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[w3526602]

Hi,

I just drove down to the local newsagent. One way street,  cars parked both sides. About 20mph.

Young girl on a bike shoots out from between two cars, passes in front of me, into the corresponding gap on other side of the road.

OK, I didn't get within 10ft of her (braking hard), but it made me wonder  how many fatalities will occur due to the Joe Public becoming blase about the likelyhood of traffic accidents, following the end of lock-down.

602

[Clifford Pope]

Perhaps the rules will revert to how they were once, in the old days. Young girls on bikes in residential streets will have priority. 
Children will play hopscotch or makeshift cricket.
Pedestrians will stroll unconcernedly down the street, moving reluctantly aside if a car dared to intrude.

The streets will be reclaimed for everybody else. :)

[genocache]

  When all the oil is gone the streets will belong to the cyclists!

[w3526602]

When all the oil is gone the streets will belong to the cyclists!

Hi,

Ah yes! The Silent Brigade. I used to be one, myself. But then I simultaneously discovered the ICE and the other gender.

Three events involving pedal pushers stick in my mind.

1. Having to follow a group of bikers between Glynneath and Resolven (about two miles) at 20mph, and being unable to pass, due only to the way they had spread themselves all over, and along the road. They all appeared to be mature gentlemen, so presumably were also motorists.

2. Walking my GSD along the canal towpath. The water was all that was between me (plus dog) and the road mentioned in Para 1.  The GSD was on a short chain leash. Imagine my surprise when  a voice in my ear demanded "Excuse me!", and simultaneously, a bicycle wheel appeared between me and my dog, and under the chain. Luckily, Hannah was a very easy going dog.

3. This one did not involve me. An "old codger" (80+?) was in pedestrian area in front of supermarket, when he was hit by an eleven year old "youth" on a bicycle.  The elderly gentleman will never walk again.

OK, I was a cyclist, once, and probably traveed faster than most. But I'd have been most upset to be accused of hampering or endangering other road users (I went to all the wrong schools).

I suggest that bicycles should be required to be fitted with ice-lolly sticks, that "ting" in the spokes, to give audible warning to pedestrians, and wear bright yellow "flak" waistcoats displaying their "driver number".

The bike should display a small plate bearing the contact details of whoever is responsible for the behaviour of whoever is riding. That should concentrate a few minds.

Driving number? You don't need a licence to have a driver number. If a Minor is convicted of a driving offence, a computer file is generated, complete with Driver Number, and promptly black-listed. No document is produced. But when the Perp eventually becomes old enough to drive, and applies for a licence, the sins of his past will be on record.

Due to a quirk in the UK Justice System, a person below the Age of Criminal Responsibility is considered incapable of committing a crime. I think that is age 10 in the UK. (I don't know about other countries). I believe in some circumstances, the parent/guardian can be held responsible for (but not guilty of) crimes committed by Junior, and the young Perp can be taken into care.

I believe nobody can be sued for a debt (eg. damages), until they turn 16.

But hey, what do I know?

602

[jkhackney]

+1 to Clifford Pope and genocache, great optimists!

In Switzerland we have several GPS studies on mobility which serendipitously covered before and after the emergency shutdown, and they show an enormous increase in bicycle miles travelled during "home office", though at the same time people have reduced total travel by 60%. (It is well-known that work travel makes up 60% of travel, here).

My question to the researchers of one study (my former research colleagues at the Federal Technical Institute) was: are the bike rides leisure or nondiscretionary (grocery shopping, pharmacy, etc.) miles? They didn't know that, as GPS only says where people went but not why.

https://ivtmobis.ethz.ch/mobis/covid19/reports/mobis_covid19_report_2020-06-04.html

One answer seems to be found after our re-opening this last monday: the trams in Zurich are apparently packed full again.

So people do seem to be trying to return to "normal before" times, and were out riding their bikes for fun during the shutdown. They haven't picked up a new habit, and aren't using bicycles for the work commute, unfortunately.

But I do think there will be an enduring new tolerance for more home-office and thus less commuting, both in cars and in public transport. Hopefully an accompanying re-allocation of funds, as well (we currently overinvest in both trains and roads here, actually creating mobile citizens where the more efficient solution would be for them to live closer to work/play).

On the pessimist side, the medical people say we're far away from "after" Corona!

Jeremy

[Clifford Pope]

It's looking pretty certain now that there won't be an "after corona", only a "with corona".

The choice will be either to accept that, and live with it (or for some, unfortunately, die with it) or else to accept a permanently wrecked economy and a greatly reduced standard of living.

[w3526602]

Hi Jeremy,

I have difficulty visualising bikes in Switzerland, with all those mountains. Holland? Yes!

