Motorists to be prosecuted for passing cyclist with less than 1.5mtr clearance!

[Smart eBiker]

Seems the police don't have better things to do, disgusting waste of valuable resources! I agree about the principle but there should be other cheaper ways to go about this with education, perhaps a media campaign! Although wrong this is the least of the polices problems at this present time, what do you think and where else could these resources be better used?

http://news.sky.com/story/motorists-face-prosecution-for-driving-too-close-to-cyclists-10579708

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Ahhh, now I get it!!

 

[Gubbins]

Seems the police don't have better things to do, disgusting waste of valuable resources! I agree about the principle but there should be other cheaper ways to go about this with education, perhaps a media campaign! Although wrong this is the least of the polices problems at this present time, what do you think and where else could these resources be better used?

http://news.sky.com/story/motorists-face-prosecution-for-driving-too-close-to-cyclists-10579708

I think phone use when driving is more important and is a hazzard for everyone, not just cyclists..

 

[Smart eBiker]

I partly agree, but what annoys me is that car manufacturers and phone manufacturers have not done more to make phones automatically connect wirelessly to the car radio, I know more modern cars do this but there must be ways of having a cheap gadget that could update older vehicles.

Life moves fast, if you snooze you lose, people are trying to survive, if a tradesman misses calls for potential work because he is stuck in the car in traffic that could be loss of income. London traffic is mad and could mean a large amount of a persons time is 'out of contact', this is not competitive and wrong!!

 

[Gubbins]

I think the whole idea of phone use when driving is wrong! In my case the car does as you say but just holding a simple conversation I find distracting so doing business must be even more so. It's only a short step from chatting to a quick check of a text or email and the consequences when it all goes wrong can be devastating.

 

[Smart eBiker]

Maybe children and dogs should be banned from cars, and definitely ALL smoking, eating and drinking!! The driver put behind a glass screen so no passengers can talk to him or her!

Oh! and ALL advertising boards, pretty girls walking on pavements, all stunning looking cars, motorbikes and cycles should be banned so drivers aren't distracted.

Where do you stop, its the nanny state gone absolutely mad because of some idiotic fools. If the amount of people they say are using phones then the percentage of accidents is minimal, but as I say the manufacturers have a lot to answer.

Got to go, I'm typing this driving and my phone is going

 

[Smart eBiker]

SO should these 2 should be JAILED? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3791906/Alzheimer-s-sufferer-80-wins-record-deal-Carpool-Karaoke-videos-singing-online-hit.html

I think perhaps the problem could be with the quality of the driver not what is going on inside!!!!!!!!!

 

[Gubbins]

SO should these 2 should be JAILED? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3791906/Alzheimer-s-sufferer-80-wins-record-deal-Carpool-Karaoke-videos-singing-online-hit.html

I think perhaps the problem could be with the quality of the driver not what is going on inside!!!!!!!!!

Ah... your talking about the I'm a perfect driver syndrome....

 

[Smart eBiker]

Exactly, the clowns that think they can drive but don't have a clue, these are the ones that are causing accidents. You can spot them, they complain about other people because they are so inept they are incapable of multi tasking, I'm surprised they are allowed to look in rear view mirrors or even look down at their speedo, never mind actually touch a radio knob.

Fighter pilots should all be jailed, far too much going on, how dare they press their fire button, they should have their eyes on the horizon.

Things have got out of hand, we need more men and real women in life, not useless know nothing no experience at all with real life wimps and woosies!!

 

[Gubbins]

An F1 driver could be described as the best in the world and totally on top of their game and even they make mistakes which can be fatal. But they don't do it in rush hour traffic or near schools or among other drivers multitasking with their phones where any minor slip-up could and does kill people.
If a child ran out between two cars and you hit them how would you tell the child's father that you chatting on your phone were not at fault?

 

[Smart eBiker]

The children should not run out, who is supervising them, roads are for cars, pavements are for pedestrians, yet more useless parents not educating children. There are good drivers and useless drivers, its a lottery as to who the child meets driving at them.

From the millions and millions of people using their phone in the car every day you are making out there should be armageddon, same as using your phone at a filling station, when was the last time you saw one blow up!!

 

[Gubbins]

The children should not run out, who is supervising them, roads are for cars, pavements are for pedestrians, yet more useless parents not educating children. There are good drivers and useless drivers, its a lottery as to who the child meets driving at them.

From the millions and millions of people using their phone in the car every day you are making out there should be armageddon, same as using your phone at a filling station, when was the last time you saw one blow up!!

I am sure sw will find a video when he gets out of bed....

 

[flecc]

This close passing situation is a nonsense while cycle lanes a metre wide are painted on roads. They are a clear indication of one side bikes, the other side motor vehicles.
.

 

[Mike63]

Motorists to be prosecuted for passing cyclist with less than 1.5mtr clearance!

....and quite right too....most motorists drive far too close to the cyclists.
When overtaking another vehicle they leave far more clearance than when overtaking a vulnerable cyclist.
....1.5mtr. clearance ? ....I'd settle for half a metre.

 

[Smart eBiker]

Think its frustration, I really think cyclists should not be on the roads, you can't mix fast moving vehicles and large lorries with a flimsy piece of metal with no protection, the only result is death!

What the country needs is cycle highways to enable cyclists to get around safely and unhindered, I find cycling on London roads very dangerous, mainly because of the amount of drivers with no licence and insurance who just take the **** as nothing ever gets done, vehicles are poorly maintained and a lot unroadworthy.

