[Closed] Its not so much the drivers trying to kill me I object too.....

It's why I largely commute offroad these days...

yup i will try the off road route as well

yep, it truly is amazing, they almost kill you, but you deserved it because you arent in a car.
these people are very rarely like this when they are out of the vehicle.
assholes.

Seems to be getting more and more prevalent whether you are on a bike or driving a car....people seem to be less & less willing to just hold a hand up & admit they were wrong.....

Quite often when driving I have taken evasive action to avoid someone who hasn't seen me and is about to/starting to do something stupid.
A toot of the horn normally results in a quick glance, continuation of the dubious manoeuvre and then lashings of fist waving/coffee bean shaking, flipping the bird and mouthing of words rhyming with banker....

Had a bloke in a Merc ML do something similar to what you have described while in a row of traffic following a tractor (while I was on a bike). He HAD to get past me even though there was no room in front to occupy and I was travelling at the same speed as the traffic in front.
He made several pulling alongside moves, then attempts to squeeze me against the kerb as cars came past from the other direction, before falling back and getting increasingly agitated. In the end I backed off to give him some room to move into & then proceeded to still keep up with him & the rest of the traffic for a further 1/2 mile or so. All the time he was effing and jeffing and waving his hands about that I had done something wrong....
At least the next person behind, realised that there was no point in doing the same thing that he had done.....

Crazy isn't it.

I don't think I leave an unfeasibly large gap to the car in front when I am on the motorbike, in fact it's the same gap I would leave when I drive the car.

But for some reason, some drivers, just HAVE to pass the vehicle in front, and insert themselves in the space. I don't understand.

And anyway, I am going to get in front of you at the lights, and oops, can't find 1st. Oops, I've stalled it. Oh no, the lights have changed. Just enough time to get one wee motorbike through...

I'm so glad I don't need to use roads to get to most places I need 😀

hels - Member
And anyway, I am going to get in front of you at the lights, and oops, can't find 1st. Oops, I've stalled it. Oh no, the lights have changed. Just enough time to get one wee motorbike through...

😀

I find walking the most dangerous and have nearly got knocked over countless times in the last few weeks. The thing that really gets to you though is peoples reaction. They do something stupid, nearly kill you and then shout abuse out like it's your own fault. From people driving up pavements to avoid a queue of traffic, driving through red lights at pedestrian crossings, to suddenly reversing without looking behind them. It's crazy and getting crazier IMHO.

Never react, it really doesn't help. Instead do something like this:

And anyway, I am going to get in front of you at the lights, and oops, can't find 1st. Oops, I've stalled it. Oh no, the lights have changed. Just enough time to get one wee motorbike through

😀

Hats off for that one Hels 😀

Don't get mad, get even...

Not convinced it is getting worse - it's a bit like perception of crime; the older you get the more negative "scaring" experiences you pick up so your perception of what it's like now gets worse.

The car haterz will rip into me for this but I think this is why we (as in the cycling community) need to be seen to act responsibly on the road by the wider community. Drivers are coming into these incidents with negative preconceptions about cyclists built up through their own observations and comment in the press and consciously or subconsciously view us as 2nd class citizens and in the wrong before they even think about what has just happened.

You are right though - life would be much better if more folks held their hand up to being in the wrong rather than going on the defensive, and that includes the cyclists too.

Hehe. On the flip side, a few choice words can reduce them to tears.

Some lardbucket beeped at me for having the audacity to move into one of those middle-of-the-lanes cycle lane at a set of lights when she was dangerously close (as in not actually dangerously close but a good 30-50m behind me). She eventually pulled up beside and wound the window to start with the verbal abuse, so I just shouted "button it, fatty!" and she started bawling. Pure made my week, that did.

I can't get with the 'they're all out to kill us' attitude. I can't say I have noticed my daily commute through manchester has got any more dangerous in the last 10 years. I have seen plenty of drivers make bad decisions and mistakes, and I would be lying if I said hadn't done the same on the bike. Similarly, some drivers act like dicks, and so do some cyclists. I quite enjoy a bit of banter with some drivers, and won't shy away from a heated exchange. Some folk seem to think any stranger on or off a bike could be a dangerous nutter out to get them; I'm no tough guy, but I can't see the point in choosing to live in fear of the world.

She eventually pulled up beside and wound the window to start with the verbal abuse, so I just shouted "button it, fatty!" and she started bawling. Pure made my week, that did.

Post of the week. 😆

The latest fashion around my way seems to be for drivers at t-junctions joining the main road I'm on to just pull out as I'm virtually opposite the junction they're exiting. They then wonder why I'm getting upset at their attempts to t-bone me.

