I would suggest you exercise some patience next time....a quality lacking in most cyclists I see.

I'm all for biking but too many (not all) cyclists in Geneva seem to think they have some magic spell protecting them.

Riding in the middle or the road, passing between lanes without looking, passing on the right when there is a right turn coming up - all seems kosher if you're on a bike.

Would be well for cyclists to remember that in a collision between a car and a bike, the car probably goes home with a scratch while the bike rider goes to the hospital if he/she is lucky.

So ride away but please be careful and remember that while you see the car, the person driving the car has not necassarily seen you.

Oded

And please remember that cyclists are supposed to stop when a pedestrian is crossing on the yellow band.  I frequently have to give way to a biker to avoid being knocked down.

Also, if cars have to have their lights on all the time, why don’t the cyclists?

R.

Peter - when I check what you put in your profile, I now understand why you overtook on the right.  I know the lights and of course cars pull over to the right so you cannot squeeze through so I always pass on the left but then sneak in just before the lights if there is room. 

The moral of the story is that in order to become a proficient cyclist, you must be able to spot a policement from 20 metres

Once I get the Slovak copy of 1984 to you, you will think twice about arguing with police.

Bit more concerned about Police in other countries than those right here stopping cyclists breaking the law.

The link is a very distrubing video of police in the US shooting a homeless man dead for camping illegally in NM. Not for the feint hearted.  You have been warned.

http://www.policestateusa.com/2014/james-boyd/

Now that is very scary indeed. I'm glad I don't live in the States.

Thanx for the answers, but what I really want to say with these post is that the Swiss police, can do a such an unfair stuff.why they can't just tell me , "Yes Ms.Pete we are sorry,we was wrong... U can continue ,take care and have a nice day!!!!" on the place of, "u'll pay anyways just because I have a big ego... :( that make me sad. I'll pay for something, what they actually couldn't see, because it was behind the buildings,when I took over the car...
Just for know, I can put myself into the all situation, I was professional MTBiker,and still ride often(road,MTB...)worked as bike postal for a while, drive few times a year through the Europe with car , and was working as truck driver...so I see every day,what "bikers" can do on the roads. I want not to go against no one , everywhere are crazy people.i just want to share my bike vs police story.

Clearly the police do not have anything better to do than harass cyclists for very minor traffic violations. If the police would only spend 1/10 of that time on crimes which actually matter, then Geneva would be a much safer (and nicer) place to live, IMO.

Are their priorities wrong, or are they only doing what is easiest for them?

It doesn’t matter how experienced one is, one can still sometimes infringe the law and be fined.  Even top Formula One drivers have been unable to talk their way out of being caught speeding on a motorway.

R.

Was held by police in Hampstead Heath at around 7am in the morning for cycling.  Had to stay an hour in a hut until someone arrived in the office and could confirm who I was.   Why they had to know who I was is a mystery as I nver heard anything more.  Told them I was frightened by London traffic.

Forced on many occasions to dismount in Hydde Park by same policeman but no fine.

I was fined £2 in 1966 for carrying a punctured bicycle as a pillion passenger on a motor bike in Leeds.  Constable Tate's report stated 'after being warned the defendant stated that he still could not see what he had done wrong'

In early sixties a school friend was fined for overtaking a police car on bhis bicycle at over 30 miles per hour.  It was probably more because of the hand gesture he made when he had achieved this.  He was proud of the fine.

So soemtimes you get away with it.  And I did not get shot       

Mike - I take your point which I think is valid. On the other side of this though is that I consider a cyclist running red lights etc and displaying zero patience as something that does 'actually matter' especially if I take him or her out because of their lack of sense. I am fast coming to the conclusion that a lot of cyclists just want to end it all very quickly !!!

Guys,

The same problem happens in London every working day of the week and there cyclists are being killed on the road on a sadly too regular basis.  Some vehicle drivers, of whatever 'size' wheels they sit over, seem to resent the very presence of cyclists on 'their' roads and some cyclists seem to think it is their god given right to ignore common sense rules of the road and jump red lights, drive through pedestrian crossings when people are crossing etc.  The Police cl`mped down on the situation recently - how, mainly by stopping cyclists for not wearing high vis jackets or crash helmets but of course for breaking traffic rules where they were seen to do so.  Car drivers were basically left alone to their own devices so really nothing changed.

Maybe if cyclists with no vehicle driving licence were made to take a test of proficiency (I had to do one when I was a kid or I was not alloed to cycle to school!) it would help and if cyclists with a driving licence were to be stopped jumping a red light they got a ticket and points it would go some way to stop the carnage on our streets.

I was getting ready to park my car last week, no cars, nothing behind me, had my indicator on and reversing light working, it was 8pm... I checked behind me, everything was fine, i double check whilst reversing AND a cyclist takes over me from the right...  Luckily I checked a second time...

Some time before, i was waiting at the red traffic light, when it turned green, I started to move my car when suddenly a two wheels just appeared from the right and ended up in front of me, good I had enough reflex to stop on time...!

I do cycle too, and enjoy it but honestly, cars or cyclists are dangerous!  Many times, I see people too in a hurry taking risks.

In France, if you are a cyclist and own a driver's licence, and break rules, then you can loose points and get fine same as if you were driving.

Stay safe :)

> In France, if you are a cyclist and own a driver's licence, and break rules, then you can loose points and get fine same as if you were driving.

No, you can get a fine, but you don't lose points for infractions done with vehicles not requiring a driver's licence (such as bikes).

@OmegaMan

"No, you can get a fine, but you don't lose points for infractions done with vehicles not requiring a driver's licence (such as bikes)."

This is not so if a cyclist is faulty into an accident and was at the time biking with excessive alcohol level... (jurisprudence)

If a cyclist commits a severe violation he can have his driving permit suspended as a result of a penal judgment.  He cannot lose points as this is an administrative measure.

Just To clarify: that's how it works in France, no idea for Switzerland ;)

Even if you cycle and own a driver's licence, infractions are considered the same here...  Maybe not in Switzerland.  Same as if you commit infractions on big motorbike you loose points on your car driver's licence AND the motorbike riding licence.