You want to wear high visibility clothing? That’s fine, by all means, it’s a good idea and I hope you continue doing so. My argument here isn’t against high vis clothing. My argument is: Don’t just rely on high vis clothing.
There is something that far surpasses the power of high vis. Road positioning.
At around 8.40am, a lady in her 30’s was on a cycle hire bike cycling near a lorry. Suddenly, according an eyewitness report, she found herself sandwiched between two wheels as high as her head. Fortunately she managed to make a break for it by jumping over the handlebars.
The incident occurred during daylight hours when the rider should have been visible. However, as the below TfL video demonstrates, there is an enormous area where bikes are completely invisible to lorry drivers.
No manner of high visibility clothing makes a difference in the above scenario. However, taking your time and positioning yourself behind the Heavy Goods Vehicle would be a much safer place to be avoiding all sorts of nasty head injuries and even worse.
Sending out the right message
It’s not just around Heavy Goods Vehicles where road position can have a far bigger impact on safety than high visibility clothing. Take for example a ride I took a couple of days ago to Camden on a Cycle Hire bike.
Along the route I maintained a position away from the kerb. This signalled a number of crucial things to drivers.
The first is the distance that I feel comfortable with someone overtaking me. By giving myself extra space on the left I indicate that they should give me a similar amount of space on the right.
The second is that they shouldn’t overtake me when there isn’t enough room to do so. Along the route there are a number of pedestrian crossings with a small section of pavement in the middle of the road. If a car overtakes me here then they’ll have to sandwich me on the left or worse. However, by maintaining a good road position I indicate that it isn’t safe to overtake me.
The third is that a driver is naturally acquainted with spotting large vehicles in front of them. If I cycle too far to the left I am in the corner of their field of vision rather than closer to the centre.
When I came to a halt at the traffic lights I took a position in the middle of the lane to indicate that a driver will have to wait for me to move, before they can continue forward.
I strongly believe these actions contribute far more to my safety than wearing high visibility clothing.
It is a little too easy as a cyclist to get a false sense of safety by riding next to the kerb. I often find myself doing it but try to remember that this isn’t what cycle safety trainers recommend.
Image of Boris Bike via @biggsy321
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As seen on The Guardian, BBC and The Independent.
Being a cyclist old enough to remember lorries that didn’t even have the advantages of the modern wing mirrors I would never go up the nearside of one. However a part of me wonders if this is not another example (like riding in black/without lights etc) of natural selection?
I feel sorry for the lorry drivers, the vast majority of whom are just trying to do a job and get home safely. Maybe some sort of radar on their nearside to warn them that there are idiots about??
Radar my eye, Andrew…..bus-drivers use a big mirror to clearly see passengers getting on and off at the kerb-side, and we don’t hear of any buses trashing cyclists by turning left across them. I don’t drive lorries, but I have driven fairly large vans (like Renault Traffcs) safely, by USING THE BIG WING-MIRROR before turning left. This constant excuse of lorry-drivers’”blind-spots” is a load of twaddle, isn’t it?
P.R.
if you really believe this !! you should not be allowed out of sight of your nanny, you will certainly not live long. get real & take heed of all the advice out there, your attitude is not helping cyclists who do have a brain.
I’ve lost count of the number of times ive stopped someone overtaking by just looking over my shoulder. Most of the time I don’t even have to see the car; just a quick flick and they back off. My most extreme case was holding off an articulated John Lewis lorry who approached and was about to pass as we reached a junction where I would have been forced onto the pavement. That required a single stern finger held up as well, at which point he backed off and I moved fully into the primary position up. A truly lovely feeling.
Great point. It’s all about communication. It’s a habit, like anything else, you just get use to doing – frequently looking over your shoulder, just like a driver looking in their mirrors. However, next time you are out on the bike, just take a look at other cyclists and see how many are practising this manoeuvre… my guess would be far fewer than is good for them and other road users.
I might be a prejudice here but from what i have notice. those who are wearing proper cycling clothes and cycling gears are the ones who are more sensible riding bikes and being a safer cyclist. what i mean by this is that they are aware of their surroundings and they tend to look on their shoulders as often as they can just to make sure that they are safe. they also know when another cyclist is behind them. they do hand signals and making sure other road users know what they want to do.
but for those who are not wearing proper cycling clothes for example a cyclist wearing his or her casual clothes and not wearing helmet. a school kid on his uniform riding a BMX or just any random cyclist on their casual clothing. they dont behave like a proper cyclist. they dont do hand signals, they swerve with out care whos behind them. most if not all go through red lights, jumping in and out the road and pavement.