I have travelled the world extensively, driven and been driven in these countries where standards are abysmal, a driving test involves driving around a few oil drums, unfortunately these people can drive in the UK legally and more and more are arriving, so things are only going to get worse!

Cyclists getting killed on London roads is not rocket scientist, lorries need to get into London to keep the city supplied, London draws huge amounts of tourists, businesses and the likes, all need supplies, having cycle next to a huge articulated lorry or anywhere near it is asking for death at some time, so I am never surprised when it happens, YOU CANNOT MIX THE TWO! So what is more important, a cyclist or supplying a city? but I refer back to my safe cycle only highways.

I love the South of France, fantastic cycle routes and I am out most of the day, here in London its a game of keep alive, not fun really and extremely dangerous as car thunder past almost brushing my elbows! Can't blame them though as they are trying to get on with work and the pressures that entails to keep a job nowadays, I'm retired and have all the time in the world.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Whether the rule is 1.5M or 6" doesn't really matter. I'm sure that any regular cyclist that rides on the road has had many incidents where motorists have deliberately run too close for no reason other than to intimidate the cyclist. I guess that's what the police are trying to eliminate. It's pretty obvious when it happens. There should be no excuses and instant prosecution for dangerous driving.

I've even had a bus do it, presumably because I held him back a bit after using one of those cyclists zones at the traffic lights. He half overtook me then pulled his front in as close as he could get to the curb so I had no option but to brake and let him go. There was no other traffic other than what was behind him.

 

[Gubbins]

Think its frustration, I really think cyclists should not be on the roads, you can't mix fast moving vehicles and large lorries with a flimsy piece of metal with no protection, the only result is death!

What the country needs is cycle highways to enable cyclists to get around safely and unhindered, I find cycling on London roads very dangerous, mainly because of the amount of drivers with no licence and insurance who just take the **** as nothing ever gets done, vehicles are poorly maintained and a lot unroadworthy.

I have travelled the world extensively, driven and been driven in these countries where standards are abysmal, a driving test involves driving around a few oil drums, unfortunately these people can drive in the UK legally and more and more are arriving, so things are only going to get worse!

Cyclists getting killed on London roads is not rocket scientist, lorries need to get into London to keep the city supplied, London draws huge amounts of tourists, businesses and the likes, all need supplies, having cycle next to a huge articulated lorry or anywhere near it is asking for death at some time, so I am never surprised when it happens, YOU CANNOT MIX THE TWO! So what is more important, a cyclist or supplying a city? but I refer back to my safe cycle only highways.

I love the South of France, fantastic cycle routes and I am out most of the day, here in London its a game of keep alive, not fun really and extremely dangerous as car thunder past almost brushing my elbows! Can't blame them though as they are trying to get on with work and the pressures that entails to keep a job nowadays, I'm retired and have all the time in the world.

The problem with uninsured driving is that there is no real penalty with fines representing only a fraction of the actual insurance cost!"!

 

[flecc]

Cyclists getting killed on London roads is not rocket scientist

But London is the safest place in the UK for cycling. Long ago when there was much less cycling, the accident and death rates compared with other areas, but more recently London has had much lower rates.

For example London has by far the highest rate of cycle commuting in the country and has 13.2 % of the UK population. One might expect London to experience at least that percentage of national cyclist deaths, which in an average year of around 110 cycling deaths nationally would be 14 or 15 London deaths.

In recent years it's only rarely touched that and been down to 8 at times. In the last two years the reduction has been rapid and this year nearing the year end I believe only 4 deaths to date. That's after almost 99 million cycling commutes this year to date, plus all the other forms of cycling in London's 400 square miles.

Nowhere else in this country gets close to that level of cycling safety. Once again it shows that the more cycling there is, the safer it becomes due to greater driver awareness of the presence of bikes.
.

 

[Gubbins]

Whether the rule is 1.5M or 6" doesn't really matter. I'm sure that any regular cyclist that rides on the road has had many incidents where motorists have deliberately run too close for no reason other than to intimidate the cyclist. I guess that's what the police are trying to eliminate. It's pretty obvious when it happens. There should be no excuses and instant prosecution for dangerous driving.

I've even had a bus do it, presumably because I held him back a bit after using one of those cyclists zones at the traffic lights. He half overtook me then pulled his front in as close as he could get to the curb so I had no option but to brake and let him go. There was no other traffic other than what was behind him.

Same thing happened to me last week by white van man so I gave way as you do.. 100 yards down the road he is stopped at the lights and sees me in his mirror so he deliberately pulls left in to the curb to stop me going up the inside.. which I wasn't going to do anyway as its a busy, hazardous junction.

 

[Will Tinker]

Whether the rule is 1.5M or 6" doesn't really matter. I'm sure that any regular cyclist that rides on the road has had many incidents where motorists have deliberately run too close for no reason other than to intimidate the cyclist. I guess that's what the police are trying to eliminate. It's pretty obvious when it happens. There should be no excuses and instant prosecution for dangerous driving.

I've even had a bus do it, presumably because I held him back a bit after using one of those cyclists zones at the traffic lights. He half overtook me then pulled his front in as close as he could get to the curb so I had no option but to brake and let him go. There was no other traffic other than what was behind him.

Yeah, to be honest a lot of the overtakes on me have been less than 1.5 metres space, but have been OK. I think it really depends on speed, intent, scenario.

I've had a few nutjobs try to push me off the road and cause an accident, but that's in almost 2 years. Almost all the motorists in Bristol have been really courteous and careful around me.