The other night on the way to the pub in Edinburgh I was nearly knocked off by a taxi. It was in a stationary queue of traffic (which I was filtering up the inside of) and suddenly pulled into the inside as if to try to go round the car in front without signalling. I nearly went into the side of him, but he saw me just in time and stopped.
I pulled over 25 metres along the road and waited. He pulled along side and said "sorry mate I nearly shat myself there" I said "me too!".
First time in a while that such an incident hasn't resulted in someone swearing and gesticulating at me!

She eventually pulled up beside and wound the window to start with the verbal abuse, so I just shouted "button it, fatty!" and she started bawling. Pure made my week, that did.

Was probably about to ask you for directions... 😳

I reckon a lot of people react aggressively purely as some kind of inbuilt defence mechanism against the total embarrassment they've just caused themselves when they realise what they've done.

The latest fashion around my way seems to be for drivers at t-junctions joining the main road I'm on to just pull out as I'm virtually opposite the junction they're exiting

If you can get a decent to speed it is possible to make them drive on the wrong side of the road for some considerable distance! (I know I shouldn't but red mist and all that.... 😳 )

Get one of these, continuously records,until the battery goes flat. and only 15 quid.

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=110355

and here is afilm of me from a rear facing camera, fixed to my helmet, on some dodgy bends , watch out for the kid in the volkswagen, and the pickfords driver overtaking on a slow marking,on double white lines going uphill, aproaching a rh bend.

I had a similar incident to the OP except I did go into the back of the car at about 20mph , and put a very big dent in it, and in me too! He was more worried about the back of his 4x4 than me lying in the bus lane.

I reckon a lot of people react aggressively purely as some kind of inbuilt defence mechanism against the total embarrassment they've just caused themselves when they realise what they've done.

That's well dodgy project, if that was my commute I'd be about 1' to the left of those double lines, if there's not room to [b]safely[/b] pass (and you shouldn't be overtaking anyway) you aint passing. Takes a bit of bottle but IME most drivers are chilled about it and don't try to pass, the ones who rant and beep are the ones who would have passed dangerously and nearly killed you....instead they are merely giving you some earache.

Was probably about to ask you for directions...

Given the wild gesticulations as I looked over my shoulder to see who was beeping who and the look of frothing anger in her eyes as she fumbled with the window winder, I reckon she was about to *give* me some directions...

Project - what size memory card are you using & do you find it skips frames at all? I know some only record in 5min blocks & aslo skip a few seconds between clips too?

Would not mind finding something like that to record my hour commute.

She curls her nose up, flicks me the V's, mouthed '**** OFF!' to me then accelerates away. Before thoughtfully taking the time to beep her horn, turn around and flick the V's at me again!

Blowing that type a kiss, normally sends them into orbit 😉

I had a woman drive at me from behind on a side street near home, nearly knocking me off. When I pulled up beside her at the t-junction, about 20 yards in front of us, I tapped on her window and just gurned at her for what must have been a full 2 minutes, making noises like I was Sloth from the Goonies. She absolutely shite herself and I've never chuckled so hard in my life.

I might get one of those cameras. Perhaps we could have a competition for dumbest driver of the week.

I have a realtive short commute (2 miles) and only 20% of that is on the road: three short stretches. 4 days out of 5 i have to take avoidance action because some idiot didn't use there mirrors/took a junction too fast/plain isn't looking. I think i'm going to have to use my trout light on full beam even when it is light as a bright red jacket clearly blends into the background too much.

Seems to be an issue with city folk rather than just drivers doesn't it, all these urban warrior types (bike [i]and[/i] car) getting all uptight and aggressive towards each other :sigh:

Concrete jungle innit......

Up The Flying Ox! Now THAT'S FUNNY! Made my day has that. T

Ski a 4 gb memory card,in both the muvi, for the you tube footage and the 7 day shop one, the 7 day shop one overwrites the video, so if you want to keep something swop with a spare mini sd card.
Also you could have 2 cameras one as a standby, for the brimstage bends vid, i never realised that the drivers where so close and so stupid.

TFO
She probably beeped you to draw attention to the fact that your light was obscured and wound down the window to tell you the same. 😕
Another vote lost.

project - Member
Get one of these, continuously records,until the battery goes flat. and only 15 quid.

Looking at that vid, I reckon ignorance is bliss. I reckon I'd just scare myself in to never going on the road again....

I think we definitely need some

[b]Button it, fatty![/b]

T shirts printed up 😆

tbh I'm with Donk on that one, Project you need to be further out from the curb - make them 'really' overtake you.

