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As a pedestrian, how many times have you waited at a set of traffic lights for the signal to cross, then just when you are about to some idiot on a bicycle goes through them completely ignoring the fact that the lights are red and they nearly run you over in the process?
I travel to work in London by train every day, which in itself is a nightmare of a trip. However things get much worse once I'm in the city and on the ten or fifteen minute walk that takes me to the office. Where I work near Farringdon there is busy intersection where two main roads meet and without fail, every time the lights change to red some cyclist has to try and sneak through at the last minute because they haven't got the patience or good manners to wait and let people cross.
Car drivers are pretty bad for this and the ones who get it really wrong end up parked actually on the crossing because they misjudged the traffic flow and didn't get as far as they thought they would. Then they stare at you as you try to negotiate your way around the obstruction with a look of disgust because you have inconvenienced them by wishing to cross the road.
A cyclist going through traffic lights on red
My real pet hate however is cyclists, especially in cities such as London or Oxford. Where do they get off thinking the rules don't apply to them and that they can just go through traffic lights whenever it suits them? As if that isn't bad enough, you will regularly find cyclists using the footpath as a cycle lane or wobbling around changing direction whenever they feel like it without any attempt to indicate.
The bottom line is, a pedestrian crossing is just what it says it is, a place where pedestrians should be allowed to cross safely. So come on cyclists, use your head and please pay the rest of us some consideration.
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Bye Fred
"I think that you will find lots of similar incidents where pedestrians have caused problems trespassing on railway lines."
If I were interested I might find that. However, this is a thread about cyclists, and not pedestrians, so I am not going to look. If you find that subject interesting, why don’t you look and let me know?
As your answer regarding any comment about cyclists is to say what about....... the things that pedestrians/ motorists/ people on disability scooters or whoever do , why not start a gripe about those subjects, but stick to the topic of cyclists on this one?
Not to mention that if people talk to each other they might actually resolve the issue so that the lawyers don't get a pay-day. Heaven forbid that should happen!!!
"The person who made the complaint will not give me his name or contact details" That statement is not quite right. Something is a bit wiffy in the State of Denmark.
"Go back to the police, express your views in writing, and see what happens."
I wouldn't recommend that personally. Once you put something in writing you formalise the process. Doing so also confirms your acceptance that you were at the scene etc. etc.
Don't build their case for them!
Also, don't put a sign on your car. It can be considered to be inflammatory and will work against you. You would be perceived to be 'anti-cyclist' and would cause more problems than it solves.
Do put a sign on you're car, saying cyclists ,don't mess with me or I will notify the police!
As you say, from this statement they were not in single file, so breaking the law. If the daughter is a child, the father should be ashamed of himself for letting her cycle on the outside, in the most vulnerable position.
Go back to the police, express your views in writing, and see what happens. My guess is that will be the end of it.
SpeedyCreedy2005