[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by NiInJa

Although I won't paint them as weed, cyclists here are potential threats due to following reasons:

1. Roads in UK are smaller in width and most of them do not have dedicated cycle lanes either on road or sidewalks and cyclists are increasing in numbers.
2. Most cyclists use battery assisted bikes which make them gain speeds comparable to cars (20mph/30 mph zones)
3. They tend to hog almost an entire lane as law mandated distance between a cyclist and car is a good few meters, essentially making single lane roads usable only at speeds of the bike ahead as overtaking comes dangerously close to breaking the law.
4. During office rush hours, many bikers tend to misuse cycles, they will cut through lanes, cut through cars standing at signals, and since they are untouchable by law, car drivers have to be more cautious.
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So yes, here in the UK, cyclists are misusing their powers and almost every car driver you meet has only verbal expletives reserved for them.

Never ridden a cycle in UK but have done in NY and other metro cities so I presume the situation is similar when it comes to metro cities.

The core problem is all vehicle owners (including cycle owners) need to see a cyclist equivalent to a motored vehicle.

That comes down to allowing them a full lane and letting the slowest vehicle (that could mean a slow moving cycle or a school bus with numerous stops on every street or a slow moving truck, etc) determine the speed of that lane. And giving them the equal right as one would do to any other vehicle.

That also means the rules and laws apply as much as to a cyclist as they do to a car or bike owner. Then if a cyclist squeezes through a red light or the space between two stationary vehicles, s/he can be fined for it or atleast yelled for it.

But one can't have the cake and eat it. Either we give leeway to a cycle as much as a truck or a bike or a car; or we allow them to work around the situation and work out what is best suited for them.

Last mile delivery guys are in a different league here They ride their battery powered bikes like Valentino Rossi through parks, footpaths and these bikes are pretty silent. Bike's weight and related physics aside, they can hit kids or dogs and god forbid, any fall on the head can be dangerous.

Same goes for last mile delivery guys on scooters / bikes / cars.
The problem isn't with the vehicle-type; but rather the business model behind this service that rewards breaking of the rules and pushes one to live dangerously on the roads.