Change to Highway Code and cyclists responsibilities

[dunnah01]

I wonder how cyclists will find out that they are now responsible for pedestrians safety?

Highway Code changes to see cyclists given more rights than motorists

A new 'hierarchy of road users' in the Code will also outline how responsibility rests with those who could potentially cause the most harm to others - with pedestrians ahead of cyclists, then horse riders.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[kevenh]

There’s an alternative discussion: “In The News Broken Link Removed”

 

[dunnah01]

There’s an alternative discussion: “In The News Broken Link Removed”

Banner from in there unfortunately

 

[POH]

Unbelievable , it will cause absolute chaos , it's bad enough now as most of them disregard the highway code , just been up in the dales and there was loads of cyclists on narrow ish roads riding two a breast and they wouldn't move which made me go further to the right than I thought was safe to overtake them otherwise I would have been behind them for about 5 miles imo this new rule should not see the light of day.

 

[Guigsy]

Unbelievable , it will cause absolute chaos , it's bad enough now as most of them disregard the highway code , just been up in the dales and there was loads of cyclists on narrow ish roads riding two a breast and they wouldn't move which made me go further to the right than I thought was safe to overtake them otherwise I would have been behind them for about 5 miles imo this new rule should not see the light of day.

If they'd been in a single file, they would have taken up twice the length, so you'd not be able to overtake them then either.

Or are you proposing overtaking them on a narrow lane without crossing the centreline in a wide vehicle?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[glenn2926]

If they'd been in a single file, they would have taken up twice the length, so you'd not be able to overtake them then either.

Or are you proposing overtaking them on a narrow lane without crossing the centreline in a wide vehicle?

Strange how cyclists expect vehicles to wait behind them, sometimes for miles before overtaking but on the canal bank they ring their bell and expect walkers to move over and let them pass.

 

[Beltie]

Unbelievable , it will cause absolute chaos , it's bad enough now as most of them disregard the highway code , just been up in the dales and there was loads of cyclists on narrow ish roads riding two a breast and they wouldn't move which made me go further to the right than I thought was safe to overtake them otherwise I would have been behind them for about 5 miles imo this new rule should not see the light of day.

Seems to work ok in just about every other European country.

 

[busby]

Never ever will cyclists and, drivers in the UK see eye to eye.I just don't understand it.Never have a problem cycling in Spain or France but ten mins on my bike in the UK and confrontation..What's this obsession with motorists ranting that cyclists don't pay road tax, what a pointless argument..they don't have to.The other argument is THEY are holding me up.They are really just delaying you getting to the next red light or traffic jam. Calm down a bit and just share the road.I know there are idiot cyclists just like idiot drivers but don't give yourself a heart attack ranting about it.BUSBY.

 

[rod_vw]

I have sympathy with intelligent cyclists but those who ride in camouflage colours in rural locations don't command any respect. I live in reasonably rural Shropshire and see many cyclists who are almost completely invisible when riding under trees on rural roads.

We (motorists) have had to have DRLS (Daytime Running Lights) on modern cars since 2011 but a cyclist can ride without any extra visibility, no lights or high vis markings. WHY?

 

[Langtoftlad]

I'd just like cyclists to be registered with a number plate, just like all other road users, so they can be identified when they transgress the new/old rules... and/or when they cause accidents.

With rights come responsibilities.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Helen Ariel]

Very sensible approach. The more danger you pose the more responsibility you have for others safety. Let's all take responsibility for our own actions eh and get on in the spaces that we share. There's no group of road users that are better than any other there are good and bad in each and the bad eggs spoil it for everyone so let's not get territorial.

 

[Helen Ariel]

I'd just like cyclists to be registered with a number plate, just like all other road users, so they can be identified when they transgress the new/old rules... and/or when they cause accidents.

With rights come responsibilities.

Yes let's do that for pedestrians too then

 

[Helen Ariel]

I have sympathy with intelligent cyclists but those who ride in camouflage colours in rural locations don't command any respect. I live in reasonably rural Shropshire and see many cyclists who are almost completely invisible when riding under trees on rural roads.

We (motorists) have had to have DRLS (Daytime Running Lights) on modern cars since 2011 but a cyclist can ride without any extra visibility, no lights or high vis markings. WHY?

