Please sign the bus lane petition.

Colin McKenzie

Nick wrote:
> I thought cyclists were allowed to use bus lanes as a reward for being a
> more favourable form of transport than cars and hence to be encouraged.
> Much the same reason as buses are allowed to use them.

Not originally, and cycles are still excluded from many bus only
cut-throughs and contraflow lanes. There's one about 100m from my
front door. If I'm going the way it goes, the detour is about 300m.

It is rare for bus lanes to be created unless they benefit buses. It
is not unknown - there's another bus lane close to me which is served
by no buses. This is incompetence, not a cycle facility, though.

Colin McKenzie

--
No-one has ever proved that cycle helmets make cycling any safer at
the population level, and anyway cycling is about as safe per mile as
walking.
Make an informed choice - visit www.cyclehelmets.org.

Fr Jack

"burtthebike" <burtthebike@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

>
>"Fr Jack" <sp@m.com> wrote in message
>news:14uq34t455h37eoha2kouc27448iglnbsa@4ax.com...
>> spindrift <newtyres@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>and pose a greater risk to cyclists.
>>
>> Rubbish!
>
>As someone who regularly is forced to share bus lanes with motorcycles, this
>is not rubbish, this is absolutely true. The behaviour of some motorcylists
>is almost unbelievable, and my life has been put at risk a number of times
>by aggressive and irresponsible motorcyclists, in bus lanes.

And there you have it...

Some is far from all.

>One of the
>problems is that as soon as they are allowed in bus lanes, they
>automatically assume that they can use any cycle facility, and do so,
>including cycle lanes, ASLs, bicycle parking.

Never seen any of that, other than actually being directed to park my
Beemer in a cycle parking area - and if the warden says to do it, who
am I to argue? The cyclist who tried to whinge at me about it found
himself bodily picked up and deposited, a couple of hundred yards
away, at the feet of the warden, who informed him of the error of his
ways and also told him to stop being a tosser.

I get the feeling you are confusing scooterist scum with motorcyclists
- not a good idea.

>There's one particular quad
>bike rider in north Bristol who I have difficulty in believing that he is
>still alive, or that he hasn't killed someone.

Those who choose to ride quads on the road desperately need to be
removed from the gene pool.
--

Fr. Jack

The ex(un)civil servant

Rob Morley

On Wed, 28 May 2008 22:01:23 +0100
"burtthebike" <burtthebike@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>
> "Paul Boyd" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:g1j7rc$s0m$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> > spindrift said the following on 28/05/2008 09:48:
> >> http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1145
> >
> > The vast majority of the country probably don't really much care
> > about what happens in one city.
>
> London today, every other bus lane in the country tomorrow.
>
Imagine the repercussions when they introduce congestion charging in
Great Wyrley ...

Rob Morley

On Thu, 29 May 2008 01:47:07 +0100
Fr Jack <sp@m.com> wrote:

> I get the feeling you are confusing scooterist scum with motorcyclists
> - not a good idea.
>
Just as 'proper' cyclists don't like to be confused with the
pedestrian-on-a-bike I imagine motorcyclists particularly resent any
perceived association with the chav-on-a-hairdryer.

burtthebike

"Fr Jack" <sp@m.com> wrote in message
news:jlur341dh5midd11ua0688mrrb703kel7d@4ax.com...
> "burtthebike" <burtthebike@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>
>
> Never seen any of that, other than actually being directed to park my
> Beemer in a cycle parking area - and if the warden says to do it, who
> am I to argue?

So when you were prosecuted for illegal parking, you'd have sued the warden?
>
> I get the feeling you are confusing scooterist scum with motorcyclists
> - not a good idea.

No, almost all of these extremely dangerous people are on motorcycles,
including the one who deliberately rode at two cyclists but had an
unregistered bike, so the police couldn't trace him.
>
>>There's one particular quad
>>bike rider in north Bristol who I have difficulty in believing that he is
>>still alive, or that he hasn't killed someone.
>
> Those who choose to ride quads on the road desperately need to be
> removed from the gene pool.

