Chris Hoy speaks out

[Bonefishblues]

IMHO one of the main issues with road behaviour in recent years is that people feel insulated in their boxes. Puncture that semi-permeable layer with some human contact and it makes a difference for good.

To illustrate with an example. I was walking back from our local town after dropping off my instrument of evil for some suspension work a couple of days ago. It's a good opportunity to bring along our two dogs for a long walk. I'd turned into the minor road that leads to the village, walking in the roadway as there's no footpath, and going around a slight bend such that I can see cars coming from behind on the other side of the road before oncoming cars could.

Car 1's arrival was going to coincide with a van coming from behind. I looked at the car and held up my hand to ask the oncoming car to halt. Staring straight ahead the lady carried on and I experienced an unpleasant close pass as she squeezed me and dogs into the hedge.

Car 2 only perhaps 30 secs later saw me making exactly the same gesture, responded by slowing, and in fact stopped as he saw the oncoming car, then continued to wait for a second car. I gave the 'what can you do?' gesture, we both laughed, and off we both went having had a tiny human encounter.

I suppose I should be able simply to keep my head down and walk because drivers will obey the law and ensure my safety, but I have not the slightest compunction about helping others to help me where I can.

[Cyril Haearn]

One can make a hand gesture "stop" or "keep away" but it is best not to make eye contact

If I had to walk along a road like that I should acquire a large pram and always take that with me

[Bonefishblues]

One can make a hand gesture "stop" or "keep away" but it is best not to make eye contact

If I had to walk along a road like that I should acquire a large pram and always take that with me

I don't agree in either respect.

In fact the second suggestion is one of the silliest things I've heard in a long time

[Cyril Haearn]

One can make a hand gesture "stop" or "keep away" but it is best not to make eye contact

If I had to walk along a road like that I should acquire a large pram and always take that with me

I don't agree in either respect.

In fact the second suggestion is one of the silliest things I've heard in a long time

Thanks for the compliment

[Bonefishblues]

Well I'm up for being convinced. Do you recommend a classic Silver Cross, or perhaps something nippier like a Maclaren. Full-on nanny/matron outfit perhaps?

[Cyril Haearn]

A big black double one (ZeKiWa) for two big babies with a wolf dressed up as a granny, and a sound system with loud recordings of screaming crying babies

[RickH]

I was a passenger in a car recently. My friend, who was driving, stopped at a zebra crossing to let someone cross. The pedestrian thanked him. My friend remarked "that's unusual", to which another passenger asked, "what's that". My friend, "I let that person cross the road and they thanked me. Where I live that never happens". I pointed out to him that him "letting" the pedestrian cross the road was in fact giving them their right of way and that not doing so would be illegal, so why should he expect to be thanked. Does he thank everyone who waits at a give way line while he drives by? I'm not suggesting that it's not a nice gesture to thank someone for stopping at a zebra crossing, it's just this attitude that it's doing a pedestrian a favour by giving them their right of way.

Ian

There a couple of zebras that I now cycle across fairly regularly when heading up the Wigan locks on the Leeds Liverpool Canal where there a couple of places where there is no towpath under a road bridge. First time I went that way I was going to stop & walk across but the traffic had immediately stopped as I approached so I just rode across & gave a thank you wave. Every subsequent time the same has happened so I've continued to ride across them (& give a thank you wave where practical) - it gets me out of their way quicker anyway.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Best not to communicate, not to thank someone for obeying the law

Did the driver actually stop, apply the handbrake, put the gear in neutral?

That's what I do..........BUT some get very irate if you do not pull out into moving traffic just because they wave you out, or need thanking for doing what the law says they Should Do!
I just sit there motorised or not and wait for traffic blockers to &^%%$£ off, then move when I want to cause its safe.

[Bonefishblues]

I never move on someone else's say-so without first checking it's safe for myself, but equally do not wait if I can then see it is safe.

