Is it finally time to tax our Lycra clad cyclists ?

[highorlow]

And another thing. What's up with the title of this thread? We don't give out about soccer players wearing soccer shorts, or runners wearing running gear when out for a run, or swimmers wearing swimming gear in the pool. Anybody who gives out about cyclists wearing cycling gear when cycling needs their head examined. Try riding a bike 80 miles in a pair of denim jeans and let me know how comfortable that is, you depressingly fat clowns.

Its because the Lyrca brigade are the worst culprits. Can you not just get a bike machine attachment and plonk yourself in the back garden for 80 miles instead?

[Tonto]

As a casual cyclist (i.e. Out by myself, not in a club, not racing) opinions like the ones on this thread scare the absolute crap out of me.

I'm a driver too and it frustrates me to see cyclists flouting the rules of the road knowing that other drivers are observing this and treating all cyclists as a menace. In fact I would argue that with every road law a cyclist breaks they put another cyclist in danger of a road rage incident.

There is definitely an arrogance and misunderstanding on both sides. I just hope that when people see me out on the road (in Lycra!) they don't see the "cyclist" that for example  jumped onto the pavement to avoid a red light but they might actually consider that I'm a dad, husband, son and brother.

[lfdown2]

I have to say it is depressing reading the comments from what would normally be the more reasonable contributors.

I only took up cycling this year to complete the ring of Kerry cycle, I find it a very enjoyable pastime, I am not a member of a club and generally follow the rules of the road, I say generally because I would ride 2 abreast if not on my own (not as per the highway code), reasons being; I find motorists give greater room to 2 cyclists riding alongside each other than a single cyclist & when driving I find it easier passing 2 cyclists riding alongside each other than 2 cyclists strung out. I also wear lycra, same way I wear trainers when running or boots when playing football.

Would the general consensus be that cyclists should be banned from the road entirely or what is the answer?

I am also a motorist and have seen incorrect behavior form cyclists, no different from that which I have seen from other motorists. I do not consider I have ownership of the road whether on a bike or in a car, I am happy to share the road with all road users and could think of nothing worse than having an injury (or worse) of another individual on my conscience whether a cyclist, walker or motorist.

[dclane]

Jesus! A lot of anger on this thread.... get a bit of perspective, nearly 70 people died on the roads last year, bad driving, drunk driving, texting or on phone.... drivers would need to get their act together

exactly - start with the morons on phones before worrying about cyclists i'd suggest.

Plenty of cyclists use their phone to text and whatever whilst cycling.

[haveaharp]

Jesus! A lot of anger on this thread.... get a bit of perspective, nearly 70 people died on the roads last year, bad driving, drunk driving, texting or on phone.... drivers would need to get their act together

exactly - start with the morons on phones before worrying about cyclists i'd suggest.

Plenty of cyclists use their phone to text and whatever whilst cycling.

Well they shouldnt. Doesnt make it right for a motorist to make or take a call. A car is essentially a lethal weapon.

[dclane]

Jesus! A lot of anger on this thread.... get a bit of perspective, nearly 70 people died on the roads last year, bad driving, drunk driving, texting or on phone.... drivers would need to get their act together

exactly - start with the morons on phones before worrying about cyclists i'd suggest.

Plenty of cyclists use their phone to text and whatever whilst cycling.

Well they shouldnt. Doesnt make it right for a motorist to make or take a call. A car is essentially a lethal weapon.

Have you ever broken a red light when out for a cycle?

[haveaharp]

Jesus! A lot of anger on this thread.... get a bit of perspective, nearly 70 people died on the roads last year, bad driving, drunk driving, texting or on phone.... drivers would need to get their act together

exactly - start with the morons on phones before worrying about cyclists i'd suggest.

Plenty of cyclists use their phone to text and whatever whilst cycling.

Well they shouldnt. Doesnt make it right for a motorist to make or take a call. A car is essentially a lethal weapon.

Have you ever broken a red light when out for a cycle?

Not once, as i dont fancy getting cut in 2 by whatever is coming out of the light that is on green

[dclane]

Lol. It's funny how no cyclist has ever done it when you ask them yet 99% of the ones I see do it when I'm out driving.

[Milltown Row2]

Lol. It's funny how no cyclist has ever done it when you ask them yet 99% of the ones I see do it when I'm out driving.

Ever accelerate at a yellow light to past a junction? Have you ever driven over 30 in a 30 mile zone? have you ever undertaken a car?

There are pricks behind the wheel and on a bike, should they pay raod tax? yep but the money must go towards improving the roads for cyclists to be on... i dont think anyone would have a problem with that

[Hardy]

2 abreast vs. single file - the guideline is very clear, as pointed out by Tony Baloney. But the lycra troop overwhelmingly insist on riding 2 abreast in all circumstances, including on very narrow roads and on bends. It seems to have become a dogma for them and from their rhetoric it's clear that it's a militant claiming of equality with motorised traffic.

That's just very stupid, as wobbler pointed out, not to mention the basic good manners argument. You don't see pedestrians walking two-or-more abreast on roads where there is no footpath, militantly claiming their right to hold up traffic whose normal pace is much higher than theirs. There's a practical reason beyond good manners for that. Pedestrians understand a simple logic that seems to evade cyclists as an organised group.

Another basic example of good manners that I've never seen cyclists use - when they're out in large groups, why do they insist on forming a continuous line, be it single file or two-or-more abreast? A basic courtesy would be to travel in pairs with gaps of 50 metres or so. But I suppose that wouldn't look like a peloton.

Oh and to the argument that there are arseholes behind the wheels of many cars - who has ever denied that? This thread, though, is about arsehole cyclists.

[bennydorano]

It's getting hard to tell if these posts are for real or a piss take tbh.

[Tony Baloney]

Good post Hardy.

[Taylor]

Great post Hardy

[keeperlit]

Which brings us full circle back to the point of this thread.

Motorists when they behave irrationally, irresponsibly or dangerously, do so as an individual entity and it is their licence alone and their insurance alone, their reputation alone at stake. That's the ultimate deterrent. It doesn't always work, but it does work.

Cyclists don't face this deterrent, which is wrong in itself. But the problem is exacerbated further by the collective nature of road cyclists which sees them seemingly deflect and refute any instances of wrongdoing, and often in a militant way.

That, ultimately is the difference. When a vehicle causes a road accident, it appals me and every other motorist. When a cyclist causes a road accident, it is more often than not covered up and table-turned by his Lycra buddies.
[/quote]

Nailed it again- and have seen this happen also. A large group of cyclists making all sort of accusations against a motorist. A video was produced to highlight the fact that the accusations made were completely false and it was in fact the cyclists who had acted aggressively and wrongly. Didn't take to long for the previously baying mob to ride on as they had put a dent in the car. This was a group of 20 cyclists and not one of them man enough to take their colleague to task - all backed him to the hilt. Only unfortunate thing was that the police were not called and statements etc taken before video was produced. Would have been able to show them up for the bullying, cowardly liars that they are in court.

I know the normal defence from the cycling fraternity is that there are as many bad motorists as there is bad cyclists and that whenever you highlight an incident "you can't tar all cyclists with the same brush" But the above example shows that this was not one arrogant bad egg acting on his own. This was one arrogant p***k backed up by another 19 pricks.

I have no problem with cycling but cyclists need to show some courtesy on the road and stop been arrogant pricks who feel they have more right to be on the road than everybody else. 

[punt kick]

It's getting hard to tell if these posts are for real or a piss take tbh.

You obviously have you lycra blinkers on.