Winter has come, and gone, and returned...

The weather really can't make its mind up at the moment can it. But for those times I am on the bikes, I am thankful for every extra day of warmth and dry weather we get. I was reminded only at the weekend that the weather can be quite mean at times! A sportive in Cirencester in nasty rain, and rather cooler temperatures than we have had recently.




As the darker evenings draw in, the commute changes drastically, the clothing and bike set up also change, as does the speed and urgency of the ride.
I have already noticed that my desire to get home quickly (ish) has been replaced by the want to get home in one piece. Watching others around me acting like nothing has changed. Not using lights or any extra caution on their rides.

It is this time of year that I spend most of my time, be it on the bike on in the car, cringing at the lack of attention which some road users demonstrate. We all make mistakes, there is no doubt about that, but some seem not to care about their own actions and responsibilities, and worry only about those of others. Who should have been watching out for them etc.

I learned a lesson at the weekend, and that was regarding tyre choice. My long time misconceptions of what tyres are best for each season were laid to rest. 65 miles through huge puddles, down long wet downhill sections at speed (brakes are another story all together), and through muddy tracks along the country lanes, I was hugely impressed by the grip from the Continental Gatorskins I had on the bike. I have always worried about the lack of tread (too much time spent in a car I guess), however now, I am enlightened.

The weather was also a great test for the various lights and tech attached to the bike, with only one light falling foul to the water ingress. That was a freebie anyway, so no heartbreak there. The new Knog + lights I bought recently had a great test for not only their water proofing, but their mounts too. I am pleased to report that the magnetic mounts held out perfectly on the very rough surfaces of the ride.

All I need now are my new riding shoes/ boots from Tredz, which are due "any time now" and a decent pair of water repellent cycling tights. Legs are indeed waterproof, but on the longer rides, a little comfort would be lovely. Maybe bib shorts were not the best choice of clothing for a long ride in the wet.

Here's to everyone having a safe and comfortable winter on their bikes. Stay safe people, and take your own safety seriously, don't rely on others to take care of it for you.

Motorist vs cyclist. London's problems!

Yesterday on Twitter reminded me of what I consider to be the biggest issue with the debate on cycling on Londons roads at present. And that is the extremes of pro and anti behaviour.

Here in London, with a growing population, more congested roads are becoming the norm, so finding alternative methods of transport is a big thing. TfL ( Transport for London) are keen to encourage, walking, public transport and of course cycling.  Much emphasis is put on the latter in social media, and press releases, as well as city wide advertising and "initiatives". I say it with quotes, as while some initiatives such as cycle rental are a resounding success, the investment, and development of the infrastructure is seriously lacking.

Cycle Superhighways were to be the answer, large dedicated cycle paths, cutting through the suburbs into the heart of our great city. Carrying large volumes of cyclists quickly and safely into their places of work. Lightening the loads on the roads and public transport system. A master plan showed where they would run, and we were shown that cycling would indeed be the future of transport for many in London.

Sadly, these master plans were never to be realised, for a variety of reasons, from poor planning, to lack of cooperation from local boroughs. Either way, the plan has currently fallen a little short of the goal.
There are some interesting stories about this situation here. https://www.citymetric.com/transport/five-times-boroughs-and-other-authorities-have-blocked-plans-build-new-cycle-lanes-london

As the years creep by, both TfL and individual local boroughs have made plans to improve cycling in their jurisdictions, some a resounding success, others either shelved or executed so badly that the provided infrastructure fails to make good on its promises, and becomes unusable.

While the battle with the authorities rumbles on, people lobbying and begging for areas to be reconsidered and made safer (myself included with a successful discussion with my local MP recently), a bigger battle rages on. On the internet!!

We all have an opinion on things, some we are more passionate about than others, however a line needs to be drawn. Once you pass that line, your voice gets louder, but it has less effect. No one listens to a screaming lunatic, at best we allow someone with a raised voice a short time to gain our interest before we decide to ignore them, or listen on.

