Frustrated with how some cyclists ignore rules of road

WRITING as both a cyclist and a motorist, I am getting more and more frustrated with the way many - not all though - cyclists ignore the rules of the road.

Driving to work the other day along Belton Road, there was a cyclist on the road, who all the drivers were giving plenty of room and being mindful of.

Then, as we got to the traffic lights near B&Q, the lights turned red, the cars stopped - and the cyclist mounted the pavement, raced across the crossing and jumped back onto the road past the junction.

Again, drivers caught back up with him further along the road, got to the junction with Meadow Lane, the lights turned red - and off he went onto the pavement, round the junction and back onto the road.

As the lights turned green, I saw the same cyclist then racing toward the next set of lights ahead, which turned red - and the cyclist then completely ignored them, just looking to see if cars were coming from other directions before cycling right across the big junction. If I had done this in a car, I’d quite rightly expect to be locked up by the police within a short space of time.

And this is the problem us cyclists face - the bad behaviour of some cyclists causes immense bad feeling and frustration among motorists and pedestrians for their inconsiderate and downright dangerous acts. But what is the answer? Establish a registration scheme for bikes? Enforce insurance policies for cyclists? Have cycling lessons and roadcraft as part of the school curriculum?

It is a tricky subject to find a solution to - and I know that the same can be said of many motorists, who ignore the rules of the road, harrass other drivers and cyclists, break the speed limit and tailgate people who may be ‘just’ driving at the speed limit.

Behaviour on the roads appears to be getting worse and worse, and as long as these offenders think they can get away with it, nothing will change.

Perhaps it is simply a case of parents taking more responsibility for teaching their children right from wrong - and hopefully in a generation’s time, it may be better

You have to live in hope.

A frustrated Loughborough driver and cyclist.