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I think you've hit the nail on the head there.
I had a holiday in the Netherlands recently (from the UK) and it was a real pleasure to be able to cycle safely (and with far fewer hills).
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough."
Alan Kay.
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I always cycle on the road, not off-road cycle paths, because those (i) require you to give way at every side road, (ii) are poorly surfaced and maintained, and (iii) are full of pedestrians who don't pay attention to cycles or the lane marking that split them.
Lots of people cycle in pedestrian areas (footpaths and designated vehicle-free zones) because of the attitude that bikes aren't welcome on the road, so people treat them as an extension of pedestrians not a type of road vehicle.
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Basically everybody is a selfish a***hole, particularly cyclists and motorists who get so defensive they become offensive, but pedestrians don't show enough awareness of what is going on around them most of the time.
There was a report a week or two ago about the problems of emergency vehicles in the UK, motorists don't get out of the way anymore. They say it is because of a lack of courtesy, I think it is a lack of awareness. Many is the time I hear a siren, see the vehicle behind me, pull over somewhere sensible, only to have the car behind me and infront of the ambulance overtake me and stay in front of the ambulance.
I was following a police car with lights and sirens on that was in a collision with another car once. The woman driving the other car had no idea at all that the police car was there until the collision happened, unlike the bloke in the passenger seat who's face was an absolute picture of ever increasing fear.
I've seen a number of collisions between cyclist and car, one was a cyclist overtaking a queue of traffic when a car turned right and the cyclist drove into the side of the car. Another was a cyclist crossing a road (on a pedestrian crossing that wasn't showing a red light to cars) between cars in a queue when a car came down the right hand lane and took him out straight on. Another was a car driver having no idea there was a cyclist coming and pulling out in front of him.
I've nearly been taken out by cyclists on footpaths a number of times, they seem to think that one way roads don't apply to them too.
Although I did step out in front of a cyclist crossing the road a few weeks ago, although in my defense the sun was right behind him and I didn't see him coming at all. I apologised and he was happy.
The main problem is that British roads are not suitable for cyclists, and footpaths most definitely are not the correct place for them.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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It can be argued that British roads are not suitable for Cars?
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Perhaps, although still the easiest place for them to drive.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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I don't think it's just about lack of awareness, people just don't give a sh*t.
In Austria they got tired of people obstructing the way for emergency vehicles.
An awareness campaign together with a fine of up to €2180 and temporary confiscation of the vehicle, has solved the problem almost completely.
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Without wanting to upset anyone, I think it is mainly women who have a lack of awareness and mainly men who don't give a sh*t.
Women have less of an awareness around them generally, if it makes life easier for someone to let you out although normal 'rules' say they don't have to men take that option more often than women.
Not always, but generally in my experience.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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chriselst wrote: Without wanting to upset anyone
You have to give in to the urge eventually... 
chriselst wrote: mainly men who don't give a sh*t
Oh yes!
chriselst wrote: it is mainly women who have a lack of awareness
Which is odd considering that they are much better at multitasking.
Think about how they are always completely aware of everything happening despite chattering, cooking and caring for kids (I'm so gonna get fried for that  ), while I can hardly walk and chew a gum at the same time.
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Studies have shown that men are better at multitasking.
Women just think they are because they can talk whilst doing anything else.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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OT, how are your memory issues doing?
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Been considering a post about health in general for a while, it is good to vent to a bunch of people who don't know you at times.
I'd kind of assumed the memory problems were more or less over for a while, because I was experiencing no big issues at all, but that wasn't really true. About three weeks ago I was assessed at a brain injury hospital and formally diagnosed with a brain injury. I felt like a massive fraud sitting in the waiting room as all these stroke victims who were concentrating so hard on just walking came and went, but the doctors validated everything I was experiencing and said that I needed to be there, which was a very good feeling.
I don't have any major issues, I function quite normally, but some things are just different to how they were before the accident, the best way I can explain it is that I am not quite me anymore.
I don't always know where I am going, or why. I get lost a lot and have to do a lot of u-turns. I exited the toilets at work the other day and for a few seconds had no idea how to get back to my desk. I often forget to do things, I keep having to log in from home in the evening when I remember there is something I was supposed to do but hadn't. I struggle with some mental tasks, I spent far, far, far too long trying to work out how many fours go into a hundred the other week. I use the wrong words whilst at times without noticing, not a problem on the internet as a re-read everything before posting, but can be a bit odd in spoken conversation. Shopping for food takes ages as I wonder around supermarkets trying to work out what I need to buy and I end up with some odd things at times. I get timings wrong whilst cooking quite a bit too. I don't always know if I've had conversations with people or just imagined it.
My medium term memory isn't great, I can generally remember things I have just done, but not always, and older memories have been coming back, but things in the last few weeks or months often don't seem to stick around, this frustrates my daughter greatly who has a brilliant memory and is constantly annoyed I cannot remember things we've done or films we've watched.
I had been covering for things at work, I'm fairly lucky in that no-one here really understands what I do so I could cover, but have now admitted to my boss that things are different now. I am having to change how I do things, set reminders and flags on emails, write things down, make lists of things that need doing, all things I had absolutely no need of before.
I am also going back to see the consultant who injected my spine this afternoon as things have deteriorated there in recent weeks. It had been getting steadily worse until I spent four and a half hours driving and it has been much worse since then. Sitting is painful, but I have started waking in pain too the last week or so.
