Aggressive is not a good word. Don’t neccesarily disagree with the argument but “assertive” or “commanding” or similiar does the job without the negative connotations.

TandemJeremy – Member

IMO far too many cyclist use “apologetic” road positioning trying to get out of cars way instead of “assertive” road positioning.

Could not agree more. And I think neatly proved by an awful lot of “A car hit me” stories on teh interwebs. If you look in the comedic Bikeradar commuters forum, there’s a constant stream of “I got hit by a car, I heard him behind me and tried to move over but there still wasn’t enough space and he hit me when he passed me”. Or “I had to swerve out of the gutter to avoid a drain and someone tried to pass me at the same time and hit me”. Both just ways of saying “I invited a car to do something stupid, and it did”.

Course, it doesn’t make it the cyclist’s fault, and that also seems to cause confusion… Whose fault was it? I don’t care in the slightest, I only care whether or not I get hit!

“I got hit by a car, I heard him behind me and tried to move over but there still wasn’t enough space and he hit me when he passed me”. Or “I had to swerve out of the gutter to avoid a drain and someone tried to pass me at the same time and hit me”. Both just ways of saying “I invited a car to do something stupid, and it did”.

If you look like a victim, you’ll be a victim.

I had my first, in recent times, experience of these traffic islands that sit in the middle of the road separating the traffic. I could hear a car behind me, not too close but maybe close enough to try and pass me, I simply moved a bit further from the kerb making it impossible to pass me. After the traffic island, the car passed me without problem, it seemed that the Police trained driver didn’t have a problem, so I’ll continue with this assertive behaviour.

If you look like a victim, you’ll be a victim.

you forgot to write FACT after that fact.

I could hear a car behind me, not too close but maybe close enough to try and pass me, I simply moved a bit further from the kerb making it impossible to pass me

That’s called “taking/holding the primary” and is the recommended roadcraft.

Some good advice for new commuters in this guide:
http://www.sillycyclists.co.uk/2011/08/the-essential-guide-for-commuters/

(and some good videos showing how not to do it)

The only strategy for increasing cyclist safety that has been shown to work is removing the cars.

Well I’m not sure actually. I’ve just got back from Germany where in towns and in a lot of the countryside too there are segregated cycleways. Cycling groups had been campaigning against the mandating of their use, because they are not as safe as having cyclists on the road. Mainly because the cars are not expecting cyclists on the road and hence are not looking for them when they do have to go on the road, and the fact that every single entrance or driveway crosses the cycleway first and it’s right next to the fence/hedge/wall so there’s zero visibility no matter how careful you are as a driver or cyclist.

To me aggression means kicking the side of a car or banging on their window if they try and cut you up, which Ive done a few times before rightly or wrongly. I agree with assertion, not aggression.

The Don speaketh the truth.

Here’s a tip.

If you’re assertive, people might bip their horn at your behaviour.

If you’re agressive, expect them to stop and want to fight you.