Andy Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 [rant mode] anyone been listening to the radio lately? heard the following? at 40mph if you hit me there is a 80% chance i'll die at 30mph if you hit me there is a 80% chance i'll live THEY FORGOT if i walked on the sodding pavement you wouldnt hit me - 100% chance i wont die under a car i fail to understand this advert, predestians are roadusers the same as anyone else. pull out in front of someone in a car its YOUR fault. do the same on foot & as if by magic you are NEVER in the wrong - anyone spot the problem yet? if it was safe to walk in the road pavements & predestian crossings wouldnt exist. almost saw two kids (12-14yrs old approx) run down today. dropped them off in the skool bus, they then decide to run across in front of me as they always do hence i pull away slowly - problem being car behind that decides to swerve round me when im half out the bus stop & braking again (braking just to show cars stoplights in a hope they DONT overtake) the car just about stopped as running kids appeared from infront of the bus. no i didnt cut car up, its on a bend & was clear when i started to move - normally i'd boot it to get out while it clear but im used to kids doing this. bet they still do it monday as they have a few days of term left. bet if they'd got hit it'd be the cars fault according to the papers/police/other PC muppets when it'd have been totally their fault, the car wasnt speeding just couldnt see why i'd stopped half out of a bus stop. [/rant mode off] as they say on AOL discuss... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 I agree in part, but children are easily distracted and will end up in the road fetching a ball because they are focussed on it, not the road and its traffic. [soap box out]I think the statistic is a powerful one and we should be more aware of our speed in certain areas. Where I live it is a 20mph "traffic calmed" zone. No bugger does 20 despite kids playing in the streets all day. At the end of the day, it is a speed limit, not a target and our speed should be appropriate for the conditions.[/soap box] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diesel_jim Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 That's funny, as i say exactly the same thing.... stay off the friggin road and hey, you live! Ok, some drunken thwack in his car might mount the pavement, but i'm sure speeding is going to be the last thing on his mind. I think i all boils down to our climate of "blame culture"..... there must be a blame somewhere where some lowlife solicitor can get a few pounds compensation from.... "i was playing in the road, but it wasn't my fault, it was that nasty car/the weather/the fact that my mummy didn't cuddle me enough/the fact that i'm a thick chav/anything but my friggin fault!..... and i couldn't get my daddy to help me either, as he was too busy on the phone consolidating all our loans into one easy payment (for the next 300 years) so that we can spend it on nicer things in life, like another holiday and a 3rd flat screen TV for Chardonnay's bedroom" yeah... i totally agree with you Andy.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 22, 2006 Author Share Posted July 22, 2006 maybe it sounded a bit wrong bish? wasnt saying that being aware of the potential danger of a moving car when your driving it isnt a good thing. just sick of the way that EVERYTHING is the cars fault. i also disagree with the way that 'speed is bad' 100% of the time, not true. excessive speed in the wrong place is bad, but there are a lot of limits out there (inc the 70 limit) that i think could be increased quite safely. if the speedlimits where more realistic, ie 30 at the village NOT 1/2 a mile before the first house & so on then people might see the point of them? plus isnt it funny how anywhere it REALLY is dangerous to use excessive speed a gatso wouldnt help? outside a school for a start, eejit mums parked both sides of the road so you cant see any kids walkin out till they are there under your bumper. 20mph can be way too fast here, speed camera wouldnt catch that though would it? the whole way road saftey is advertised, it seems to be a product not a result, is to my mind wrong. when did you last see an advert for the green cross code? no dont worry little jonny is never wrong & can see cars anyway cause his hoody is so far over his face. [polishes soapbox and considers work later] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dottythe90 Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 In our local newspaper this week. 1 dog dies, another at deaths door after being left in a 4X4. What the ***k has the vehicle being a 4X4 got to do with it ? Leave a dog in a Smartcar with the windows closed in this weather, you'll get the same result. Misleading adverts, biased reporting...........they're all playing the PC game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LR90 Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 In our local newspaper this week. 1 dog dies, another at deaths door after being left in a 4X4. Clearly not a Land Rover then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Clearly not a Land Rover then Check out the lovely stuff from our friends at Greenpeace... A balance mature look at 4x4's.... Courtesy of Mud Club... Cheers Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 That video is just purely OFFENSIVE, not a single piece of evidence to support their cause, & it's a diesel powered Landcruiser NOT a petrol/gas one, Greenpeace should do lots of a bunch of that make me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajlorton Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 I thought the greenpeace vid was hilarious. I feel utterly powerless to change any misinformed or unwarrented predjudice towards my choice of vehicle. I just laugh at the nutters now. The only thing which really winds me up in the whole 'should we