[The utility cyclist]

I was a passenger in a car recently. My friend, who was driving, stopped at a zebra crossing to let someone cross. The pedestrian thanked him. My friend remarked "that's unusual", to which another passenger asked, "what's that". My friend, "I let that person cross the road and they thanked me. Where I live that never happens". I pointed out to him that him "letting" the pedestrian cross the road was in fact giving them their right of way and that not doing so would be illegal, so why should he expect to be thanked. Does he thank everyone who waits at a give way line while he drives by? I'm not suggesting that it's not a nice gesture to thank someone for stopping at a zebra crossing, it's just this attitude that it's doing a pedestrian a favour by giving them their right of way.

Ian

It's like waving thanks for a car giving you the lawfully bound amount of space so that you do not feel fear of harm, never mind actually being physically injured, or a person out somewhere on their own and thanking passers-by for not assaulting or raping them.
I understand positive re-enforcement and am happy to help people get across/ahead/pull out in some circumstances, be it on foot, cycle, horse or motorvehicle, however thanking people for obeying the law I find is a bit ridiculous.

You often here " I got a good overtake", no, what you got was a lawfully bound overtake, the minimum the law says you are entitled to, it should not be seen/deemed as anything special.

I never move on someone else's say-so without first checking it's safe for myself, but equally do not wait if I can then see it is safe.

Agreed, if you can see it's clear to go then take the opportunity, problem is we're so used to not being given those opportunities you can be caught unaware, particularly if the sun or reflections off the screen mean you can't see the driver at all, they could be waving like crazy but you can't see a thing. That's when you could be at risk if you think that they are hesitating, stalled or something else as to why they aren't proceeding. You try to second guess and it can go wrong.
I was at a mini roundabout at the weekend near my folks and a car stopped unexpectedly to my right, traffic was passing opposite but not densely so and no indications of turning, the exit for the driver was clear for them to proceed, they did not wave me through but simply stopped. It was probably only 4-5 seconds but I thought I'm going, then they decided to go I got through fine, I usually make sure to get a bit of grunt down but it's scenarios similar to that that can end up going wrong. I probably should have waited but it's unexpected hesitations by drivers more often than not that can cause situations, as others have said, people should just stick to who has priority unless it's a particularly awkward scenario for a road user and clarity of intention can be given and received.

[Cyril Haearn]

It is best to stick rigidly to the law, but that is abnormal

I would like to identify my vehicle to indicate that I obey the law, maybe with chequers so it looks a bit like a cop car

[mattheus]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/1 ... chris-hoy/

...
...
...

CORRECTION: This article has been amended since it was first published. Although Sir Chris did call for less confrontation on the roads, we accept that he did not say cyclists should 'stop hogging the road' as the original article reported. We apologise for the misunderstanding.

[reohn2]

I was a passenger in a car recently. My friend, who was driving, stopped at a zebra crossing to let someone cross. The pedestrian thanked him. My friend remarked "that's unusual", to which another passenger asked, "what's that". My friend, "I let that person cross the road and they thanked me. Where I live that never happens". I pointed out to him that him "letting" the pedestrian cross the road was in fact giving them their right of way and that not doing so would be illegal, so why should he expect to be thanked. Does he thank everyone who waits at a give way line while he drives by? I'm not suggesting that it's not a nice gesture to thank someone for stopping at a zebra crossing, it's just this attitude that it's doing a pedestrian a favour by giving them their right of way.

Ian

There a couple of zebras that I now cycle across fairly regularly when heading up the Wigan locks on the Leeds Liverpool Canal where there a couple of places where there is no towpath under a road bridge. First time I went that way I was going to stop & walk across but the traffic had immediately stopped as I approached so I just rode across & gave a thank you wave. Every subsequent time the same has happened so I've continued to ride across them (& give a thank you wave where practical) - it gets me out of their way quicker anyway.

Ditto.
I ride across those two same zebras on a regular basis,never have a problem and always give a thank you wave