions at once (leaving the side road, and entering from the main road in both directions). This slows things down and possibly actually makes it more dangerous.

http://wcc.crankfoot.xyz/facility-of-the-month/September2010.htm

 

http://wcc.crankfoot.xyz/facility-of-the-month/September2007.htm

[njee20]

Yep, definitely only wits wouldn't use those!

 

Loads of good ones here.

[kevinlms]

Unusual load falls off truck.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-06/aircraft-engine-falls-off-truck-in-sydney-oversize-load/7819876

 

That would go down well with the owners!

 

Edit to add.

 

Apparently it belongs to an Airbus A330, going by the number on the left, so its got to be worth a significant sum!

 

Further information. I'm told it was destined for the RAAF.

Edited September 6, 2016 by kevinlms

[peanuts]

Unusual load falls off truck.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-06/aircraft-engine-falls-off-truck-in-sydney-oversize-load/7819876

 

That would go down well with the owners!

 

Edit to add.

 

Apparently it belongs to an Airbus A330, going by the number on the left, so its got to be worth a significant sum!

DVSA would have a field day with that one tea and biscuits with Beverley Bell from the transport manager down one suspects 

[Reorte]

The awkward thing about providing cycling infrastructure is that youv'e got two not that uncommon extremes. These are cyclists whose speeds and progress are more akin to fast pedestrians, and ones whos speed and progress is more akin to motorised traffic, particularly in urban areas, and everything else inbetween.

[PhilJ W]

The awkward thing about providing cycling infrastructure is that youv'e got two not that uncommon extremes. These are cyclists whose speeds and progress are more akin to fast pedestrians, and ones whos speed and progress is more akin to motorised traffic, particularly in urban areas, and everything else inbetween.

Thats why motor vehicles are regulated as to speed and where the speed limits are higher there is often multiple lanes. Multiple lane cycleways would be a none starter on the grounds of cost and speed limits for bicycles would be unenforcable.

[Guest]

I despair sometimes.

Driver with eight convictions for driving while using a phone finally taken off the road only once he'd killed someone.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/05/van-driver-with-eight-convictions-for-using-his-phone-at-the-whe/

 

Bus driver driving along while using a betting app on his phone.

 

https://twitter.com/Diogo_pit/status/773114632659726336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

[Horsetan]

I despair sometimes.

Driver with eight convictions for driving while using a phone finally taken off the road only once he'd killed someone.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/05/van-driver-with-eight-convictions-for-using-his-phone-at-the-whe/

 

Bus driver driving along while using a betting app on his phone.

 

https://twitter.com/Diogo_pit/status/773114632659726336?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

Can't say I'm surprised, based on the things I regularly see on the A406 between here and work.

[Guest]

That's some hairy parking right there.

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/09/us/car-dangles-off-parking-garage-austin-irpt/

 

And a poorly designed car park.

[Re6/6]

I despair sometimes.

 

Driver with eight convictions for driving while using a phone finally taken off the road only once he'd killed someone.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/05/van-driver-with-eight-convictions-for-using-his-phone-at-the-whe/

 

 

Penalties for such crimes are a joke. The magistrates who let this despicable individual off most recently should be having sleepless nights after having been weakly influenced by such a serial offender.

 

Use of hand-held phones whilst driving should be punishable by a lifetime driving ban. That's it and all about it. There is little or no deterrent regarding this crime since one rarely sees a police presence on the roads these days.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Got cut up by a car whilst cycling this morning. As he went away I noticed he had a "Think Bike" sticker on the rear screen.

[royaloak]

Penalties for such crimes are a joke. The magistrates who let this despicable individual off most recently should be having sleepless nights after having been weakly influenced by such a serial offender.

 

Use of hand-held phones whilst driving should be punishable by a lifetime driving ban. That's it and all about it. There is little or no deterrent regarding this crime since one rarely sees a police presence on the roads these days.

Maybe the Judge should be questioned as to the reasons he didnt ban/imprison the person sooner?

[ParkeNd]

Maybe the Judge should be questioned as to the reasons he didnt ban/imprison the person sooner?

 

I get the impression that a man's life is worth a certain amount - until he get's on a bike after which time it's worth a lot less. I have even heard cyclists being killed by motor vehicles being summed up as "Tough - wrong place at the wrong time"

[royaloak]

I get the impression that a man's life is worth a certain amount - until he get's on a bike after which time it's worth a lot less. I have even heard cyclists being killed by motor vehicles being summed up as "Tough - wrong place at the wrong time"

Any crime involving a car is treated a lot more leniently than using anything else whether accidentally or on purpose.