I have sympathy with intelligent motorists but not the idiot ones who speed, go on their phone, drive without lights on in poor light and rain, close pass cyclists on narrow roads with blind bends because they can't arrive 2 minutes late....

 

[busby]

I have sympathy with intelligent cyclists but those who ride in camouflage colours in rural locations don't command any respect. I live in reasonably rural Shropshire and see many cyclists who are almost completely invisible when riding under trees on rural roads.

We (motorists) have had to have DRLS (Daytime Running Lights) on modern cars since 2011 but a cyclist can ride without any extra visibility, no lights or high vis markings. WHY?

That's a question for the law makers I think.I cannot understand why cyclists and motorcyclists do not wear hi-viz We have worn bright yellow hi Viz jackets for years.Still not seen or possibly ignored when cycling in UK.In Europe we are always given a wide berth my motorists.BUSBY.

 

[busby]

I'd just like cyclists to be registered with a number plate, just like all other road users, so they can be identified when they transgress the new/old rules... and/or when they cause accidents.

With rights come responsibilities.

You could say the same for pedestrians.If I am not mistaken when I visited Jersey back in the mid 50s cycles had number plates. Don't know if they still do. Would stop much bike theft and traffic light jumping.BUSBY.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[barsteward]

Seems to work ok in just about every other European country.

Agree and very valid comment but generally in Europe the infrastructure and availability of space have both been invested in. Here in Britain we have very little of either and that situation is only going to add to the anxiety of drivers as the population continues to explode.

 

[carolyn]

Strange how cyclists expect vehicles to wait behind them, sometimes for miles before overtaking but on the canal bank they ring their bell and expect walkers to move over and let them pass.

I‘m always pleased when they ring their bells on towpaths etc, I think it’s helpful. Often Nick and I will be walking next to one another chatting , we might not hear a bike but a bell will alert us to walk single file until the cyclist has passed. It’s all about courtesy and consideration of others. The bell might alert parents with young children or people with dogs.

I do think there might be confusion on the roads so I hope there is a big awareness campaign. Very happy to make roads safer for everyone.

 

[barsteward]

I‘m always pleased when they ring their bells on towpaths etc, I think it’s helpful. Often Nick and I will be walking next to one another chatting , we might not hear a bike but a bell will alert us to walk single file until the cyclist has passed. It’s all about courtesy and consideration of others. The bell might alert parents with young children or people with dogs.

I do think there might be confusion on the roads so I hope there is a big awareness campaign. Very happy to make roads safer for everyone.

Unless like me you are hard of hearing, a young woman a couple of weeks ago was very indignant because I didn't hear her behind me. She displayed all the characteristics of a driver with road rage, in fact she almost went for a swim!

 

[AndyPK]

I‘m always pleased when they ring their bells on towpaths etc, I think it’s helpful. Often Nick and I will be walking next to one another chatting , we might not hear a bike but a bell will alert us to walk single file until the cyclist has passed. It’s all about courtesy and consideration of others. The bell might alert parents with young children or people with dogs.

I do think there might be confusion on the roads so I hope there is a big awareness campaign. Very happy to make roads safer for everyone.

….but how many HAVE bells on their bicycles………?

 

[MattR]

I'd just like cyclists to be registered with a number plate, just like all other road users, so they can be identified when they transgress the new/old rules... and/or when they cause accidents.

With rights come responsibilities.

Number plates are not used used by any country around the world. The cost of administering such a schemes is far greater than any benefits. Number plates don't stop idiotic behaviour - just look at the number of car drivers that haven't number plates front and rear that break laws every day.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[carolyn]

Unless like me you are hard of hearing, a young woman a couple of weeks ago was very indignant because I didn't hear her behind me. She displayed all the characteristics of a driver with road rage, in fact she almost went for a swim!

