My rants - pedestrians and freaking muppet housemates

[Hellenic Diver]

Originally Posted by Timbo

Ha !! yep they were here first too ...sweety!!
As you well know my brush with nature was an act of God and someone got a fine venison dinner out of that one!!
Can't see anyone eating cyclist roadkill.....

Was a shame about me trusty Rover tho'

looks like your rover came off better than mine when a horny stag (that time of year) decided to run into the side of it. well ok it was the mrs's r75 not mine -

but insurances garage quoted £4500 to fix - so bought it back from them as right off and got fixed for a little over £800 with a breakers door and wing and headlight

I hate dear - and then of course the insurance company stuffed her on the renewal - been driving 6 months and a dear running into the SIDE of the car is obvioulsy an 'at fault; claim

[MarkP]

Originally Posted by StuartC

3) Lights? I nearly took somebody out on an unlit section of the A19 at 10:30pm a couple of weeks ago. Zero lights or visibility gear. It was only the reflectors in the back of the pedals that stopped him getting a shunt...but it would've been my fault of course.




PS: I know most of you are not like this and are probably also vehicle drivers too, but it does grate a little!

No popcorn required - I agree with what you say, apart from the fault issue. In general, car drivers get away with murder when two-wheeled users are concerned. There are numerous cases when the "penalty" for causing cylclists' deaths has been derisory. Here's just one example:

BBC NEWS | Wales | North East Wales | Cycle death driver 'not speeding'

[JasonP]

Originally Posted by MarkP

No popcorn required - I agree with what you say, apart from the fault issue. In general, car drivers get away with murder when two-wheeled users are concerned. There are numerous cases when the "penalty" for causing cylclists' deaths has been derisory. Here's just one example:

BBC NEWS | Wales | North East Wales | Cycle death driver 'not speeding'

A particularly poor example as he doesn't seem to have been penalised at all for causing the deaths. He was penalised for defective tyres, but it was decided they weren't a factor. Accidents do happen. They don't have to be anyone's fault, particularly in icy conditions, etc.

Jason

[MarkP]

Originally Posted by JasonP

A particularly poor example as he doesn't seem to have been penalised at all for causing the deaths. He was penalised for defective tyres, but it was decided they weren't a factor. Accidents do happen. They don't have to be anyone's fault, particularly in icy conditions, etc.

I think it's an excellent, if extreme, example. Driving too fast for what were obviously extremely cold conditions. A (non-expert) police officer at the scene effectively screwed the whole trial by stating that the knackered tyres weren't to blame.

OK, going back too many years for me to find it: Man in car pulls out from side road in front of motorcylist who is fatally injured. Man's excuse? "I'd been watching a football match in a muddy field and my foot slipped off the clutch pedal." Penalty? Zip. Apparently cleaning one's shoes before attempting to control a potentially lethal machine with said shoes wasn't considered necessary.

It's like so much in life. The powers that be don't cycle / motorcycle / dive etc, so cyclists and motorcyclists generally get a raw deal in the courts and divers get a raw deal from the airlines.

[Foggy]

I can remember a time when we were all considerate of each other, pedestrian, cyclist, moterbiker, car driver, trucker. Alas that time has gone.........


Hey ho, I did see an accident in London, where the bus lanes double as cycle lanes; a double decker with an open platform was pulling up to his stop and was just overtaking a cyclist (who was being considerate and keeping well over), a commuter was jumping off just before the bus stopped and landed on the cyclist. Cyclist, bike, and commuter proceeded to slide up the pavement knocking over a pedestrian. Policeman arrived by motorcycle. See that's co-operation that is!


-Paul

[JasonP]

Originally Posted by MarkP

I think it's an excellent, if extreme, example. Driving too fast for what were obviously extremely cold conditions. A (non-expert) police officer at the scene effectively screwed the whole trial by stating that the knackered tyres weren't to blame.

If there was black ice, the tires wouldn't have made a huge amount of difference. It's also pretty hard to predict where black ice occurs.

Jason

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by JasonP

It's also pretty hard to predict where black ice occurs.

Errm Jason, it occurs where its cold. Anywhere that is above 10deg C all of the time will be very unlikely to have black ice - easy isn't it?


Ok, I'll just fetch mi coat!

-Paul

[JasonP]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Errm Jason, it occurs where its cold. Anywhere that is above 10deg C all of the time will be very unlikely to have black ice - easy isn't it?


Ok, I'll just fetch mi coat!

So you drive at about 20 mph everywhere and every time it's a few degrees above freezing, do you?

Jason

[Sean]

Originally Posted by JasonP

If there was black ice, the tires wouldn't have made a huge amount of difference. It's also pretty hard to predict where black ice occurs.

Jason

My car tells me i get a little snow flake on the dash not very good when it 5 below though

[stevechesh]

Originally Posted by JasonP

So you drive at about 20 mph everywhere and every time it's a few degrees above freezing, do you?

Jason

Absolutely. Even on motorways








Ok ok, i'll leave on my bike