Forum Topic

5.05 pm speedy cyclist westbound TGT

Going to CHR postbox next TGT - 5.05 p.m.    Speedy cyclist - approx. 32 or 34 m.p.h. = 16 yards per second.Going westbound by CHR/TGT junction.   No respect, no control, electric bike, no police, NO GIVE, just ALL TAKE.No cars now go 30 m.p.h. on the CHR.  They proceed with respect for all.   Please discuss.   Next cyclist following him came through the red light for Annandale / TGT traffic lights.   Somebody, soon, will regret this behaviour.   2 out of 2 = 100% traffic fine behaviour.   Good luck all pedestrian walkers.   Be careful.

Peter Crowther ● 1596d31 Comments

I dislike eBikes.Basically they are just motorbikes flying under the regulatory radar posing as push bikes.Many of their riders get no health benefits at all, they dismantle the governors and just whizz along without turning the pedals.Same goes for eScooters.

Will Watson ● 1596d

My initial reaction was "Oh no, not another attempt to prove the lawlessness of cyclists through anecdotal evidence". However, there may be genuine cause for concern about some of these eletrically-assisted bikes. I thought they're restricted by law to 15.5 mph, but many are obviously travelling much faster than that. A lot seem to be used for delivery. For me it's this class of road user (on eletrically-assisted bikes, mopeds and scooters) which represents the biggest danger to pedestrians. Even the lightest of powered two-wheelers, at 20-odd kilos, can do a lot of damage. And how long before a scooter rider has a nasty accident on CHT speeding and overtaking traffic on the wrong side of the road? Final thought: have you ever seen a delivery scooter without an L-plate?

Robert Fish ● 1596d

Watching out for any downward step as you leave a shop these days is the added risk of being injured by these clowns riding on the pavement..and close to the shop window.It's as though a pedestrian lane needs to be painted on pavements.A near miss is such a fright...and by the time one has recovered one's senses... the clown is long out of sight. Ugh!

Jim Lawes ● 1596d

Apologies to Anne for the missing C's. Brain and digits on different wavelengths. By the way does anyone else manage to type words with all the right letters but in the wrong order? Is it an age thing?

Robert Fish ● 1596d

"prove the lawlessness of cyclists through anecdotal evidence"And precisely how should this behavior be quantified, Robert? A TfL survey that gets manipulated? Or Jeremy Vine's helmet cam? For my money every single one of these stories represents someone's reaction to a threat of some kind. Best not to dismiss them lest we dismiss your story when you get run over crossing the road.

David Lesniak ● 1596d

All speeding is a problem.  Keeping to the lower limits on the roads helps.  More speed cameras would help to identify those antisocial people who insist on doing this.  Worse when it is poor decisions by overtaking car drivers.

Philippa Bond ● 1596d

But speed cameras are useless for identifying people who speed on electrically-assisted bikes.

Robert Fish ● 1596d

I don't understand why e-bikes aren't classed as a motor vehicles.  What's the difference between an e-bike and a moped if people are able to bypass the speed limiter and travel at 30mph.

Nora Watkins ● 1596d

People on modified electric bikes, or perhaps even those on non-modified ones, shouldn't - in my opinion - be lumped in with pedal cyclists to whom they can also be a menace.

Anne England ● 1596d

I was under the impression that these electric bikes are breaking the law if driven on public roads?

Brian Coyle ● 1596d

Brian, here are the current rules:https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules

Paul Scullion ● 1595d

I have just read foot police in Coventry have been seizing electric illegal scooters. I wonder why other counties are not doing this.

Nicholas Beard ● 1595d

They should be made legal.  they are a great additon to more sustainable transport options and widely used overseas.

Matthew Swain ● 1595d

Electric bikes (bicycles) are regulated to 15mph but of course it is apparently fairly easy to bypass this regulatory control and get them up to 30mph, by which time it is essentially a motorbike with a rider who doesn't need to wear a crash helmet.

Chris Blackwell ● 1595d

At that point it is legally a motor bike and subject to motorbike rules.

Christopher Shea ● 1595d

Every so often the police need to have a blitz on these just as they do with VED.

Philippa Bond ● 1595d

Serious question- modified e-scooters are illegal (and in fact most unmodified e-scooters can’t be used on the road). Do speed limits apply to these ‘illegal’ vehicles? I presume the answer is yes but asking as Speed limits DON’T apply to cyclists (though a cyclist going at 35mph in a 20mph zone could be charged with other offences if the police saw fit to do so)

Andrew Jones ● 1595d

Looking forward to seeing Mark Cavendish sprinting up CHR at 35mph.