I am sure this is not the case and its not always like that but this is just my observation.
There’s a lot of Plonkers out there with “all the gear on” cycling in the gutter and not looking behind them when they pull out.
They seem to think that spending the money on gear is what’s required rather than sense on the road.
Wearing a magic hat might give marginal protection to your head, but looking behind and being in a sensible position in the first place will keep you safe. Casual clothing is fine for cycling in.
Sorry have to disagree, well in my area at least of NW London going down into Hyde park/Victoria, I see plenty of people in high viz, helmets, dim non existent lights, shoot past me as I wait my turn at the lights, or ride in the gutters, no signalling, especially as they just edge in front of you at the lights though you’ve been there for an age already.
Nothing against High viz as such but I have yet to see a use for in London (apart from maybe the wrists? for indicating) if you have strong road positioning and Good lights, Not UFO lights or I needed to change my battery 2 years ago lights.
Safe Cycling/Bikeability (or what ever you care to call the modern cycle training) has you riding exactly as the article describes. See and be seen is not all about hi-vis, but relies primarily on road position and communication. That said, riding in black at night is really not sensible!!
Did anyone else spot the elephant in the room? why are such large vehicles (lorries) with such large blind spots allowed on the roads in the first place?
Before I get accused of being a ‘driver’ or a troll for my next comment I would like to clarify that I cycle commute 9 mies each way every day and drive perhaps once a fortnight.
That sorted, I couldn’t disagree with Patrick’s comment more. The elephant in the room is cyclists’ hypocracy. Why should all LGVs be fitted with more mirrors than the Palace of Versailles just to prevent idiot (I repeat IDIOT) cyclists from sitting on the inside of them and thereby choosing (I repeat CHOOSING) to put their life in danger. Why can’t cyclists just WAIT THEIR TURN in the safest position going, behind. We expect vehicles to be patient and wait behind us until it is safe to overtake. So why shouldn’t we practice what we preach and wait behind them, until it is safe. The most dangerous overtaking i have seen on the roads (in central london) is by cyclists, not vehicles (except buses who seem to get points for each cyclist they ‘squash against the kerb!).
What is missing form the roads is not mirrors and segregated cycle lanes it is mutual respect.
Andrew Thrift hits the nail squarely on the head with his comment.
I couldn’t disagree more. The thing that’s dangerous is not the cyclist beside the lorry but the lorry running over him/her. Sure, cyclists know that lorries are build in such a way so they should care for their lifes. It’s still very valid to point out that it’s not a good idea to allow vehicles on the road that are several tons heavy and built in a way that the driver is unable to see where he/she’s driving.
Let’s start adapting traffic to the people instead of adapting people to the traffic.
Zwirbeltier, you are wrong. The lorry is perfectly safe unitl the cyclist chooses to sit alongside it.
Why should businesses (in already hard times) be forced to spend a fortune adapting lorries when cyclist could remove the whole problem by altering their dangerous cyclng (for free).
Please remember business is like a food chain. We may all works in offices but I guarantee that we start squeezing haulage firms to the point where the business in unviable,the whole economy will suffer and therefore we will all suffer.
zwirbeltier – If you truly believe what you have written in the first sentence then I feel sorry for you.
Lets look at this in terms of natural selection for a moment. The assertive cyclist who holds the land and positions himself correctly is like a caveman who hunts in groups and with spears. The cyclist who rides up the inside of a HGV is the caveman who ties to pat a sabre-tooth tiger!!!
I guess it’s down to pure economics, Patrick. Articulation means big blind spots as soon as the front part isn’t in line with the back part, but the cost of substituting one artic for two or more rigid lorries would be prohibitive to consumers reluctant to embrace the reality of even small increases in retail prices as a result of increased transport costs.
Very true. Mind you, you also can’t depend on road position. In my HGV incident (http://youtu.be/0fqACT1jNV0) I had Hi vis on, two bright lights up front, a clear view between myself and the HGV driver, and a good strong road position.
He still didn’t see me.
However, road position certainly is the greatest contributor to cyclist safety, so long as you don’t ignore your Spidey senses….
I totally disagree with the recommendation of placing yourself as a cyclist smack bang in the middle of the lane, rather than to the left.
