London Banter - View Single Post - Institutionalised law-breaking using bikes

David Martin · October 16th 04, 11:14 PM posted to uk.transport.london,uk.rec.cycling

On 17/10/04 12:00 am, in article ,
"David Hansen" wrote:

On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 20:32:23 +0100 someone who may be "Solar
Penguin" wrote this:-

good old fashioned common sense?

"Common sense" is very common. However, that does not mean it is
sensible.

Strange how the so-called bigotry makes more sense than your response
too

I note that your loud words do not amount to a reasoned criticism of
Guy's page. Had you a better response I suspect that you would have
made it.

I have a lot of sympathy for the perceptions of the pedestrians, after all I
am one at various times. It is , however, often the case that perceptions
are misleading.

We know that in the lawless capital of the land down south that many more
pedestrians are injured by motor vehicles on the footway than by cycles. By
a few orders of magnitude.

Cyclists on the pavement or jumping red lights through streams of traffic
are irritating because they invade ones personal space and, much like
finding an insect where one wouldn't wish to, are annoying and in some cases
upsetting. They are however rarely harmful.

I suppose the reason they (the lawless proportion of cyclists) are prepared
to behave in such a manner is because they have been left with little
personal space of their own on the road, either by deliberate ceding of it
in order to make rapid progress through the traffic., or by having it taken
by motor vehicles cutting them up or buzzing past just a hairs breadth away.

The roads would be safer for all if cyclists used them more. And if a
presumption of guilt was placed upon motor vehicle operators for accidents.
(it would probably lead to reduced motor insurance premiums).

However, having said that, the OP has gone off the rails a bit, ranting on
about doing the unfeasible in search of the ineffectual, with the end result
the opposite of their original intent.

...d