Air horn to deter pedestrians

[Cyril Haearn]

Mais dans quelle mesure serez-vous impactés ?

Le magazine Autoplus s'est livré à quelques savants calculs pour répondre à la question.

(From the link.)

How will it affect you? Autoplus magazine has worked it out....

STOP PRESS: Drivers don't like this type of thing anymore in France than they do here.

I am a driver and I love this type of thing* and I love the French language although I am not good at it

Bouleversement sur les vitesses maximales, formidable

Reducing speeds saves many lives, most of those "saved" are vehicle inmates, right?

* anyone disagree?

[brooksby]

I don't think debs was talking about footpaths or anything off road. So the answer to your question of where pedestrians can go for a quiet stroll is "not on a carriageway". I appreciate that many country lanes are pretty quiet, but nevertheless they are carriageways: expect motor vehicles travelling over 30mph, expect bicycles travelling over 15 mph.

I hope you don't drive or cycle on rural roads, pedestrians can walk as fast or slow as they wish, and have priority.
Perhaps I have misunderstood, but your advice appears contrary to that offered in the Highway Code
Rule 206
Drive carefully and slowly when approaching pedestrians on narrow rural roads without a footway or footpath. Always slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary, giving them plenty of room as you drive past.

Point taken, but I don't think that HC rule means that pedestrians have priority, and it certainly doesn't waive the pedestrian's responsibility to be careful as well - like it or not they are still walking on a carriageway. My original comment stands - a live carriageway where you can meet motor vehicles is not the most sensible place along which to go for a quiet stroll.

[Mick F]

............ a live carriageway where you can meet motor vehicles is not the most sensible place along which to go for a quiet stroll.

Sorry, not been following this thread at all, but I cannot get my head round this statement.

Where else can you go for a walk?
Mrs Mick F and your's truly walked to Calstock and back yesterday afternoon no footways at all. Nice quiet stroll on very rural roads with passing cars every now and then. We gave them room to pass, and they passed us with great courtesy and respect. Using rural roads requires teamwork.

[brooksby]

............ a live carriageway where you can meet motor vehicles is not the most sensible place along which to go for a quiet stroll.

Sorry, not been following this thread at all, but I cannot get my head round this statement.

Where else can you go for a walk?

Mrs Mick F and your's truly walked to Calstock and back yesterday afternoon no footways at all. Nice quiet stroll on very rural roads with passing cars every now and then. We gave them room to pass, and they passed us with great courtesy and respect. Using rural roads requires teamwork.

I'm not sure if I'm not making my point clear or if I have a different definition of 'country lanes' or if the lanes (unclassified roads/B-road) near me are just too busy... Maybe I've just succumbed to Stockholm syndrome... My point is that, IMO, a carriageway with no footway is not anything near what I'd consider a suitable environment for a nice quiet stroll. I understand HC 206 and its implications, but nevertheless you are walking along keeping an eye and an ear out for motor vehicles and non motor vehicles, and I personally find that too stressful to count as 'nice quiet stroll'. YMMV.

[mjr]

Looks like the full Stockholm to me, sorry. The onus should be on the faster user only to pass when safe, not on the slower to get aaht ov moi way!

[thirdcrank]

Perhaps the thing in the more recent posts is how best to alert somebody who is unaware of the silent approach from behind of a pedal cycle. Of the various possibilities like a ding on a bell, or saying good morning, there's room for discussion but a blast on an air horn seems totally inappropriate. Pig ignorant would be insulting to swine.

[mjr]

Perhaps the thing in the more recent posts is how best to alert somebody who is unaware of the silent approach from behind of a pedal cycle.

In most of the examples in the video, no alert was necessary. The one where the cyclist has no reasonable way out of the cycleway and the last one probably merited some warning of approach and some of the crossing ones are debatable - but the loud honk wasn't ever merited.

[thirdcrank]

In most of the examples in the video, no alert was necessary. The one where the cyclist has no reasonable way out of the cycleway and the last one probably merited some warning of approach and some of the crossing ones are debatable - but the loud honk wasn't ever merited.

I thought I had already made my view on the antics in the video clear. When I wrote "the more recent posts" I was referring to things like Mr and Mrs MickF on a country lane.

If I've posted anything which seems to suggest that I approve of "deterring" pedestrians with an air horn or anything else that's not my intended meaning.

[mjr]

When I wrote "the more recent posts" I was referring to things like Mr and Mrs MickF on a country lane.

I doubt Mr and Mrs MickF are wide enough to take up enough of most country lanes to merit any warning often either! On country lanes narrow enough for it to be worth warning, they tend to be rough enough these days that the luggage or guards or even chain bouncing around is audible - sometimes bike bells ring themselves!

[Mick F]

Perhaps the thing in the more recent posts is how best to alert somebody who is unaware of the silent approach from behind of a pedal cycle. Of the various possibilities like a ding on a bell, or saying good morning, there's room for discussion but a blast on an air horn seems totally inappropriate. Pig ignorant would be insulting to swine.

Two episodes today.

I drove home from town in our Yaris Hybrid. When driving gently on a level-ish road, it runs on electric power and is almost silent. The only noise when driving slowly would be the air conditioning fan that cuts in an out as required.