The people who discuss such matters on the internet, on platforms such as Twitter, usually break down into two groups. Pro and Anti. As with many other subjects in society which attract such passion and sometimes rage, the members of those two groups usually have the loudest voice, and take up the majority of the space on the platform. Sadly this smothers the voice of reason and rational discussion. Opinions which differ from theirs are not welcome, and every effort will be made to shut you down. Once this is done, some sort of victory dance is done, and your spoils are to be paraded on social media. Well done you, you stopped someone with an opinion from engaging any further in a discussion.

When it comes to cycling, there are many people on the internet who wish to make it clear than cyclists have NO place on the public road. Usually stating that road tax (doesn't exist) and insurance are lacking, therefore the cyclist has no place on the public road.
The counter argument for this is cyclists are "road users" like anyone else, and deserve respect, and a bit of space to go about their journey. Which I as a regular commuter, with 4,000 miles of cycling, mostly in London,  this year under my belt, completely agree with.
However that is where I part ways with the Pro group.

The Pro group will go further, making sure anyone who dares to challenge the behaviour of a cyclist is dragged out in front of the crowd and belittled until such a time they admit defeat (or block the other users).
Only yesterday, which commenting on a very scary video in which an HGV driver almost turned straight into a cyclist, I was pulled up in front of the Courts of Twitter to face charges of "victim blaming". This is where you for some reason choose to apportion blame to the victim, rather than accepting and agreeing that the perpetrator was indeed the one to blame.  Of course, this is all relative.
If you were to agree the HGV driver were to blame, however point out that the cyclist neither seemed aware of the lorrys presence, or reacted to it, in my books you would be making an observation, rather than "victim blaming". However it would seem that some would disagree with this, and demand that at no point should comment be made about the cyclist, who would have been the victim here.

Now to be clear, blame has already been assigned to the driver at this point, the follow up comment is merely an observation. However to the Pro, this is not acceptable behaviour. All comments prior to mentioning the cyclist will be ignored, and constant ridicule will begin. Name calling, questions of competency, and general comments on your existence will begin.
Should you attempt to engage in a rational conversation at this point, your efforts with be thwarted by what I assume are attempts of further belittling, until you get fed up and stop replying.

I genuinely appreciate passionate conversation and discussion, I am happy to learn from others, and be educated. However, I draw the line in engaging with utter morons who have nothing better to do than troll the internet looking for fights. Take the moral high ground (which they have at no point gained through rational discussion) and come across with a holier than thou attitude.

As a cyclist in London, as well as someone who driver a vehicle in London at times, I believe I am in a position to discuss from both sides of the table. I am able to see situations from both perspectives. I can honestly say my manner of both riding and driving in London has changed, as my understanding of how events unfold has grown. I wonder if others engaging in these discussions share the same standpoint?

Of course, the arguments are not limited to one side. There are of course the Anti cyclists out there, who feel that their journeys in their motorised metal boxes should in no way be impeded by someone on a pushbike. Be it dressed in a suit of lycra. Annoyed that they are unable to join the tail end of stationary traffic in record time after pulling away from the latest red light, they will jostle for position at the stop line, and be off (and stopped again) in the blink of an eye. Should a cyclist get in their way, all hell will break loose, with abuse being splattered all over the place, as well as engine revving, and horn sounding. The result, sometimes a shaken cyclist, sometimes a confrontation, but in general, just a shrug, and getting on with life.

When these sorts arrive on social media, they will vehemently argue their case, they pay road tax, insurance and all sorts of other taxes, so are the priority road users. How dare some hippy on a push bike who makes no contributions to the roads get in their way. Get off the roads, ride on the pavement, even get a car, are some of the regular arguments from Anti cyclists. What is quite amusing in all this is the percentage of Anti cyclists who are "professional drivers". Be it black cab, bus, or lorry, the percentage seems very high. I had a run in with a bus driver the other week who felt I was taking up too much of the left lane (bus lane) as he passed me in the right lane to turn right. Not even impeding him in any way, yet he felt the need to sound his horn and flip the birdie. Our subsequent conversation revealed he felt I was taking up too much space and should have moved closer to the kerb. A very common argument indeed.

