That red light thing

now i know this one causes a lot of debate and is well worn ground... but, in light of the new 'share the road campaign' courtesy of tfl, i felt incensed enough to have a rant.

so... the basic premise of this wonderful campaign, is to stop evil cyclists from endangering everyone's life with their 'idiotic' behaviour... in fact someone shouted 'lights idiot' at me this morning, not seeing the irony in the fact they were crossing on red...

anyway, whilst there's no denying that jumping reds is potentially dangerous, i'd argue that the drivers of motor vehicles that i see jumping reds most days are much more reckless and dangerous than me on my little red bike...

in fact, a pedestrian is 100 times more likely to be injured in a collision with a motor vehicle, than with a cycle (despite the 71% rise in bike use this year) and to back that up, last year 34,791 pedestrian injuries were caused by motor vehicles with only 331 involving cycles (thanks to the CTC for the hard facts).

535 people were also killed last year in collisions, only one of these involved a cycle (which coinidentally wasn't jumping a red, riding on the pavement or indeed doing anything 'illegal') the rest cars/motorbikes/trucks/the usual.

and even the riding on the pavement thing (which i have to confess i have done, but usually when someone has closed any other option for me and then i've done it a slower than walking pace) shows that there were 2,197 injuries occurring on the pavement caused by motor vehicles, 17 of which were fatal. this figure outnumbers similar cycle collisions by 42 to 1.

so... and to end this on a informed and adult note, this new campaign is as much a crock of shit as the proposed bicycle number plates or the plan to fine you £2500 for not having a bell on your bike.

for fuck's sake can we please address some real issues? people talking on phones whilst driving for one, how many times do i need to narrowly avoid a scrape because some prick is trying to multi-task when it's evident he can't even keep his car in a straight line.

and if you're going to take the line of simply following the highway code, fine, but could all motor vehicle drivers and pedestrians take note of the following...

when you do something fucking stupid, like step out into the road without looking, don't get angry at me when i honk (or shout if it's too late), i'm trying to save both our arses from a tumble.

when you do something sketchy, like cross when it's on red, or cut down the outside of the traffic, don't get angry at me for doing the same.

share the road, sure, happy to, now you.

a point of note...

to take a left and then fire up ones indicators is a pointless affair, such actions render said indicating lights impotent.

to clarify there is no point letting me know you're turning after you already have... like the retard driving the MP did this morning and the fat fuck in the jag did tonight...

On the subject of bike police...

do they really need hope brakes and rohloff gears? isn't this a bit like all the patrol cars being mercs?

glad my tax's are (once again) being spent wisely.

i reckon they should have proper black pashley numbers like the real police of old... it wouldn't even make much difference, most of them aren't exactly 'athletic'

community 'support'

so... wednesday morning... i'm on my way to work... which involves a little detour along the pavement, as the council has kindly closed the road that i need to use. now i spy what i think are some city police (they were all over liverpool street), so i think best be on the safe side, not fancying another £40 fine or indeed the conversation with the humourless twat that handed it out.

anyway, they're not police, they're 'community support officers' and they're throwing out the fines.

so, fair enough, i guess... you shouldn't ride on the pavement, it's against the L-A-W.

but for fuck's sake, do we live in toy-town? is the greatest evil facing london cycling on the pavement?

a few nights previous to this a father of 2 in hackney was stabbed to death on his doorstep, just up the road from where i am now, but no, let's spend our tax's on ticketing cyclists.

now don't get me wrong, i know people do take the piss and fly along the pavement sometimes, this is out of order, no dispute, but fucking hell, these are people riding slower than i walk, can't we have some discretion? nope. £40 please sir.

i'm fuming by now, then i see someone on a nice little track bike deliberately take to the pavement (when he could follow the road) squeezing past the 'officers' and ignoring their attempts to exert some authority... then one of the chumps hops on his shitty mountain bike and gives chase! i just wish i could have seen the whole thing, all 30 seconds of it...

anyway, my point is, priorities, let's have some please.

it's official...

... i have 'mini bars blud!'

that's what the yewth in peckham said, so who am i to disgaree?