If I were project i'd be on the pavement for that stretch

I suppose there's two things I'd propose, one, ride more road dominant so they have to properly overtake you, two, buy armoured gloves for the commute, i know they'll be hot but if something like this happens and you feel you are absolutely justified, there's not a chance you're done anything wrong, smash the wing mirror off with said armoured gloves, then get yourself out of there or be prepared to use armoured gloves on their face 😀

punch the car at the lights. I find that sometimes gets the point across.

and here is afilm of me from a rear facing camera, fixed to my helmet, on some dodgy bends , watch out for the kid in the volkswagen, and the pickfords driver overtaking on a slow marking,on double white lines going uphill, aproaching a rh bend.

Do you (or anyone with a camera like this) make a compilation DVD and mail it off to the filth every month? Do you reckon they would act on it?

I commute 25miles per day and I've had one 'issue' in the past year, and that was mostly my fault (filtering through stationary cross traffic and someone reversed into me).

I honestly don't understand what most cycle commuters rant and rave about. I have little issue with other drivers at all whilst commuting for the past 6 years. Ok I'll probably now have them all this evening but meh, doesn't bother me too much.

What I abhor is the other cyclists that don't seem to understand what the highway code is and/or RLJ. Traffic lights are great for sprint practice IMO and 9/10 I pass RLJ'ers shortly after anyway.

The way I see it is that, I know we're perceived as the pests of the road, so surely by having good road manners and trying not to disrupt the flow of traffic, then you shan't have too many problems.

EDIT: You are actually allowed to cross the white lines to overtake bicycles and other vehicles if they are travelling at less than 10mph. [url= http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070306 ]Rule 129 of the highway code[/url]. Obviously the caveat of "if it is safe to do so" applies here as it does to every rule of the road.

If project is going < 10 mph then they are entitled to cross the solid lines to overtake.

I was riding round Vauxhall in the evening rush hour one night. Traffic was moving but only at 15mph or so.

There was a car in front of me that was indicating to turn left. No issue. Go past one left turn. Then another. Stop at some lights. Still doesn't turn left. At the next set of lights I said to the driver 'Your indicator has been on for about a mile. Are you turning left?' The passenger went mental. Repeatedly screaming 'We are a car'.

Carried on down the road still indicating left.

Traffic stopped at the next set of lights. The passenger still screaming 'We are a car'. Then the driver notices the indicator was on.

All those drivers crossing the solid white line should get points on their license!

are you sure? how fast is the cyclist travelling?

rule 129 highway code. 🙂

EDIT: beaten - twice 🙁

are you sure? how fast is the cyclist travelling?

rule 129 highway code.

mk1fan - that's ace

For every story of somebody being endangered by a car there are probably two drivers who can attest that we cyclists are cunning stunts. In the last 10 days I've had 3 incidents during my commute.

1-Guy pulls up at traffic lights, doesn't indicate, lights change and guy pulls off and starts to turn right, I'm going straight on, if I like a lot of lazy people might, assume that he's going straight on too then little cyclist gets squashed under my wheels when he cuts across in front of me.

2-Guy going along, road dominant, very sensible, however instead of following the curvature of the road, he goes straight for a quicker line, the drivers trying to overtake him on what is a wide enough road to overtake safely, are forced onto the opposite side of the road if they want to continue their overtaking maneuvre as he moves towards the crown of the road.

3-Guy riding near the crown of the road due to parked cars, which means the drivers are on the wrong side of the road, doesn't indicate that he's turning right, just swerves in front of the driver that gratefully has left him enough space just in case.

Lets be honest, we all have the capacity to act like knobs

we all need one of these [img] [/img] 😉

If project is going < 10 mph then they are entitled to cross the solid lines to overtake.

You're right. An overtake should only be performed when it is safe to do so regardless of the form of transport being used.

thered, too true. It isn't a case of cyclists or car drivers being 'bad'. It's inconsiderate people using different methods of transport.

We can all cite examples of cyclists being idiots, but the difference is that they are mainly a danger to themselves. I've also come to the conclusion that we could all cycle absolutely perfectly, and there would still be a significant minority of drivers who want us off the road. Given that motorists routinely speed and jump the lights, I doubt that their antagonism towards us is genuinely to do with our behaviour.

I had a classic one last week.

