The 3 Towns Coffee centre

[Ian]

It's interesting; Welsh is a branch of the original Indo-European group of languages, which appear to have originated in India and Iran, possibly Babylon. As the more militant Germanic tribes advanced, the early Celts were indeed driven North, taking their languages with them. 

English is an astonishingly rich language as it's always been happy to assimilate from other cultures, and you're right about the mixture. I suspect that's one reason why it's become so successful, simply becuse it does adapt. Purists might not like it but this characteristic has made English the international language (and the British linguistically lazy:-).

[Michael]

      Most drivers think they are the best, never cause accidents etc etc. Me included.

     So, what do you drivers make of the situation I was in this afternoon on Llandudno prom. At the Craigydon end.

    Me driving towards Little Orme. Pedestrian crossing ahead. Car in front goes over the crossing and then immediately signals to turn right. So I stop before the crossing.

   At the same time traffic going the other way comes to a halt because of a coach having trouble getting into his parking space. The crossing is still clear.  No pedestrians anywhere around on any pavement.

   The car in front starts moving and turns right, so my way ahead is clear, I go into gear and start moving and --- wham --- out from nowhere comes a man on a bike from the right on the crossing, moving fast, has a fright and swerves around me and gives me a mouthful.

   Me, in my tradition of not being bashful in situations like this, give him a good old mouthful back.

[Michael]

   Missed the last line.

   What would the Police have made of this if I had been a split second earlier moving and either I hit bike, or he hit me?

[Merddin Emrys]

If he was riding a bike across (in the direction of a pedestrian) the zebra crossing then he was in the wrong. He should have dismounted and walked across!

[TheMedz]

I think the cyclists should have to dismount and walk across on a pedestrian crossing (but not on a pelican crossing with lights). As there are none of the latter on the front I would therefore say that it was the cyclist at fault and not you Mike. On the other hand in these days of litigation excess if you had come into contact with the cyclist and it went to a no win no fee solicitor who knows.

[Michael]

   I've always known that a pedestrian crossing was for pedestrians. Full stop. But I didn't know there was a difference with light controlled crossings.  Do I take it that a cyclist can mingle with pedestrians going across? If so, I reckon thats a nonsense.
    Having said that, I realise that it happens all the time and in foreign countries a damn sight more than in the U.K., and nobody says anything.

[TheMedz]

Sorry Mike on further investigation its a Toucan crossing not a Pelican that Cyclists can use. This text is from a local authority web site

TOUCAN crossings are designed for both pedestrians and cyclists and are typically used adjacent to a cycle-path (Cyclists are not allowed to cross the road using Zebra, Pelican or Puffin crossings). There is a green cycle symbol alongside the green man.

[Blongb]

That particular crossing has been designed for cyclist to cross the B5115 from the Promenade to Craig Y Don and even has painted Cycle Lane markings on both sides of the Pavement Mike.

The Cycle Lane then goes along the pavement to the corner of Nant-Y-Gamar Road where the cyclists are directed back on to the road.

We have friends in Romania Drive and use the crossing with our bikes when we go round for a visit.

In your situation the man on the Bike should only have crossed if like any other crossing the road traffic lights were on red. In your post you didn't say what colour the lights were at.

[Michael]

   Oh dear. Don't I stir things up.

   Am I right, we now have Pedestrian, Zebra, Pelican and Toucan crossings.  Isn't life complicated.

   But --- to Blongb, we must be talking about different crossings. The one I first wrote about is by the County Hotel. It has no lights on it, it is just a pure and simple pedestrian crossing controlled by Belissa beacons (I wonder if anyone is old enough to know what the hell I am writing about).

  I must take a close look at the crossing you mention. I drive over it a minimum of twice a day all summer season through and I must admit I've never noticed any cycle lane markings around. Just shows familiarity breeds contempt.
 

[Michael]

   Did I say life was complicated?   Just noticed it, there are also PUFFIN crossings.   So thats five varieties, any advance on five?  And my Hoare Belisa crossing, the original. Thats SIX.

[DaveR]

The simple answer, Mike, is that the Belisha Crossing you mention outside the County Hotel is for pedestrians to cross between two pavements - the cyclist shouldn't have been riding on either pavement or the crossing itself.

[Michael]

  After this motoring incident a few days ago, believe it or not I've been in another one. The Ist of Ad Motorists and Yorkie are probably distancing themselves from me.

   Today, Asda fuel station. For those that don't know it there are two rows of pumps which you can access from both sides. With two pumps in both rows. i.e. 8 cars putting in fuel at the same time. If you want diesel you have to go to the front row, the back one is petrol only.

  So, in I go, in a diesel vehicle. Extreme left hand side, first pump empty of a car, second pump car being filled. So, I pull in behind it.Get out and open the flap and filler cap. Get back in my car and wait.

   The car in front finishes and drives away. So I start up and move forward. As I did so a small car drove past me on the nearside. I assumed it was going for air or water.

   But no, it swerves in front of me, brakes, reverse lights come on, and there it is heading backwards towards me. I jam on my brakes, stop about five feet short of where I was intending to go, no time for horn and definately no time for reverse gear,  and   BANG --- this cars goes in to me.

  And a young woman--I won't say lady as I usually do for the female sex, leaps out and --- verbal diarorear is the only word I can think of, the words came out like machine gun bullets. The only thing I definately heard was she mentioned reverse lights. But her words were coming out at about ten a second.

  I told her not too nicely what the hell she bought she was doing, words went up to boiling point, I said do what the hell you like, get Asda on their internal phone, or police, or however she wanted.

   She went off to Asdas internal phone -- came back to me and said "dont you even want to get out and see the damage you've done to my car?". Me. Why the hell shou
ld I? I'm not interested it what you have done to your car.
   I might add that I wasn't the slightest bit bothered about my car. Its a 4x4 with bull bars and I wasn't even going to exert myself by getting out of the drivers seat to look.

    Eventually two Asda security arrive. They speak to her, tell her to pull over to one side, then come to me "Pull over, so that customers can get fuel." Me"Thats that I am waiting to do. "

  So, O.K., I fill up (after probably 15 mins) and Asda man says pull over there.  Me: No fear, I'm 15 minutes late already and I'm going. Him: You cannot leave.  Me (getting very agitated) You mean Asda say I cannot leave. You sod off. I'm going. Asada man: Well you have to give your side of it and your name and address. Me: Get my name off the DVLA. Asda: Its an offence to leave scene of an accident. Me: On Asda private land. Asda man: Its not asdas land. ME: WEll who the hells is it? ASda: It belongs to the Council. We only rent it. Me:  What sodding difference does that make? I'm going. Man. We'll call the Police. Me. Best of luck, GOODBYE.
  Oh, and at some stage I said "Are your cameras working? Reply Yes. Me Well look at them, its all there for you.
     Mike   (Just done my blood pressure a world of good typing this)

[Ian]

Crikey.  That's quite a tale, Mike.  And it's very true that some people happily reverse in car parks without watching their rear view mirrors. A driver nearly backed into my wife and me the other day at our local GP's surgery car park. I had to tap sharply on their rear window before they realised I was standing there.

[DaveR]

You do get yourself into some scrapes, Mike!

[Nemesis]

Same thing happened to me in a station car park last week, only I was on foot and accompanied by my daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter. Chap set off in reverse and nearly squashed all four of us. Luckily I banged on his back window and stopped him before he hit us all. You'd have thought he would have seen 4 of us !