On my commute home last week I was almost home, came to a major roundabout with 5 exits and was taking the 3rd. Happily going round thew round about (JRA) approaching the second exit and put my arm out to indicate I am peeling off left and a woman was approaching the round about from the 2nd exit decided not to see me and and enter the roundabout.

it was one of those slow motion moments, I could see her, but i am not sure she saw me. in my head it was "No, Noo, Nooo, Nooo, Nooooo" as I pedaled as fast as I could to clear the roundabout.

She missed my back wheel by a "bah hair". I ended up stopping by the side of the road the road in the 3rd exit shaken up and shouting furiously at her as she carried on seemingly unaware of what had just happened.

Really made me think afterwards if i could have done anything differently, but sometimes it just comes down to the fact there are some terrible drivers out there.

Anyone else had any close calls recently to get the heart pumping, adrenalin going?

Yesterday someone got halfway past me, then turned left. Fortunatly I was turning left as well, but he still got a:

TWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nearly kissed a bus drivers side window when he failed to stop approaching a round about a couple of weeks ago. Not a pleasant ride home that day.

CP

I avoid this sort of incident while commuting by riding on the pavement at all times.

RE: the op, if you were approaching the second exit, but taking the third, why did you indicate you were peeling off left? I think the driver could be forgiven for thinking that you were taking the second exit

RE: the op, if you were approaching the second exit, but taking the third, why did you indicate you were peeling off left? I think the driver could be forgiven for thinking that you were taking the second exit

The second exit was split (entry and exit), I should have said i was approaching the 2nd entrance, i was way past the exit.

MidlandTrailquestsGraham – Member
I avoid this sort of incident while commuting by riding on the pavement at all times.

And pay a fine…

Were you guys brightly clothed in yellow?

I find going slow on a roundabout is safer than going uber fast for some reason but near misses still happen and a kid got knock over near my house yesterday-I heard tyre screech and then the wack and people running.

Always be alert.

I had one this morning going past turning guy in ford focus did that thing where he starts pulling out without seeing then I flash past saying fuuuuck and he stalls!

Although he did come past and apologies which is a nice gesture.

Bus drivers are worst round my way either sit behind you making you anxious or hoon past with a foot to spare!

Still a miss is a miss!

As MTG says if you can use the pavement and it is not used by lots of people do so.

Milton Keynes is the home of dedicated cycle ways so I never touch the roads. I do a 7 mile ride with only dog walkers, cats and the occasional dumped shopping trolley to contend with….and like the earlier post if I nip into the old town for a sarnie I use the pavement 🙂

Really made me think afterwards if i could have done anything differently

Expect every single car (yes) to pull out in front of you and make arrangements assuming it's going to. Ie brake, make sure you've got swerving room, know what's around you etc.

Laborious, yes, but it really helps keep you rubber side down and helmet side up.

The second exit was split (entry and exit), I should have said i was approaching the 2nd entrance, i was way past the exit.

gotcha.

"And pay a fine…"
Approaching a T junction, on Tuesday this week, with straight ahead or turn left options.
I want to go straight ahead, but the lights are on red.
I hop up on to the pavement and ride slowly forward round the corner, waiting for a gap in the oncoming traffic turning right in to the side road which I want to cross.
One of the cars turning right is a police car.
I avoid eye contact and start thinking about escape routes down narrow alleys or through the nearby park gates.
They drive straight past.
I cross the side road and drop back down on to the main road, well ahead of all the cars still stuck at the red light.

Another day, another RLJ.

Expect every single car (yes) to pull out in front of you and make arrangements assuming it's going to.

There's one round about on the outskirts of town that i have to do that when I'm in the car, I avoid it on my bike when ever possible.

not so much a near miss. i kind of saw it coming.

Yes, last week. Nice result.

I'd been commuting from my house to the station for 10 months and not really had any bad incidents. I'm no longer commuting to the station (gave up my job, it was dull and not worth the travelling). But I went out on the bike into town on Monday for the first time in a week or two and had 3 near misses:

– Cross-roads – I was on the 'main' road. The traffic on the road crossing it should give way. A bloke went straight across in front of me. Big handful of brake. At least this guy apologised.