This is guaranteed to “p#ss off other motorists more than just about any other type of cyclist behaviour (and I regularly cycle to work as well as drive).
Driver frustration then turns into road rage and greater likliehood of them them taking risky and or retaliatory action, as well as building a grudge towards ALL cyclists.
Yes I will move towards the lane centre when approaching an intersection or narrowing of the road, but I feel much safer letting all the faster and heavier traffic move past me, as I know just how frustrating it is as a driver to be constantly held up by inconsiderate cyclists.
As a motorcycle rider as well, I always take my rider training with me – defensive riding and heightened awareness of surroundings will get you there in one piece much more than stubbonly insisting on your right of way if you’re slower or can’t be seen. A bit of courtesy and sensible behaviour goes a long way folks!
As an instructor I teach riding a meter from the curb or white line as the default position. I will only teach taking primary when a vehicle could endanger you through overtaking – the brow of a hill, a blind bend, a pinch point and most importantly at traffic lights. Once out of the potential danger zone cyclists should move back to secondary position. If a driver cannot stand to be slowed down for the few seconds these actions usually take I would question his/her allowance to be on the road. That said I would fell the same way about a cyclist who holds primary at all times.
Your advice seems utterly reasonable. But I wonder what distance do you recommend that cyclists maintain from cars parked on the roadside?
A minimum of a meter. This may well entail taking primary.
This interesting video suggests that the minimum distance from a parked car should be rather more than a metre:
http://youtu.be/1TQ7aID1jHs
John – I did say a minimum of a meter. Unfortunately on many roads it is not possible to ride at an optimal distance from a parked car.
Yes, I agree it’s not always possible to adopt an optimal position. I find that many motorists fail to understand why cyclists aren’t riding a few inches away from the wing mirrors – and even more worrying is the fact that many cyclists do feel pressured into riding too close to parked cars.
Pressured – That is the key word. Riding safely on busy roads takes as much confidence as it does correct technique. Some cyclists will mutate confidence into arrogance and some drivers will see it is aggression. The only way I can see this ever beginning to change is through public awareness campaigns and tougher penalties for both parties.
Amen to that Dave!
I think you have a great point there, especially as you ride AND drive! I don’t think that Andreas suggested cycling “smack bang in the middle” though. More to encourage people like me, for example, who would always ride in the curb and make themselves more vulnerable to speedy overtaking cars.
I agree 100% with the advice given in the article. I commute by bike every day, and I find that the best way to prevent close passes and SMIDSYs is to ride out from the edge of the road (not the middle of the lane Kittygirl), and claim the lane at choke points.
I do wear a hi-viz vest at night and in poor light, but no way is it a substitute for good “vehicular cycling” practice.
Agree with you about road position some times you have to just be confident and just take up the correct road position its safer for everybody. Good rule of thumb is just stay away from trucks they cant see you half the time. Eye contact and good clear signals make a big difference too. Plus the safest bike to cycle is the Dutch style because of the riding position you are heads up eyes up you see more and see it earlier. Sitting in balance makes taking your hands off the bars to make signals easier.but also more visible to drivers. Plus it is so enjoyable to tootle around
Dave Sewell, I don’t think anyone is advocating holding the primary position at all times. Only that, since lanes are designed as one-dimensional flows of vehicles, it is up to the road user in front to decide when they may safely and courteously facilitate vehicles behind them, such as by moving further to the nearside.
This may, in effect, be what you are saying (“only ..when a vehicle could endanger you through overtaking”) but we should recognise that the need to hold the primary position may apply over significant distances on roads in which the lane itself cannot safely accommodate a cyclist and a wider vehicle side by side.
It’s the cyclist’s call. That’s why it’s called the *primary* position.
Martin, we are in agreement. “Only …when a vehicle could endanger you through overtaking” implies no distance or time period. I do however see many cyclists (especially road cyclists) holding primary for no reason whatsoever
Co-existing with cyclists – 10 rules for drivers. Great article from the US: http://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/coexisting-with-bicyclists-10-rules-for-drivers.html
I have found the comments on here heartening and useful but I just wish they were representative of cyclists in London. As I crossed into Fleet St today I held the middle of the lane behind a bus with a bus behind me. This protects me, keeps me visible and then when the first bus pulls in to the bus stop I am in a perfect position to overtake.
What actually happens every morning is bikes fly past on my left, totally fail to register the bus is about to pull into the bus stop forcing the bus driver to stop in the middle of the road (making it harder for traffic including me to overtake) and then they cycle through the people getting off the bus!