Couldn't agree more, but this guy seems to lead a charmed life, doing
incredibly dangerous things but living to tell the tale. Just a matter of
time I suppose until his luck runs out.

Tony B

burtthebike wrote:
There's one
> particular quad bike rider

are they not classed as cars then?

T

David Damerell

Quoting Fr Jack <sp@m.com>:
>am I to argue? The cyclist who tried to whinge at me about it found
>himself bodily picked up and deposited, a couple of hundred yards
>away, at the feet of the warden,

So you are a violent criminal - why should we listen to you?
--
David Damerell <damerell@chiark.greenend.org.uk> Oil is for sissies
Today is Monday, June.

Fr Jack

Rob Morley <nospam@ntlworld.com> wrote:

>On Thu, 29 May 2008 01:47:07 +0100
>Fr Jack <sp@m.com> wrote:
>
>> I get the feeling you are confusing scooterist scum with motorcyclists
>> - not a good idea.
>>
>Just as 'proper' cyclists don't like to be confused with the
>pedestrian-on-a-bike I imagine motorcyclists particularly resent any
>perceived association with the chav-on-a-hairdryer.
>

Correct.
--

Fr. Jack

The ex(un)civil servant

Daniel Barlow

Fr Jack <sp@m.com> writes:

> Rob Morley <nospam@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 29 May 2008 01:47:07 +0100
>>Fr Jack <sp@m.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I get the feeling you are confusing scooterist scum with motorcyclists
>>> - not a good idea.
>>>
>>Just as 'proper' cyclists don't like to be confused with the
>>pedestrian-on-a-bike I imagine motorcyclists particularly resent any
>>perceived association with the chav-on-a-hairdryer.
>>
>
> Correct.

Which is ironic, as the scooter is much better suited to and suitable
for urban traffic (low speeds, lower emissions, twist-n-go instead of
all that messing around with the clutch, often narrower, upright
position) than the sprotsbikes owned by BABs and power rangers, and
it's generally the latter type not the former who overtake at 50mph
with a foot of clearance.

But I'm not seeing what the big deal is with "give them bus lanes and
they'll start using ASLs" - all the ASLs around here are full of
motorbikes and taxi drivers already, how would we tell the difference?


-dan

Fr Jack

"burtthebike" <burtthebike@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

>
>"Fr Jack" <sp@m.com> wrote in message
>news:jlur341dh5midd11ua0688mrrb703kel7d@4ax.com...
>> "burtthebike" <burtthebike@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>
>> Never seen any of that, other than actually being directed to park my
>> Beemer in a cycle parking area - and if the warden says to do it, who
>> am I to argue?
>
>So when you were prosecuted for illegal parking, you'd have sued the warden?

No, but I'd drag him into it: I have a habit of taking piccies if I
think circumstances are open to interpretation - including the warden
giving advice. So far, this has worked for the 2 parking tickets I
have ever been issued in 27 years of motor vehicle use. Both,
incidentally, in the past 2 years.

>>
>> I get the feeling you are confusing scooterist scum with motorcyclists
>> - not a good idea.
>
>No, almost all of these extremely dangerous people are on motorcycles,
>including the one who deliberately rode at two cyclists but had an
>unregistered bike, so the police couldn't trace him.

Is that an incident you actually witnessed, or just something
reported? Either way, there are rogue elements on both sides... In the
incident I described earlier, I bodily moved the cyclist because he
was persistently assaulting me - prodding me in the chest so hard that
I felt it through a heavy, armoured jacket and it hurt. I decided not
to retaliate in a similar manner, or waste time having him arrested
for assault and simply embarrassed him, instead.

I have encountered him several times since and we have laughed about
the incident. I doubt if either of us would have laughed if I'd had
him arrested, or decided to hit back.


>>>There's one particular quad
>>>bike rider in north Bristol who I have difficulty in believing that he is
>>>still alive, or that he hasn't killed someone.
>>
>> Those who choose to ride quads on the road desperately need to be
>> removed from the gene pool.
>
>Couldn't agree more, but this guy seems to lead a charmed life, doing
>incredibly dangerous things but living to tell the tale. Just a matter of
>time I suppose until his luck runs out.

