Always wear a helmet! (pic)

blorg wrote: »

I'll be running red lights all the time now:eek::D:P

He's been with us quite some time*, and has made numerous appearances in the world of cycling through the years.

A recent critical mass demo in the US nearly went horribly wrong when Helmethead was distracted by the costume of another rider.

The earliest known appearance was in 1967, when he faced off (the wrong direction) against David Duffield in a controversial time trial.

But in a climbing peloton, Helmethead is no slouch, as this recent photo attests.

And far from conventional, he makes a strong impression on the track.

*Spurious allegations in this post can in no way be attributed to actual persons living or, indeed, dead.

Jaysus you're all very smart out there, I don't see anyone else making an effort.

Saw a chap who obeyed the traffic lights, middle aged commuter, I "declared "him after he was crushed by a HGV.

Obeying the traffic lights may put you in more danger. see my previous post.

The guy I saw had apparently stopped is bike , then a HGV pulled up beside him. The HGV got a green feeder light to turn left and the cyclist was crushed.

Traumadoc wrote: »

Obeying the traffic lights may put you in more danger. see my previous post.

The article linked to in your previous post makes an impressive leap of logic in suggesting what you state here. "Impressive" in the sense of being a huge leap and one which is based on little or no actual logic, that is. Their "Road survival code" is impressive too, suggesting for example that you should pass a lorry "only on the right" presumably in the wildly optimistic hope that traffic in the lane to your right will leave plenty of room to get past safely. The author of the article should probably take to a bike and follow their own advice for a few weeks, and write a follow-up ...assuming they are not being scraped off the road with a shovel at that stage, that is.

Funnily enough, I see as many women break red lights as men. They must have the fear of god of lorries in them. Ironically, one of the regular light breakers that I see wears a hi-vis vest with a large handwritten slogan on it that says "Cyclist, Not Target!!" - I can only presume she is dyslexic, or maybe she wrote the slogan using a mirror.

If a truck pulls up beside you, you should position yourself so he can see you. go out in front of it, or at the very least make sure you can see his face in one of the mirrors. I would never ever stand on the inside of a truck.

And if the truck still starts to turn left, don't stand like a dummy waiting for it to crush you, get on the bloody pavement. They don't pull off that quickly.

We have to get a bit of perspective on this debate. I don't think any is suggesting you religiously follow every road rule to the letter of the law. What I think people are advocating is that cyclists should cycle on the correct side of the road, get lights, obey the majority traffic lights, and not cycle up between buses etc... That's not too much to expect is it?..but an awful lot of cyclists won't even do that.

There are instances when its necessary to break the law, but in the vast majority of cases it is not.

Mathew Alive Sidecar the Uncivil wrote: »

I go out in front of cars at lights generally and then when the light goes green pull out to the left again as I pull away. I always feel safer when I know I can be seen.

I do break lights sometimes when i feel its safe, (most often turning eft into a road with a cycle lane) but at the same time, I often have to slow down / stop for people coming across the cycle lane when I have right of way, stop for people cutting across me on roundabouts. I also ignore mandatory cycle lanes if I feel they are dangerous or stupid.

The way I cycle might not be lawful, but its safer then it would be if I obeyed every letter of the law and trusted drivers to the extent that I'll always assume they'll give me right of way when I am due it.

I'm pretty much the same.

I do like to pull infront of cars when stopped at light, cos they see ya that way. I have a few times, stood up on the bike and raised my and and waved it about a bit, when I found myself more or less under a trucks wing mirror, even tapped on the window once.. , cos if you dont there is no way , he know you are there. Hasnt happed for ages, so must be better at not getting in the situation in the first place.

At the bottom of Christchurch hill, is a place where, you have to stop at the red, (unless you are really really insane) , but I like to jump it early, cos I am normally turing right on the other side of the bridge. If I stay were I am supposed to be, I can have cars on both sides, and some of the cars on my right, turn right, and some go straight.. which is dangerous, I find it best to go a little early and hold the center of the center lane, until I have made the trun. Suits me.

el tonto wrote: »

I've never found myself in a situation where I have to break the lights in order to feel safe

Nor I.