David Burke ● 1595d

Helmet use is mandatory, Matthew. Could you imagine that here?

David Lesniak ● 1594d

Helmet use is not mandatory actually in the places I was referring to.

Matthew Swain ● 1594d

Helmet use should not be mandatory.  The use of e-bikes must be encouraged but it should be illegal to ride them on roads where a cycle track is available. That should free up road space for cars and ensure that cycle tracks are more used. Currently cycle tracks are grossly underused. The same should apply to e-scooters. Get them off the roads and onto the under-utilised cycle tracks. Much safer for everyone!

Steve Taylor ● 1594d

You didn't answer the question, Matthew. No surprise there.Helmet use is mandatory in NYC. Perhaps your referring to the middle of nowhere. Detail, as ever, eludes you.

David Lesniak ● 1594d

All the european countries i have cycled through (France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland) to name but a few do not require a helmet. You could have looked this up of course but as usual you just tell us about NYC like its relevant when state laws vary so much across the US.

Matthew Swain ● 1594d

Do you know what they say about buying helmets Stateside?If you buy a ten dollar helmet you must have a ten dollar brain. Anyway where I live I have to access CHR from my road which is between Goldhawk Road and Chiswick Lane. Because the cycle lane is unfinished yet "finished" all at the same time I now have to look for;Pedestrians on the pavement.Loose dogs.Cyclist using the pavement(alot) both ways.Scooters using the pavement both ways.Cyclists using the "closed" cycle lane both ways.Finally cyclists, scooters and general traffic on the main road. To sum up the half open half closed cycle lane is the worst of all worlds and highly dangerous.

Adrian Irving ● 1594d

Helmets aren't mandatory for adults in NYC.

Ed Saper ● 1593d

https://www.dot.ny.gov/display/programs/bicycle/faqQ.Does the law require a bicyclist to wear a helmet?A.In New York State, all bicyclists under the age of 14 years old are required to wear safety certified bicycle helmets when they are operators or passengers on bicycles (Sec. 1238(5)).  Children aged 1 to 4 must wear certified bicycle helmet and ride in specially designed child safety seats.  Children under 1 are prohibited from being transported on a bicycle (Sec. 1238(1)(2)).  Any parent or guardian who permits his or her child to violate the helmet law is subject to a fine of up to $50 (Sec. 1238(3),(6)(a)).Certain communities in New York have passed local ordinances regarding helmet use for bicyclists.  For example, Rockland and Erie counties require everyone riding bicycles on county property, regardless of age, to wear approved bicycle helmets.A helmet should fit squarely on top of the head in a level position and cover the top of the forehead, extending down to about an inch above the eyebrows.  The helmet should not be able to slide back and forth on the head or rock from side to side.  In the event of a crash, helmets should be replaced immediately, even if there is no apparent damage.

Paul Scullion ● 1593d

Oh gosh, sorry, Matthew. Didn't know the places which you were referring to as you never mentioned them. Funny that. Also funny is how we often hear from cycle advocates such as yourself about precedents set in NYC. I guess what's good for your goose isn't good my gander. Lesson learned.

David Lesniak ● 1593d

Ed, the discussion was based on e-bikes in which case helmets are mandatory. I'm still baffled by the incessant denial to do anything to improve cycle safety if it should mess with ones coif. Meanwhile keep banging on about how nothing is done too prove your safety. Including your very own behaviours. Brilliant.Anyhoo...ponder this...yesterday by the bus garage a cyclist was taken down by a Just Eat e-cyclist smack dab in the middle of the High Road. Traffic was stopped for the light. Both were in the middle of two-way traffic. The cyclist started screaming at the Just Eat guy who proceeded to give the cyclist the finger and ride off on the north side pavement. Technically a hit and run. So without any means to track the cyclist, precisely who is at fault when a collision involves two cyclists? How would one settle an insurance claim? Or do we all just expect NHS to pick up the tab for an avoidable charge?

David Lesniak ● 1593d

David,  very few countries insist on helmets for adults for the various type of micro molbility solutions. Australia where i spent a good amount of time is one of them and I feel its regressive.  I like the approach 'strongly encourage helmets' but dont neccesaily legislate on this.

Matthew Swain ● 1593d

No, helmets for e-bikes are not mandatory in NYC.Only the Class 3 ones with higher speeds and pedal assist up to 25mph.For all other bikes (pedal assist up to 20mph), helmets are not mandatory for all adults.  Only kids 17 and under or working cyclists.

Ed Saper ● 1593d

Why bother having seatbelts in cars then? Let the NHS pick up the pieces and treat head trauma. They've got nothing better to do anyway!

Basil Finnis ● 1593d