I agree she was unreasonable but I meant that if you are a bit hard of hearing then the bell can help but obviously only up to a point! I am a nervous nellie on a bike and prefer to stick to cycle paths and the like , I’m not going very fast but certainly faster than walking pace. Lots are for shared use by walkers and cyclists and I must admit I thought that if a group of walkers was spread across the whole path then it was OK to ring my bell so that they would walk on one side and I could pass on the other. I don’t mean you but it sounds as though some of the bike haters think I ought to get off my bike and ask if I can get past and then get back on again. If it’s narrow I’m likely to do that anyway, I certainly wouldn’t expect anyone to jump into a hedge for me

 

[Ridgeway]

i gave up riding in the UK a while back. Last time we came over and I brought a bike with me the combination of rain, potholes and drivers trying to kill me kinda put me off cycling in my home country

I’ll stick to riding in countries where drivers seem to have a decent respect for other road users and have enough time to not always be under pressure to get to the supermarket or what ever….

I pity anyone that is unfortunate enough to have to survive on UK roads on a bicycle

Off for another ride this afternoon in the Alps where my only issue will likely be cows and where to find a good coffee stop

 

[phase3begins]

“….and drivers trying to kill me….”
really?

 

[MattR]

There are idiotic drivers, cyclists and pedestrians so we can't pretend one group is better than the other but from the perspective of a cyclist, this is what I experience regularly:

I wear fluorescent yellow cycling tops with black, contrasting shorts and white socks when cycling. My bike has front and rear lights that are on throughout my rides. They don't stop some car drivers passing so closely I can touch their vehicle as they do so and they don't stop drivers coming up closely behind and revving their engines to try and intimidate me. They also don't stop drivers shouting "single file" when I cycle two abreast, as recommend in the Highway Code.

I have bells on my bikes and use them to warn pedestrians of my approach. Many pedestrians are fine with me using it but some ignore it and block the route if they can, some are so absorbed in their thoughts that they don't respond until I've started over taking them and some don't hear as they wear headphones that block external noise or appear to be hard of hearing. You can't tell what will happen when you overtake; some folk will apologise for not moving earlier, some will give abuse and tell me to get a bell, despite me having used it several times as I approach them and some will jump into the verge thinking that they're going to be run over. All of the above can happen on shared paths and on cycle lanes on paths. Add into the mix dogs and children running lose or, to some extent, the worse situations of dogs on extendable leads and it gets more complicated... (and not mentioning the amount of puncture causing debris and overhanging vegetation on cycle paths).

 

[Ridgeway]

and Re the road positioning as mentioned in the HwC update, it’s long overdue. It’s been standard practice in most European countries I know to allow cyclists to use the entire lane when needed ie prior to a roundabout or other junction, it’s something I do as common everyday practice

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Geistguy]

Strange how cyclists expect vehicles to wait behind them, sometimes for miles before overtaking but on the canal bank they ring their bell and expect walkers to move over and let them pass.

Cyclists with a bell ?! Never heard of that before

 

[busby]

Cyclists with a bell ?! Never heard of that before

I thought well back in Tony Blair's day a law was introduced to make the fitting of a bell mandatory on all new bikes.Never been enforced.BUSBY.

 

[PhilMary]

I have sympathy with intelligent cyclists but those who ride in camouflage colours in rural locations don't command any respect. I live in reasonably rural Shropshire and see many cyclists who are almost completely invisible when riding under trees on rural roads.

We (motorists) have had to have DRLS (Daytime Running Lights) on modern cars since 2011 but a cyclist can ride without any extra visibility, no lights or high vis markings. WHY?

You should be driving with your eyes open! Don't forget, the cyclist has PRIORITY.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Number plates are not used used by any country around the world. The cost of administering such a schemes is far greater than any benefits. Number plates don't stop idiotic behaviour - just look at the number of car drivers that haven't number plates front and rear that break laws every day.

Plenty of motorists get fined everyday.
Just because number plates aren't used elsewhere, doesn't mean they shouldn't be used here.

I'm not surprised some drivers' patience with inconsiderate cyclists is exhausted - the tailbacks caused by a single cyclist who doesn't use the perfectly adequate cycle path alongside*, constructed at no little expense, because he doesn't have to, and has the right to ride on the road.
[*A15 everyday]

Sorry but IMO, cyclists should be insured, and registered like every other road user must be - and forced to use cycle paths where provided.

 

[Langtoftlad]

You could say the same for pedestrians

I could... but to my mind they aren't road users as such... they don't tend to avoid pavements, or prefer to walk in the road, causing massive tailbacks

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}