Like many cyclists on the UK today, I did my Sunday ride wearing a black armband to honour the four riders from Rhyll CC killed last Sunday when a car hit them. More details here on the British Cycling website.
Cyclists are so vulnerable on the road; any idiot in a car can ruin a life in a moment without harming themself, and very often they will hardly be punished. The accident in North Wales follows too closely Zak Carr's death in Norfolk last October. These riders were experienced cyclists, not kids wobbling all over the road.
And yes, we do pay taxes to maintain the roads, like everybody else. You wouldn't believe the number of people who yell from the safety of their steel box 'you shouldn't be on the road' and 'you don't even pay road tax' as though their right to pollute the atmosphere with noise and fumes and litter chucked out the window is greater than our right to enjoy the countryside in peaceful, harmless endeavour.
Having said that, the drivers in the Suffolk lanes are noticeably more considerate towards cyclists than many in Hertfordshire, where I've done most of my cycling, and mercifully fewer in number. If you're one of the former, thanks.
3 comments:
When I am a motorist I notice how many cyclists especially young children who don't have any lights on their bikes and ride in the dark. It seems as if many bikes don't have lights as standard anymore.
When I am a cyclist I am increasingly scared to ride a bike around town unless it is on the cycle paths. Many of the narrow roads now have cars parked on both sides so you are forced to ride down the centre and cars won't wait.
Thanks for the podcast, I will be downloading when I get home. I am an ex-pat living on west coast of Canada since 2003, amd MISSING home (Mildenhall). Thanks for the blog
A lot of cyclists - and I'm not just talking 'pleasure' cyclists out for the day as a family - ride two abreast on busy roads.
Now I know that the Highway Code says that cyclists should "not ride more than two abreast", but it also says that they should "ride in single file on narrow or busy roads".
The Code also suggests - note that the Highway Codes is not a list of laws - that cyclists should "show courtesy to other road users".
So if your actions hinder others you are behaving irrresponsible, as do some motorists when they pass too close and too fast.
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