And finally tomorrow I am seeing an ENT consultant to see if he can do anything about the tinnitus that I have been suffering with since the accident. I ignored it for so long assuming it would gradually abate but it isn't. According to the brain injury people sleep is important in the recovery (it should all be just a question of time, possibly quite a long time) but the tinnitus makes it hard to get to sleep and the back pain makes it hard to stay asleep).
The only person any of this makes happy is my solicitor.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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Been in a similar situation myself, had a neck injury that caused me not to able too breath (still suffer a few nerve problems with my feet) but better now, my Mum gave me a set of things I had to remember (a location, a date & a name) this helped as did reading. I also found I went to sleep for long stretches there were days when I couldn't get out of bed, the best cure I found was to force yourself to get out of bed when you woke up in the morning and get dressed straight away (I did have some silly early mornings, 5:30am looking out the window, face to face with a ![Badger | [badger,badger,badger,badger...]](https://codeproject.freetls.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/badger.gif) !). I feel for you, I really do.
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Can't say for certain in your area, but some cycle paths are insanely bad - the worst example in the UK is a cycle path painted on the road in a space not even big enough for a car to park in.
It could be that road has a bad reputation for idiots not respecting the cycle lane. If its dangerous, I'd avoid cycling in it.
Maybe borrow a cycle one day and try it for a week - you may find it the best way of answering your question (if you survive).
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough."
Alan Kay.
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Hmmm, I can't cycle balance problems (possibly the cause of my apathy?...) my flat mate had his bike nicked (I live in Bristol!) and he only bought it because his girl friend of the time was one the Lycra wearing you are damaging the planet types (when he broke up with her, he did a lot of muttering and bought a V8!) 
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Round these parts, we get them traveling in "packs" that really don't care what else is on the road. If they want to talk to their mate and look at the scenery, they ride beside him - even if this means being on the wrong side of the road.
I've seen them crash into another pack coming the other way several times, thanks to this...
But they aren't all rude arrogant morons: any more than all car drivers are, or motorcyclists, or pedestrians. It's just the ones that are that stick in the mind! 
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it. --- George Santayana (December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952)
Those who fail to clear history are doomed to explain it. --- OriginalGriff (February 24, 1959 – ∞)
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One of guys here cycles, it's not the cyclist I have a problem with it's the attitude that ticks me off!
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While I hesitate in tarring all of any group with the same brush, any cyclist on a twattish thin-wheeled racing bike that weighs two grammes when damp, who wears form- fitting lycra and shaves their legs is a complete and utter utter utter utter utter twat.
Then when they decide to ride on the roads in a group - especially during rush-hour - with that holier-than-though "it's a public road and I'm using it, so you can just drive behind us at 15k for a few miles because, although we could split up to let traffic past, we're just not going to, because, well, it's a free country and I pay my taxes..."
They can just elephant the sunshine off.
If you ant to ride to work, to the shops etc. then by all means, use the roads - cycle with a friend or two, of course. fine and dandy. be nice to be considerate enough to think about how you might be inconveniencing others, should the situation arise - but more power to your green and healthy activity.
but if you are using the public roads for your sport, then just f*** off.
I don't set up for a game of footie on the main road! I wouldn't think about playing a game of squash on the dual carriageway - so take your sport off somewhere sporty or just don't do it.
Stupid bastard wanky areshole cyclist twats./
calm calm calm.
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Pssst. The guy who runs CP is an avid cyclist. You're pissing in his oatmeal, as it were.
Software Zen: delete this;
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I don't know about the UK, but over here it's actually forbidden for bicycles to use the road if there is a bicycle lane.
They don't give a sh*t though.
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Cyclists are only people on bikes. Same quota of decent folks , same quota of @rsholes. No different to walkers and motorists . As a regular cyclist I despair at the stupidity of many cyclists in cities . Away from cities people seem better behaved .
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Good to hear that, I was under the impression that most cyclist's have Kamikaze gene I must be missing!
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I use bike lanes except when no lane exist and I use the road then. When on the roadway or the bike lane I travel in the direction of travel and keep over as appropriate, except when the roadway is too narrow and then I ride in the center of the roadway.
1) I have had cars pull into me to "teach" me a lesson
2) A car nearly hit me and caused me to be arrested (eventually settled)
3) Bicycles go the wrong way and run me off the road
4) Joggers enter the street with out looking and nearly run me off the road
5) A cop entered the roadway blind and I nearly ran over him
6) People park their cars in the bike lanes
7) Accident debris and Glass gets swept into the bike lane
8) The county just build a nice bike lane over a new bridge ... and they put a grate in the lane!
Long story short, as far as I can tell, all humans are inconsiderate a-holes and no matter how hard you try or where you go they will still be there. And the worst thing is the more considerate you actually are the less considerate the masses will think you are. After all, who is the Jerk, the hipster on the sidewalk or the pedestrian pointing out the protected bike lane to the hipster, chew on that.
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Wow!, very Star Trek 
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I read CP news everyday and find it actually informative unlike a few other "Tech / Developer" communities.
However isn't today's listed article "Woman drops cell phone in toilet, two die in rescue attempt" a little bit too tabloid and not actually informative at all?
Simon Lee Shugar (Software Developer)
www.simonshugar.co.uk
"If something goes by a false name, would it mean that thing is fake? False by nature?" By Gilbert Durandil
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