Bewildered wrote:
This is my first post. I'm not a troll!
You'll find we are quite a nice friendly bunch really.. we may indulge in the odd bit of fun, banter and leg pulling - but we are gents on here.
forgot the L-L-Ladies too.. my wife, redrose and a few others.
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I've a few problems with this post.
Why does the government need to build cycle paths, there's lots of them, there called roads! These are safe, if used properly by both cyclists and the car drivers.
That's part of the problem which we are trying to debate. If all behave to the Highway Code and we begin to regain the self discipline of courtesy and basic good manners - then we have little conflict.
However, we are all more than painfully aware on this site that most of the carnage on our roads are caused by a handful of yobs.. not qualified to drive and not even capable of riding a bicycle without causing distress to another road user either.
Also .. we have another problem to address in the same way as we addressed our embracing of the motor car by introducing a set of rules and laws in that sales of bikes have increased by one heck of a margin in the last couple of years. This sadly accounts perhaps for the upsurge in cycling KSI as more people on bikes.. means ultimately and may inevitably .. more scope for accidents to occur. We thus need to ensure those who take to bicycles to beat congestion charges (main reason per a recent Halfords/Insurance company poll) and fear of terrorist targetting of public transport (another reason put forward - so not so much being green and hip then
) .. but we need to ensure these people are safe. After all it's some years perhaps since they did a cycling proficiency and traffic and road conditions are on a continual change.
Bewildered (but I hope not for long wrote:
I've been cycling in London nearly every day for 2 years and have not had an accident.
Um - that's what those who recieve an NIP for nit picking blips of 34/36 mph say ... or "10%+2 " at other speeds.
Oh ... I think luck plays a part sometimes. Reason why I say this.. had my wife set out 5 minutes earlier or later... would have been someone else and not her who was hit. However, my wife is quite a lady .. stoic and determined .. like my fave pro Emma (and yep .. she does look a bit like my sister-in-law and hair apart .. a little like my wife as well in superficial facial feature .. perhaps that is another reason why I follow her career with a lot of interest. ) But anyway .. luck does play a part. Another reason why I mention "Lady Luck and her mate Kismet"
.
February 2004. About 6 pm. M61 motorway. Wildy had driven up after joining M61 after picking up her parents from the airport. I followed and caught up with her .. tucking in behind her as I'd been supervising a patied I'd referred to the heart transplant team in Wythenshawe. (Lurgies attack the heart muscle..
)
About 15 minutes after we passed this spot.. two drivers had their lives seriously changed from pleasant to completely traumatised - together with the immediate family of a 13 year old girl who decided to emulate some yobs she knew by running across the busy motorway..
Now had either of us had been delayed..
could just as easily have involved us and NO.. C O A S T does not prepare you for a chav ladette being - put it bluntly - plain daft. Her parents cannot comprehend why she did this either for record. They came across in the media reports as very decent and terribly shocked and upset that their child did this. If they happen on this site .. I am sure they understand my point of view and as a father myself .. I do still offer condolences as feist prebuescent teenager can be absolute HELL to reason with at times.. I admit there have been the odd occasion when I have thrust my hands deep into my trouser pockets with a couple of very belligerent fosters and even my own "terrible twins" in the past (my second son.. had to have a little chat about dealing with girls, sex. safe sex, treating girls as he'd expect another boy to treat his sisters - for example and smoking .. and I have asked myself some hard soul searching questions as to whether I dealt with it correctly too. Bewildered whom I hope will not be for long and would like to see more of too as he comes across as a thoroughly nice gent wrote:
I do however avoid potential accidents every single day that are being caused by incompetent drivers.
Defensive COAST type cycling
How I wish we focussed on COAST and improving skills instead of the rather blinkered road safety policy we have at present..
Bewildered and I hope he's no longer so wrote:
I agree with Paul when he says that we should fine the RLJers and pavement cyclists, as long as this goes with the RLJers in the cars who I see every day, and even the driver who had the cheek to sound his horn at my wife and I as we walked down the pavement (there was a long cue of traffic that he couldn't be bothered waiting in)
Oh please let this be the case.. and as my wife pointed out.. perhaps they should ringmark this cash to pay for decent cyclist training and facilities. Yeah .. I know it's controversial and some people somewhere will rage about my opinion here.
