jersey motorists

[xJHB]

I am will be having a rant  about  other motorists in the near future, but only as the mood takes me.

Brake lights,road works,light jumping, cyclists,pot holes, town parking,street furniture,multi storey car parks... all things that in some way annoy me, oh and of course private parking for States members,Jurats,and even doctors.

[Dundee]

Being a keen cyclist I look forward to the views of a fellow road user.

[Calimachon]

I am will be having a rant  about  other motorists in the near future, but only as the mood takes me.

Brake lights,road works,light jumping, cyclists,pot holes, town parking,street furniture,multi storey car parks... all things that in some way annoy me, oh and of course private parking for States members,Jurats,and even doctors.

Oh Bah Humbug!

Try driving in Malta....they all drive in the shade over there!

Cali 

[imacrappaud]

I am will be having a rant  about  other motorists in the near future, but only as the mood takes me.

Brake lights,road works,light jumping, cyclists,pot holes, town parking,street furniture,multi storey car parks... all things that in some way annoy me, oh and of course private parking for States members,Jurats,and even doctors.

Haha look forward to the rants, road use ones are rants that could literally go on forever. I have been tempted to put a video camera on the front of my car to record the way some people drive. Especially as I am the best road user in Jersey and in my opinion if you ain't up to my standards then you shouldn't be on the road 

[Malachi]

Jersey motorists are no worse than other motorists, but there are too many of them

When I tell people elsewhere that most people drive to work on a 45 square mile island, they don't believe me

[Rob Kent]

When I tell people elsewhere that most people drive to work on a 45 square mile island, they don't believe me

Well, it is quite a hilly island. Alright if you are cycling from the east into town but not the west or north. I remember a teacher at Hautlieu who used to cycle to and from St Ouen every day.

I was impressed by John Lewis in the book 'A Doctor's Occupation' about his wartime experiences. The German's took away his car and he did his island-wide visits on a pushbike. Two or three days a week he would go to St Ouen via St Brelade and back to town and the other days work his way around the north coast to the east. When his tyres could not be replaced, like everyone else, he used hosepipe.

Often he would get called out in an emergency at night and cycle round the island in all weathers.

But at least there were few cars on the road then. One of the things that make cycling difficult is the stress of dealing with cars and heavy vehicles, whose drivers are sometimes stressed and impatient.

[man in the street]

most who do not ride two wheels ,do not think about  the two wheelers..
 some days i use my indicators, other days i forget.
 some others apear not to work at all.
 if i can let you out into the traffic i will,  van, lorries, and obvious working drivers ( not cabs , they pull out on me and often the indicators do not work)
 chelsea tractors , can wait, unless i am having a very happy day( not often enough these days)

[Malachi]

One of the things that make cycling difficult is the stress of dealing with cars and heavy vehicles, whose drivers are sometimes stressed and impatient

I agree with this, but I also think it is a vicious cycle; if people do not want to cycle because there are too many cars, then they will add to the number of cars by not cycling = more people not cycling because there are too many cars

I have a car, but I always try and find out if anyone I know has a trip (usually to town) planned before decide to use my car

Any want-to-but-scared cyclists could have a look at this book (click me), but safe/defensive cycling is not some kind of mystical art

If you cycle around with a "if I have an accident, it will usually be my fault" attitude (which is what I do), you usually avoid dangerous situations

For example, you should never try and "undertake" (passing on the left) a vehicle when both of you are approaching a junction where the vehicle might turn left, but people do, and they often get killed because they just assume that a) the vehicle knows that they there, and b) the vehicle would not turn left across a cycle lane without looking

[Calimachon]

Haha look forward to the rants, road use ones are rants that could literally go on forever. I have been tempted to put a video camera on the front of my car to record the way some people drive. Especially as I am the best road user in Jersey and in my opinion if you ain't up to my standards then you shouldn't be on the road 

You!  Are not the best road user in Jersey!  I am  .  How very dare you!

[Rob Kent]

I agree with this, but I also think it is a vicious cycle;

Speak for yourself   

The Highway Code now states that cyclists should overtake slow moving and stationary traffic on the lefthand side. Drivers need to be educated. I agree that as a cyclist you should not recklessly endanger yourself by assuming you can zoom past cars on the left and just expect them to see you, unless you want to end up under their wheels, but it is safer to use the left than the right. Before the law changed I got stuck on the outside of a bus with another bus coming towards me and the driver next to me refused to let me back in because 'I should not have been there!'

The roads of Brighton are not especially bicycle friendly. But we do have Advanced Stop Lines, although most bus and taxi drivers ignore them, despite the fact that the fine is 60 quid for a motor vehicle that stops on them, unless they get stuck there when turning right.

I used to photograph buses and their drivers with my mobile phone because they would cover the whole ASL in an attempt to stop bikes getting in front of them. The joys of cycling, eh?

