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Cycling sometimes less environmentally-friendly than taking the car


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I've been commuting to Dyce from near Belhelvie and I've reason to believe it would be more environmentally-friendly if I were to juts drive in my economical Fiat Punto. It's not the exhaust fumes that really make me comes to this conclusion - because for 136g/km, that's not too bad - but more the other road users.

Essentially, I'm in the way almost all of the time. Drivers need to assess their speed with my speed with oncoming traffics' speed and most of the time they slow down, sometimes even to my speed (12mph). In order to pass me - when the opportunity arises, they have to accelerate and get back to their origninal or most comfortable speed (50 - 65mph) and I think that's where the worst offending pollution arises. Well, that and the power shower I have when I get to work.

I guess if there were proper cycle lanes and what not then the figure would match up, but as is it, it's a little worse for me to cycle than drive, environmentally speaking.

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Interesting logic. There seem to be alot of cyclists on aberdeen's roads who either have a death wish or don't remember their cycling proficiency course (probably both actually). One guy cut across in front of me on guild st without looking or signalling, then nearly got run over by the car in the lane next to me.

Muppets.

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Interesting logic. There seem to be alot of cyclists on aberdeen's roads who either have a death wish or don't remember their cycling proficiency course (probably both actually). One guy cut across in front of me on guild st without looking or signalling, then nearly got run over by the car in the lane next to me.

Muppets.

OOOOHHH don' get me started about bloody car drivers. I am a cyclist. Most of the car drivers I encounter are tossers with no respect for us cyclists. I've had cars pull out on me at junctions making me break, I've had them cut in my cycle lane without looking and nearly knock me off. They overtake just to cut across me and turn off the road.

Car drivers are as inconsiderate as us cyclists. I don't go through red lights, but I don't see why I can't sneak up the middle of queuing traffic and get to the front of the queue. You'd do the same if you could!

Inconsiderate Car driving Muppets!

What kind of car do you drive Rachie? Next time I'm cycling up guild street, I'll wave before I cut you up! heheh

pete

inthehills

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Guest Savant

I ride a bike as well as use a car. As a driver I give cyclists as much room as possible - it's not hard to do this. You should give a cyclist as much room as you would a car.

As a cyclist I try and keep my speed up or get out of the way if I'm holding up any cars. Just being considerate really. But I still find you get assholes who feel the need to accelerate past you at a high rate and at close proximity. I once had a guy do this then turn in to the left when I was on the inside of him and when I try speaking to him he's calling me an asshole for 'overtaking him on the left'...and procedes to drive his car into me. I reported him to the police.

As for cyclists cutting out infront of cars - that's just as bad, as well as stupid. Not everyone who uses the roads is switched on enough - regardless of the vehicle they use.

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I hate cyclists that think the highway code doesn't apply to them, but more as a pedestrian than a driver. The next cyclist that tries to go through a red light or a pedestrian crossing while I'm try to walk across the road is getting pushed off their bike, swear to god. And stay off the fucking pavement!

Now the evenings are getting light again I'll need to get my bike sorted out after it's winter hibernation and start getting back to fitness.

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I hate cyclists that think the highway code doesn't apply to them, but more as a pedestrian than a driver. The next cyclist that tries to go through a red light or a pedestrian crossing while I'm try to walk across the road is getting pushed off their bike, swear to god. And stay off the fucking pavement!

Now the evenings are getting light again I'll need to get my bike sorted out after it's winter hibernation and start getting back to fitness.

I actually chucked a guy off his bike into the road (i did make sure there were no cars coming) when he refused to get off a rather narrow pavement that i was walking along. He called me an asshole for getting in the way (that was the final straw) so i picked up the front of his bike and jettisoned it and him onto the tarmac. He didn't argue.

It wasn't like it was a young guy either, it was a business man.

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A passenger in an Audi leaned out the window and pushed him over - in the middle of moving traffic. Could have killed him but thankfully he fell onto the pavement so was unharmed asides a few bruises.

That's scary. I've never had much bother from motorists when I've been cycling.

Incidentally, why do some cyclists not wear helmets while cycling in urban areas? Seems like madness to me.

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. A passenger in an Audi leaned out the window and pushed him over - in the middle of moving traffic.

Audi drivers are the worst offenders! I don't know what it is, but obviously you have to a total twat to buy an audi. It must be on the small print. Are you a mysogenistic arrogant gimp with no respect for others and a very small penis? Yes? then the Audi is for you!

I had one car swerve towards me 'cos I was overtaking a line of stationary cars. I was technically still on the correct side of the central white line, but he was coming towards me and just wanted to scare me. Git!

Grrrrr.

If cars are getting too close I usually politely knock on their window and ask them to move over. I don't swear. If they still don't move over, I tend to be less polite with my knocking!

Its a dog eat dog world out there.