– Turning right at traffic lights (30 seconds later) – Queue of traffic at red lights. Right lane is either for straight on or turning right. I nipped down the right side of the traffic checking the indicators of cars as I pass to make sure I'm not going to get clobbered. Car to my left turns right, nearly taking me out, he honks his horn and, naturally, winds down his window to tell me I'm a "f-ing idiot". I point out that he hadn't indicated so how could I have known he was turning. He then turns on his indicator (I saw him do it!) claiming it had been on and how could I have seen it as I'd already passed him. We exchange a few words (I managed to call him the names that I wanted to). He revs a bit, pulls infront of me and brakes hard, shouts some more abuse and zooms off. What a nice chap.

– Bus gate (2 minutes later) – Just cylced up the big hill near my house and going through a single-lane bus gate (big sign that clearly informs it's for buses, bikes and taxis only). As I'm going through a daft wench comes towards me at speed assuming I'm going to get out of the way. I don't and she has to use her brakes. Oh my god, you wouldn't believe how shocked she was that she had to stop for me, a cyclist! I informed her that she wasn't a bus, taxi or a bike, to which she replied "So f-ing what you ****t!" How pleasant.

I do love Sheffield but I'm adamant that it has the worst drivers in the country.

(and breathe – good to get that off my chest)

pook you've taken to wearing a headcam ergo by STW rules that means your out for a fight and activley looking for trouble on the roads….apparently. I hate stuff like that bus driver does, knows your there but pulls out anyway. Re your mistake about roundabout entry/exits don't worry most of the countries drivers have not got a clue about the difference between the 2 either and only indicate after they've passed the entrance before their exit (rather than indicating after the exit before theirs) cue many near misses.

I do love Sheffield but I'm adamant that it has the worst drivers in the country.

that'll be non locals trying to navigate the city it's by far the worst city to try and get in, out or through.

Daily occurance in Madrid, kind of makes it more fun, the bus that tried to push me of the road (3 times) last week wasn't funny, the woman who got off and called me cheeky as the bus driver was only trying to do his job, was!

I've had lots of near misses, but only hit once (got hit at a mini roundabout by some idiot in a hurry). To be fair he was just not paying attention and admitted it). Far scarier are the few times i have had near misses by drivers who purposely are out to scare & not back down from their own bad driving. Had a car drive straight at me on wrong side of road cos 'his lane' was full of parked cars. I bailed out onto the verge landing at the feet of a shocked dog walker 🙂 Another i was slow track standing at a junction turning right onto a main road. Car turning right onto the road i was exiting decided to cut the corner only to find me in his way. Duh! so he just sounded his horn angrilly untill i cleared the road 🙂 Have to laugh faced with such idiots and swear, but i'm not going to be a victim or road rage too. Stay alert and philosophical.

Just lots of people going too fast, too close. Get it nearly every single day. I've given up shouting and swearing, and come to terms with the fact that lots of drivers are **** retards educationally disadvantaged.
On the bad days I can do a long cut round the canal towpath, it means dodging dog eggs, but avoids the worst / busiest bits.

Re your mistake about roundabout entry/exits

not wanting to rouse the irony police; but what mistake?

Every other day is a close miss.

I encountered a lunatic the other day who tried three times to stop me by boxing me in with his 4×4, then when he eventually succeeded (traffic coming the other way, so I couldn't overtake him again) he got out and proceeded to give me lots of "helpful advice" that I was clearly going to die if I didn't ride right on the edge of the road. He seemed to genuinely believe what he was saying, despite saying that he was a regular motorcyclist – I suspect he's one of the people you hear about on the news after a sunny Sunday afternoon if that's his idea of how to stay safe on the road.

All in all i've found sheffield not to be too bad if you're careful. You get some proper idiots about, but they seem to have a natural focus point of the university ring road roundabout and the M1 roundabout next to Meadowhall
Almost got smooshed by a truck pulling up to a set of lights i was waiting at on the M1 roundabout yesterday. Only stopped when he heard me shouting "fuuuuuuuuuccckkkk!" and then looked at me as though it was my fault! Those who drive for a living are usually the real dangers!

I feel like learning the technique for rolling onto the bonnet of a car and into the window – so when folk cut it fine I can ride into them. Give them the shock of their lives.

Hora, agreed, every day is a close miss.

Usually with a donkey or a small child shouting "you you you" or "faranj"!

