12:30pm Wednesday 17th March 2010
In the first of News Shopper's Wednesday Reader Rant opinion columns Martin Thomason from Welling airs his views on cyclists and motorists sharing the road. Read his article and join the debate by adding your comments.
Let’s get one thing out of the way first. I am a cyclist.
I cycle 100 miles per week almost every week, regardless of the weather. I’ve been cycling regularly for 20 years and commuting into London by bike for around 13 years.
So I believe I know what I’m talking about. With that out of the way let’s get some dos and don’ts sorted.
Cyclists:
DON’T cycle through red lights. They apply to you. The only reason to ignore a red light is to allow an emergency vehicle with lights flashing to get past you. All this stuff about cyclists needing to go through red lights for safety reasons is absolute rubbish! You don’t need to be in front of that large truck, you could have waited behind it.
DON’T cycle on the pavement. If you’re over 11 years old and not delivering the post or newspapers, there is no excuse. Similarly don’t cycle in parks except on explicitly designated cycle paths or roads.
DO stay out of the gutter. You don’t have to be there, you have every right to be on the road. Don’t let motorists try to bully you, with the proliferation of CCTV virtually everything a motorist does will be captured somewhere and he’s got number plates.
Motorists:
DO accept that I have the right to exactly the same amount of road space as you. Also accept that I am allowed to go past you on either side, it is the motorist's responsibility to be aware of the cyclist's whereabouts.
DON’T go on about road tax. It doesn’t exist. The little disc in your windscreen is proof that you have paid Vehicle Excise Duty which is levied on motorised vehicles. It is not road tax.
DON’T make the mistake of thinking I have to use cycle paths. I don’t. Also don’t park across a cycle path, that just annoys cyclists.
DON’T cut across me. Cyclists no longer travel at 5mph, give me space. If you do cut across me, I will chase you to the next set of traffic lights and give you a very stern talking to.
If we all obey these simple rules, the road will be a much happier place for all of us. Well, except for motorists because this is London and so you will still be stuck in traffic!
This column is produced by an independent writer and in no way reflects the official position of News Shopper or its parent company.
What do you think? What habits of cyclists or motorists annoy you? What changes to the rules would you like to see to make life easier for certain road users? What are your experiences of travelling by bike or car around south-east London and north Kent? Add your comments below.
Check News Shopper's website every lunchtime for a new daily opinion column. Thursday will cover a moral issue. Friday is a sport rant. Monday is back to the Shopper Rant on a topical news story. Tuesday is entertainment day. Be sure to have your say if you agree or disagree with what you read.
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