Spanish change in law Re passing cyclists 22/3/22

[MattR]

Car hits cyclist - car driver not injured, cyclist, pedestrian hurt or worse

Commonsense tells me as a pedestrian or cyclist to be more aware than the vehicle driver

Common sense tells me if a car driver can't be aware enough to keep other road users safe from their actions, they shouldn't be on the road. Fortunately, the Highway Code makes it clearer now where the road priorities lie.

 

[Helen Ariel]

Car hits cyclist - car driver not injured, cyclist, pedestrian hurt or worse

Commonsense tells me as a pedestrian or cyclist to be more aware than the vehicle driver

Wow that is scary to read. The person driving a few tonnes of metal around needs to be at maximum awareness at all times. This doesn't mean the cyclist should not also be aware

 

[Monty777]

It would be good of the bikes had bells, the lycra lot expect you to hear them approaching at high speed and very few seem to have bells fitted. Walking along the tow path back to your boat cal be a very dangerous walk.

I have 3 bikes and don’t have a bell on any-I do however have a whistle on a cord round my neck so I give a blast on that when well back-it works. I used to use a bell but the groups of walkers I usually encounter never seemed to hear it…….and would usually be spread completely across the shared path. I even got shouted at by a guy walking with his wife on the Monsal Trail in Derbyshire last year, had a bell on that bike, rang it, no response, rang it again, still nothing, called out “behind”, still nothing-went past giving them loads of room and the guys shouts “ring your bell-idiot” which I thought was a bit rich…….

 

[Barclaybasher]

Wow that is scary to read. The person driving a few tonnes of metal around needs to be at maximum awareness at all times. This doesn't mean the cyclist should not also be aware

When I am walking, cycling or on my scooter (or in my vehicle) I always assume that other drivers are not aware

Safety First - My safety!

 

[busby]

When I am walking, cycling or on my scooter (or in my vehicle) I always assume that other drivers are not aware

Safety First - My safety!

I ride my bike in a very similar way that I drove a truck but for the entire different reason..When trucking I tried to outguess and anticipate the actions of car drivers,cyclists and pedestrians because if I collided with any of them I would either kill them or maime them..When riding my bike I take just the same care but to stop me getting killed or injured. BUSBY.

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[Zakattak]

So do cyclists give way to pedestrians or expect them to get out of their way?
Do unto other's

 

[MattR]

So do cyclists give way to pedestrians or expect them to get out of their way?
Do unto other's

Have you missed the news about the HC hierarchy?

 

[Tony50]

Whether we or you are walking or riding a bicycle, it's far easier for a person to see a car or truck than it is for a driver to see a pedestrian or cyclist We bear that in mind which ever the above we are doing.
An example is backing out of a hospital parking slot a couple I saw a little way away walking towards us as I was reversing out of this tight spot still managed to keep walking behind my car ,I could not believe they could be so ignorant as most will know cars have blind spots

 

[MattR]

Whether we or you are walking or riding a bicycle, it's far easier for a person to see a car or truck than it is for a driver to see a pedestrian or cyclist We bear that in mind which ever the above we are doing.
An example is backing out of a hospital parking slot a couple I saw a little way away walking towards us as I was reversing out of this tight spot still managed to keep walking behind my car ,I could not believe they could be so ignorant as most will know cars have blind spots

Pedestrians need to take more responsibility and there is a risk that some will think that the hey have right of way when they don't but, in general, other road users should be more aware of more vulnerable users than they have been in the past.

 

[gpat]

So do cyclists give way to pedestrians or expect them to get out of their way?
Do unto other's

It's not about giving way.

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[jumar]

I thought it was law to have a bell or warning device also mudguards , we always ring our bike bells when approaching people from behind

Mudguards....why on earth do we need mudguards....

 

[Silver-Fox]

Pedestrians need to take more responsibility and there is a risk that some will think that the hey have right of way when they don't

Pedestrians have always had right of way.
Even on on roads.

Unless that has changed and I don’t think it has.

 

[jumar]

We wake to a fresh morning with a cloudless sky....had a very quiet night, no barking dogs or youths having their type of fun... We plan to ride our bikes but before we do I have advised jumartoo over breakfast that we will have a second reading of this thread, this will ensure that we are fully aware of all issues mentioned..wish us luck...

 

[Twoleftfeet]

I througly enjoyed cycling in Spain last year, we get home to an appalling standard of driving, some drivers seem oblivious to who has the right of way at a roundabout, indicators on cars are purely for decoration, driving with defective lights is the norm. 1.5mtrs, forget it, more like 1.5 inches here in the UK, Moan over!

 

[busby]

So do cyclists give way to pedestrians or expect them to get out of their way?
Do unto other's

The majority do.BUSBY.

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[busby]

Whether we or you are walking or riding a bicycle, it's far easier for a person to see a car or truck than it is for a driver to see a pedestrian or cyclist We bear that in mind which ever the above we are doing.
An example is backing out of a hospital parking slot a couple I saw a little way away walking towards us as I was reversing out of this tight spot still managed to keep walking behind my car ,I could not believe they could be so ignorant as most will know cars have blind spots

I never reverse OUT of anywhere,,,I always reverse in...BUSBY.