 

Edit-

Sometimes it is the cyclists fault, I have had one cycle through a give way at speed and hit the side of my car on the passenger door, he still tried to say it was my fault and then attempted to cycle off but fell off when the buckled front wheel jammed.

 

\we had one a few years ago who was killed by a car making a right turn, okay that is down to the car but there was a perfectly good cycle lane on the pavement the other side of the dual carriageway that nobody used, so in that case it was the wrong place at the wrong time because he should have been on the cycle path provided.

Edited September 10, 2016 by royaloak

[PhilJ W]

Any crime involving a car is treated a lot more leniently than using anything else whether accidentally or on purpose.

There has been another crossing accident on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, fortunately this time without any deaths or serious injury. Unlike on two previous similar accidents where the train drivers were killed. Neither of the car drivers were prosecuted for causing death by dangerous driving.

[stewartingram]

I remember the time I was applauded by the crowd crossing the road outside Kings Cross towards MacDonalds. I was lugging around my works toolcase (rather like a rigid suitcase), the lights changed to a Green Man, and I pushed it off the kerb to cross. Mr Lycraman at over 20mph has come down Grays Inn Road - the red light is therefore quite a distance away - and doesn't stop. He shouted loudly at the crowd crossing to move, but my toolcase went through his front wheel and he came off, most displeased with me.

 

Stewart.

 

ps we all left him to sort himself out.

[coachmann]

Council estates used to be fun. When I had a business phone installed, the GPO erected a pole outside my front garden. We were awakened one Sunday morning with a repeated "f*kc off" interrupted by a bump - bump - bump as a lad drove his car repeatedly into said post. Partway up the post was his pa...

 

In the early hours of another morning a drunk drove into the pack of my Ford Capri, not that it woke me up.  The front of my car rose up and came down on the back of a small council van. Several things then happened. Drunk driver drove his wreck to a crushing plant down the coast - no evidence to examine!  Police warned me to stay away from said drunk and not smack him! Council claimed off me for 'crashing into their van' even though I was in bed!  The drunk had no road tax or insurance. I got a real £££'s whamming all round. 

 

One afternoon someone we didn't know kept whizzing up and down the street on his chopper. Bloke next door warned him to stop otherwise someone would be injured. He was right. A stick went through the front spokes and the cyclist sailed through the air with the greatest of ease...

Edited September 11, 2016 by coachmann

[duncan]

Another 2 cyclists this morning competing for the Darwin Award.

 

Misty, with pale white sky & no colour in the countryside, what are they wearing - white tops & black trousers, no lights of course.  

 

It was pure luck I saw a shadowy movement, & as I was not travelling quickly, was able to slow. 

[njee20]

we had one a few years ago who was killed by a car making a right turn, okay that is down to the car but there was a perfectly good cycle lane on the pavement the other side of the dual carriageway that nobody used, so in that case it was the wrong place at the wrong time because he should have been on the cycle path provided

*facepalm*

 

He "shouldn't" have been anywhere. Cycle paths are optional, thank god (again). Yes, if he'd been on the cycle lane the driver turning across him wouldn't have killed him, but that's just victim blaming to the extreme. I personally think stab victims are to blame. They shouldn't have been in the space occupied by the knife, then they'd all still be alive. Wrong place, wrong time. See also soldiers. They shouldn't have got in the way of the bullets. More fool them.

 

Penalties for drivers who kill are certainly laughable. Definitely the way to commit murder, just give your intended victim a bike and mow them down. You'll get called naughty and fined £3.60.

 

He shouted loudly at the crowd crossing to move, but my toolcase went through his front wheel and he came off, most displeased with me.

And he got everything he deserved. This is definitely the stuff of tabloid journalism in the main though (not doubting your account). In thousands of miles cycled in London I've never once heard a cyclist jumping a red light and shouting at pedestrians. A minority do jump lights, and deserve fines, just like the drivers who speed/jump lights, and frankly the zombie pedestrians who walk out blindly far too often!

[Horsetan]

.... frankly the zombie pedestrians who walk out blindly far too often!

How many are glued to their phones...?

[peanuts]

bloody cyclists wandering all over the road without proper hi vis clothing or lights took me an hour to get past these idiots today 

 

 

[4630]

. 

Edited November 12, 2016 by 4630

[peanuts]

Cos the swmbo awoke from her nap and demanded so

[PhilJ W]

bloody cyclists wandering all over the road without proper hi vis clothing or lights took me an hour to get past these idiots today 

 

 

Thats called riding four abreast.