He's behind you! Pro cyclist in disbelief after thinking he'd won... only for chasing rider to snatch victory on the line; Telegraph anti-cycling bingo; 5km stage race even we could finish; Stairway to heaven? Nope, just a cycleway + more on the live blog

the little onion wrote:

Do these people realise that cyclists are entitled- entitled to use the roads?

Bloody cyclists, wanting to get from A to B in a quick and convenient fashion and then they insist on not being walloped by some clueless drivist sat in their metal box and staring at their phone

I was shouted at the other morning by a gentleman walking his dog (well, I say 'walking' but his labrador was running excitedly around, completely untethered, on a shared-use path).

There was a bit of to-and-fro with him saying I'd given him the evil eye and me pointing out his dog should be under control, but it ended with him shouting that "You bl00dy cyclists think you control everything!".

(I don't know about everyone else here, but if cyclists did run everything then I think our urban areas and roads would look very different…).

brooksby wrote:

(I don't know about everyone else here, but if cyclists did run everything then I think our urban areas and roads would look very different…).

Well, different, certainly.

What people don't realise is that if cyclists did run everything* it would be better for driving (and walking) [video] [article].

* They don't do so even there - because there are probably proportionally no more "cyclists" there than here in the UK...

Are you sure? Everybody in the Netherlands cycles.

We spent some time in Friesland this summer and you could get around the whole region just by boat and bicycle if you chose. Sadly I couldn't take my bike with me.

Note quotes around "cyclists" and Chris Boardman's comments in the linked video... (difference between "fietser" and "wielrenner" approximately?)

brooksby wrote:

I was shouted at the other morning by a gentleman walking his dog (well, I say 'walking' but his labrador was running excitedly around, completely untethered, on a shared-use path).

There was a bit of to-and-fro with him saying I'd given him the evil eye and me pointing out his dog should be under control, but it ended with him shouting that "You bl00dy cyclists think you control everything!".

(I don't know about everyone else here, but if cyclists did run everything then I think our urban areas and roads would look very different…).

Hmmm - what would a cyclist utopia actually look like?

First, we'd change the traffic laws so that cyclists can treat traffic lights as "Give Way" signs (c.f. Idaho Stop laws) and similarly one-way signs would be optional though again it'd be a "proceed with caution" kind of scenario and without priority.

Supermarkets would have decent covered bike parking and maybe they could provide trailers for hire too for when you've accidentally bought too many tins of acorns.

Drivers would be encouraged to be patient, polite and welcoming to all the cyclists, even the unsure, wobbly ones as the drivers wouldn't be so stressed about their journeys as there'd be much less congestion on the roads.

The NHS would maybe start to recover from the malicious intent of the Tories as the population's health starts to improve due to the extra exercise and lack of air pollution. Even the rivers and waterways may become healthier due to far less tyre and brake pad particulates being washed into them.

Politics may turn around as people start to interract with their surroundings far more rather than just viewing them through a windshield. Maybe selfish people would be shunned rather than being celebrated and it could become common for people to help each other (e.g. do you want a hand with that puncture?). We could even start appreciating people that keep the roads and cycleways clear and maybe shortlist some of them for awards and honours rather than just rewarding political cronies.

Anything I've missed?

I don't think "idaho stop" and "cyclists just ignore some rules" is "utopia" at all!  That would be more like "cycle past traffic lights with no danger at all".

I like the idea of shops providing support for cargo transport!  However in reality this could be tricky.  Bizarrely (IMHO) the local Homebase laid on a cargo trike a few years back.  That was great for me but it didn't last long.  I think it was "too soon" and very few people used it plus it seemed the staff were baffled and it was not maintained (any public-use cycle stuff gets trashed really quickly).

Parking needs addressed - instead of "park and ride" we'd look to move to "train and cycle" (with your own or a public bike) or "cycle and walk".  Parking at home can be addressed in several ways - building regs, local (private) parking spaces etc.

"Drivers" - that's also an issue.  Here we have "cyclists" and "drivers" - or rather - "drivers" then everyone else.  Mentally changing that is vital so e.g. people are "just using the car today / this trip" where "car" is realistically interchangable with "cycle".

Many benefits for health - and the economy (local shopping) - await!

The more I look the more I think that other things need integrating (or "fixing" in the UK where we've let everything slide in favour of motor transport).  Public transport will be a major part.  How we maintain our streets (e.g. just letting utilities / private works "have at it" essentially ad-lib is not helping), planning regulations, how we view "development" as a whole...

I'd just suggest "copy what works".  So changing our overall philosophy / design goal of road transport.  That will mean some (mild) restrictions on ease of driving, a network of sufficient-quality cycling routes (on separate exclusively cycling infra where needed) which go where people need to go, feel safe and allow social travel - oh and sorting out junctions.

Although if we allow the existence of "reality" in this question (e.g. politics, change being very difficult / slow) then sadly we'll likely need to go step by step, repeating others' mistakes.  Luckily this process (getting there from here) has been covered in detail [article series with recommendations in part 3] [video] [njb video].

hawkinspeter wrote:

I think I just broke my irony meter with the idea that cyclists are the most entitled people, when we see examples every day of drivists refusing to accept that they can be held up for a couple of seconds on a journey. Or parking on a pavement so that no-one else can use it. Or not bothering to pay attention and then act surprised when they inevitably hit and injure/kill someone.

Cyclists are so selfish - WHY WON'T THEY GET OUT OF MY WAY.

She's spending a lot of time moaning.

Does she know that bikes involve chains, nipples and lube?

the little onion wrote:

Does she know that bikes involve chains, nipples and lube?

Not to mention copious amounts of rubber and leather…

Rendel Harris wrote:

the little onion wrote:

Does she know that bikes involve chains, nipples and lube?

Not to mention copious amounts of rubber and leather…

I'm sure she's never mounted one and gasped as she vigorously thrust towards the finish.

That's my recollection of her - she seemed fun-loving, commuting from Cambridge and always with her office to evening outfits.  Quite the come down.