cyclists 2 a breast

[The Beard]

Crossings history:

Next, Puffin. P (Pedestrian) UFF (User-friendly) IN (Intelligent) (That's the crossing that is user-friendly and intelligent, not necessarily the user.)
These have infra-red cameras to monitor traffic and pedestrian movements.
If you push the button and walk away, it should cancel the request. In practice, these are in high pedestrian traffic areas, so other movement will keep it triggered.
If there is no traffic it should give traffic a red straight away. In busy times there will be a minimum delay to keep everyone moving.
If the traffic is approaching quickly, it should give a longer amber.
If the pedestrians walk slowly, it should give a longer green man signal.
(Note the use of should. Sometimes they can be observed working well.)


There is also an Equestrian crossing. Originally known as a Pegasus. This is a Puffin with wooden fences and higher call buttons for horse riders to use. They're a bit rare. Apparently there is one somewhere in London where the Police stable their horses, but I'm not sure a policeman on a horse needs the help of a traffic light. There is one on the A259 between Littlehampton and Worthing, but despite having passed through it about once a month for twelve years, I've never seen a horse rider using it.

The "IN" in PUFFIN can also stand for Infra Red as a reference to the I-R sensors. Not cameras of course.

Pegasus crossings can be found in Manchester city centre, although there's nothing to differentiate them from normal crossings linked to ATS apart from the second, higher push button and display.

The PELICAN was initially known as the PELICON crossing for PEdestrian Light CONtrolled.

 

[pooroldcodger]

Came across an interesting variation of cyclists riding 2 abreast this morning.
Mrs Codger was driving due to me having a bad back.
We were driving through a railway tunnel on a country lane (near Pott Shrigley for anybody local).
The tunnel is only wide enough for one vehicle anyway so you have to approach it with caution, especially as there is a sharp bend at one end of it, so you can't see what's coming round the corner in to the tunnel.
We were literally going at walking pace as a group of hikers were ahead of us in the tunnel, so rather than trying to pass them, we drove behind them.
Just as the first of the hikes had started to emerge from the tunnel 2 thirty-ish guys in lycra on mountain bikes cam down the hill and round the corner two abreast at about 25 mph. They saw the hikers coming out of the tunnel so pulled to the middle of the road and headed in to the tunnel.
At this point they realise they were aiming head on at our car still going very quickly.
Both guys had to anchor up and skid and squirm around us. I thought one of the guys was going straight in to us.
If he had hit us, I would have been glad of the hikers as witnesses, otherwise it would have been their word against ours as to who was travelling at an unsuitable speed.

 

[The Beard]

Came across an interesting variation of cyclists riding 2 abreast this morning.
Mrs Codger was driving due to me having a bad back.
We were driving through a railway tunnel on a country lane (near Pott Shrigley for anybody local).
The tunnel is only wide enough for one vehicle anyway so you have to approach it with caution, especially as there is a sharp bend at one end of it, so you can't see what's coming round the corner in to the tunnel.
We were literally going at walking pace as a group of hikers were ahead of us in the tunnel, so rather than trying to pass them, we drove behind them.
Just as the first of the hikes had started to emerge from the tunnel 2 thirty-ish guys in lycra on mountain bikes cam down the hill and round the corner two abreast at about 25 mph. They saw the hikers coming out of the tunnel so pulled to the middle of the road and headed in to the tunnel.
At this point they realise they were aiming head on at our car still going very quickly.
Both guys had to anchor up and skid and squirm around us. I thought one of the guys was going straight in to us.
If he had hit us, I would have been glad of the hikers as witnesses, otherwise it would have been their word against ours as to who was travelling at an unsuitable speed.

I have to say POC, that even without the hikers you'd have had no trouble before "The Beak". No self respecting MTB rider would be seen dead in Lycra. The Judge would have immediately dismissed any case against you on the grounds that they cyclists were obviously Cads and Bounders who deserve to be incarcerated at Her Majesty's Pleasure, or, at the very least, transported to the Colonies.

 

[ThisBitterPill]

No self respecting MTB rider would be seen dead in Lycra. The Judge would have immediately dismissed any case against you on the grounds that they cyclists were obviously Cads and Bounders who deserve to be incarcerated at Her Majesty's Pleasure, or, at the very least, transported to the Colonies.

Indeed, this is clearly a breach of Rule #18 ....

Rule #18 : // Know what to wear. Don’t suffer kit confusion.

"No baggy shorts and jerseys while riding the road bike. No lycra when riding the mountain bike (unless racing XC). Skin suits only for cyclocross"

 

[Podge]

i am more irritated by horse riders who choose to go out in rush hour. in fact, i dont favour horses on roads at all, and think they belong in fields.

As Horses have been using British roads for the last 1900 years I always consider them legitimate road users!

