People ask us: why no coverage of RLJ-ing cyclists? Well, we generally leave that to grumpy Havana Coffe Hamid, on account of his soundtrack choices and spelling skills. But when the opportunity arises, well, we do
Today then, this fuckwit
This is filmed from St Pauls Road, leading from the dull part of town, Clifton, to the more interesting bits, albeit after a final bit of climbing and a university area inevitably full of texting students.
Approaching the lights, they're red, time to hang around for a while waiting for green. And then slowly off, in case the BMW driver is in an hurry. No problems there, except carving out from the left is someone on a road bike, looking like they are near that 20 mph limit, blowing straight through the red light to make a high speed turn into St Pauls Road.
On the shout of "fuckwit" you can see some surprise and a bit of a wobble, though delayed. Leaning into the corner like that, he was fully committed to the bend: the only two options were: carry on or come off sliding sideways exploring the concept "road rash" more fully. It'd have been interesting to see if a scream of "no brakes" would make him choose the latter,
What were the risks this fuckwit exposed themselves to?
If the car he had cut up on the inside had gone through the light themselves: crash
If the BMW turning right from Tyndall's Park Road had been in a hurry: crash
If a vehicle coming out of St Pauls road had been in a hurry, he'd have cycled into it.
And of course, if our tax-dodging reporter hadn't been so slow setting off: they'd have been in the crash too. Which is why we think this fuckwit deserves coverage.
The whiteladies road uphill path, the one covered over by a build-out for a new pedestrian crossing is not apparently, dead, merely sleeping. Instead some paint will go on the road showing cyclists where to go to end up under a bus. This is called "London-style infrastructure".
Adam Semy sends us a "before" link.
He also sticks up a "now" video
Adam thinks that in the video LS07CFM is beeping at the cyclists. We're not sure -they could be beeping at the BMW that was forced to swing out so as to get past the cyclist heading uphill.
This shows how the addition of build-outs actually makes things worse for drivers: we get held up by bicycles, or have to perform dangerous manoeuvres. Same for pinch points: the fact that they create car/cyclist conflict is as inconvenient for drivers as it is dangerous for cyclists.
Apparently the build-out is so that queueing parents with children and push chairs can wait safely for the lights to change. This shows something important: it's not a zebra crossing, where they wouldn't have to wait, but a pelican crossing where they do.
Presumably BCC and FirstBus didn't want a road and a showcase bus route to be help up by school parents -and if more people were walking to the new school, that is exactly what happened. This is why FirstBus also wanted the zebra crossing from the downs to Blackboy Hill removed -a want that got denied on the basis that "the students would cross anyway".
It's interesting to consider if a new zebra crossing lower down would delay traffic -because on a weekday morning it's a line of cars anyway. The fear of traffic flow impact is enough for a zebra crossing to be omitted, and for a cycle time on the lights long enough that even at school run times parents will have to wait. This is important: anything that hindered motor traffic flow at school run times would penalise school-running parents!
As for the cyclists, well, nobody will miss them. It's not as if they can ask for the money spent in the name of "cycling city" back. They'll see that when BRT2 goes over Prince Street Bridge.
What it does show is this: Clifton is the heart of the Bikelash -the part of the city fighting back against bicycles, one TRO at a time.
Lot's of fuss yesterday about whether the Cycle City program achieved its goals, with an oddly pro-bicycle program on the radio, while in print our opinions get covered, at least by the conservative party:
"Whilst we recognise the merits of promoting cycling as a leisure activity for the individual - delivering personal health benefits and helping to improve the environment for all - this form of travel is unlikely in the near future to be a major means of commuting.
We ourselves aren't convinced that it should be encouraged as a leisure activity if it slows down important people -and the same goes for walking. There could be designated "leisure areas" -call them parks- to which people could drive and try walking and cycling before driving home.
Like we say, we were a bit disappointed by the radio program, as it viewed the fact that the number of cyclists on the road to meet the ambitious goals of the city as "a failure". The fact that there are more now than ever before is what constitutes the failure in our eyes. It has legitimised cycling in some parts of the community.
