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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: magooagain]
#1624314
25/08/2018 06:05
25/08/2018 06:05
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852 Cambridge & Cotswolds
MeanRedSpider
OP
Je suis un Coupé
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OP
Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
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You would not catch me driving a bicycle on a road Aye Rich, my cycling days are pretty much over as well. Up here it's not too bad compared to down south, but still dodgy on a bicycle for various reasons. Ha - yes. I spoke the the police inspector in Dingwall after a BMW X6, overtaking at a junction, nearly had me (I was turning left at the time at the junction - the overtaking X6 was blaring his horn at me). The inspector said that, if I didn’t feel safe on the road, I shouldn’t cycle. What a w@nker! Sorry mrs I make the copper right. By that principle, if your partner/wife/daughter/mother is threatened on a dark night and is therefore scared to go out, she just shouldn’t go out??? The copper is basically saying: “ we can’t maintain the law so it’s up to you to take the risk” And you think that’s right???
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1624316
25/08/2018 06:34
25/08/2018 06:34
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 33,556 Berlin
barnacle
Club Member 18 - ex-Minister without Portfolio
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Club Member 18 - ex-Minister without Portfolio
Forum Demigod
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 33,556
Berlin
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There is something about being in a car, particularly on your own, that makes some otherwise perfectly normal, likeable, sociable people into raving psychopaths. It's perhaps similar to the mild-mannered Clark Kent -> Keyboard Warrior transformation... I can't explain it, but it happens.
And for some reason, cyclists in particular seem to get the brunt of their aggressive behaviour. I'm not at all surprised that cyclists respond in a similar way.
Using the road when there is a 'perfectly good' cycle path is legal, and given the condition of cycle paths, usually safer. Riding two abreast on the highway is also legal - and has the advantage that any vehicle wishing to overtake *can't* squeeze past; it has to move to another lane.
Does it really matter if you spend ten or fifteen seconds waiting for a gap in oncoming traffic for a space to overtake a cyclist?
I hold no brief for the cyclists who behave like idiots; the ones who ride in the dark dressed in black and with no lights, or lights like anemic fireflies; the ones who seem unaware of the purpose of traffic lights or pedestrian crossings; the ones who assume that you will be responsible for their mistakes or ignoring the road laws. But for the sensible majority? No problem... and if my drive is fifteen seconds longer? So what...
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1624318
25/08/2018 06:57
25/08/2018 06:57
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783 In the coupe.
magooagain
Club Member 259
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Club Member 259
Forum is my life
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
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If law can't be maintained then why would threatened people go out?
In the cyclist case then why put themselves in such a dangerous environment ?
It's everyone's right (in general) to use the highway ,but why would you put yourselves in danger when being vunerable on a bike,in a soft squidgy kind of way.
Some motorists and cyclists behave out of character when on the road and do the strangest things at stressful and pivotal times.
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1624320
25/08/2018 07:46
25/08/2018 07:46
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,090 highlands
jimboy
Club Member 857
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Club Member 857
Forum is my life
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,090
highlands
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Drivers,cyclists,pedestrians are obviously human, & because of this all possess characteristics that are good, bad & indifferent. Let's face it, you venture forth on your chosen mode of transport & you put your trust/safety in the hands of other road users. Driving a car for instance, quite simply you hope that the vehicles coming towards you don't veer into you for any reason. A simplistic view perhaps but you do this every time you are driving.
I'm an old git & happy with it,most of the time
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: magooagain]
#1624322
25/08/2018 10:25
25/08/2018 10:25
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852 Cambridge & Cotswolds
MeanRedSpider
OP
Je suis un Coupé
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OP
Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,852
Cambridge & Cotswolds
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It's everyone's right (in general) to use the highway
That’s not (in general) true. Pedestrians, horses, carts and cycles have the right to use the highways (excluding motorways). Everybody else uses it under licence which can be taken away.
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1624323
25/08/2018 10:53
25/08/2018 10:53
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,412 Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG
Club Treasurer Member 311
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Club Treasurer Member 311
Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,412
Lightwater, Surrey
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I spoke the the police inspector in Dingwall after a BMW X6, overtaking at a junction, nearly had me (I was turning left at the time at the junction - the overtaking X6 was blaring his horn at me). The inspector said that, if I didn’t feel safe on the road, I shouldn’t cycle. What a w@nker! Sorry mrs I make the copper right. But not right in terms of the rules of the road, see Highway Code
1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus 1985½ & 2016 2017 Fiat 124 Spider + XF Sportbrake
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1624325
25/08/2018 12:52
25/08/2018 12:52
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783 In the coupe.
magooagain
Club Member 259
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Club Member 259
Forum is my life
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
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It's everyone's right (in general) to use the highway
That’s not (in general) true. Pedestrians, horses, carts and cycles have the right to use the highways (excluding motorways). Everybody else uses it under licence which can be taken away. Point taken. It's a shame cyclists are not under license. Mind you that might make them feel even more aggrieved .