For any motorist who isn't aware. The kerb and gutter are the one place no cyclist wants to find themselves. Although some other cyclists who we are forced to share the road with, would ironically disagree, and demand you move over to allow them room to pass you. Really is a dog eat dog world out there, and I will come back to this point in a bit.
However, when passing a cyclist, the guidance is a minimum of 1 -1.5 metres. This is to allow the cyclist room to move from side to side from their path a little, to avoid any potholes, raised iron work, or other obstructions. You know, the exact same things YOU as a motorist swerve to avoid too. Yet somehow don't understand why someone with 1" of contact with the road would want to avoid it? Strange!

So, there we have it, the two sides to the argument on social media.

What do we take away from this? Well it is simple. The loudest voices make the most noise. Noise, not sense. While drowning out the calmer quieter voices of reason. The people willing to try and engage properly to find some resolution to the matter, and are willing to commit to long term discussion and conversation with the powers that be. Not the shouty little people who just want to make every situation a cause for their argument, while refusing to even consider other peoples opinions.

There are some verbal campaigners out there who I really respect. Rational, balanced, and in the right frame of mind. People who appreciate it is a shared space which required mutual respect. Not demanding that  their rights are taken seriously, and all their demands are heard and fulfilled .
Maybe the shared video clips of genuine close passes and dangerous behaviour continue to be shared, and those responsible held to account.
However, can we please cut with the streams of "nothing" which is somehow turned into an incident. With drivers being ridiculed for doing nothing wrong.

So, going back to cyclists, and the dog eat dog world. Sometimes, cyclists are their own worst enemies. Not only online with the pro cyclists becoming embroiled with online battles, and being seen as the voice of the majority of cyclists, tarring us all with the same irrational and aggressive brush, but also on the roads.
Travel at rush hour and you will find yourself surrounded by different groups. The racer, must get there first, will bully you out of the way, and almost treat you as a motorist might. You have NO right to get in their way on your pushbike. The blinkered commuter. In their own little world of over ear headphone induced euphoria, oblivious to anything else around them. Weaving about, bumping into people, sawing through red lights and crossings. The general cyclist, trying to get from A to B, safely, calmly, and without any fuss. It's not a race, just a journey, and one they wish to complete with as little engagement with others as possible.

There are many kinds of cyclist out there, but a large percentage of dangerous or aggressive interactions, as well as some quite unsanitary experiences, I have had on the roads, as a cyclist, have been with other cyclists.

My message after all that is a very simple one. Can people please just pay a little more attention to the consequences of THEIR actions, and spend a little less time focusing on what everyone else is doing wrong. If you want to use your voice wisely, instead of spending hours of your day shouting at complete strangers on the internet, find a way to engage and play a part in the evolution of travel. Instead of bombarding officials with letter after letter, video after video about trivial events, most of which do not even warrant said officials time, take the time to be clear, concise, and most of all measured in your communication.
Most importantly, be aware of your surroundings, think ahead, and be ready to react. Being "in the right" will not save you from catastrophic injuries, or indeed causing them to others. It's not about right of way, it is not about rights at all, it is simply about arriving alive, and avoiding any incidents along the way, REGARDLESS of blame.

Never mind "victim blaming", just stop trying to blame, point the finger, and belittle people, and focus on improving things for the future.

The Cycliq Fly 12 bike camera / light

A couple of months ago I saw the price for the original Cycliq Fly 12 (non CE) drop, and thought I got to get me one of those!
As an avid commuter, having reliable footage, which I can access quickly, is great. If for nothing else, to show others some of the weird and wonderful sights I see daily in South London.

It's a bit old unit, but does what it says on the box, records great footage, and allows nice Strava overlays too. Perfect I though, and bought one.

