Highway code changes

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ChrisL
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Highway code changes

Postby ChrisL » Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:32 am

Surprised Boris didn't use this as a distraction but the Highway code is changes.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-highway-code-8-changes-you-need-to-know-from-29-january-2022

Nothing major and particularly contentious but worth a read...
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DJ.
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Re: Highway code changes

Postby DJ. » Fri Jan 28, 2022 4:09 pm

People seem to be getting very worked up about some of these changes. As I understood it, pedestrians always had right of way, and you weren't supposed to mow them down if they were in the way!

As a cyclist, I am glad it isn't compulsory to use bike lanes because so many are so poorly executed and then not maintained, they are more dangerous than the road. However, on narrow roads, I think there should be a requirement for cyclists to pull over and let traffic past as there already is for other slow moving vehicles like tractors.

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Re: Highway code changes

Postby bigstuff » Sat Jan 29, 2022 10:06 am

It's a pity all cyclists don't adopt your attitude Duncan, I recently experienced a pack riding about five wide and ten deep. Albeit at slow speed I had one nut case slam his bike into the offside of my car, doing considerable damage. No insurance to fall back on there.
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DJ.
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Re: Highway code changes

Postby DJ. » Sat Jan 29, 2022 4:51 pm

Sorry to hear that :(
If you got the cyclists details, it is possible you can claim. A friend was riding with a chap who badly damaged a car, and the driver claimed against this cyclist (not sure if the claim was from the driver's insurer) but anyway, the cyclist realised his house insurance covered him for this sort of claim otherwise he would have had to pay out thousands himself.

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Re: Highway code changes

Postby Wingco » Sat Jan 29, 2022 5:01 pm

Being a keen cyclist myself I for one don't agree that we can drive 2 a breast. Okay when there is nothing coming or behind you fine but I always drop back and form a single file. cars can do me a lot of damage so I'm not getting in the way.
Cycle lanes as Duncan has said are to hit and miss with poorly maintained. I prefer riding on the road as there is a lot more room to over take slower riders, if I was on a cycle lane I might not be able to over take as some lanes are quit narrow.
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ChrisL
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Re: Highway code changes

Postby ChrisL » Mon Jan 31, 2022 10:45 am

I can’t understand what happens to some people when they get on a bike or in a car or on a horse, seems to me that common sense flys out the window to be replaced with some sort of primal/angry mentality. Personally unless you educate all involved it won’t change but sadly it seems as a national we can’t get the basics right! Tolerance and understanding get you a long way.
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Re: Highway code changes

Postby Weathers » Mon Jan 31, 2022 11:24 am

I used to ride with a club years ago and a shout would go up or down the line and we would fall into single file when traffic was about. A lot of people have bought a bike and think they know how to ride and simply don't. Especially on the roads.

The flip side is that a lot of people in their metal boxes don't realise that in the battle of cyclist vs car there is only ever one winner. I've been on the receiving end of a cars bumper then bonnet and it's not much fun. Apparently he didn't see me despite my hi-vi jacket and 3 lights at the back and 2 at the front...

I'm not a roady but do use the roads locally to get out to the mountain bike trails. We've had people hanging out of vans trying to push Lindsey off, when she was doing over 25mph down hill in a 30 zone, because we were in their way. We also had a bloke towing a caravan overtake with the car and then just squeeze us into the curb with the 'van. I caught up with him and when questioned about it he said that we were taking up too much space and shouldn't be riding 2 bikes one behind the other! The number of near misses we've had due to impatience is staggering. There's one particular pinch point that we now just avoid.

We have up to £3million in insurance on our bikes so unless we go mad we should be covered! I think all road users should have to have at least 3rd party insurance. I'd have no issue with that. Doesn't have to be expensive. Ours is about £60-80 a year depending on what add on's I take and that covers 5 of us.

Cycle lanes are a joke. New housing developments have to have a cycle provision but as soon as you reach the end of the building zone they just stop dead so I can't see the point. There's no plan or integration into the wider transport network. Where I used to live the new cycle path terminated at a 50mph road without even a pavement. So how are the kids supposed to cycle to school? There was no way they safely could so we all had to drive them in. Even thought it was only a handful of miles.

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Re: Highway code changes

Postby greenwoo » Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:28 pm

funnily enough was talking to the Mrs about the 'new' highway code. What struck us both was that if someone doesn't happen to subscribe to newsfeeds - how on earth will they know of the changes?
And yep, i do know folks who don't use smart phones and who invariably don't watch the news. ( no wonder they seem placid and untroubled by life ).....

anyhooow. From the snippet that i read i thought the biggest changes ( perhaps they were just the ones highlighted) was the giving way to someone who decides to step off the pavement and cross the road even though you're about to turn into that road; Plus the cyclist bit.....i don't have problems with any road user, but its all about common sense. 2 abreast in the middle of the lanes isn't sensible, nor thoughtful; But then again nor are bloody horse boxes which could pull over for 2 ticks to let cars past.

The joys of living in an overpopulated part of an overpopulated country.

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Re: Highway code changes

Postby Flyingtiger » Sun Mar 20, 2022 4:58 pm

Echo most thoughts here. When I did my motorbike training some 25+ years ago, I was told that the dotted white line across the side road is a crossing point for pedestrians and riders should give way if someone is crossing. The second line on the left side of the road is the actual give way line. So what has changed?
Re cyclists (and one myself), it will always be an issue with the concentration of road users these days, shame the word "consideration" is never considered on both sides! Yes, cyclists have every right to be on the road, but that means abiding by the rules of the road - running read lights, no entry etc. is not acceptable. Similarly, some car drivers are instantly aggressive to cyclists and deliberately manoeuvre dangerously close.
We have cycle lanes though our estate - what a joke! They suddenly stop and push you into the road at a pinch point and most are combined with the footpath so are mainly occupied by pushchairs! I have been moaned at for being on the road, then complained at for riding on the footpath ...
Again, i thought that any slow moving vehicle should be "considerate" and allow traffic to pass at a suitable point according to the HC, the grey area is what is "slow"? As kit car drivers, isn't 90% of the traffic too slow ???!!!
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