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: DaveG]
#1624326
25/08/2018 12:55
25/08/2018 12:55
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783 In the coupe.
magooagain
Club Member 259
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Club Member 259
Forum is my life
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
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But we're not talking about the rules Dave in this instance. We're talking about what a wan@er copper said to mrs,and I was just generalizing.
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1624328
25/08/2018 13:25
25/08/2018 13:25
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,090 highlands
jimboy
Club Member 857
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Club Member 857
Forum is my life
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,090
highlands
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This the thing, in my last post simply put... when you factor in a human being especially in situations like this you are always going to have exchanges one way or another. Society these days does seem to throw up the badness/nasty in individuals in many ways & we seem to be wrapt up in our little bubble & dare anyone who tries to enter with a different point of view.
I'm an old git & happy with it,most of the time
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: magooagain]
#1624334
25/08/2018 15:06
25/08/2018 15:06
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,412 Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG
Club Treasurer Member 311
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Club Treasurer Member 311
Je suis un Coupé
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,412
Lightwater, Surrey
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But we're not talking about the rules Dave in this instance. We're talking about what a wan@er copper said to mrs,and I was just generalizing. No problem, I was just checking that we were in agreement here
1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus 1985½ & 2016 2017 Fiat 124 Spider + XF Sportbrake
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: magooagain]
#1624340
25/08/2018 19:47
25/08/2018 19:47
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,279 West Berks
skinflint
I need some sleep
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I need some sleep
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,279
West Berks
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why would you put yourselves in danger when being vunerable on a bike,in a soft squidgy kind of way. Because the benefits massively outweigh the risks. There's a Govt paper on it here. It boils down to a small chance that you'll get killed on the road vs. a very significant one of a miserable and sickly old age. The paper strongly suggests that we need new cyclists and we need cycling to replace car travel for maximum benefit.
Last edited by skinflint; 25/08/2018 20:14. Reason: useful graph
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: skinflint]
#1624341
25/08/2018 20:01
25/08/2018 20:01
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783 In the coupe.
magooagain
Club Member 259
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Club Member 259
Forum is my life
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,783
In the coupe.
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That's fine for folks that feel the need,and I know cycling is an extremely healthy past time for some. But not if you are going to get mashed etc.
In my case I carry out very heavy phyisical hard work on a daily basis and have done since before I was 16 years old(now 60). I walk a lot also maybe over 10 klm a day.so I don't need or want to ride a bike. But surprise surprise I hire them when on holiday in places that have completely isolated bike tracks and ways from other forms of transport.
You may know I live in France and therefore I see many cyclists most days,In fact I think there are about three clubs in my local town.
But what they all have in common is lots and lots of empty roads.
So guess what,there is not so many injuries and less road rage from both cyclists or drivers. But then again the French people are very polite and courteous . Apart from isle de France of course.
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1624402
27/08/2018 16:04
27/08/2018 16:04
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466 Kent
Submariner
My job on the forum
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My job on the forum
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466
Kent
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Obviously not helped by my recent bump, I’m losing any enthusiasm for driving on England’s roads. I’m thinking about what I’d replace the SL with should it turn out to be beyond economic repair (two weeks after the accident, no one has so much as looked at it - a caution to anyone going through Adrian Flux).
I was losing my enthusiasm anyway. The reason, as I shared on here, that I got the SL at all is that many of the roads are no longer an enjoyable place to be. Earlier in the journey to Cambridge before the accident, I was thinking to myself how much I was looking forward to drastically reducing the amount of driving that I’m doing.
It hasn’t been helped by the journeys I did to and from Heathrow on my recent trip. Watching (more critically) from the back of the “taxi”, I was just horrified. The transfer drivers themselves were pretty poor. I’m sure there’s a couple of people who might be saying “Well, you can talk” - and you’d be right - though it was my first accident in about the last 25 years and I can’t remember when I so much as invoked the ABS on any car before that.
My plan is pretty simple: cut my “transport” expenditure and funnel the savings into racing/track.
From October, the vast majority of my driving will be my very short commute to work and I plan to do that journey by bicycle as often as I can. Then carve out the time to go racing as a priority and get to more track days. I agree, I don't commute at all thankfully but I do MTB and road bike 5+ times a week. I still enjoy B road drives/blasts early in the morning or later in the evening especially on a Sunday; roads in Kent and Sussex are relatively quiet where I live and a low powered car such as my TF is good fun and far more involving than the 20vt to drive. There is obviously the difference of necessity to drive and the ability to choose to drive just for the sake of a drive, visit a new place, have a coffee and a cake etc, enjoy the sun. Week before last I had a solo trip on the motorcycle to the Loire Valley and racked up 1200 beautiful miles on French roads, even with the lower speed limit on N roads etc (honest). Just got back today from a trip in the Bongo with my daughter wild camping in Suffolk and the Norfolk coast for 4 days, 550miles of bliss, cruising at 55mph max, we had a fantastic time bimbling about. Pace of life was slow and the people appeared far more courteous on the roads than the SE.