When I first got it, it connected to my phone via the app fine. ONCE !! After that, for two months it has been hit and miss, mainly miss. Until today. Frustrated, I did some playing around, and researching. Seeing people complaining about the connectivity were Android users, I recruited the help of a work colleague with one of those iPhone things. Installed the app, et voila, connected no issue.

OK, so it's an Android app issue then. So lets get thinking and see what I can work out. Resetting everything, I started fresh, still caught in the same eternal "connecting" loop. Nope, that't not going to work.

Now at this point it is worth noting, the device connects via both Bluetooth AND WiFi , depending what you are doing. All settings and status is done via Bluetooth, and footage is reviewed via WiFi.
Deleting all its remembered connections on the phone, I tried again, but this time, for some reason I decided to start from Flight Mode, and let it ask for each connection.

Turning the Fly on and scanning, it asked for Bluetooth connection, so I clicked "allow". Finding the device in record time, it checked the status, then I hit "review footage". This time it asked for WiFi connection....."allow".
To my surprise, but secretly confirming my suspicions, it connected and viewed thumbnails almost immediately.

So, I turned the Fly off again, closed the app and tried again, voila, lightning fast, it connected.
Turning cellular data back on again, re-opening the app, it was a big fat NO! Back to the eternal loop of searching and connecting.

So, my fellow Android using, Cycliq Fly 12 owners, when you want to review footage, turn off your cellular data / GSM network. Quite simply, as the Fly 12 creates a local WiFi hotspot with no internet connection, the handset will NOT drop its GSM connection to connect with the Fly 12. On the off chance your cellular network drops out during the time you are trying to connect, you might be lucky enough to get it to work.


I have to say, with that sorted out, I am now back to being delighted with my Fly 12, and cannot recommend it enough. Great footage, super overlays, and once working, nice app too.

PS, Cycliq, you are welcome :) If you want to send me a Fly 6 as thanks, I would be more than happy to accept it.

Cyclists....Light up for winter!

Each year I am perplexed at the number of people who take to the roads of London, in the winter, in dark clothing and no lights. Expecting to stand out against the darkness of the evening. Cold, wet evenings, slippery roads, ignoring red lights, barreling through junctions. OK they are not all that bad, but surely it is worth being seen, whatever kind of cyclist you are?

With lights getting better and better, and much more affordable, as well as so many options of hi-vis clothing out there to be chosen from. Anything from lycra to casual / fashionable, there is no real reason not to at least make an effort to stand out from the darkness of the night.

This time last year I took up cycling in a more serious way than ever before. Choosing carefully, I have made sure I have the right gear to be seen, regardless of what environment and conditions I am riding in. Busy roads, to country lanes, I am aware of what I need to do to be seen and give myself a better chance.

Sadly, as the year has progressed, and my cycling has increased, so has my frustration. Firstly for having to share the road with such mindless imbeciles, refusing to stop at crossings, putting rear lights on the front of their bikes, and even riding with a helmet on.... the WRONG WAY AROUND! Yes, its true. They went to all that trouble to buy one, and can't work out which way it goes on!
Then of course there are helmet carriers. Bought a helmet, never leave home without it, but just carry it as an accessory on their handlebars. Go figure!

Then when I am driving, especially in the evening in traffic, there are the cyclists who just don't want to be seen. Checking mirrors like a paranoid freak won't help you spot one of these idiots. Weaving through traffic, no lights, dark clothing, then just swerving across your path to keep moving. I admire the fact that they are willing to ride in such conditions. I for one would not put myself there. There is no enjoyment in commuter cycling, especially in town. Buy some bloomin lights for heaven sakes!
Here, save yourself some money AND your life at the same time.

Amazing value from Chain Reaction Cycles Front and rear lights, Lezyne 400XL and the Lezyne Micro Rear light... Fantastic lights, huge saving, and maybe an early Xmas gift to yourselves Just £19.99

Take a moment to think how quickly you can change direction and speed on your bike. Now consider how quickly that picture with you in it, with no lights on, is changing for the motorists your are mixed in with. With lights, they can see you and will take a second look. Without, you are just part of the darkness, and pose no risk. Small lights give you a chance of being seen. Lights like this set make you far more noticable, and I say  that as a motorist who is constantly looking around me for fellow cyclists, not wanting to endanger them. But still they come, and surprise me with their ability to pop up like a duck at a fairground shooting range.

