I may have to duck after posting this but here goes ...
Dear Cyclists
I agree cycling is a great way to get from A to B. It's a great sport too. But you have to share the roads with others, so please, don't run red lights, skim so close to a car that you scare the wits out of the driver (who really doesn't want to run you over despite what you may think), or damage the car as you go by ... yes it does happen.
Dear Drivers
I agree driving a car is a great way to get from A to B. It's a great sport
too. But you have to share the roads with others, so
please, don't run red lights, skim so close to cyclists that you scare the
wits out of him or her (who really doesn't want to be run you over despite
what you may think), or damage the bike or rider as you go by ... yes it does
happen.
Do you see what I did there?
So why this all of a sudden? I live on the Olympic Cycle Route. We have to travel the route regularly and find ourselves stuck behind bike riders two, three or even five abreast (yes ... holding up the traffic on purpose). The cyclists can also be very abusive and aggressive towards innocent car drivers (repeat that sentence with the words cyclists and car drivers transposed). There needs to be a way forward and I am concerned that nothing is being done.
There are responsible car drivers and responsible and very good cyclists but we all know there are many who are not. The resentment is growing.
I know I have heard of the police stopping drivers for not keeping up with the flow of traffic (yes driving too slowly!) and now the Government have decided it is appropriate to fine those hogging the middle lane of the motorway. I won't bother to comment on the last point because someone else has already done that far better than I ever could (yes I do mean Jeremy Clarkson).
Cyclists are supposedly fined for cycling on the pavement nowadays, how about fining them for deliberately holding up traffic, running red lights, etc. We know they do it ...
And we all know it would never work. None of it works.
The only way to change behaviour is to put yourself in another person's shoes and see it from their point of view. Do away with the stupid legislation and spend the money on a bit of education instead. Drivers are given the option of retraining or taking a fine for speeding. Let's do the same for cyclists - just cycle well, do a good job or be given a bit of professional advice. And drivers get on a bike now and then and see how it feels.
That's quite enough from me.
VB