 

[Rigby]

Came across 2 cyclists the other day going 2 a breast, couldn't get passed because of a blind bend and it took them about 20 seconds to finally move over! Another thing that annoys me is a couple of cyclists not using a section of cycle lane, why?!?! They overtake other cyclists that are on the cycle path and its easily wide enough for 2!:bang::bang:

 

[custard]

Came across 2 cyclists the other day going 2 a breast, couldn't get passed because of a blind bend and it took them about 20 seconds to finally move over! Another thing that annoys me is a couple of cyclists not using a section of cycle lane, why?!?! They overtake other cyclists that are on the cycle path and its easily wide enough for 2!:bang::bang:

well lets give you the view of someone who deals with drivers while on a bike

Its a blind bend
So do you want cars overtaking you,who may then have to veer left?
20 seconds? Do you really want to look over what you wrote again?
20 seconds?you wait longer on someone who misses the lights going to green
define cycle lane/path
if you are overtaking a cyclist on a bike,you need to give them room

 

[portland_bill]

Came across 2 cyclists the other day going 2 a breast, couldn't get passed because of a blind bend and it took them about 20 seconds to finally move over!

Surely, even in single file, or just one cyclist, a blind bend would prevent the overtake, not the width of the obstruction. Just bad luck meeting them there.

 

[portland_bill]

10 minutes ago, I caught up with one cyclist on a busy but not wide 50mph road. She was standing up on the pedals and giving 5 big pushes, then relaxing until the bike nearly stopped, then repeating. This makes following her very difficult, (the view being little compensation), leading to lots of the following cars overtaking into the face of oncoming traffic, leaving no safety room for anyone. She looked quite concerned at this, but didn't seem to realise she might be a major contributor.

 

[EvoStevo]

Its very annoying being behind going cyclists 2 a breast.

Its much better being behind a 2 breasted cyclist.

 

[Rigby]

well lets give you the view of someone who deals with drivers while on a bike

Its a blind bend
So do you want cars overtaking you,who may then have to veer left?
20 seconds? Do you really want to look over what you wrote again?
20 seconds?you wait longer on someone who misses the lights going to green
define cycle lane/path
if you are overtaking a cyclist on a bike,you need to give them room

I dont have a problem with 9/10 cyclists, with most things, its the 1/10 that lets everyone down. It wasn't a completely blind bend but not one that you would want to be on the other side of the for but is wide enough to get by a single bike perfectly safely.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=e...=B-PwueKKoet0IVUjSIG5sw&cbp=12,186.18,,0,11.3

Thats the cycle lane in question. In the mornings it can be quiet solid traffic still moving at the speed limit, 30 into a 40. Just the one cyclist not using the lane can back up traffic a fair amount.

I always give plenty of room when overtaking, not once have I ever had a close call with a cyclist, I wait until there is a suitable gap.

 

[ThisBitterPill]

I dont have a problem with 9/10 cyclists, with most things, its the 1/10 that lets everyone down.

Funnily enough, when you are riding on the roads, I'd say the amount of drivers that let everyone down was about the same.... 9/10 drivers give you room, but there's always that 1/10 that wants to skim your right elbow....

 

[custard]

I dont have a problem with 9/10 cyclists, with most things, its the 1/10 that lets everyone down. It wasn't a completely blind bend but not one that you would want to be on the other side of the for but is wide enough to get by a single bike perfectly safely.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=e...=B-PwueKKoet0IVUjSIG5sw&cbp=12,186.18,,0,11.3

Thats the cycle lane in question. In the mornings it can be quiet solid traffic still moving at the speed limit, 30 into a 40. Just the one cyclist not using the lane can back up traffic a fair amount.

I always give plenty of room when overtaking, not once have I ever had a close call with a cyclist, I wait until there is a suitable gap.

you say its wide enough,I wouldn't be so sure
I could overtake but what happens if the cyclist on the inside wobbles?
Where am i going if they come to the right?
You also have driveways with hidden entrances
You dont want to be slowed down,how would you like to have to slow down at every driveway?
more so when it takes a bit more effort than pressing on an accelerator to get back to speed
you see,everyone has their own viewpoint


Ive done about 20 miles this morning to the gym and back and a wee stop off for a coffee, and then cycling with my boy to school
I could list multiple infractions from motorists and a surprising amount of consideration from a white van
the majority of drivers do things without malice. however these can have devastating consequences

 

[pooroldcodger]

Indeed, this is clearly a breach of Rule #18 ....

Rule #18 : // Know what to wear. Don’t suffer kit confusion.

"No baggy shorts and jerseys while riding the road bike. No lycra when riding the mountain bike (unless racing XC). Skin suits only for cyclocross"

I suspect the guy that just managed to stop a couple of feet off our bonnet was wearing brown lycra soon at that moment!
It was a lucky escape for him and for us.