Even hi-vis clothing doesn't cost a fortune, certainly not an arm and a leg, the price you physically may pay if you get tangled in a car.

So please, as a cyclist, motorist, and street runner... Make yourself visible to everyone you share the road with . "It wasn't my fault" doesn't repair broken bones, bring you back to life, or change what happened. Give everyone a chance to get home safely this winter. Be seen!

Dear Road users.... Winter visibility.

This was originally going to be a very long winded and angry rant, but I had a change of heart, and thought I would go easy on some people out there.

Winter is upon us, the clocks have gone back, darker evening commutes home are here, and a lot of people, with the temperature dropping, and public transport getting busier, are turning to their cars once more.

I have a request of ALL of you using the roads in this season, and it's a profound one. Please read on and check yourself off against the following.

Let's start with windows shall we. Pretty important part of visibility really, and need attention in a number of ways. Firstly, in the mornings, when there is water settled on the windows, give them a quick wipe over. When you get in the car, you use the wipers quickly anyway. Think about it, you are using them so you can see out... So make sure you can see out of the rest of them too. They are there for a purpose.
As it gets colder still, frost and ice will form on the windows. Same again, it only take a minute, literally a minute to walk around with a scraper (99p from the errm, 99p Store, or should I say a quid at Poundland) Anyway, the better the quality, the quicker the job, so get one and put it in the door pocket or boot. Dew, ice, and even snow, it will get the windows clear in a jiffy.
Driving with obscured windows is not only an offence, but also plain bloody stupid and ignorant. I have no time for people who can't spare a minute of their time to make sure they can see out, both for their safety, and the safety of others. Junction are impossible with obscured windows, so do the right thing, and BEFORE you move off!

Lights. There are a fair few on a car, and each has a purpose, so I will quickly run through them.
First up, side lights. Underrated these days, with so many newer cars having DRL or Daytime Running Lights. Most people are aware the front of their car is brightly illuminated with LED's, myself included. So nowadays many go straight from having nothing switched on, to dipped beam.
The problem with this is the rear of the car has no lighting with DRL's, so where you would usually think, hmm visibility is dropping, lets whack the sidelights on, you now don't bother. But hey, genuinely not a huge deal.

Next up there are dash lights. Now I mention these, because a growing number of car manufacturers in their infinite wisdom (SEAT were one of the first) have decided that the dash lights should be on at all times, regardless of if you have turned any vehicle lighting on whatsoever. The problem here is, driving on urban streets, which are mainly well lit, a lot of drivers don't get that automatic, "hang on I can't see my speedo" trigger to light up. And with DRL's also putting light out in front of the car, people are forgetting to turn their lights on. As the days get shorter, and the roads get busier, especially as it becomes dark for the school run in the coming months, this becomes a serious issue.

One way around this is to get properly acquainted with your dashboard, and the lights and symbols on it. I have attached an image at the bottom of this entry with a very detailed explanation of all dash lights, but for now I just want to concentrate on a few.

Dipped beam, also known as the main headlight, but not on full beam.

The symbol you should see on your dash when driving at night. Confirmation you have rear lights, numberplate lights, and of course the dipped beam on at the front of the vehicle. If its not on, either something is broken, or you have forgotten to do something. You should also be using them in the daytime when visibility drops below 100 metres, due to smoke, fog, or rain / spray.

Main beam, also know as high beam.

If this one is on, your headlights are now as bright as they get. If you are following another road user, or having oncoming traffic in your sight, turn them OFF! You are blinding people, distracting them from the road, and could cause an accident.
The only time these should be being used is on dark, unlit roads where there are no other vehicles you could be affecting by having them on. In short, if you are on an unlit road and extra light would help, so long as you won't blind or dazzle anyone else, use them. But be ready to dip them (turn them back to normal) should circumstances change.