We are surprised therefore that the BBC radio took such a pro cycling stance in the radio program, because they are uusally on our side. Top-Gear, Horizon documenting car crashes safety improvements without discussing the fact that some of the most expensive cars on sale have the worst pedestrian safety scores.
They are on our side for the following reason: they are important, so they drive to work. That means not stopping for anyone even walking a bicycle over a zebra crossing, here on Whiteladies Road, just by the BBC offices.
Note however, the driver of F59XHW doesn't drive down the bus lane before the left turn, it always indicate before turning. We would drive down the lane and then turn without indicating, and we think Jeremy Clarkson would too. Signalling communicates intent to the opposition.
The BBC has finally covered this alarming trend of cyclists to video their commutes then complain about them. Unlike most BBC new articles, where Adam Rayner gets paid to laugh at the cyclists, this article seems come out in favour of the cyclists, rather than say they deserved to get beaten up for being in the way and not paying road tax.
Fortunately, the commenters noticed this, and corrected the bias. Hopefully they will be writing in to the BBC to complain about a lack of balance too. We'll quote a select few
177. anjuna
We have cycle lanes all over Rutland, which are regularly ignored by cyclists. Instead the choose to ride 2 abreast on the road, causing hold ups and hazards. I think cameras in cars to capture bad cyclists would be a good thing. How about "identifiers" on cycles, so the police can prosecute bad cyclists?
Problem: it's not currently illegal for bicycles to cycle in our roads and hold up traffic behind. We understand why it makes you want to kill them, but then you not only lose the moral high ground, you have to stop the email you are composing on your phone.
208. Flaunder
When are cyclists going to have to pay to use the road? why shouldn't they have a registration plate on the back, or a speed metre when they are going at super speeds down a pedestrian footpath! Some cyclists don't even wear a high vis vest or have lights! Why shouldn't they be fined on the spot! Most cyclists have no regard for cars on the road! maybe we should film them!
Problem: we just checked the highway code and nowhere does it say "cyclists MUST wear hi-viz clothing". This makes it hard for police or PCSOs to fine them on the spot for non compliance. Now, you could push for it to be a law, but really that doesn't address the true problem, which is they shouldn't be there in the first place.
226. Barton71
Obviously the van driver in this story was out of order and his reaction was way over the top, but as a van driver myself, I understand the frustration cyclists can cause. There is nothing worse than having to slow down to 10mph every few hundred yards, because a group of cyclists have all bunched up or because there is no room to pass a single cyclist who is struggling to get up a hill.
This identifies one of the real issues. It's not just that these unpaid criminals are on our roads -they are in our way on the roads. They slow us down, then whine when we sound our horn, or criticise them in the local or national press.
One thing we do have to fault some of these community reporters for is making unsubstantiated claims. We like defensible data, yet people were saying "all cyclists run red lights", which isn't true. You only see the ones running the red lights, so end up self selecting. It's disappointing to see such use of inadequate datasets, and with defensible photographic data being key aim for our site, it's time to look at the issue in more detail.
First, Whiteladies Gate/Whiteladies Road pedestrian crossings. Our unsuspecting cyclist reporter dismounts with their small child and walks over a zebra crossing and then the whiteladies pedestrian crossings.
Note how the white van waiting to turn gives way to the pedestrians.
At the pelican crossing, the family waits for their turn to get across. The lights change frequently here, giving them 15s to sprint across.
Except what happens today? Someone on a bicycle just rides up through the crossing. Yes, he does have hi-viz and a helmet on, so commenter Flander will be happy -no need to fine him- but he does cycle straight through the red light that is being used by pedestrians including parents with children.
There we have it then, 100% of cars, following the law, 100% of cyclists: criminals.