I don’t want a bell on my bike I want a tazer and I don’t think it’s a cycling proficiency test that’s required, a simple IQ test would keep these idiots off the road!
James, I couldnt agree more. The stupidity of some cyclists amazes me. Do they have a deathwish? Why would anyone go up the inside of a large vehicle, stopped or not?!!
OT – I pulled up in a lane next to an HGV today and made eye contact ahead of working out how I would pull off. He nodded and then leaned out of the window and asked why I wasn’t using the segregated cycle path. I said “too many cyclists” at which point he almost fell out of his cab laughing.
[[[[[[[[[[ Well, we can't do much about the "blind-spots" of A FEW lorry-drivers (namely the missing bit of brain), and the failure of MANY truck-designers to attach one good mirror showing what's down the left side of the lorry (no, not the "multiple mirrors of the Palace of Versailles", G.L.....), and I rarely don the hi-vis screaming yellow Altura jacket. But when I do, (like in the rain) there's one citizen who does tend to spot me jacket, and that's the walker about to step into the measly little bit of road left for cyclists-----i.e. the gutter.
Of course, there ain't much we bikers can do (hi-viz or not) about suicidal pedestrians on their bleedin' walkie-talkies....
P.R.
HAS ANYONE IN THIS LONG THREAD EVER DRIVEN A LORRY BEFORE?????
why dont we look at the other side of the equation? some cyclist dont realized how hard it is to drive a lorry or any long vehicle. they think its just a big car. a lorry driver has to consider for so many things in order for them to drive safely I.E. the length, width and height of their vehicle in relevance to the road and other vehicles, their blind spots, their load, pedestrians and cyclist etc etc
I have driven a lorry before so i can tell how hard it is. no matter how big the side mirrors are, cyclist will always be a small spec on the side mirror. I agree with some of the comments here that cyclist should avoid passing lorries on tight spaces specially near the curve or pavement. its just down right suicidal and stupid.
I am fortunate to have the advantage of being an experience motorist and a cyclist so i know how to “CO EXIST” with either motorist and cyclist.
I often ride up the left of stationary long-wheelbase vehicles, but keep very aware of what is going on around me. The key issue is to know how the other vehicle may move – especially how it may move sideways to crush you against the kerb.
So rolling up to parallel with the rear wheels is generally safe (assuming he can’t make a sudden right turn to catch you with his tail end). To move forward of that you need to be looking at the lights, and it helps if you know the sequence. (Commuting a regular route is SO much safer than being somewhere new.) It also gives you more time if there is another stationary vehicle or two in front. Judge whether you can safely make it past before he can move.
If not, hang back.
It is possible to stay next to the rear wheels when he starts moving, as that point of the vehicle can’t move sideways (if you know what you’re going to do next). But it’s unfair to hover alongside the vehicle, distracting the driver, so I aim to either get by in one go, or wait behind.
If I stayed as far away from the car door as that YouTube video suggests I would be cycling in the opposite lane! I work on the assumption that every car door is about to swing open and make sure I can stop or know I have some swerve room.
Where in London can you go on a cycling course like this. I’m always happy to learn more even if I am fortunate to be an experienced driver for whom lane positioning is second nature.
Incidentally I watched that YouTube video featuring Henry Warwick (the courier and vey experienced cyclist sadly killed a couple of weeks ago) and I no longer feel so bad about cycling in a perpetual state of heightened fear – I think that’s probably the way to stay safe!
I have a real dislike of hi-visibility clothing. I’ve tried to explain why in my blog: http://www.project4cycling.com/2012/02/dont-try-this-away-from-home.html
Thing is though. I feel guilty for not wearing it. Almost like I’m asking for trouble. But honestly, the moment I put it on it frightens me.
Does anyone else feel like this? Or is this the fault of some underlying psychological problem which is probably the fault of my parents?
Very interesting blog post. Have to admit, as I think I said in a previous comment on this post, that I think hi-viz is overated, and as you allude to, it brings out and focuses on this word ‘safe’ or ‘safe cycling’ which I think does more damage and puts more people offcycling than many other things.
Hi
I am the opposite. I think it is because I drive a lot and I can spot a high viz a long way off and start to brake in time. Lights are good but at a distance to can be hard to tell what they or where they are. I know that as a driver I make life easier for a cyclist because I have seen him in plenty of time. So I wear high viz to give other drivers the same chance.