shoudn't we own a 4x4 argument' are the people who don't really know how to drive them. These are the people who can't park them, or can't go around corners without mounting them etc etc. My current frustration is with a local here in Swindon who owns one of those vile Hummer H2 things. It is noticably wider than most other vehicles but still they insist on taking it on the school run where they take it down a very narrow back street and prevent anyone else from getting up or down it. To make matters worse they then park it either illegally or in a space where they simply don't fit. I don't mind them owning it (they clearly have poor taste, but that's another matter), I just can't believe the stupidity of them forcing it down roads it doesn't fit, screwing everyone else. It's the old problem of people wanting to exersize their rights, but aren't able or willing to accept responsibility for their actions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diesel_jim Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 My current frustration is with a local here in Swindon who owns one of I thought you were going to mention me driving past your place to work every day in the 110!! PS... Sue, SWMBO, likes your Labradoodle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajlorton Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Well, yeah, I do get peeved at people using our road as a short cut. But you're one of the gang so we'll let you off ! Just wish I had known about it before I bought the place. Still, you live and learn. We are beginning to regret having Spike's nuts cut off, as loads of people are commenting on how much they like him and the waiting list to get one is huge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 23, 2006 Author Share Posted July 23, 2006 poor Spike, if he is man's best friend what would you do to your enemies? that advert makes me laff & his jacket is correct - that 4x4 is way to straight & clean to ever get used. i dont understand these people who buy them as MPVs either, 4x4s make carp road cars if we're all honest right? comfy for motorways etc but carp in town as they are slow & bluky blah blah blah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 I'd rather be in my 110 in town or elsewhere, visibilty is great over other traffic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Dog Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 just sick of the way that EVERYTHING is the cars fault. You wouldn't like what I read a while ago, then. There was a proposal that in all car/bicycle accidents, it would be deemed to be automatically the fault of the car driver. No question, no mitigating circumstances. BBC News - sorry it's a bit out of date Scary. So a cyclist, without lights or insurance, can come at you the wrong way down a one-way street, using a mobile phone, run right into your front bumper, and - you're at fault. I don't know how far this proposal has got, but it was being discussed at EU level as part of a re-think of insurance issues across member states. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 24, 2006 Author Share Posted July 24, 2006 yeah i remember that story doing the rounds, from what i remember is so someone will cough up for the cost of the ambulance etc. [edit] think i might go outside & headbutt a parked car for a bit, the conpensation should buy my new tyres.... [/edit] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 IMHO that greenpeace vid was about right - the guy rather clearly has just bought a big 4x4 to commute round the city / enhance his willy. If it had been a muddy / used / dented 4x4 or he'd been working in the countryside / towing stuff etc. then it would be annoying but (even if Greenpeace themselves don't discriminate) the video director clearly is targeting the sorts of vain/selfish tw*ts that give the rest of us a bad name. Think about it - if there weren't 1000's of people like the guy in the video p*ssing Greenpeace off then they wouldn't give a toss what we drove and would probably be campaigning to get a tax The problem is that Greenpeace just say "Ban all 4x4's", and everyone knows sweeping generalisations are always wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 Should anyone be interested, it's a bit hidden but there is a Greenpeace forum: http://members.greenpeace.org/phpBB2/ This could be good... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02GF74 Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 You wouldn't like what I read a while ago, then. There was a proposal that in all car/bicycle accidents, it would be deemed to be automatically the fault of the car driver. No question, no mitigating circumstances.BBC News - sorry it's a bit out of date Scary. So a cyclist, without lights or insurance, can come at you the wrong way down a one-way street, using a mobile phone, run right into your front bumper, and - you're at fault. I don't know how far this proposal has got, but it was being discussed at EU level as part of a re-think of insurance issues across member states. So if it makes drivers more aware of non driving road users (pedestrians/cyclists), perhaps having to stop and yes, shock horror, give way resulting in saving a life or someone from serious injury really that bad a thing? The natrual response is that there are going to be those trying to make money from this - think about it - are you going to risk having an accident, not knoing the outcome, possibly ending up dead or in a wheelchair to make some money? The reality of this happening is is pretty low. Sorry but as a cyclist this kinda gets my goat - I can guarantee that there is an "incident" of some sort that I get from a car driver who will deliberatley force me to take evading action simply because the know they know I will end off worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 24, 2006 Author Share Posted July 24, 2006 02GF74 im a regular cyclist too & can