A Crash Course in Cycling (or, why everyone should be a cyclist)

Cycling and cyclists is one of the most misunderstood philospophies in the UK. Like LGBT, Feminists, Audi drivers, cyclists are a classic "minority outrgroup" who suffer from overgeneralistaions of negative behaviour and attributes.

Such outgroups are common tragets for the less intelligent journalist, such as ranting and raving about asylum seekers or those reliant on social security. Sure, there are members of that population which are negative and engage in damaging behaviour, but it is not really fair to make such assumptions of everyone.

So what does a cyclist want?

Cyclists should have the same rights and repsonsibility as car drivers
Cyclists should have the same consideration for road infrastructure
Cyclists should not be subjected to discrimination or abuse simply because they ride bikes

So there you have it the cycling philosphy isn't about car hating ideology, but simply and ideal that we should not be discriminated against because you choose an alternative mode of transport. There are more extreme views who rather than demand equality to car drivers what they should have superior rights for socio-economic reasons.

Yes cyclists should have a registration so they are traceable when they've done criminal damage and failed to stop, or so they can have cameras enforce their failure to obey red lights.
And the removal of advance stop lines.

Good Idea Wolfie, equality for all.

More cars run red lights than cyclists and the effect of a car/lorry running a red light is much worse than a cyclist. Though to be honest it doesn't bother me as cyclists should stop at the red lights.

Registration plates I am not so sure of. On the one had yes to have accountability is a good thing, it might just force car drivers to give them the same respect as they do for each other. The problem comes with whether or not it is a good thing for society.

The scheme would have a lot of problems would I be able to have one registration for all of my bikes or would each one need its own registration? Then the problem is that every bike would need to be registered all the way down to toddlers tricycles.

The question is whether or not this scheme is good for society? Cycling is a good thing for society, this is unquestionable (well it is able to be questioned but the arguments against are not as strong as the arguments for) so society must encourage its use. So they scheme must be sufficiently simple that it does not deter people.

Advanced Stop Lines are sightly worrysome. The number of times I get into the box to find that there is already a car in there is tiresome (whether they did so legally or no is debateable), but the whole purpose of them is to enable cyclists to get away ahead of traffic, now if that is occupied it is unclear what the cyclists should do. Should they slink into the box and move off as if it were empty or should they push on the minimum distance to clear the car in the box and move off when the lights change? Certainly the intention of the law is to allow cyclists to move off infront of cars so taht is unclear.
There is the problem that they are also almost the indentical shape to a HGV's blind spot.
I use them regularly and they help me get ahead of cars, and certainly if I am turning across traffic they are brilliant.

Yeah it's an interesting thing with the blind spot.
And as you say, as a responsible cyclist it makes little difference to you with the red lights/accountability.
A plate per person or even household seems fair enough, maybe bring it in from an age where you can actually be pursued for the infractions?

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Originally Posted by Wolfshade

Cycling and cyclists is one of the most misunderstood philospophies in the UK. Like LGBT, Feminists, Audi drivers, cyclists are a classic "minority outrgroup" who suffer from overgeneralistaions of negative behaviour and attributes.

Such outgroups are common tragets for the less intelligent journalist, such as ranting and raving about asylum seekers or those reliant on social security. Sure, there are members of that population which are negative and engage in damaging behaviour, but it is not really fair to make such assumptions of everyone.

So what does a cyclist want?

Cyclists should have the same rights and repsonsibility as car drivers
Cyclists should have the same consideration for road infrastructure
Cyclists should not be subjected to discrimination or abuse simply because they ride bikes

So there you have it the cycling philosphy isn't about car hating ideology, but simply and ideal that we should not be discriminated against because you choose an alternative mode of transport. There are more extreme views who rather than demand equality to car drivers what they should have superior rights for socio-economic reasons.

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I'm laughing IRL reight now, because this scans so much like the intro to the feminism thread.
I agree BTW, I'm a pedestrian through and through.
I'd cycle if it was even vaguely safe on the roads. (My wife cycled to work for a year, got hit by a car twice. Neither even stopped)
But things like adults cycling on the pavement, or zipping through pedestrian crossings etc really makes my blood boil.
Therefore I agree entirely, all cyclists and bicycles should be subject to enforced ordinances, and should receive better rights as road users and input into civic planning.

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Originally Posted by Kaptain Badrukk

I'm laughing IRL reight now, because this scans so much like the intro to the feminism thread.
I agree BTW, I'm a pedestrian through and through.
I'd cycle if it was even vaguely safe on the roads. (My wife cycled to work for a year, got hit by a car twice. Neither even stopped)
But things like adults cycling on the pavement, or zipping through pedestrian crossings etc really makes my blood boil.
Therefore I agree entirely, all cyclists and bicycles should be subject to enforced ordinances, and should receive better rights as road users and input into civic planning.

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Kaptin maybe you should check [URL="http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?24355-Wolfie-s-Guide-to-Thread-De-Railment"]this[/URL] and [URL="http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?24231-Abbey-Home-Studios-Warmace-400C"]this[/URL] for some of his earlier parody work

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Originally Posted by Kaptain Badrukk

I'm laughing IRL reight now, because this scans so much like the intro to the feminism thread.

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Happy coincidence ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaptain Badrukk

I agree BTW, I'm a pedestrian through and through.

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You have even more problems then, I am talking of road design and consideration of paths of desire and traffic enginerring and research and junk.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kaptain Badrukk

I'd cycle if it was even vaguely safe on the roads. (My wife cycled to work for a year, got hit by a car twice. Neither even stopped)
But things like adults cycling on the pavement, or zipping through pedestrian crossings etc really makes my blood boil.
Therefore I agree entirely, all cyclists and bicycles should be subject to enforced ordinances, and should receive better rights as road users and input into civic planning.

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Well this part basically sums up the issue. People cycle on footways (not pavements, the terminology is strage but it is a footway you walk on most probably ;) ) because they don't feel safe, this brings them into conflict with pedestrians who are more vulnerable and travelling much slower. Perhaps if they had better infrastructure the cyclist would feel safer on the road...

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Originally Posted by Psychosplodge

Kaptin maybe you should check [URL="http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?24355-Wolfie-s-Guide-to-Thread-De-Railment"]this[/URL] and [URL="http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?24231-Abbey-Home-Studios-Warmace-400C"]this[/URL] for some of his earlier parody work

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I had forgot the how to derail thread...

How ever there is a semi-serious point that I am tired of being hit by 'bus.

Again?

What number Bus?
Do you think the bus companies should give better training?