I feel your pain @KT53. The amount of money spent locally, creating a cycle path here, and do they use it? Do they b*****ks. Should really be on the other thread with that
I used to cycle a couple of miles to uni every day and the cycle paths were a god send in city traffic. They would have been a lot nicer if more people cleaned up after their dogs though. Between dodging that (if I was lucky) and dodging pedestrians I can't blame some people for using the road if they actually want to get anywhere in a hurry. I used to get shouted at by people walking for using the cycle paths which were signed 'cycles only'. Pedestrians would tell you to use the road, drivers would tell you to use the paths. Then someone nicked my bike and it stopped being a problem. There's a lot to be said for the bus...
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
We have lots of cycle paths etc in Norwich, however on my main route in and out of the city the many cyclists continued to use the road rather than use the marked cycle path on the wide pavement ... it transpired that because there were so many cars coming out of side roads, often ignoring approaching cyclists, there were accidents and near misses and cyclists had to keep stopping ... now the cycle path has been given priority over cars pulling out of the side roads and the path has been built up so that it is level ... it’s been a very positive move ... it’s ages since I’ve seen a cyclist on the carriageway on the main road into the city from the A11 and acquaintances living on the side roads say the changed priority hasn’t caused drivers any problems either 👍
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The road I was talking about isn't a city street though. It used to be a dual carriageway, and although formerly a main link to the town, with the motorway now nearby, it doesn't see nearly so much traffic. There's no excuse for riding down the main carriageway. In cities - yes, a cycle lane should be a safe and well used, safe route. You couldn't pay me to use a bike in traffic though. In other news - let's not forget those well known owners of the #MeMeMe brigade who think the world revolves around them... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-50464541
and they wonder why they have the reputation they have
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Who'd a thought, right enough @philippa smith2 That sign might help - as well as one stating that indicators are a requirement, not some sort of optional extra... I feel sorry for the other car owner/driver involved too. They now have all that cr*p to sort out with the insurance.
Anyway - I got a tax rebate. Hurrah for me!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Indicators are definitely an option around here, not sure most drivers would know where they are. It is obligatory to have fog lights, but they are optional extras to be paid for when you buy a new car, so of course many cars don’t have them for the first 4 years until the first MOT is due.
Negotiating a roundabout correctly is also an option rarely taken. Hugging the outside lane all the way around, thus preventing people from leaving it, is a favourite pastime. I was once stopped by the Guardia Civil exiting a roundabout - thinking oh gawd, what now - only to be congratulated on negotiating it correctly. Weird.
My RTBC is we finally picked up our ‘new’ car, a second-hand Mazda MX5 and it was sunny enough to have the roof down 😎 It’s a little beauty!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
We've got a Mazda garage near here @Nollie and I am currently drooling over their bright neon orange coupe in the front window - I was always a bit of a show off! Hope you have fun with yours. My RTBC today is that I had my hair done, lunch in town, bought 2 jumpers and then had a back massage - no wonder I can't afford a Mazda!
I too feel sorry for the other driver. Still messing with the aftermath of OH's accident in October which wiped out our Zafira. Not his fault and our insurance has paid up for its insured amount and the associated transport costs and the medical treatment at the hospital and the physio sessions he needs. We were going to wait till January when new models and, presumably, a whole batch of "new" second hand cars come on the market but it seems there's to be an eco tax hike in Jan 1st so he's spending ages on websites googling for models and terms and capacities.
Better than having him sat watching golf all day. Just wait till I put in my two penn'oth tho.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I just remembered another RTBC today. When I was out for a walk this morning, and bearing in mind it was minus two when I left the house, I saw a postman in shorts. His trousered colleague was just along the road and I said to him that it had made me laugh. He said ' I know, he's off his head'
Isn't it odd @Nollie, that when people do that kind of thing correctly, they're praised, when the fact is - everyone should be doing it as a matter of course!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
They are actually taught by instructors to go right ‘round the outside, you see learner drivers doing it, so there is no hope really @Fairygirl. I didn’t think there was much hope for the old guy going round the roundabout the wrong way either, heading straight for an oncoming articulated lorry, but fortunately for him, the lorry driver was paying attention and waited until he got off.
@Lizzie27 - it was a right lengthy saga getting the paperwork sorted as there was a finance charge on it, but the wait was worth it. It’s a rather more sober dark navy with subtle quartzite sparkles. OH would have loved it to have been orange!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I clearly remember Possum's godmother (15 yr old daughter of a friend at the time of her birth) having driving lessons in Belgium and beng told that "roundabouts are for oevrtaking". The French are better than the Belgians at signalling on roundabouts but they do still cling to the outside lane which can make things a bit lively sometimes.
There is another hairy aspect to driving in Belgium - We arrived in Belgium in 1991 and priority was given to the vehicle entering the roundabout from the right, not the ones already going round. This rule also applied on major roads (not motorways) in cities, towns and villages. Can't tell you how unsafe the front passenger could feel or how many dented passenger doors we saw. Roundabouts have since changed but many minor roads still have priority for traffic entering from the right in Belgium tho France and the Netherland have completely abandoned that rule now.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In cities - yes, a cycle lane should be a safe and well used, safe route. You couldn't pay me to use a bike in traffic though.
In other news -
let's not forget those well known owners of the #MeMeMe brigade who think the world revolves around them...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-50464541
and they wonder why they have the reputation they have
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
That sign might help - as well as one stating that indicators are a requirement, not some sort of optional extra...
I feel sorry for the other car owner/driver involved too. They now have all that cr*p to sort out with the insurance.
Anyway - I got a tax rebate. Hurrah for me!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Negotiating a roundabout correctly is also an option rarely taken. Hugging the outside lane all the way around, thus preventing people from leaving it, is a favourite pastime. I was once stopped by the Guardia Civil exiting a roundabout - thinking oh gawd, what now - only to be congratulated on negotiating it correctly. Weird.
My RTBC is we finally picked up our ‘new’ car, a second-hand Mazda MX5 and it was sunny enough to have the roof down 😎 It’s a little beauty!
My RTBC today is that I had my hair done, lunch in town, bought 2 jumpers and then had a back massage - no wonder I can't afford a Mazda!
Better than having him sat watching golf all day. Just wait till I put in my two penn'oth tho.
His trousered colleague was just along the road and I said to him that it had made me laugh. He said ' I know, he's off his head'
Isn't it odd @Nollie, that when people do that kind of thing correctly, they're praised, when the fact is - everyone should be doing it as a matter of course!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
There is another hairy aspect to driving in Belgium - We arrived in Belgium in 1991 and priority was given to the vehicle entering the roundabout from the right, not the ones already going round. This rule also applied on major roads (not motorways) in cities, towns and villages. Can't tell you how unsafe the front passenger could feel or how many dented passenger doors we saw. Roundabouts have since changed but many minor roads still have priority for traffic entering from the right in Belgium tho France and the Netherland have completely abandoned that rule now.