see your point of view. but i bet you've seen enough near misses where some idiot on a pushbike almost gets themselves killed through no fault of the car/bus/truck driver. how about all the cyclists that just go through red lights & swerve through the traffic for example? im all for equal rights on the road for cyclists being enforced, but that should be balanced with equal responsability. this law would make it appear yet again that the car is always in the wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02GF74 Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 02GF74 im a regular cyclist too & can see your point of view. but i bet you've seen enough near misses where some idiot on a pushbike almost gets themselves killed through no fault of the car/bus/truck driver. how about all the cyclists that just go through red lights & swerve through the traffic for example?im all for equal rights on the road for cyclists being enforced, but that should be balanced with equal responsability. this law would make it appear yet again that the car is always in the wrong. it is a question of arttitude to other road users, as you have demonstrated here^^^ the car driver is always right. My question is - why won't you stop or slow down? And let's be honest here, the chances are the difference it makes to your journey is absolutely nil - you will have been slowed down by other traffic or lights etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugwash Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 that's a silly comment to make. i am a regular cyclicst as well- but my blood really boils when i see other cyclists doing stupid things. For example yesterday i was stopped at a set of traffic lights at a crossroads- cyclist in the box in front of me- he sees that there isn't "very" much traffic around and moves right across the junction- now traffice rfom either side doesn't have a very good view, due to the road layout and someone crosses in front of me at about 25 (there on green). As the cyclist is also crossing (against a red!) the car has to swerve and brake very hard- they end up totalling a bollard! some damage to car and lots of damage to bollard- cyclist just keeps on going. Frankly if the cyclist had been hit i really wouldn't have shed a tear- it was their fault and no one elses. To say that car drivers need to slow down for cyclists who are breaking the law is fatuous. What everyone needs (espeically cyclists) is a better understanding of how the law implies to them, whilst having more consideration and understanding of other highway users! anyway Why the F**k should cars STOP for cyclists when cars have the right of way? bikes don't have to stop for cars when bikes have right of way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 ^^^^^ wot he said. cars/bikes/predestrians/etc all have equal rights on the road, if everyone at least roughly followed the law then itd be a lot easier & safer for everyone. and of course i slow/swerve for eejit cyclists, takes way too long to get the blood out my winch/intercooler otherwise . but if they are cycling like prats i only just miss them, aversion training is the only thing that might work. common sense & self preservation obviously has no effect on them. as far as im concerned ejjits like the one mentioned in the last post crossing a red light should have a verdict of sucide recored when they finally manage to get fattened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 I have seen too many cyclists riding like psychopaths and then behaving like it's the car's fault. I got cut up by one on a junction in the Transit , I was going round a roundabout following the very clearly painted lines on the floor to show people where to go, and he came right across in front of me and the car next to me, crossing three lanes and then proceeded to shout, swear, and gesticulate at us as if we were the idiots frankly I was considering keeping my foot down, no-one would have been surprised if he'd been flattened and it'd improve the gene pool. Another thing that annoys me is I always leave space for motorbikes to go past in traffic, this means I often end up close to the kerb which then means cyclists try and scrape down the side of the vehicle, again they shout / gesticulate or just glare at you like you're some sort of scum. They don't pay any road tax, don't have to take any sort of test and frequently break the highway code when it's convenient for them to do so, and other times expect to be treated as if they were a car when THAT's convenient. Sure this is generalisation but then you don't notice the ones who ride sensibly, just like people only notice when idiots tear up green lanes and the issue is similar - stop the a***holes and improve the reputation of everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02GF74 Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 anyway Why the F**k should cars STOP for cyclists when cars have the right of way? bikes don't have to stop for cars when bikes have right of way? why? so that you don't kill someone perhaps? cyclists are far more vulnearble to injury than you in your tin box.. like I commented earlier, it is an attitude issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Sorry OTGF74 but I have to disagree with you. Twice in the last week, whilst walking to work, I have almost been knocked over on a pedestrian crossing by cyclist who just ignored the fact that the lights are on red and I have the right of way. I also get annoyed at keep having to move out of the way as they take short cuts across the pavement. If you say anything all you get is a mouthful of abuse. Consequently when I am driving I don't give a stuff for cyclists. As has been said before they pay no road tax, don't have to take a test and seem to think that the roads belong to them. Ivan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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