They are NOT an alternative to normal dipped beam, or to be used as a replacement or back-up if one of your dipped beams fail.

Fog lights, front.

For some reason this symbol can illuminate either orange or green, depending on the vehicle manufacturer. Slightly confusing to some, but the symbol remains the same. Left facing, light beam pointing down, with a squiggly line through the beam to suggest fog. For years used also as driving lights, looking cool lights, and also as an alternative to headlights once again, for those too lazy to replace blown bulbs. In reality, they are there to aid forward vision for the driver as the kerbs and edges of the roads get harder to pick out. Facing down more (pointing closer to the car) and kerbwards, they can be helpful, but are not a required piece of equipment.
Just to confuse matters more, manufacturers had a great idea to use these greatly underused lights as "adaptive lighting", so as a car starts to turn now, you may see one of its front foglights come on for a moment until the wheels straighten. This will NOT illuminate the dash light however.

And finally, the rear foglight, possibly the biggest bone of contention on the roads today.

Learn the symbol, and what colour it should be on your car.
The LAST light you will find yourself turning on, when road conditions have reached their worst. For some manufacturers its also the hardest to turn on, with the lighting switch having to be turned all the way, and then an extra click. Some are a press button, and will automatically turn back off again when the car and headlights are turned off, needing to be turned back on separately each time you light up.
Either way, they are the last lights for a reason. They are stupidly bright, blind drivers behind you, and so frequently left on after conditions improve. The only reason these should ever need to be turned on, is if the visibility is SEVERELY reduced. If you are following the car in front of you at a sensible following distance, and care barely make out its lights, switch them on. In an urban environment, maybe add a safety buffer, and make that the second or third car ahead.
On the motorway, use common sense, the car in front should be clearly visible. If not, check your distance, and assess if they are needed.
One common sense rule is this. If the car in front has theirs on, and you are wincing.... Make sure yours are not on.
The reason they are such a big issue is because when following a car with lights on, your eyes become fatigued and desensitised very quickly, a red light, is a red light. People struggle to see the brightness of a tail light changing to a brake light in good conditions. In poor conditions, with fog lights on, seeing a brake light coming on is even harder, as they are the same sort of brightness as the fog lights. That said, in the right conditions, when it's really foggy, you can actually differentiate a lot easier, and of course see the 3rd brake light appear if the car has one.

So now we know what lights are for what, let me briefly rant.
People who drive with a headlight out, and then just use fog lights or high beams as a substitute. You may be able to see where you are going a little better, but you are blinding or confusing other road users. A 6ft wide car with one head light becomes a 2ft wide motorcycle. Allowances for parked cars and smaller gaps for passing in go out the window.  Please, check your lights regularly, and make a habit of checking them on the back of other vehicles when following or in traffic. If one is out, fix it ASAP. And that does NOT mean next pay day.

Speaking of using the back of other vehicles to check your lights. When following another car, if you can see your headlights lighting up the inside of their car, or see it high on the back of a bus, or buildings even, your headlight alignment is out. You are again blinding other motorists, or at very least annoying the heck out of them. The bulb is most likely just not in properly. Or you may have had a minor bump and thought nothing of it, but now realise it's not right. Again fix it ASAP, please!! You also will fail the MOT for this, so worth sorting out.

In short, it's not a lot to ask. Clear your windows,  check your lights regularly, and maintain them if so required. Such a simple thing, but it makes such a difference on the roads for so many reasons.


If for any reason, you are one of those people who thinks lights and visibility are over rated, well I sincerely hope you are stopped, and fined by the Police or VOSA very soon. Maybe even have a defect notice issued, just to really drive it home to you.

Dear Cycle lobbyists....

I first want to continue to have a clear stance on cyclists. I fully respect and appreciate the bravery and commitment of those who do battle with all sorts of dangers and risks involved in riding a pushbike in London, and other busy cities for that matter. I agree that motor vehicles and cycles need some form of separation and safety buffer for the cyclist, and in some cases the motorist needs educating on aspects of hazard perception....BUT... and there is a pretty big BUT.... Attitudes of some cyclists need to change too.

