[malcolmfrost]

Remember that walkers, horse riders and cyclists are entitled to be on the road, car drivers have to be licensed!

[avtur3]

A couple of years ago. when we moved from suburbia of the northwest to the leafy backwaters of mid-Sussex I genuinely thought that I would rekindle my cycling interests of years gone by. The reality is quite different, certainly there are many cyclists on the main roads but seeing how impatient car drivers are reduces the appeal of wanting to cycle on them myself. We actually live on a very minor unclassified road leading directly to many other similar roads but seeing how these roads are used as race tracks by many also leaves me feeling that I would feel very unsafe riding on them. The only answer is to drive to specific cycle paths which is quite doable but takes away from the spontaneity of just going out for a ride.

[malcolmfrost]

I do around 5000 km a year around SW Surrey and it’s pretty good here, I wear bright clothing and use lights to make myself more visible. The main problem is poor judgement resulting in bad overtaking which is more of a danger for the oncoming traffic than me!

[Red]

[quote="avtur3"]A couple of years ago. when we moved from suburbia of the northwest to the leafy backwaters of mid-Sussex I genuinely thought that I would rekindle my cycling interests of years gone by. The reality is quite different, certainly there are many cyclists on the main roads but seeing how impatient car drivers are reduces the appeal of wanting to cycle on them myself. We actually live on a very minor unclassified road leading directly to many other similar roads but seeing how these roads are used as race tracks by many also leaves me feeling that I would feel very unsafe riding on them. The only answer is to drive to specific cycle paths which is quite doable but takes away from the spontaneity of just going out for a ride.[/quote}

Exact same experience, moved to a Rural town 5 years ago and there are far fewer places to cycle safely the small country roads are deathtraps, as you said, it ruins the' just go out for a bimble' aspect.
One of the things I miss about the city and suburbs

[Trent772]

OK,

.... When the current Mrs T (36 years wed tomorrow btw) ......

Completely off-topic but Mrs Avtur and myself also 'celebrate' 36 years the same day .... today as it is now.

There is a coincidence !

Happy Anniversary

When I met my Missus, she was having an affair with my best mate. He didn't leave his wife, our doris dumped him and I caught her on the rebound She is 9 1/2 years older than me, but she was an advertising director and had a brand new XR3i, so I thought - hmmmm, worth a go.

Something must have worked as we are still best pals, without her I couldn't have entered commercial aviation, without me, she couldn't enjoy the retirement we are both enjoying !

This ain't a rehearsal for anything - just get on with life and stay friends

[Trent772]

Good input, still think it would be polite if cyclists announce their presence and definitely, stay off the pavement.

BTW, anyone following me will certainly have a chuckle, I have these - very prominent at night for visibility !

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/352869140183?c ... ZsQAvD_BwE

[kanga]

When we were in Maryland in '80s, we were living in a planned development where residential streets were all wide, well paved, 25mph limits, diligently observed by almost everyone. Yet it was common to see people in full lycra driving their fullsize V8 wagons to a park, unload their evidently expensive bikes, ride them round one of many designated cycling courses (also well paved/graded) of various lengths, return to the parking lot, reload the bikes, and drive home.

One of my colleagues had noted on earlier business trips that this development was connected to our usual workplace by narrow (by US standards) back roads usually quiet. He was a keen cyclist, so when he also arrived for a long tour he brought his commuting bike over. He rode it to work once during his first week, and discovered how unused US drivers (then) were to sharing the road with a cyclist. He never tried it again

Ottawa, on the other hand, was very bike-friendly. I commuted by bike all the snow-free months, along designated well maintained cycle routes, either segregated or connecting what were cul-de-sacs for motor vehicles, with tunnels or bridges to cross major roads; and Ottawa drivers were nearly always respectful. . Some of my Canadian colleagues bicycled all year! Mind you, some skated to work in winter, as our DND/MDN office was close to the frozen canal.

[Cowshed]

What I detest is the mixing of pedestrians and cyclists on the same bit of pavement. It doesn’t work for either group. Near us there is long 'footpath' along the River Severn between lines of mature trees. When we first moved here it was just an ordinary unpaved path, generally used by dog walkers and joggers – then tarmac was laid to make it part of the national cycle network. Now it is bl**dy race track. When you are walking along it you need to be as alert as a Spitfire pilot about to be jumped from behind.

[mick w]

I lived in a small village as a kid , & we would congregate in the pitch black , the pending arrival of the Bobby was the ticking of his Sturmey Archer on his unlit Bicycle .

[Flying_john]

problem is poor judgement resulting in bad overtaking which is more of a danger for the oncoming traffic than me!

I think the worry, when we are out on our bikes is that when the cars overtaking us are faced with an oncoming car they will swerve into the left rather than hitting the oncoming car. I guess the thought process is the precious car is not going to get so badly damaged if they hit the "soft" cyclist who is too far out anyway to allow me to get past !

[malcolmfrost]

I blame the low level of automatics! Drivers slow down, but don’t change down and then try to accelerate from 10mph in 4th

[JoeC]

It must be a cyclists dream at the moment. Very little traffic and countryside roads all to themselves.

[rikur_]

As far as I know, bells or something else are mandated by law.
In some countries pedestrians will shout at a cyclist if they pass from behind without giving a warning. And yet in the UK people take offence, as if the cyclist is demanding a clear path through.

I believe the wording is 'must carry an audible means of warning'.

Which I believe case law recently confirmed could be your gob

[malcolmfrost]

I used to cough loudly, but that's not appropriate now so I tend to whistle!

[Bill McCarthy]

At about four feet away play a 300 decibel recording of a Rottweiler. That should do the trick.

My pet hate is the pedestrian who PURPOSELY strolls into my path when I’m driving in town, knowing that they are holding me up just for the hell of it. When they get just past the front bumper, they think they have achieved their objective , then I give them a two second blast on the horn which invariably makes them jump out of their skin. Take that you bast...... !