Last edited by Submariner; 27/08/2018 16:10.
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: Submariner]
#1624441
28/08/2018 12:10
28/08/2018 12:10
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,609 S. Wales. Way beyond my means
Gripped
Club member 1924
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Club member 1924
Forum is my job
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,609
S. Wales. Way beyond my means
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Week before last I had a solo trip on the motorcycle to the Loire Valley and racked up 1200 beautiful miles on French roads, even with the lower speed limit on N roads etc (honest).
Just got back today from a trip in the Bongo with my daughter wild camping in Suffolk and the Norfolk coast for 4 days, 550miles of bliss, cruising at 55mph max, we had a fantastic time bimbling about. Pace of life was slow and the people appeared far more courteous on the roads than the SE. What bike have you got Sub? We've got a Bongo too... for us the 55mph bit is more of a necessity for fuel economy, as they love to drink (regardless of fuel type) ! But as an auto, they are a very chilled out vehicle to drive. We often feel the nice "Bongo vibes" when we're off somewhere. We've looked at "upgrading" to a larger van, but something is preventing me from parting with the Bongo... it's part of the family.
Last edited by Gripped; 28/08/2018 12:12.
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: Gripped]
#1624451
28/08/2018 15:46
28/08/2018 15:46
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,162 Glos
Brilly1uk
Club member 1034
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Club member 1034
Competition Level
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,162
Glos
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Week before last I had a solo trip on the motorcycle to the Loire Valley and racked up 1200 beautiful miles on French roads, even with the lower speed limit on N roads etc (honest).
Just got back today from a trip in the Bongo with my daughter wild camping in Suffolk and the Norfolk coast for 4 days, 550miles of bliss, cruising at 55mph max, we had a fantastic time bimbling about. Pace of life was slow and the people appeared far more courteous on the roads than the SE. What bike have you got Sub? We've got a Bongo too... for us the 55mph bit is more of a necessity for fuel economy, as they love to drink (regardless of fuel type) ! But as an auto, they are a very chilled out vehicle to drive. We often feel the nice "Bongo vibes" when we're off somewhere. We've looked at "upgrading" to a larger van, but something is preventing me from parting with the Bongo... it's part of the family. Gripped - your are clearly bongers!
Fiat Coupe 20VT Alfa Romeo Spider BMW X3
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: Gripped]
#1624503
29/08/2018 12:56
29/08/2018 12:56
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466 Kent
Submariner
My job on the forum
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My job on the forum
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,466
Kent
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Week before last I had a solo trip on the motorcycle to the Loire Valley and racked up 1200 beautiful miles on French roads, even with the lower speed limit on N roads etc (honest).
Just got back today from a trip in the Bongo with my daughter wild camping in Suffolk and the Norfolk coast for 4 days, 550miles of bliss, cruising at 55mph max, we had a fantastic time bimbling about. Pace of life was slow and the people appeared far more courteous on the roads than the SE. What bike have you got Sub? We've got a Bongo too... for us the 55mph bit is more of a necessity for fuel economy, as they love to drink (regardless of fuel type) ! But as an auto, they are a very chilled out vehicle to drive. We often feel the nice "Bongo vibes" when we're off somewhere. We've looked at "upgrading" to a larger van, but something is preventing me from parting with the Bongo... it's part of the family. I have sold my sports bikes...now just have a VStrom 1000 which I really like, had a GS12 before a few year's ago and had nothing but issues with it, not so with the 'Strom, it has been bulletproof. I know what you mean about the Bongo, it really is a great van, compromised in many ways but utterly brilliant as an all rounder and relatively cheap to buy and run in 'camper' terms. My daughter says the Bongo is like a Snail, slow, lumbering and has it's house on it's back. There is something amazing about driving your 'home' about and being able to stop have lunch and a cup of tea etc in the back and then later park up and sleep for the night. I love it!
Last edited by Submariner; 29/08/2018 13:00.
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Re: Disillusioned with (Road) Driving
[Re: MeanRedSpider]
#1624507
29/08/2018 17:26
29/08/2018 17:26
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,609 S. Wales. Way beyond my means
Gripped
Club member 1924
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Club member 1924
Forum is my job
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,609
S. Wales. Way beyond my means
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Like the Vstrom. Nearly got the 650, but ended up with a Kwak Versys 650. Had two in a row. Great bikes, but I'm getting bored now.... Tempted to get a VFR again.. just love the V4 sound.
Still loving the Bongo. Off to Shropshire for the next trip ! Also find it great for mountain bike trips (with bike rack) towing trailers to the tip and carting furniture about!
Last edited by Gripped; 29/08/2018 17:27.
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