Bob, you wouldn't run a car on the roads the Romans built. It was the cycling lobby that pushed for having the surface of tracks coated smooth. Had they not done that the motor vehicle would never have taken off because nobody would have been able to drive far in them. The rest of your post shows such a poor attitude and knowledge of the road and civility I couldn't describe you as a car driver, but someone who happens to sit behind a steering wheel. The roads do not belong to cars, that's why you need a licence, unlike cyclists etc who can use them as of right. If you use your car as a weapon as you say you will, I hope you like porridge.
Who pays raod tax? Nobody at all. It was scrappe in 1936 by Winston Churchill. The disc on your car is Vehicle Exicise Duty and is for the luxury of owning the vehicle. It's nothing to do with the roads. However, if you want to go down that route. A VED icharged on emissions. Cyclists are zero emissions and therefore would be charged nothing. However car other people would need to pay more to cover the Admin for the cyclists disc.
Okay Benny Boy, following your logic, the 20 cyclists should space out, for safety, the Government guidance suggests they ride down the centre of the lane. So you would have 20 obstacels to navigate instead of one. That's why the Highway Code says 'should' not 'must' and has other caveats to cover such things. Just face the fact you're not a very good car driver and have a poor attitude.
For the sake of balance, some more of the Highway Code... 212 When passing motorcyclists and cyclists, give them plenty of room (see Rules 162-167). If they look over their shoulder it could mean that they intend to pull out, turn right or change direction. Give them time and space to do so. 213 Motorcyclists and cyclists may suddenly need to avoid uneven road surfaces and obstacles such as drain covers or oily, wet or icy patches on the road. Give them plenty of room and pay particular attention to any sudden change of direction they may have to make. 163 Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so. You should •not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake ... •give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car Getting too close to cyclists, cutting them up etc are contrary to the Highway Code. Whilst I agree that cyclists should not be riding 4 abreast, the suggestion that they deserve to be knocked off etc is ridiculous. But Dutch does make a good point - it is easier to overtake on large group of cyclists than it is to overtake a long line of them
Nobody's denying that, what seriously concerns me is your lack of knowledge of the basic courtesies of the road. You really shouldn't be behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.
I can go along with that Ben, as long as it's reciprocated. If you're going about your legal business and someone decides they don't like you doing it, I guess you wont mind if they squirt detergent in your eyes and hit you with a tonne of metal? You see either way, you won't be at large long.
Agree with this except the last sentence. It's the cyclists who think they're professional riders who have a chip on their shoulder. Other cyclists generally try to ride close to the curb, but they often purposely move out into the road to hold up traffic.
Perfectly legal, yes. Unlike the way you've described your actions on the road. PS, they're unlikely to be 'racing' they're more liable to be riding in a group.
I will move out to hold up traffic (as the Government experts recomend) if it assists my safety, such as approaching bottlenecks or junctions where car drivers could be tempted to try to squeeze through.
Maybe you would DMD, but you're not everyone. I drive through rural Derbyshire regularly and more often than not when there's a group of cyclists racing they occupy the full road. It happens so often that it's clear they do it purposely to annoy other road users.
Firstly I am a keen cyclist. BUT !!! and it is a bid BUT (not arse) when I'm driving around at night it must be 75% of cyclists have no lights and allot are dressed in dark colours and are almost invisible, I find myself counting how many have and how many haven't have lights on their bikes. it does infuriate me and what is even worse is that you see police cars just drive past them. Probably just makes me a grumpy old man. But for Fu**s Sake Just buy some frigin lights.
No blinkered view on this part. Feel free to show me the LAW that they're breaking. Perhaps you could explain how passing 20 cycles is easier than passing one group?
I bet they're occuping half the road (one carriageway) rather than the full road, but that's about the same space width ways as you're taking up. PS, again, I doubt they're racing, they'll just be riding in a group.
So you agree it IS legal then? As I've mentioned, the Highway Code has caveats as the "should" as opposed to "must" elements are not cast in stone. But if you feel passing a group that's similar in size and speed to a tractor and trailer is difficult, and harder than passing 20 individual vehicles, I seriously doubt that you're actually a driver. EDIT, Why have you changed my quote from "They're" to "I'm"??
Surely racing anything on the road is illegal anyway regardless? The roads are for transport, they're not race tracks. If I go out racing my car with my mates we get pulled over by plod, told to split up and offered ASBO's if we're seen in convoy again that night along with vehicles getting impounded, coupled with the fact that the second we break 60mph we'll be thrown in jail for 6 months. Needless to say I don't bother. Why should racing on a pushbike be any different? Just because it's not at the same speeds doesn't alter the fact it's racing and it's dangerous.
I can't believe we've run up five pages on whether or not cyclists are annoying. Just on the point of VED being based on emissions, it's obviously true that it is, but that's not really got anything to do with pollution or the right to drive a car. The emissions rules are so that people with big cars pay a lot more than people with small cars, it's just a way of additionally taxing the more wealthy. The reality is, that the most polluting cars(those built before 1973), pay the same VED as cyclists(as do Lambretta owners).
Actually it's not illegal HOWEVER, THEY'RE UNLIKELY TO BE RACING. FFS You must have funny tractors around your way. And why did you edit my other quote from "they're" to "I'm"?