Pete

inthehills

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OOOOHHH don' get me started about bloody car drivers. I am a cyclist. Most of the car drivers I encounter are tossers with no respect for us cyclists. I've had cars pull out on me at junctions making me break, I've had them cut in my cycle lane without looking and nearly knock me off. They overtake just to cut across me and turn off the road.

Car drivers are as inconsiderate as us cyclists. I don't go through red lights, but I don't see why I can't sneak up the middle of queuing traffic and get to the front of the queue. You'd do the same if you could!

Inconsiderate Car driving Muppets!

What kind of car do you drive Rachie? Next time I'm cycling up guild street, I'll wave before I cut you up! heheh

pete

inthehills

Usually a (borrowed) green suzuki, set to change very soon. I do keep an eye out for cyclists and make sure I give them a wide berth - usually because I never know what the hell they're going to do!

And cyclists not wearing helmets are as stupid as drivers not wearing a seatbelt. It's there for your safety!

Bah!

Read about that Market st thing in news a whiley back, crazy stuff. Poor guy!

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Guest Kilgore Trout

just out of interest are bikes allowed in bus lanes? i use them all the time- and get funny looks from car drivers, mind you that might be because my helmet has born to die written on it in marker pen.....c'mon the bikists!

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Guest Kilgore Trout
I actually chucked a guy off his bike into the road (i did make sure there were no cars coming) when he refused to get off a rather narrow pavement that i was walking along. He called me an asshole for getting in the way (that was the final straw) so i picked up the front of his bike and jettisoned it and him onto the tarmac. He didn't argue.

It wasn't like it was a young guy either, it was a business man.

jeez Bob, he probably was just trying to get close enough to ask you about microphones. give the guy a break. well you nearly did. och.

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Guest Tam o' Shantie
Audi drivers are the worst offenders! I don't know what it is, but obviously you have to a total twat to buy an audi. It must be on the small print. Are you a mysogenistic arrogant gimp with no respect for others and a very small penis? Yes? then the Audi is for you!

I wouldn't expect a cyclist to know any better.

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I can't say I've really had much of a problem with other drivers on the road, except the fumes. when you're tackling a steep hill in rush-hour traffic, it's pretty shitty when you're inhaling quite a bit of exhaust per gulp of air.

That's all I have to say about that.

If only all the rush-hour traffic roads could be converted to industrial-style conveyer belts that somehow seamlessly integrate with junctions, I could be cycling home at 40mph!

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just out of interest are bikes allowed in bus lanes?

Yes, despite First's best efforts to get bikes banned from them, they remain what they always were - combined bus & cycle lanes. If any bus driver gets shitty with you about it (IME, plenty do) & you want to push the issue, you are quite within your rights to require their ID off them, retain it & return it promptly with a stiff letter of complaint to the Lord Provost's office - Don't bother with the bus co or the PT office, as your complaint won't get much attention.

As a motorcyclist, motorist & cyclist, I really don't have much time for irresponsable asshole road users of any description. However, for bikes on pavements, I can think of more than a few places where the pavements are wide enough & quiet enough to be a much safer alternative to certain roads/junctions so long as the cyclist uses a modicum of sense. :)

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Cyclists, basically, are cunts.

If they're not cycling on the pavements or cutting across junctions at red lights, they're speeding through stationary traffic on the blind side of drivers.

...cunts...

But the ones that rupture my hernia are the CUNTS in poofy technicolour de rigeur gear who fancy themselves as Lance Armstong and ride two abreast on country lanes with absolutey NO consideration for any other road users.

Cunts.

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Guest Savant
Cyclists, basically, are cunts.

If they're not cycling on the pavements or cutting across junctions at red lights, they're speeding through stationary traffic on the blind side of drivers.

...cunts...

But the ones that rupture my hernia are the CUNTS in poofy technicolour de rigeur gear who fancy themselves as Lance Armstong and ride two abreast on country lanes with absolutey NO consideration for any other road users.

Cunts.

But filtering and riding two-abreast is legal for both cyclists & motorcyclists. I sit in traffic daily with people filtering between the cars & have no problem seeing them.

The ones you refer to as going through red lights are no better than any car driver who drives badly/through red lights.

But you're right, there's no excuse for poofy technicolour clothes.

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But filtering and riding two-abreast is legal for both cyclists & motorcyclists. I sit in traffic daily with people filtering between the cars & have no problem seeing them.

The ones you refer to as going through red lights are no better than any car driver who drives badly/through red lights.

But you're right, there's no excuse for poofy technicolour clothes.

Riding two-abreast is fine - no problems there. It's when you get two arrogant Nigels, who simply refuse to tuck in and let you pass safely, thereby leaving you stuck travelling at 15mph for the duration of Their Majesty's Pleasure.

Cunts.

Ps - I'm a driver, biker & cyclist (not simultaneously!) and a courteous one at that - except when if comes to Nigels in dayglo racing gear :swearing:

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