[imacrappaud]

Speak for yourself   

The Highway Code now states that cyclists should overtake slow moving and stationary traffic on the lefthand side. Drivers need to be educated. I agree that as a cyclist you should not recklessly endanger yourself by assuming you can zoom past cars on the left and just expect them to see you, unless you want to end up under their wheels, but it is safer to use the left than the right. Before the law changed I got stuck on the outside of a bus with another bus coming towards me and the driver next to me refused to let me back in because 'I should not have been there!'

The roads of Brighton are not especially bicycle friendly. But we do have Advanced Stop Lines, although most bus and taxi drivers ignore them, despite the fact that the fine is 60 quid for a motor vehicle that stops on them, unless they get stuck there when turning right.

I used to photograph buses and their drivers with my mobile phone because they would cover the whole ASL in an attempt to stop bikes getting in front of them. The joys of cycling, eh?

What a nightmare, I used to think I was the best driver in Jersey (although Cali has contested this). When I am in traffic I pull over to the left to let the scooters and motorbikes overtake safely, but what your saying is that I should move to the right to let the cyclists overtake down my left!

Fortunately, being the best driver in Jersey, I check my mirrors and if I see a cyclist coming up the left I move to the right and if I see a motorbike coming up the right I move to the left, if I see a motorbike and a cyclist trying to overtake at the same time, one on the left and one on the right then I stay in the middle and stick my windscreen washers on!

[Fritz]

I just give cyclists a nudge with the side-steps whatever side they are on when they try to over/undertake.

Its just my way of reminding them that they should stay in the queue the same as any other road user.
The fact that they have chosen a slower mode of transport does not give them the right to weave in and out of traffic that has stopped to obey traffic signals.

[Rob Kent]

Its just my way of reminding them that they should stay in the queue the same as any other road user.
The fact that they have chosen a slower mode of transport does not give them the right to weave in and out of traffic that has stopped to obey traffic signals.

Actually, Fritz, you are out of step with all other road-safety advice. Cyclists should definitely not stay in the queue. They should get to the front, which is why all over Europe Advanced Stop Lines are now enforced by law. All cycles should be at the front of the queue and cars should give them time to pull away. It's definitely the safest method for all road users including cars.

http://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/CityPolice/Advice/TrafficTravel/ontheroad.htm#stoplines

I would also disagree with you about it being the slowest mode of transport. It is by far the fastest mode of town transport, by a factor of five in busy Brighton, especially where you have good cycle tracks. Car drivers are sitting in traffic getting exasperated while bikes are whizzing past. Sitting in a car in traffic jams is very bad for your health, whereas cycling makes you feel great.

[Chevalier Blanc]

You should only overtake on the right of any vehicle unless there are two or more lanes coming up to traffic lights.
Farther on from that. Why do the cyclist refuse to use the cycle tracks that have been made at a large cost? The reason given was that the tyres that they use or no good for the surface on the cycle tracks and it damages their tyres. So change your tyres

[Rob Kent]

You should only overtake on the right of any vehicle unless there are two or more lanes coming up to traffic lights.

I don't know about Jersey but you are definitely wrong according to the UK Highway Code.

"72
On the left. When approaching a junction on the left, watch out for vehicles turning in front of you, out of or into the side road. Just before you turn, check for undertaking cyclists or motorcyclists. Do not ride on the inside of vehicles signalling or slowing down to turn left."

163
stay in your lane if traffic is moving slowly in queues. If the queue on your right is moving more slowly than you are, you may pass on the left.

151
In slow-moving traffic. You should
    be aware of cyclists and motorcyclists who may be passing on either side"

Given that many roads now have cycle tracks, it is the norm for cyclists to pass on the left, with all the above caveats about being aware of traffic that may turn left in front of you. When there is a dedicated cycle track, it is the car driver's responsibility to slow down and make sure they are not cutting up a cyclist. Believe me, in Holland you would be arrested if you hit a cyclist while turning left across a cycle track. In fact, the driver is always in the wrong if they hit a cyclist in Holland.

In addition, the proliferation of advanced stop lines implies that cyclists have to be allowed to get to the front of the traffic, for safety reasons:

"178
Advanced stop lines. Some signal-controlled junctions have advanced stop lines to allow cycles to be positioned ahead of other traffic. Motorists, including motorcyclists, MUST stop at the first white line reached if the lights are amber or red and should avoid blocking the way or encroaching on the marked area at other times, e.g. if the junction ahead is blocked. If your vehicle has proceeded over the first white line at the time that the signal goes red, you MUST stop at the second white line, even if your vehicle is in the marked area. Allow cyclists time and space to move off when the green signal shows."

Sixty pound fine for anything but a bike deliberately stopping on the ASL area (apart from the above condition, when you have no choice), although most taxis and buses seem to be unaware of that fact, along with the police.