I was riding 2 abreast into work the other day with a mate, slight downhill and we’re doing 25mph, mingling nicely with the traffic which is doing about the same speed. Yet behind me, this car was insistently beeping me to move over (there was plenty of space to overtake). Point was though she couldn’t get anywhere, we were IN the flow of traffic. She eventually raced past, got 10m down the road and had to brake for the back end of the traffic jam – we sailed on past her. It was just her attitude, her complete lack of understanding, the idea that she MUST overtake the cyclist NOW, we MUST be slowing her down.

This.

Happens all the time, my closest call recently was travelling home on my regular commute, slightly downhill so my speed was easily 25mph plus, woman in a Focus starts overtaking (without actually moving much faster than me) sees a bus coming the other way and start pulling back into the left while she is still along side me. I had to bang on her window to stop her squashing me.

100 yards later at the traffic lights I was ahead of her again

Its the mentality of “you are only on a bike so I have to pass you, and if its a bit tight thats okay because its only a cyclist not another human being just on their way home from work”

Its the mentality of “you are only on a bike so I have to pass you, and if its a bit tight thats okay because its only a cyclist not another human being just on their way home from work”

Car drivers just automatically assume that a bike is travelling at no more than 10mph.

So it won’t be a problem to overtake.

I think TJ hinted at the solution earlier – you need a sizeable chunk of car drivers to also be cyclists.

The way to make that happen is bottom-up and top-down:

bottom-up: improve cycle facilities, cycle-to-work schemes, etc. All dull and worthy but it makes cycling viable.

top-down: politicians, county councillors, county chief executives should all cycle more or be barred from talking about transport issues, since they will be too ignorant.

It sounds like in New Zealand, as here, part of the problem is the fact that people are getting their information about the world around them from a bunch of catchphrase-bandying tossrags, rather than proper media that encourages a bit of thought and perspective.

Thus complex issues of sustainable transport and societal behaviour patterns get reduced to scapegoating cyclists with “You don’t pay road tax”.

My commute passes through Bristol city centre (It’s 30 miles ew and I’m not man enough if anyone asks why I don’t ride) and I see some shocking cycling by commuters. Hitting a cycling commuter wearing black with no lights, riding at 15mph across a pedestrian crossing is a real possibility almost every day and as a cyclist that would make be feel pretty sh*t even though they would be to blame.
However I agree that the consequences to others is low unlike the equally bad car driving. TJ and Luked 2 are correct and all car drivers should be forced to do cycling test. Equally if cyclist were forced to drive or be at least be a passenger on their commute they would see how the issues car drivers have in not seeing cyclists, especially those not obeying the rules of the road.
I lift share on my commute and my other 2 guys I share with I perfectly decent people who I consider to be friends but when I point out them needing to give cyclists more space they just don’t get it. The other week we came round a bend on a country lane to find cyclist riding 2 abreast, my lift share’s attitude was that the cyclist were basically asking to get killed and it wouldn’t be his fault. I pointed out that it could just of easily been a tractor but he just didn’t get it.

If someone wants to drive badly there’s not much you can do, I just thank the good ones as they hold back when I turn right or when going through traffic furniture etc and make it a very obvious gesture in the hope following traffic see it and they follow the other’s example.

I pointed out that it could just of easily been a tractor but he just didn’t get it.

I’ve mentioned the tractor comparison to my non-cycling workmates and their response was “oh, tractors always pull over and let you past, cyclists never do”. As someone who grew up in Lincolnshire, I can categorically state that’s rubbish, and furthermore I’ve never had my windscreen chipped as a result of following a cyclist.

Oh well, the petrol’s going to run out soon…

Well to add some irony to this thread I was riding into work on Monday. Middle of day, lovely and bright sunny day. Climbing up through a residential area, narrow road, cars parked towards me on RHS me on LHS of narrow road. I heard a car coming fast up behind me, i was about 2feet out from the LHS which is a large bank. After waiting aprrox 1 nanosecond said car driver decided that he could either fit through the non-existent gap, didn’t care or both. He charged past, whacking me on the arse with his wing mirror. I knew he was going to do it an stayed on. Incredible.
Anyway, i got his rego and from that i now have his full name, DOB, address, employer, mobile number and email address 😆 The internet is a lovely thing and probably helps being in the line of busines I am in. Anyway a brief ride by this morning early on my training ride confirmed his car is parked outside his house. Normally around that time my bowels are needeing emptied. Therefore I am crafting a lovely little flag with the “Share the road” message which will adorn said Poo on his bonnet tomorrow morning. Its the only way I can think to get the message through. Apologies to everyone but I feel its utterly justified. I’m really important too and far too busy to do a sh1t in a proper toilet you know so i’ll just do it where I am , on his funking car.

Like yer style NZ Col

Pictures required

I can live without the pictures.

I think i’ll pass on the picture taking just inb case it ever comes back to haunt me you know, he does a DNA test of my sh1t.

I’ve been run over a few times but this just made my p1ss boil, utter total stupidity, if he had waited 5 seconds i could have got out his way. Un firkin believable. Karma. The Karma gods will be coming to visit. I’m having a curry tonight and some beer as well so that should be nice.

I don’t think scat vigilantism is the most positive method.

Take a deep breath, and write a short, concise note to him, explaining what happened, how it affected you, and the possible consequences if it happens again or if he kills someone doing such a stupid manoeuvre.

…and then curl one out on his bonnet 🙂

no point punishing idiots unless they know what it’s for.

I came to my senses on this and decided to be more stealthy. I reported the incident to the police with his details and the officer (who is a rider) said he’d be going to speak to him and probably give him a ticket for his troubles as he has ‘previous’ complaints against him (well that rego anyway).