When Barbara drove into Cambridge, she was terrified by all the (seemingly suicidal) students on bikes.

I believe there are places in the world, where if a cyclist collides with a motor vehicle, it's the drivers fault ... end of.

My daughter lives in the City of the Motor Car (Milton Keynes), where pedestrians cross the "H" and "V" roads, via subways under roundabouts. A great idea, apart from my grand daughter being terrified to do so, because of the congregations of "youths" who inhabit these dark places. Daughter and Grand children travel everywhere by taxi ... which effectively doubles, or triples,  the length of most journeys ....

Base to pickup point. +  Pickup point to drop-off point. +  Drop-off point to Base.

I don't know if you can "flag-down" a cab in MK.

602

"H and V" roads? Horizontal roads travel East/West, and Vertical roads travel North/South. Travel directions are usually ... "Go South on V4, turn East onto the H8 ..."

Hi Cliff ... I cannot remember when I last had a Cold of Flu (must be years ago), and I shrugged off TB in three weeks.  I'm immor .......... Oops.

[Roger]

When Barbara drove into Cambridge, she was terrified by all the (seemingly suicidal) students on bikes.

I took my driving test in central Cambridge on the first day of the Michaelmas term in 1972.  The place was absolutely swarming with bicycles.  I passed, somehow.
As a young lad I was often heard to comment that I'd love to drive round Cambridge in an old Land Rover with big galvanized bumpers, they'd soon get out of the way.  Now I am equipped to do so, traffic isn't allowed into Cambridge...

[Worf]

I took my test in Harrogate in the late 60's. I was following a line  of posties on bikes (single file), must have been knocking off time. Mirror, indicate, started passing line. Half way past, the tester said "turn left here". I said "I cant now" and turned left at the next road when I was clear of the bikes. I was failed for not listening to instructions, apparently as a learner I should have just stayed behind the bikes anticipating the tester might give me an instruction.  If the same situation arose today, I would do exactly the same thing, if I suddenly realised I should have been turning left.

The fact that I looked like a hippy and was driving a rusty 1952 Austin Somerset may have had something to do with it.

[Clifford Pope]

Stupid, or what? How far would he have expected you to follow the bikes, just in case he might have instructed you to turn left?

Perhaps in those circumstances you should have indicated left, slowed and stopped in lane, and then let the bikes past on your left until clear? That's what you would presumably have done if they (or a bus) had been in a bus lane.
There's no traffic rule that says you must always travel at the speed of the slowest road user, just in case your driving tester suddenly asks you to do something.

[Uffddd]

I took my test in Harrogate in the late 60's. I was following a line  of posties on bikes (single file), must have been knocking off time. Mirror, indicate, started passing line. Half way past, the tester said "turn left here". I said "I cant now" and turned left at the next road when I was clear of the bikes. I was failed for not listening to instructions, apparently as a learner I should have just stayed behind the bikes anticipating the tester might give me an instruction.  If the same situation arose today, I would do exactly the same thing, if I suddenly realised I should have been turning left.

The fact that I looked like a hippy and was driving a rusty 1952 Austin Somerset may have had something to do with it.

These day's you can't be failed for not listening an instruction provided you continue to drive in a safe and proper manner. I think if you repeatedly don't follow the instructions then they'll probably find something else to fail you for but a one off event such as missing a turn will not ruin it for you.

[34058]

Whilst I was taking my driving test in Guildford in 1975 it was 'school's out' time.  There was a pupil cycling badly down a narrow road in front of me.  The examiner wound down the window and gave the cyclist a good bit of verbal! 

I passed the test.

David

[Dentman]

Ah! The "Golden Age" of motoring .

[Worf]

Stupid, or what? How far would he have expected you to follow the bikes, just in case he might have instructed you to turn left?

Perhaps in those circumstances you should have indicated left, slowed and stopped in lane, and then let the bikes past on your left until clear? That's what you would presumably have done if they (or a bus) had been in a bus lane.
There's no traffic rule that says you must always travel at the speed of the slowest road user, just in case your driving tester suddenly asks you to do something.

It did cross my mind to do that at the time, but as an old car in the middle of the road with L plates and using a semaphore indicator, I though that is would likely cause  panic to the bikes wondering what I was about to do. Passed next time!

[Exile]

Worf, it is somehow reassuring that you looked like a hippie in the late 1960's.

It was the early 70's for me!

I haven't seen a barber now since early March, so how to be a hippie is all coming back to me.

After the lockdown = visit to the barber's!!!

(If they don't reopen soon I shall buy a suitably smelly Afghan coat.......)