Now, the cycling campaigners will say "But what about cars that...", but that is only a subset of cars. We know this, again from our defensible datasets -such as on Marlborough Hill last week:
See? Four cars drive up the hill, before one car, BP52XAR, drives down past the no-entry signs and the big paintwork saying no-entry.
Five cars, only one completely ignoring the signs. That means the number of cars choosing to break the law this weekday morning is 20%, compared to 100% of cycles in our previous survey.
There you have it then. All cyclists are criminals who should be fined on the spot, while only some drivers are a bit naughty. And when drivers do something to get round this anti-car city, they get videoed and their actions appear on web sites like Fight bad driving -with their registration numbers. Whereas when the cyclists appear, all that can happen is people who know them will say "hey, you made Bristol Traffic!" and they can snicker amongst themselves.
Because of this clear evidence, we, the drivers, can retain the moral high ground.
People have been mailing us, where is the Yoghurt Van YA55VDY? Has some disaster struck Bristol's supply of dairy goods. The answer is no, the clocks changing just altered its schedule.
It doesn't pull off without indicating from the buildout by Whiteladies Gate until 08:10 now, helping to remind the driver of the honda SUV why buying a vehicle that may survive a collision with a white van was a good decision that makes school runs safer.
Note how the driver actually waves our (sadly cycling) reporter. The proposed GBBN changes may make it harder for this van, as the buildout may not be so large. While we can't see from the design whether or not bollards are planned, we fear the worst.
One more video from our tax dodging cyclist, who we sent on a mission to get crushed by a bus on Whiteladies Road. For some reason they survived.
Anyway, here is the video. Whiteladies Road from Lower Redland Road down to the triangle, Park Row and then towards Jamaica Street and Stokes Croft.
This just reinforces our previous conclusion: that during peak hours the causes of delays on our route are not pedestrians, they are in fact the big traffic jam around the Triangle. This time, continuing past the Triangle, we can see that the traffic sources there are in fact vehicles heading up Park Street or those coming in down Park Row. Which we believe is our inalienable right to do, and even with this bus network, we will continue to do.
Why then, do they want to mess around with the pedestrian crossings, the left turn by the downs into Redland Hill, or the right turn out of Cotham Hill -one that actually works well in peak hours because the pedestrians are triggering the crossings? That doesn't mean they shouldn't need a license, pay road tax and be insured, but that sometimes they have a place in our world. We just think there should be slightly less of them, and we should be exempt from stopping for them at zebra crossings.
dichohecho points us at this secret parking space hidden behind Sainsbury's on Whiteladies Road, which is also handy for that fine beveraging factility, the Alma Tavern.
This will let you combine a swift pint or two in the beer garden with some Saturday shopping, without having to deal with the shopping centre's own car park, or the now-paid-for railway parking area.
This car, M523RRD, blocking the pavement just off Whiteladies Road, is for sale It has been sitting in the same place, unmoving, for at least a week. Why?
There is a lot of pedestrian traffic, and anyone who has to somehow deal with the car in their way will stop and look at the for-sale sign in the windscreen. Anyone walking down the road clearly isn't driving, and is therefore in the market for a 1994 Rover.
Another possible reason for it being reverse parked this way could be due to mechanical issues. It may just have broken down in that exact place while its owner was earning money as a Domino Pizza delivery driver. More subtly, it may have a broken gearbox with no functional reverse gear. By pushing the car into a place where the only way out is forward, it is possible to sell a car without the purchaser noticing that the gearbox is shot. This is why, when you buy a second hand car, you should always try to reverse park it at least once.
Professional instruction in pavement parking on Whitehall Road.
Think it's easy? You have to be careful as hitting the curb too fast and you may damage your wheels, ensure that you are far enough away from the wall to get out of the door, but close enough to force pram pushers and disabled buggies out in to the road to oncoming traffic so your car is not scratched or damaged.
Perfect front row seating to watch head on crashes as the road narrows on the bend. See how a perfect right angle is achieved and uniformity to the other illegal parker on the junction in keeping with continuity of Bristol parking. {car: WR57yBK; location: whitehall}
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