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Nov 2012
11:06am, 9 Nov 2012
22,196 posts
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Velociraptor
The only time I was actually run off the road by a vehicle, it was a boring estate car of identical make, model and colour to my own car. Many drivers of flash cars will also have a garage full of carbon fibre and one of their wardrobes will be full of Lycra 
Driving after dark on unlit roads has given me a warning about how invisible even a cyclist with lights can be. And my eyesight is OK and I'm mindful of cyclists. There are plenty of folk on the roads who fulfil the minimum DVLA requirements for vision but genuinely might fail to see a cyclist (or a jogger - they're often totally invisible until you're almost on top of them) on a country road. And plenty more who shouldn't be driving but do. It's their fault if something goes wrong, but that's no consolation when you're doing your hedgehog impersonation.
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Nov 2012
11:11am, 9 Nov 2012
6,678 posts
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Mrs Winkle
If there's a dual carriageway with a cycle path on the pavement I use it. I think it's dangerous for cyclists to be on dual carriageways, however safely they cycle / are lit up / are hi-vizzed. As a driver, I know that if I come round a corner on the A316 (for instance) and there is a cyclist there, it's a case of slamming on the brakes or hoping I can pull out.
I do find the vast majority of drivers to be considerate, just a handful aren't, but sadly they're the ones that make a lasting impression...
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Nov 2012
11:13am, 9 Nov 2012
22,197 posts
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Velociraptor
MH, there is cycling instruction in a lot of schools and it's a great deal more thorough than when I was at school, but it's a short block of lessons rather than something that's taught as a life skill throughout school. My youngest daughter's school incorporates a lot of bike training and offers some of the youngsters the chance to go on cycling expeditions, but that's because one of the PE teachers is also an enthusiastic cyclist.
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Nov 2012
11:21am, 9 Nov 2012
2,752 posts
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The Teaboy
I will say one thing. Drivers underestimate the speed of 'proper' cyclists. I bet Brad absolutely motors by our standards even when he isn't trying at all. So the driver wouldn't have anticipated how quickly he would close on her.
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Nov 2012
11:25am, 9 Nov 2012
4,256 posts
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sprouty76
The route I used to do to work had about 5 lollipop ladies in the morning, they'd invariably step out in front of me because they treat cyclists like a gap in the traffic and assume we can slow down in time. When I'm doing 20mph with little tyres in the wet I'm going to have as much trouble stopping quickly as a car would. They were a genuine hazard and I changed my route to avoid them.
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Nov 2012
1:26pm, 9 Nov 2012
833 posts
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Heavyweight
Holland and drivers having respect for cyclists - in part due to the driver automatically deemed at fault for insurance purposes whenever there is a coming togther of cars & bikes.
Last week when I was running in Newbury I was forced off the pavement, a regular non bike lane pavement, by a policeman (*) on his bike coming the other way.
(*) - OK a PCSO.
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