But if speed cams are funded by drivers who break the law by a minor infringement .. then by the same logic.. given more people are taking to bikes and by virtue of number creating a new hazard or danger to other road users . .. then we have to apply the rules more stringently than we did before . .. and we could use this milk cow cash to fund genuine road safety projects.
You know
taste of the same medicine the mililtant advocate for others
Guess it mirrors PeterE's post in the early days of this forum regarding training and and lower fines to be "careful about what we wish for"
Wish lists have a "sting in the tail" as no government wants to look a gift "creamy gold top milky cow in the proverbial mouth"
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Also, why does it cost so much for children to go through their cycling proficiency test. When I did it, it was done by our primary school teacher during school hours. Their TEACHERS, they should make it part of the curriculum.
Um... I have one brother and three sisters who are teachers. My wife has two cousins who are teachers. ]
I will blow the family trumpet in that these people are truly committed to road safety and I know for fact that Jessika (Swiss and a headteacher of her school) sacrificed a tennis and swimming session to her Year 7 to accommodate road safety and cycling proficiency to second phase fo CTC National Standard. My brother and sisters in the State sector did follow Jessika's standard - and my other sister who teaches in a leading Independent School booked courses with a CTC approved company called Bike Right as part of the "end of term jollies"
The school which my own brood attend follow a similar pattern . My fosters attend State school as prescribed by the authorities. If I had my way.. given both are with me long term.. I'd willingly pay for them to be educated with my own and adopted kids ...
But the roaad safety programme on offer is woefully inadequate ..
I know Steve and his JJ pals cannot comment about this now. A shame as I know they'd be appalled and would try to address this. I have written to them ... and Steve et al.. if you lurk .. grateful for contacts re the really stupid cycle lanes and we appear to be at a standstill on common sense there.
[quote="Bewildered and I do not blame him for being bewildered"
I used to have to cycle past 3 schools on my commute. The standard of driving by the parents in their 4X4's used to make me laugh. It might be safer for the kids (which I don't actually agree with) but you have to actually get them there in the first place. Miles of traffic all snarled up every morning, because parents are over protective of their children. [/quote]
Costs me £400 per child - includes the current two fosters to a state school ....I pay for my own.. and adopted at an Independent here - as they need the non pee-cee discipline
I know my genes and my wife's genes
) to send by bus. Next year - or as soon as twins pass L-test.. they will take turns at ferrying our brood to and from school.
We bought our eldest a fairly decent second hand Astra when he was in his final year at school. I have to treat the twins in the same way. As you can appreciate.. twins cost me double anyway and I could make them share one car.. but they'd see this as "unfair" given I run a car for their older brother. I will thus run a car for each of them - but insist they take turns at the school run. I am honour bound to treat each of my children in the same caring fashion.
It can be a costly hell to be a fair parent
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My parents were satisfied my with my brother's and my own road sense that they would allow us to cycle on the roads unsupervised at around the age of 8.
I think I have brought up all my children and the fosters to have a very decent understanding of road safety.
Like IG .. I used to walk.. ride .. and sometimes take the bus to school. I loved the independence and
trust my parents placed in me.
A lot depends .. I think on distance and route. My kids are relatively safe because we are in a rural area as well.
But.. I think we have to be aware of potential dangers all the same and individual perception will affect choices. We are eachg unique as IG pointed out as to how we perceive potential danger.
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Take the school of 1200 pupils, if 800 decided to cycle, that could be a possibilty of say 500 cars less on the roads to school in the mornings, that's a lot cars.
I will not disagree .. but it;s also a lot of bikes and we have to establish some ground rules as to how to cope and be safe with so many bikes in one limited area . as IG pointed out in his post..
Hence .. we need training and skills which can cope with this .. and it's not anti-cycling to say so. I am very much pro-cycling..
I am, however, very very much pro safety and common sense (in my opinion
) with regard to all cycling profiency and motoring issues.
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Lastly, no wonder most people have soft, fat little porky kids. "he might fall off his bike" so what! kids are meant to fall off things, it's what makes them learn!!!!!!!
My kids are not afraid of a bit of blood and a sticky plaster. It's part and parcel of growing up and developing an immune system, survival awareness and common sense.
Bewildered ..
I look forward to reading more of your common sense values.