The reason I am even writing this follow up entry is a simple video made my TfL.
This video was made, low budget, quick produce and post moment, and was done for the benefit of any cyclists out there who have never driven a large vehicle. A simple 1 min of education to raise awareness of the blindspots in a turning lorry. Have a watch, I think for most road users its probably a bit of an eye opener.

http://youtu.be/wzL0Kyk4m-8

In response to this video, a number of cycle campaigners have decided to try and turn it on TfL and say 'And THIS is why lorries need to be kept away from bicycles...'

So a couple of points from me then.

IF you want all threats to be kept away from cyclists, who is going to be using the roads? Cyclists and motorcyclists maybe? Clearly the biggest contributors to financing the road networks there im sure!

IF you want a safety buffer between bikes and vehicles.... STOP RIDING UP THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD between cars and lorries travelling in opposite directions!

IF you want cars to use their mirrors to see you in, give cars and other vehicles a chance and stop switching sides. A vehicle turning left will check their left mirror before the turn. If you are riding to their right, then switch quickly because it suits you, they will NOT have seen you.

I realise one of the greatest appeals of cycle commuting is the freedom of the route you take, the speed you travel, and not getting caught up in traffic jams. I think its brilliant that so many are willing to battle the elements to have a cleaner and healthier approach to travel in London. Sadly however with the freedom of being something so small, comes a huge danger and vulnerability to the slightest impact with the road or its users.

So think about these things for a minute, please.

When turning at a junction. You may be ABLE to position yourself to the left or right of a car, but the driver of the cars also turning will generally ONLY be looking in the mirror to the side of the car relating to the direction they are turning. Example, a car turning right will only be looking down the right side of the vehicle. If you turn on their left, they wont have seen you, so as you enter the new road, for a moment they have NO idea there is a bike between them and the kerb, so DONT ride down the inside of them, hold back for a minute.

Slow moving traffic is one of the biggest causes of rear end shunts. That's right, the car behind another massive car for a moment has a lapse in concentration and hits a large coloured metal box in front of them, even with lights on. Concentration levels in heavy traffic FALL with motorists. Legally and sensibly right or wrong, its a simple FACT. If a driver can not see a car, they are also not going to see cyclists. Yes the motorist will be to blame, but at the same time you will probably be injured. SO what's more important, being right or being safe?

Humans don't cope well with being swarmed. Imagine a customer services rep at a station where all the trains have been delayed. Everyone wants answer, everyone is surrounding and talking. In reality its a situation the mind just cant cope with, so it shuts certain voices and faces out and focuses on others. When learning to drive, drivers are taught to watch out for cyclists, and on their lessons will come across a few here and there, and you can cope with that.
In real life rush hour situations, suddenly your car is surrounded by 10+ cyclists at a time, going at different speeds, stopping, wobbling, speeding past the left and the right. An accident waiting to happen in the disorganised unruly mess of the cycle swarm. No different to commuters in a tube station, all wanting to get to their destination, all the most important person there, and all with no interest in the people around them.

Speaking of the cycle swarm, that brings me back to the start. There is high demand for this 'more space for cyclists' at the moment, which in a perfect world would be great. If there was the room to realistically make segregated areas for cyclists even I would consider commuting by bike. But the simple fact is, there is NO more room. All these wonderful ideas of banning lorries, dedicating lanes to cyclists etc just are not going to happen.
Like it or not, cars, vans, buses and lorries all have a right and 90% a good reason to be on London's roads. Tackling the school run vehicles would see a large drop in peak time users, as the summer holidays demonstrate, but there is no quick fix there. Maybe the BILLION or so being spent on the roads with cyclists in mind should be targeted at school buses instead. Reduce the school run vehicles on the roads, free up spaces on public transport? Just a thought.

