Does anyone actually believe that a bike is faster off a standing start than a car?

Question

That daft wee box at traffic lights for bikes to get priority when the light go green. Why? I have never seen a bike out run a car. With 10 yards of the lights the bike is causing an obstruction to following vehicles and that surely defeats the point of allowing cyclists to be there in the first place?

J Bird we are talking about a push bike here. Motorbikes i don`t have a problem with.

Guys the wee box at the front of the lights has nothing to do with safety. A cyclist is as safe in the middle or back of the queue as he is at the front. Our political masters have tried to sell these daft wee boxes on the principle that cyclists are faster off the mark at lights than a car driver. This isn`t so because within seconds the cars have caught up and the cyclist does nothing but CAUSE congestion. It wouldn`t surprise me if one day a cyclist is run over moving away from one of these boxes as the ensuing cars try to manoevre around the cyclist.

Answer 1

No way. The only way a cyclist could keep up with a car is if the bikes front wheel was caught in the cars back bumper.

Answer 2

THE REASONS THEY CAUSE PROBLEMS..........

1. They do not follow the traffic laws for vehicles when operating a bicycle. Instead,
a) they may use the traffic laws for pedestrians and thus ride on the sidewalks or the wrong way on the streets,
b) they may follow the traffic code for vehicles part of the time but not all of the time,
c) they may adopt a policy of hiding from motor vehicles rather than riding in the traffic lanes,
d) they may be guerilla cyclists deliberately breaking the law,
e) or they just might not think about how they are behaving.
2. They don't have lights mounted on their bikes when riding at night.
3. They ride along in the gutter or weave in and out between cars.
4. They don't pay attention to nearby vehicles.
5. They haven't learned how to control their bicycles effectively.
6. They panic when motor vehicles approach.
7. They don't keep the bike in sound mechanical condition.
8. They ride when too tired (or even drunk) to do so safely.

Answer 3

Sorry guys and gals but your all missing the point here. It has nothing to do with who is faster off a standing start - bike or car, it has everything to how many bikes can get to the front of the queue and the more bikes in front of the cars, the more the cars are slowed down to a "safe" urban speed. This is clearly the political reasoning to give cyclists more priority and give car drivers yet another reason to get out of their tin box and get some exercise.

Answer 4

The point if allowing cyclists to the front at traffic lights isn't about who is the fastest, it's for the cyclists safety to give them a chance to turn left or right at the junction without having to deal with myopic car drivers.

I don't ride a push bike but I do sympathise with those who do as it's so bloody dangerous!

Answer 5

Hum... bikes are way faster with heavy traffic. I mean, WAY faster even with no priority. I always run out every car I can.

And otherwise, when I'm driving a car as fast as possible (that's what I really love) on a street, I always see pedestrians, cyclists, stupid drivers, lights, traffic and all that stuff like a funny thing. Like an arcade game... but with no killing! haha.

Well, but to allow cyclists to ride as comfortable as possible is a political matter, as I think, that is related to pollution and ecology.

Answer 6

you just been behind the wrong bike...and yes most bikes are slower than a car you have think 200 hp up against 60 hp most bikes 0 to 60 is faster

Answer 7

Depends on the car and the bike. I have seen a Yamaha R1 take off faster than a porshe 911. But again depends on the driver as well.

Answer 8

If your talking push bikes then yes I can see your point, as for motorcycles I know they are faster of the line especially the sports bikes.

Answer 9

Faster is surely not the issue but safer. Priority is given to the slower and smaller vehicle at traffic signals and other situations.

Answer 10

i know what your saying, i agree,

and whats with riding side by side on windy roads, chatting away at 15 mph while your trying to get somewhere????

only the diehard cyclists do that, they see it as their right i guess.