Thurso to Castletown straight

[Tubthumper]

If an inverse relationship doesn't hold true between crime and police presence then it suggests that it maybe folly to put police on the streets in the first place if we are not going to see reductions in crime for our money.

Is that logic? I only ask because my education is a bit limited, I never made it past Dick & Dora.

[Leanne]

I hate cyclist that ride their bikes side by side - it is contrary to the highway code. Only horseriders are allowed to do this - and even horseriders are polite enough to go into singlefile if safe to do so (not if the tandem is to protect a youngster). Bikers that I come across just seem to be oblivious and rude. A biker today rode in the middle of a single track for 4 miles and refused to pull over to let us past. Fortunately at the next junction they went left and we went right - it was just so so rude!

[sam]

- Bikers that I come across just seem to be oblivious and rude. A biker today rode in the middle of a single track for 4 miles and refused to pull over to let us past. Fortunately at the next junction they went left and we went right - it was just so so rude!

The reason they ride in the middle of the single track roads is to stop people trying to over take them, when there clearly isnt enough room, they have as much right to the road as a car user & i see no reason why they should have to pull over for a car, especially when there are so many car drivers who are oblivious to the bikers.

[Leanne]

The reason they ride in the middle of the single track roads is to stop people trying to over take them, when there clearly isnt enough room, they have as much right to the road as a car user & i see no reason why they should have to pull over for a car, especially when there are so many car drivers who are oblivious to the bikers.

There were plenty of passing places. Tractors pull over to let you pass, as do horseriders as they are aware of the obstruction they are causing. Cyclists don't seem to have this polite attitude - they seem to live by the "we have as much right as anyone else" attitude. Yes they do have as much right to be there as anyone else, but they also have as much opportunity as anyone else to be courteous.

Bikers - do you not feel bad when you have a queue of traffic backed up behind you? As a horserider I would hate for people to tar me with the "rude" brush - I always pull over into a passing place when it is safe to do so. It's much easier to do it on a bike - so why don't you? Not aimed at all bikers - just the rude one in question yesterday (and all the others that I have come across that were like minded)

Edit - yesterday I was stuck behind the cyclist for 4 miles. In all of those 4 miles he didn't pull into a passing place to allow an oncoming car to pass. With the law of averages you would expect it to be 50:50 not 100:0...

[sam]

There were plenty of passing places. Tractors pull over to let you pass, as do horseriders as they are aware of the obstruction they are causing. Cyclists don't seem to have this polite attitude - they seem to live by the "we have as much right as anyone else" attitude. Yes they do have as much right to be there as anyone else, but they also have as much opportunity as anyone else to be courteous.

Bikers - do you not feel bad when you have a queue of traffic backed up behind you? As a horserider I would hate for people to tar me with the "rude" brush - I always pull over into a passing place when it is safe to do so. It's much easier to do it on a bike - so why don't you? Not aimed at all bikers - just the rude one in question yesterday (and all the others that I have come across that were like minded)

Edit - yesterday I was stuck behind the cyclist for 4 miles. In all of those 4 miles he didn't pull into a passing place to allow an oncoming car to pass. With the law of averages you would expect it to be 50:50 not 100:0...

There is a difference between a cyclist & a biker lol & I am referring to the bikers ( motorcycles ) as you said a biker & not a cyclist.

I was travelling south last week and was held up for miles behind a car that thought it was ok to go between 20 & 30 miles and hour then when i did try to overtake they wandered right across the road in front of me as they were busy looking out of their drivers window, luckily i got stopped in time, so before you critasize others just remember its not just certain road users that are a problem.

[Thumper]

I drive this road regularly and I must admit I have come across my fair share of idiots on it,everyone seems to think its fine to overtake even in the no overtaking zones and the 50MPH is laughable!Nobody is perfect on the roads and I am sure we have all done something daft at some time or other but this road is down right dangerous at times! It used to be policed quite regularly but I havent seen any police on it in a long time! The other day I was behind a wee farm truck and it had a trailer on it with wood hanging well over the back of it and he decided to try overtaking a bus-three times!Not put off with almost going head on into other traffic he kept trying until he managed it at the top of claredon even my nine year old son said "what an idiot" ! If policing is not an option perhaps they should consider cctv on this stretch? x

[Rheghead]

Edit - yesterday I was stuck behind the cyclist for 4 miles. In all of those 4 miles he didn't pull into a passing place to allow an oncoming car to pass. With the law of averages you would expect it to be 50:50 not 100:0...
[/SIZE]

I've never seen this. Of course we have no way to verify your story.

[David Banks]

This is not a new problem, and multiple responses are needed.