In summer it would be a chore which is why I love the Hump covers for backpacks.
One thing I hate as a driver and as a cyclist and as a pedestrian is bike lights that flash. The law should never have been changed. I always fail to judge the distance of a bike when the lights flash and it is a distraction. Distractions are bad.
Flashing lights is what differentiates a bicycle light to a motorcycle light. A motorbike light when its far (lets say 300 yards) from you has a similar size and appearance to a bicycle light that is about 100-50 yards away. on situations where visibility is poor, foggy or raining I would have thought that steady bicycle lights is a motorbike that is far away. so by the time that you realized that it is a bicycle it might be too late to give the cyclist space. where as if it was a flashing light, I know straight away that it is a bicycle.
I dont find them distracting but rather annoying especially but only if its its too bright. there are bicycle lights now that blinks like a camera flash which is IMO is dangerous to other road users as it could momentarily blind you. and same goes to very bright non flashing lights.
I agree that it’s harder to judge the distance of a flashing light. There are some pretty bright bike lights about, but with London mostly being covered by street lamps it’s not really necessary to have them so bright tyat they blind on comers. I have an Exposure that I use out of town, and their mantra of “I own the night” is true – it’s awesome.
A car driver is much more likely to see the mass of high viz than the torch light of a bike which often blurs into lights reflected on the windscreen.
As a driver and from a truck driving friend I would not dismiss high vis but combine it with the lane holding advice I have read here. Even though I sort of knew it, having read this I have applied it much more.
I’ve heard that HGV / lorry drivers that work mostly around building sites are much more use to spotting people wearing… hi-viz! No surprise, as everyone on-site will be wearing orange or yellow, so they expect it and therfore are use to watching out for it.
“and we don’t hear of any buses trashing cyclists by turning left across them.”
@ Phil. – I know this isn’t what you mean as I know this isn’t accidental.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9087346/Bus-driver-deliberately-swerves-to-mow-down-cyclist.html
[[[[[[[[[ D.G.----thanks, yes I have seen this. Horrific! He's not a bus driver----he's a very naughty boy, and it's good he got caught.
P.R.
I’m a class 1 hgv driver, and I’m also a cyclist. And I would never EVER cycle in London without a hi vis, and I want to tell you why. I would love to seat a cyclist in the driver’s seat of my truck, at a busy junction in the rush hour in London, and ask him how many cyclists with hi vis clothing he saw, and then how many cyclists without hi vis clothing he saw. Then I’d like him to do that, taking 0.25 seconds to scan the view in three different windows, and six different mirrors, and then continually repeat the process as all the motorists, cyclists and pedestrians vie continually with each other in that insance battle to gain competitive advantage on the road. Then I’d like them to do it at night, possibly in the rain, with maybe a broken mirror or two thrown in for good measure, because the transport firm doesn’t give a monkeys about regular maintenance. Then I’d like them to do it near the end of a 15 hour shift (incredibly, that’s how long a driver is allowed to be on duty), with the boss ringing on the cab phone, using streets that are unfamiliar, and with the wrong delivery address. And to top it off, I’d like the cyclist to do all this with just 9 hours between finishing the last 15 hour shift and starting this one (effectively 30 hours duty over the previous 39 hours). And I haven’t even mentioned the HID headlight wars which make cyclists virtually invisible at night if one of these more expensive cars is driving behind you. What I am trying to show is that sometimes, under that pressure, not even the most experienced hgv driver could track every single moving target in every mirror and window. Whether cyclists like them or not, and I appreciate they’re not very fashionable, it is SO important to get the message across about the DRAMATIC difference that wearing a hi vis can make to visibilty, and I’ve never seen a video on youtube or even photos that show what a staggering difference a hi vis makes. Let cyclists see the difference and then decide for themselves whether they want to continue cycling wearing dark clothing.
I totally agree with you Nick. as I have mentioned on previous comment titled “HAS ANYONE IN THIS LONG THREAD EVER DRIVEN A LORRY BEFORE?????
