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

[Psychosplodge]

That's it. Upset the people that won't get hurt if they clip you...

[Wolfshade]

Well yes I did think it was akin to wearing a red shirt in a bull run / away mission.

[Psychosplodge]

probably...

[Wolfshade]

The single most bizarre exchange in the London Assembly that I have seen.

[Wolfshade]

So one knee jerk reaction after another.

Borris considers banning lorries at peak times. For some context, lorries make up about 5% of london's traffic and yet are involved in the majority of collisions, London is Europes largest construction site and the lorries are needed to continue to feed the construction, a lot of these drivers get paid by the trip so are encouraged (or is that incentivised (shudder)) to make the journey as quick as possible.

and

Zero Tolerance Policing in the Capital, next week only. (that was supposed to be said in the deep trailer voice over voice). Traffic officers will be on duty on every major street, looking out for drivers using mobile phones, stopping in Advanced Stop Line ‘bike boxes’ and cyclists riding on the inside of HGVs. Given the previously highlighted lack of awareness of rules of the road I am not sure this is going to do anything. Also, why not do it continually, it is simple policing and can generate quite a nice revenue stream and the only way to enforce a certain behaviour.

[Psychosplodge]

Because its a lot more effort than sitting behind a camera in the back of the van getting someone doing 34mph in a 30mph zone.

[Wolfshade]

I will accept that a lot of drivers while less safe while on the phone are not dangerous a blurry line of distincition, but Tuesday I follow a white van with the driver on the phone and it was a nightmare. So, he drives past me on his phone, I am waiting to join the road he is on and I think, oh he is on the phone, he turns left without signalling, then meanders down the road all the while straddeling the white line, this road is wide enough to pass parked cars without crossing the white line down teh centre, then suddenly he brakes swings right and turns left. At no point did he ever get up to speed, indeed I usually cycle down that particular stretch faster than he was driving. It was seeing such appaling driving that makes me glad it was the middle of the day with no one around.

[Psychosplodge]

But was it the van, the phone, or both affecting his driving?

[Wolfshade]

Who knows, I would assume that it must be 'phone otherwise he wouldn't have passed a driving licence.

[Psychosplodge]

You'd think, but the number of people that change lane without even a glance in their mirror or over their shoulder is so high licence possession means nothing...