The biggest point is quite a simple one, but takes a while to make.
Most cyclists consider themselves in some way a free spirit, with freedom of the roads. Some also believe they are free of any rules and regulations. Sadly some are genuinely free.... of any common sense, and will put themselves in danger regardless of how many millions are spent, and how many miles or cycle lanes and paths are created, some will decide they want to ride differently to the rest.
You only have to look at the Cycle Superhighways that were created, huge wide lanes taking a chunk out of some of London's busiest roads, but STILL you see cyclists filtering through the other lanes of traffic, trying to beat the other cyclists in some imaginary race.
The same way barriers are put up to stop people crossing at dangerous points, so people just jump the  'inconvenient' barrier and get collected by a bus. Or DO NOT swim signs are put up around reservoirs, yet people still risk it, and drown.

It is human nature to explore, disobey and take chances in order to achieve things, so it is understandable that people want to be individual and break free of the mould. The problem sadly is, that as long as these people continue to swarm cars, ignore cycle lanes and flaunt genuine rules, your cause it lost. Change comes when it is clear and evidence can be found that the change and spending of money would have a positive impact on the situation. Unfortunately cycle lobbyists who feel that the lorry turning left is ALWAYS to blame, or one who misinterprets the rules of the road into their favour are the achillies heel in the plan.

Yesterday someone insisted that a vehicle stopped in the Advance Stop Box (ASB) or beyond the first Advanced Stop Line (ASL) was against the law, and 'illegal'. And somehow endangered the pedestrians.
Well, that is sadly just ignorant. Being stopped in the ASB or beyond the 1st ASL is not breaking the rules at all, and is far from 'illegal'. Illegal generally refers to criminal law, not the road traffic act.
Just for those unsure on the matter, allow be to quote from the Met Police.

Motorists
Do not enter the ASL box when the light is red – this space is reserved for the safety of cyclists.

Crossing the first or second ASL line when the light is red makes you liable for a £100 fixed penalty, three points on your licence, and endangers vulnerable road users.

If the traffic light changes from green to amber and you cannot safely stop before the first stop line, you may cross the line but must stop before the second stop line (Highway Code rule 178).

Cyclists
Do not cross the second stop line while the traffic signal is red. Contravening a traffic signal is against the law, and could result in a £50 fine.

Myth Busting

Myth: There’s a car in the ASL box - the driver must have committed an offence.

Not true. The offence is committed when the vehicle enters the ASL box when the light is red. If the vehicle enters the box and the light changes to red, no offence is committed

Rule 178 of the Highway Code states:
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.

We don’t want motorists to wrongly believe that they shouldn’t stop in the ASL box under any circumstances – this might cause someone to panic, drive through a junction and cause an accident.

Myth: Motorbikes are allowed in the ASL.

Not true. The law applies to motorbikes and scooters, too.

And TfL's stance on the matter...

Drivers caught crossing the first or second advanced stop lines when the signal is red will be liable for a £60 fixed penalty charge and three points on their licence. The only exception to this rule is if the traffic signal changes from green to amber and drivers cannot safely stop before the first stop line.

In addition to stepping up enforcement on motorists, rogue cyclists are also being targeted. While most cyclists ride responsibly - some do not, and this can anger other road users. Cyclists will be targeted for jumping red lights and issued with a £30 fine if caught doing so.

So I hope that clears up any confusion for anyone.

There is a lot of ignorance out there, a heck of a lot of arrogance, and a whole lot of me me me going on. And THAT is the problem. Not lanes, not laws, not money... Just peoples attitudes and intelligence.

Any cyclist who decides to be a lone wolf and do their own thing, any one who thinks they can just squeeze down the side of the lorry before it turns, or that red lights are only for vehicles with engines... YOU are the problem, YOU are the idiot!

Education, moderation, and just a little bit of patience go a long way to saving lives. Regardless of who's fault an accident is, a fatality means a family without a loved one, and a chain of friends with a missing link. 

Stay safe out there, everyone !

PS Tuvaaq says 'Stay Safe, Be Seen'