Oh, the joy of commuting in Ethiopia!

most of my near misses are with pedestrians, but that's probably because I try and put the shits up them by shooting past very close to them and shouting 'nneeeeoooowwwwm' when they step out without looking.
I'm such a child…

and its the misses you don't know about that are the real worry…

When a ped wanders across the road infront of me staring at their phone or something, I maintain speed and when I am right behind their head I say 'heads up' in a normal voice. Usually scares the living crap out of them, and hopefully teaches them a lesson.

molgrips – Member

I feel like learning the technique for rolling onto the bonnet of a car and into the window – so when folk cut it fine I can ride into them. Give them the shock of their lives.

indeed. and roll around in 'agony' holding leg like a footballer, whilst "accidentally" scratching the paintwork with cleats…

my most common one, last used on mother blissfully wheeling her kid across road in pushchair without looking is a loud "WAKEY WAKEY!" on passing

The two statements that sum it all up for me:

I'm not going to be a victim or road rage too. Stay alert and philosophical.

And

Those who drive for a living are usually the real dangers!

I've been doing far too much driving for work lately (up and down motorways in rental cars)…
It’s worrying just how piss poor some drivers general awareness and “Need for Speed” is, I’m doing my best to resist becoming the same, Driving in the UK seems to have developed a “culture” of “Sod everyone else, I’m the F’ing Daddy!”

organic355 – i had that a few years ago, sadly i couldnt pedal quick enough and the clipped my back wheel, spun me round and i got flung to the ground. Ouch.

I had a bus 3ft off my back wheel earlier this week, just sat there making no attempt to overtake (there was room) and it pissed me right off so i sent an email to the bus company… i only went and got a reply! cant quite believe it, they are actually pursuing the matter with the driver in question, im shocked (tho i admit its unlikely to achieve anything).

Watching some vids of near misses online, I've found the quite hilarious 'MagnaTom', who is arguably doing a service raising awareness of the perils we face on the roads albeit in a smirk inducing manner…. look him up

How ironic- Deansgate I just had a woman try to undertake a car turning right and rush into my lane- thankfully you can spot this type 😆

With a cyclist. South African on a 26" jumpy bike of some sort (saddle set low). He spent some time pulling a wheelie down a bus lane some way ahead of me. We set off from the next traffic lights with him standing up and stomping on the pedals, me cruising behind him. When he notices me he slams the brakes on and momentarily locks up his back wheel. I was sharp enough to brake but I mean why?

A mate had it done to him by some Fakenger the other week. Same deal – he was following behind him when the idiot decides he's too close and locks up his back wheel. Said mate ended on the ground with a load of road rash. Asked why the Fakenger replied "i've had a bad day". Nice.

I guess they really do think people are drafting them Tour De France style?

The only thing you can do in that situation is pull level, stay for a while- let him start to wind up and 'drag race you' then just calmly pull away.

It only works though if you are on a fixie/singlespeeded track bike and they are on something with lots of gears or disadvantaged in some other way! Then when they catch you at the lights and they blast through the red (smile) 🙂

In Manchester theres a lad on a black Cannondale who drag raced me once- I beat him but I was breathing out of my ass trying to look 'normal' when he finally caught up at the lights!

I'm not claiming I'm entirely not at fault with this, but it meets the title criteria by being a near-miss on my commute.

From commuting for a fair few years now I've got quite good at anticipating the lights. And now that the Glasgow schools are back the rush-hour roads are all clogged up again. Yesterday morning two lanes of traffic are queued back from traffic lights, I'm slowly filtering up the middle watching for the opposite-direction lights changing to red. Those lights change, I speed up, and time it perfectly to cross the line, fast, just mere millimoments after it's turned green. Just as a ****-******* **** ****** in a Range Rover goes through the red. If I hadn't stopped he'd have side-swiped me at easily 30+ mph, as it was I still almost ran into the side of him. I loudly implied he partook in acts of a homosexual nature, then carried on, letting the adrenaline help me finish the rest of the journey faster than usual.

Commuting on the roads through Bristol in rush hour isn't too bad, as most of the cars are stationary. But the pedestrians in cycle-lanes are effing infuriating (Queen's Square is especially bad). Oblivious to everything in their ipod-muted morning bubble.

not wanting to rouse the irony police; but what mistake?

Apologies, I've re-read it, the entry/exit confusion, OPs mistake not yours.

Deansgate I just had a woman try to undertake a car turning right and rush into my lane

very annoying, no-one seems to brake when the car in front starts to indicate right they just swerve left then think about taking a look. Even the ones who see you and stop only do so after already having started to swerve.

Thet don't call it "amber gambler" for nothing Sor, some cockmonkey running a red can seriously screw up the rythmn of your ride (I time my run at lights too BTW not having a go but it is risky)