First, I've noticed an increase in agressive women drivers, not a majority, but noteworthy, so we need to get thru to both young men and women.

It starts with education in the home and schools. Speeding needs to have the same profile as drunk driving - they both kill and maim. Even go for roadside billboard advertising, radio and TV.

It will also take police work, and additional graded speed restrictions on new drivers.

I believe there should also be vehicle modification restrictions, so that they cannot be modified to sound and/or perform at higher speeds than the original design.

It would have taken such a wide approach to ever have got thru my thick teenage skull.

[tonkatojo]

I've never seen this. Of course we have no way to verify your story.

I have umpteen times the scrote had ear plugs in, no doubt listening to music. They cannot hear you tooting to make them aware.

[Boozeburglar]

i do think this 'boyracer' brand is a bit silly,i see high powered cars with 30+ year olds driving just as dangerously as any young folk.

I don't think the insurance companies really allow prejudicial attitudes to enter the profit equation.

[M R]

I believe there should also be vehicle modification restrictions, so that they cannot be modified to sound and/or perform at higher speeds than the original design.

Well bang goes alot of peoples hobbies, including all ages.

What drivell

[Rheghead]

I have umpteen times the scrote had ear plugs in, no doubt listening to music. They cannot hear you tooting to make them aware.

It is difficult to hear anything behind in a head wind while cycling until the thing is right on your tail. But really, for four miles? Do you really think any driver would allow themselves to crawl behind a cyclist for about 20 minutes? Especially when every cyclist that I know (and I know a lot) would hate a car driver to stay behind them for that amount of distance. C'mon, be truthful.

[gleeber]

To be Honest, I find this road one of the safest in caithness. The 50mph limit at Murkle fair slows them down.
It's the Halkirk road at the same time in the morning that I find particularly dangerous.
I would find it difficult to cycle on any main road anywhere.

[Jeid]

The amusing thing about this thread is, that there's probably several roads in Caithness alone that "need to be policed more", but it ain't gonna happen. The police do get out on the road, I see them a lot as I drive a lot. There's a lot of road to cover in the county so they do what they can, when they can. The police simply can't be on one road at one time every day.

Cyclists can be frustrating at times, but no more frustrating than people who drive at 40mph on a 60mph road or people who tailgate for miles.

[Scorpio12thNov]

Cyclists can be frustrating at times, but no more frustrating than people who drive at 40mph on a 60mph road or people who tailgate for miles.

Yes indeed there is nothing more frustrating than people crawling at 40mph on a 60mph limit. It frustrates other drivers, especially when there's a tail back, who then wrecklessly overtake which could lead to accidents.

Why do certain drivers drive at this "snail" moving pace? Especially when you're driving home!

[tonkatojo]

It is difficult to hear anything behind in a head wind while cycling until the thing is right on your tail. But really, for four miles? Do you really think any driver would allow themselves to crawl behind a cyclist for about 20 minutes? Especially when every cyclist that I know (and I know a lot) would hate a car driver to stay behind them for that amount of distance. C'mon, be truthful.

Are you calling me a liar ?.

[Leanne]

Are you calling me a liar ?.

lol I think that was aimed at me. I sat patiently behind the cyclist for 4 miles - it wasn't safe to pass. The cyclist had a disregard for passing places. The wind does make a racket in your ears - I know this from horseriding, but as a polite horserider I make sure I glance back behind every now and again to check I'm not blocking the traffic

[tonkatojo]

lol I think that was aimed at me. I sat patiently behind the cyclist for 4 miles - it wasn't safe to pass. The cyclist had a disregard for passing places. The wind does make a racket in your ears - I know this from horseriding, but as a polite horserider I make sure I glance back behind every now and again to check I'm not blocking the traffic

Well I have sat impatiently behind them from Lyth crossroads to Brabster, both ways, as I said with earplugs in their lugs, the wind had nowt to do with it. once it occurred, but I think they were foreign tourists with out the ear plugs, I presumed they didn't know what a passing place was for.

[Tubthumper]

One of the most dangerous aspects of the Thurso - Castletown straight is that fermer in the Suzuki jeep who does 25mph regardless. Arm out the window, no cares in the world, no consideration for others.
Of course, he's perfectly within his rights, but he still drives me nuts!

[tonkatojo]

One of the most dangerous aspects of the Thurso - Castletown straight is that fermer in the Suzuki jeep who does 25mph regardless. Arm out the window, no cares in the world, no consideration for others.
Of course, he's perfectly within his rights, but he still drives me nuts!

I think that bloke knows exactly what he does to you and others, he doesn't give a toss, and he knows it annoys, its his idea of humour. poor soul.