I turned into a minor road and there was an old lady with a stick walking ahead of me on the left of the road in the same direction as me at a narrow bit. ie I was approaching her from behind. No way was I gong to toot the horn! I trundled along at her walking pace about ten yards behind and waited until I could pass her gently. She saw me and apologised for holding me up. I smiled and waved, and carried on at maybe 15mph which is fast enough.

A few hundred yards later, a neighbour of ours was trimming his hedge (on the driver's side) and had no idea I was there and I couldn't pass. I opened the window and admired his electric long-reach hedgetrimmer!
We chatted for a minute or two, and carried silently onwards and home.

[reohn2]

Perhaps the thing in the more recent posts is how best to alert somebody who is unaware of the silent approach from behind of a pedal cycle. Of the various possibilities like a ding on a bell, or saying good morning, there's room for discussion but a blast on an air horn seems totally inappropriate. Pig ignorant would be insulting to swine.

+1

[Vorpal]

I haven't previously replied to this thread. Honestly, when it started, I wasn't all that inerested. I watched the video, thought 'what a ****', and that was enough for me.

The use of a claxon like that with the apparent purpose to startle pedestrians is about as anti-social a thing for a cyclist to do as I can think of. Following it up with swearing them is (as aptly demonstrated by the video) risky business.

When it comes down to what to do, though, I don't the see the role of a cyclist as very different from that of a motorist, or what cyclists request of other road users.

Slow down and be prepared to stop. If they don't seem to notice you, use a bell, or say hello, and stop if necessary. If this happens frequently on a normal route and it is problematic, either leave more time, or choose a different route. I don't think it's that difficult to show each other courtesy.

Like fudge they do! Pedestrians do not have priority on a road. If you want pedestrians to have priority on infrastructure made for vehicles, then where do you draw the line? Should we be allowed to set up a telescope on the A82, like right in the middle of it where the white stripes are.

We should not be allowed to set up a telescope on the A82 because that would consititute an obstruction, which is contrary to the law. However, if someone were determined to do so, I should like to think that motorists of all sorts would be considerate enough not to kill them for their impertinence.

If pedestrians do not have priority on a road, does that mean motorists should be allowed to run them over?

[mjr]

The use of a claxon like that with the apparent purpose to startle pedestrians is about as anti-social a thing for a cyclist to do as I can think of.

Well, hitting them with a weapon as he passed would be worse. It's probably good that air horns are available so he could use one instead. Small mercies(!)

[Mick F]

I'm not sure if I'm not making my point clear or if I have a different definition of 'country lanes' or if the lanes (unclassified roads/B-road) near me are just too busy... Maybe I've just succumbed to Stockholm syndrome... My point is that, IMO, a carriageway with no footway is not anything near what I'd consider a suitable environment for a nice quiet stroll. I understand HC 206 and its implications, but nevertheless you are walking along keeping an eye and an ear out for motor vehicles and non motor vehicles, and I personally find that too stressful to count as 'nice quiet stroll'. YMMV.

Therefore you could never live in a rural environment as it would be too stressful for you.

On the contrary, I can assure you. Town environments are very different beasts so you need to get away from traffic for a nice stroll.
Look at this road near here. Click away and see as much of the route we took yesterday as you want.
We went in this direction but the weather was very warm and sunny with lovely shades under the tree cover.
Highly recommended.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.51791 ... 312!8i6656

[Username]

I haven't previously replied to this thread. Honestly, when it started, I wasn't all that inerested. I watched the video, thought 'what a ****', and that was enough for me.

The use of a claxon like that with the apparent purpose to startle pedestrians is about as anti-social a thing for a cyclist to do as I can think of. Following it up with swearing them is (as aptly demonstrated by the video) risky business.

When it comes down to what to do, though, I don't the see the role of a cyclist as very different from that of a motorist, or what cyclists request of other road users.

Slow down and be prepared to stop. If they don't seem to notice you, use a bell, or say hello, and stop if necessary. If this happens frequently on a normal route and it is problematic, either leave more time, or choose a different route. I don't think it's that difficult to show each other courtesy.

Like fudge they do! Pedestrians do not have priority on a road. If you want pedestrians to have priority on infrastructure made for vehicles, then where do you draw the line? Should we be allowed to set up a telescope on the A82, like right in the middle of it where the white stripes are.

We should not be allowed to set up a telescope on the A82 because that would consititute an obstruction, which is contrary to the law. However, if someone were determined to do so, I should like to think that motorists of all sorts would be considerate enough not to kill them for their impertinence.

If pedestrians do not have priority on a road, does that mean motorists should be allowed to run them over?

"The use of a claxon like that with the apparent purpose to startle pedestrians is about as anti-social a thing for a cyclist to do as I can think of."

I just thought of something even more anti-social. I cant mention it here but suffice to say it involves bits of anatomy used for making new people.

"If pedestrians do not have priority on a road, does that mean motorists should be allowed to run them over?"

Generally no. Pedestrians dont have priority on the road except to complete crossing the road, usually at a junction. They do not have the right to hang around in the middle of the road unless they've had a medical episode there. However the killing or maiming of a person isn't justified simply by them ignoring priority. Peds and joggers SHOULD stick to the pavement but when they don't they become a nuisance. Murder is something more than that.

It is ok to kill a pedestrian if he is shooting other people. In fact you may actually save lives by splatting killer pedestrians.