I live in a reasonably good jurisdiction for cyclists. We have cycle paths, on road bike lanes (protected by a painted line), minimum spacing distances that drivers must follow
But still. There’s a sweeping ramp down from a major 80km/h road down to minor roads. The cycle lane takes that exit as it’s the main path to the city centre.
There’s one wide lane for cars and one three metre wide bike lane, the way the ramp curves puts the bike lane on the inside of the curve. An uncontrolled car, or one skidding out would go away from the cycle lane.
A driver managed to hit and kill a cyclist there, fled the scene and called emergency services hours later, giving the cyclist no chance of being rescued. He was fined. He was a pretty high income person so the fine was insignificant.
If a driver cannot keep control of their car in that situation, and is so irresponsible as to leave the scene and delay help for the victim they should not be allowed to drive.
This was reckless rather than deliberate, but people need to be prosecuted and severely punished if people are to learn that vulnerable road users should be given space
“Initially, he just drove on, but later he turned around and came back to verbally abuse and threaten me before getting back in his car and driving off again.
“So, driver awareness course for this cheeky chappy. Car drivers are right scamps,” -the imaginary judge.
This is what happens when certain road users are demonized and their humanity is stripped away, replaced by the type of vehicle they use. He didn’t care because it’s “just a cyclist,” like Jeremy Vine, who I believe has done massive harm to the cycling community by making us easy targets for unhinged car drivers to group together and see us as fair game.” Ride with cameras I know it’s extra faff and weight but it’s all you have in situations like this
A driver’s impatience and eagerness to pass has always baffled me and in my area we really need better enforcement for agressive and dangerous passes (uphill, blind corners). The other day i was driving a large work van through a school zone just as all the kids are getting out. This other driver tailgated me, then blew past me in the oncoming lane as we passed the school. About 5 seconds later we were out of the school zone and i had caught up to the driver that was now stuck behind another car. This driver literally risked running over children to save maybe 5 seconds and be 1 car length ahead.
In my opinion, they should have their car impounded, lisence suspended for a period of time, and have an agressive driving charge which conditions of losing their lisence forever if caught doing something similar again. Letting people continue to drive like that will eventually lead to injury or death.
Exactly this. There's a strip of highway between two towns here, about a 15 minute drive going 65mph. Every single time, without fail, i will get 4 or 5 cars blowing past at 80 - 90 just to get stuck right in front of me at the first stoplight off the highway.
I made it a point to drive up next to them when it splits into a 4 lane, and wave.
That is the exact reason I stopped passing people unless they are significantly under the limit. Most of the time you don’t get much farther or faster. Sometimes you get lucky and miss a red or two by passing but the time saved vs the risk just isn’t worth it for me.
Add comment