I am one of the rare breed of cyclist who DOES indicate to tell people where I am going and I take offence at people who tar all us cyclists with the same brush.

Sometimes even I get self-righteous, especially when I had to get from South Huntington to the college on Tadcaster Road.

Usually people in cars overtook (and still do!) on the blind corner of Huntington Road where there is a six-foot wall on one side - let's just say First York nearly had a small car go into the front of one of the Number 12 vehicles. Just because there are no double lines on the road doesn't mean it's safe to overtake.

Then I get to Monk Bar, where some overpaid jerk in their BMW X5 jeep tries to beat me through the bar. Then at the bottom of Lendal Bridge, oh look! a car in the cycle headstart box! Oh no! That bendy bus on the Park and Ride can't get round the corner now - all those folks on the bus end up late to work through the actions of ONE person.

I'm not even going to describe the ordeal of going down Tadcaster Road on a bicycle. When I get on the cycle lanes on the pavement, people swear at me and tell me to get on the road - so I can't win.

Sometimes I took the bus to college. I was always late becauses buses were full, and not many car drivers let buses pull out from the bus stop bays.

Other times I see how far I can get to before a certain bus comes past. For example I have beaten numerous Coastliner buses from Stonebow, and got all the way to the college before it comes past!

We can always hope for a tram system to beat congestion.

Site Editor's note

Chris wrote this partly in response to John Dugdale's My York News story, 'Driving me mad'. See our news list for more.

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Your comments:

As the clocks go back this weekend I wonder how many York cycle users will buy batteries for their lights and how many will use them.

Do they not realise that cycling along a road when its dark means that motorists cannot see them? The same argument always comes out, the cyclist says he/she can see but they are putting their lives at risk.

If I am coming down a main road and wish to turn right to enter another road, and a bike is coming like a bat out of hell (as they do) not concentrating (listening to walkman as they do) and it's dark I will not see them until I almost hit them.

This has happened lots of times and I repeat this is dangerous. Also, why oh why, I wish someone would explain, do people of both sexes and all ages insist on riding on the pavement in daylight and at night time? Pavements are for pedestrians not bikes, annoying or what?

David Williamson, Clifton

I don't listen to my walkman when I am cycling, and I have recently bought LED lights (after someone deliberately ran over mine when it came off at a bump) The new lights are brighter and last for ages on the batteries.

Also I am often overtaken by people going a lot faster than me.

What did I say about tarring us cyclists with the same brush ?

Chris Nelson, York

First posted: 10:37 Thursday, October 27, 2005