 

[gpat]

Pedestrians have always had right of way.
Even on on roads.

Unless that has changed and I don’t think it has.

In the eyes of the law, its not quite as simple as that.

A pedestrian must take reasonable steps to cross the road "when it is safe to do so". To do this a pedestrian must give way to traffic travelling on the road. However once the pedestrian has stepped onto the road then the reverse applies and vehicles must yield to the pedestrian and allow them to either go back or cross safely.

Where this gets complicated is when there is an accident. This then comes down to questioning whether the driver of the vehicle was taking reasonable care considering the conditions. So if a child runs in front of you and you are outside a school you are basically stuffed unless you can demonstrate that you could not have avoided the accident.

The new highway code does not change the law but it makes it easier for an argument to be made that a driver was taking care if they were not observing the code (the code being basically a contract by which we all agree how we are going to use the roads and transport)

 

[Tio64]

I never feel better until it is all done my way.I just get more physcotic.

& so was 'national insurance ' & its usage but it is still called that so the sheep don't realise income tax starts in the 30+% area.

Yes but they also have to have some responsibility for themselves & not leave it all to others to do.


When walking I have concerns for not incoveniencing those who are busy. When crossing roads anywhere than designated crossing points or where there are centre refuges if I get knocked down I know it is my own fault. When cycling if I go through red lights ,fail to stop at junctions requiring it, fail to stop at crossings ,etc, I expect you to run me down. I have no problem or complaint with that .I am performing illegal manoeuvres . I understand that regardless of what politicians try to make into laws.

I have to say Gus, you take the award for the most nonsense I've seen written in one thread imo. I think just about every single thing you've posted throughout is wrong. I'm afraid you are exactly who the hierarchy rules are aimed at, imo.
I strongly feel there is a need for driver retraining, something like every 10 years. Not just to address driving issues but also as an opportunity to educate on laws, rules and other issues such as how roads are funded.
A great many drivers are total strangers to the Highway Code but the creation and use of the Myway Code is highly prevalent, in my opinion.

 

[Tony50]

I have to say Gus, you take the award for the most nonsense I've seen written in one thread imo. I think just about every single thing you've posted throughout is wrong. I'm afraid you are exactly who the hierarchy rules are aimed at, imo.
I strongly feel there is a need for driver retraining, something like every 10 years. Not just to address driving issues but also as an opportunity to educate on laws, rules and other issues such as how roads are funded.
A great many drivers are total strangers to the Highway Code but the creation and use of the Myway Code is highly

O dear

prevalent, in my opinion.

 

[AlandSue]

A few year/s ago I was cycling along a quiet country road in France ( 1 cars width ) when I was overtaken by a Rangerover and squeezed literally to the edge of the road which was all broken away . I breathed a sigh of relief between expletives as it passed me , then the bow of the boat he was towing hit my shoulder and pushed me firmly off the road , GB plates .
But my luck was really in one day in southern Spain again on a quiet country road I was cycling wide and slow past a man riding a beautiful Andalusian stallion , when a barking Jack Russell ran from a gate way
Shot underneath the horse and was heading towards me , a black BMW behind me started blasting his
horn . Amazingly the horse ignored everything , never missed a stride , the dog chased the car , and I cycled back home ( for a change of underwear).

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[DelMar]

When out cycling, I always remind my wife to be a car doors width away, when overtaking parked cars. A friend of ours was badly hurt when some idiot opened a car door as she was passing.

It seems once a driving test is passed, it is time to forget all about the Highway Code and everything you were taught. Remember the bit that said, check before you open a car door, that it is clear to do so. Oh!!! and don’t forget to give way to pedestrians and cyclists.

 

[MattR]

When out cycling, I always remind my wife to be a car doors width away, when overtaking parked cars. A friend of ours was badly hurt when some idiot opened a car door as she was passing.

It seems once a driving test is passed, it is time to forget all about the Highway Code and everything you were taught. Remember the bit that said, check before you open a car door, that it is clear to do so. Oh!!! and don’t forget to give way to pedestrians and cyclists.

A friend of mine was killed when a passenger in a taxi opened the door into the road as he was cycling past; the passenger admitted that they hadn't checked the road as they opened the door. The door knocked him into the path of a lorry that was passing close.

It is a shame that those who complain so much about changes to the Highway Cose don't seem to consider the reasons why the changes are introduced.

 

[joeegg]

As an enthusiastic cyclist both here in Spain and the UK i welcome the advice in the Highway Code. The problem is the policing of it.
The idiots out there who already endanger not just cyclists but other drivers won't change their attitude because of new measures in the HC.
Why ? Because risk of prosecution is negligible.
As they say,if you want to murder someone do it with a car. Plenty of excuses. Sun was in my eyes,they stepped out in front of me,etc.

 

[Tony50]

2 of us, me and the other guy who were in a Artic being trained as HGV Driver's, the other guy was driving and just knocked the n/s mirror off a car , the driver guy said to the Instructor it was the car drivers fault trying to squeeze past.
The best wise words which has stuck in my mind from the Instructor were
" You are on the road to avoid accidents , not just to make sure it's not your fault " spoken 50 odd years ago.