Beats me how they were allowed on the road in the first place...
Despite having 4 wheels, they are unstable in corners - when you can
actually get them to corner, that is. People are getting injured using
these things all the time, though there have been only 2 widely
publicised incidents - Ozzy and Rik Mayall.
--

Fr. Jack

The ex(un)civil servant

Fr Jack

David Damerell <damerell@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

>Quoting Fr Jack <sp@m.com>:
>>am I to argue? The cyclist who tried to whinge at me about it found
>>himself bodily picked up and deposited, a couple of hundred yards
>>away, at the feet of the warden,
>
>So you are a violent criminal - why should we listen to you?

Knee-jerk reaction - why should anyone listen to you?
--

Fr. Jack

The ex(un)civil servant

Peter Clinch

Daniel Barlow wrote:
> Fr Jack <sp@m.com> writes:
>
>> Rob Morley <nospam@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, 29 May 2008 01:47:07 +0100
>>> Fr Jack <sp@m.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I get the feeling you are confusing scooterist scum with motorcyclists
>>>> - not a good idea.
>>>>
>>> Just as 'proper' cyclists don't like to be confused with the
>>> pedestrian-on-a-bike I imagine motorcyclists particularly resent any
>>> perceived association with the chav-on-a-hairdryer.
>>>
>> Correct.
>
> Which is ironic, as the scooter is much better suited to and suitable
> for urban traffic (low speeds, lower emissions, twist-n-go instead of
> all that messing around with the clutch, often narrower, upright
> position) than the sprotsbikes owned by BABs and power rangers, and
> it's generally the latter type not the former who overtake at 50mph
> with a foot of clearance.

My boss has a Bit of a Thing about motorcycles, especially of the
vintage persuasion, the extent of the Thing extending as far as
ownership of said beasts and taking his holidays to go on rallys and
watch street circuit racing. Part of the reason we get on well is, I
suspect, connected with me knowing stuff like what a Vincent Black
Shadow is etc.

But he typically commutes on a modern scooter because it's a lot better
for the job (last week he was in on the Bonneville because it needed
some exercise and the scooter needed a new brake pad, but that's the
exception rather than the rule).

So there are some people that can separate image from utility, and
likewise if I have to change into lycra and ride with my arse in the sky
just to pop down into town then to hell with that and I'll just be
confused with a PoaB. Hey ho.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

David Damerell

Quoting Fr Jack <sp@m.com>:
>David Damerell <damerell@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
>>Quoting Fr Jack <sp@m.com>:
>>>am I to argue? The cyclist who tried to whinge at me about it found
>>>himself bodily picked up and deposited, a couple of hundred yards
>>>away, at the feet of the warden,
>>So you are a violent criminal - why should we listen to you?
>Knee-jerk reaction - why should anyone listen to you?

Well, I'm _not_ a violent criminal (or at any rate I have the wit not to
brag about it), and I've been reading and posting for some years rather
than flipping in, Nuxx-like, to say how wonderful your favourite kind of
dangerous polluting transport is.

*plink*
--
David Damerell <damerell@chiark.greenend.org.uk> Oil is for sissies
Today is Monday, June.

Fr Jack

David Damerell <damerell@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

>Quoting Fr Jack <sp@m.com>:
>>David Damerell <damerell@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
>>>Quoting Fr Jack <sp@m.com>:
>>>>am I to argue? The cyclist who tried to whinge at me about it found
>>>>himself bodily picked up and deposited, a couple of hundred yards
>>>>away, at the feet of the warden,
>>>So you are a violent criminal - why should we listen to you?
>>Knee-jerk reaction - why should anyone listen to you?
>
>Well, I'm _not_ a violent criminal (or at any rate I have the wit not to
>brag about it), and I've been reading and posting for some years rather
>than flipping in, Nuxx-like, to say how wonderful your favourite kind of
>dangerous polluting transport is.
>
>*plink*

Just so others see this: *plonk* Must be a Monbiot fan... and we all
know the guy is totally deranged.
--

Fr. Jack

The ex(un)civil servant