It is not easy to drive a lorry as most cyclist think. the problem with most of the people who commented on this blog is that “they have not got a bloody clue how hard it is to drive a lorry”. they are only looking at the cyclist point of view. and im quite sure half of them dont even drive a car.
but my opinion in hi viz clothing is opposite. for me its not necessary to wear one. proper bike lights is still the best way to be seen on the road night and day. I dont own a hi viz gear and i never fancy buying one simply because they look silly and some are expensive. however on my bike i have 2 front lights and 2 rear lights plus i have lights on my helmet as well. so im blinking like a Christmas tree on the road.
but like i always say to cyclist riding defensively and sensibly with keep you safe no matter how busy the road is.
Thanks for that Nick. I’ll stick with the hi-viz.
Nick,
I love you. That is all.
p.s. please could you comment on the “should cyclists be allowed to go through red lights” post so we could have some sanity there too?
Thanks!
In fairness though, the original point was that wearing high vis alone is not going to make you safe, good road position is just as important. I don’t expect a lorry driver to see me so I go out of my way to avoid him or make myself known to him. I never get bored of seeing the grateful appreciation (and surprise) of lorry drivers when you make their life easier.
As a driver I know how much I value cyclists wearing high viz to make it easier for me to slow down and give them room so when I’m on two wheels (20-30 miles in and around London every day) I do drivers the same courtesy.
My goodness! Some very good replies. This must be a well read blog indeed. I think I’ll subscribe to this one. Yes, I know the issue of hi vis clothing is a contentious one, but it’s all too easy to see hgv drivers as perfect, when in reality they’re under enormous pressure from the bosses to get more and more deliveries done. One thing that I would say is that many of my fellow lorry drivers appreciate that each cyclist on their bikes is one less car on the road in front of us, and of course we welcome the efforts made by responsible cyclists to show less experienced cyclists the danger of cycling up the inside between our lorries and the kerb. But the thing that always gets us is that it’s hard to judge the overtaking time required when faced with some of the more sporty cyclists, resulting in the cyclist still being unexpectedly level with the lorry when it cuts back in. Because this happens frequently, my suggestion is, even though it is ultimately the responsibility of the driver to pass safely, is for cyclists to recognise that there may be a conflict of interests and to just accept the requirement to scrub off a little speed in anticipation of the driver cutting in too early, a bit like we would do if we were in a car and something larger overtook us. I do sometimes think there is a tendancy for some cyclists to exercise their “rights” just to make a point, and if this is shown on Youtube then it can potentially damage our campaign for safer cycling. Anyway, I’ve had my say as a lorry driver, and appreciate not being harranged just because I am one. most of us are doing all we can to spread the word about looking out for cyclists on our busy streets. Good luck all of you with your campaigning and, for those of you still wearing dark clothing, I’ll do my best to keep those mirrors clean and my eyes peeled.
I just thought of something else that you cyclists may not be aware of, but is (in my opinion) to the detriment of road safety. Perhaps you lot can digest this and use it to your advantage. Many transport firms run a bonus scheme where the bonus is dependant on your fuel saving. Now, the savvy lorry driver knows that getting 44 tonnes from 0 to 20 uses up a whole litre of fuel (that’s right – a whole litre). And he also knows that that same litre of fuel could move the same 44 tonnes about four miles at a steady 20mph. So, there is undue pressure (and it’s getting worse, as more and more transport firms are linking fuel economy with wages) for the driver to keep rolling at all costs. And it’s even worse for contractors, who are paid per mlie travelled and have to ensure that the fuel costs are low enough to be able to pay themselves something at the end of the week. I don’t agree with fuel economy bonuses, I think it can lead to a conflict of interests with regards to safety, so that is why I’m explaining this to you lot.
aaargh UNSUBSCRIBE!
Try NOT to pull out or stop in front of pedestrians too. So many ‘cyclists’, sorry, idiots with a bike, have absolutely no idea how to behave full stop. I’m always amazed that they survive the pratting about on the roads long enough to get anywhere near a lorry. Round here, they seem to be on pavements, crossings and junctions not paying any attention to people at all. They even take their bikes into corner shops. Priceless!
I actually don’t have a problem with bikes in shops. I take my bike into my local chip shop and the owner is happy to take my money. In fact, if I was a shop owner I’d not only let bikes in but I’d also offer free coffee for bikers too. If they’re not spending cash on petrol, they’ve probably got more cash to spend in my shop, so I’d look for ways to get them to spend cash in my shop, instead of my competitor down the road. However, those numpties who think it’s their god given right to ride as fast as possible, jumping lights, scaring pensioners, and inadvertently giving the rest of us cyclists a bad name through their utterly selfish behaviour on the road, would probably not get a free coffee in my shop.