Heading down down a dual-carriageway towards a light-controlled crossroads, i was going straight ahead so was in the left hand lane. Traffic was heavy so i didn't bother filtering but simply sat in the middle of the lane and rolled with the traffic. All going well until i came alongside a left hand filter lane that takes vehicles into a left hand turn and up towards the motorway, because of this the original left hand lane (that i'm currently in) is always busier than the right hand lane, so people fly up the right hand lane then attempt to cut over two lanes of traffic in order to get into the filter/feeder lane.

I'm happily rolling along when i see a car appear alongside me to my right. His passenger door is level with me on my bike and i can clearly see him. He pulls into my lane and i shout loudly and brake sharply, stopping no more than 2 inches from his left hand wing - i'm still facing in my original direction of travel remember.

I knocked on his window and offered him the use of my specs as the bright yellow rain jacket i was wearing wasn't enough for him to see me, never mind the hi-vis rucksack i have....

his response?

"Oh i saw you, but i want to be over there" pointing with his finger towards the feeder lane.
"I don't care where you want to be" i said "you can't drive through me, i'm already here!"

"But i want to be over there!" was the only thing he said, and kept repeating!

In the end i had to ride around his drivers side to continue (and not hold up traffic any longer) and as he opened his drivers window to say something i just quietly leaned down and called him an arrogant prick.

He was quite blatant about the fact that he had seen me, but didn't care if he hurt me so long as he got into the lane where he wanted to be - the one he should have positioned for some 200yrds back!

Sometimes i really feel that my life is a hindrance to some people...

Friend of mine and I were riding (in the dark, but with lights) the other week. A car waiting in a side road checked there was nothing in the bus lane (other than us!) and pulled out into almost stationary traffic, bouncing him down the road, fortunately not too badly hurt. He got up and asked the driver behind if he would be a witness to the accident. The witness refused point blank claiming, initially, that he didn't have any lights on (he did, a couple) and then claiming he never saw the accident at all.

Some people are scum.

Fortunately the guy who knocked him off was not and has paid for a full bike checkup/repair and couldn't apologise enough.

Thats good news CK - it can be very easy not to see a bike because of inattentiveness, but at least the chap concerned accepted his responsibility. The **** behind needs a rear end shunt by an uninsured driver as karma...

We can all cite examples of cyclists being idiots, but the difference is that they are mainly a danger to themselves. I've also come to the conclusion that we could all cycle absolutely perfectly, and there would still be a significant minority of drivers who want us off the road.

Over many years of commuting by bike in London, Cardiff and Manchester I've tested this theory that cyclists get more respect if they obey the law extensively.
Riding in my normal assertive/defensive way and (while not being a total idiot) I will on occasions jump the odd set of lights, ride the wrong side of a traffic island, that kind of thing.
I've also tried riding exactly as per the rules of the road and the letter of the law.

And if anything I get more trouble with option B than with A. Maybe it's cos I'm closer to the cars for longer (eg instead of "anticipating" lights at junctions, I'm still sat there in front of the driver who's desperate to gun it to the back of the next traffic jam).

I just ride sensibly - if it means an illegal turn up a one-way street or anticipating a traffic light by a few seconds then so be it but it's very rare that I ever get involved in any confrontation or have someone hoot/shout abuse.

He got up and asked the driver behind if he would be a witness to the accident. The witness refused point blank claiming, initially, that he didn't have any lights on (he did, a couple) and then claiming he never saw the accident at all

had something similar could only assume the driver wasn't legal/insured

The worst bit is the road outside haymarket heading out of town. Couple of nice wee pinch points in there where cars dont seem to realise what the hell is going on. Safest place to be on a bike is right in the middle of the road. Then ride as slowly as you want through the coned off lane. Winds taxi drivers right up.

Earlier this summer I was tootling along on an early evening ride when I noticed two cars catching up with me; a middle-aged woman in a hatchback followed by an A4.

The woman was being proper patient and refrained from any stupid overtaking attempts. This only angered A4 Man who started beeping. Needless to say this eventually pressured the woman into nipping past but she at least did it fairly. A4 Man then tried a couple of times when on blind corners before backing off each time. So I looked back at him, made eye contact and shook my head as if to say "Why are you being a ****?" To which he took great offence, flicked some signs, waited for an opportunity to overtake and then purposely cut into my path in an attempt to take me out. I remember it vividly. So I gave him some signals of my own and half wanted him to stop so I could give him a slap.

Our roads are lethal enough without pricks like him going about their vendettas. ****er.

project - do you need to charge up that camera immediately before each use ? The blurb states a standby time of 5-6 hours. Does that mean that once charged the battery will discharge in that time period even if not used ?

on the Veho muvi, and the one from 7 day shop,Just switch it off, then switch it to standby,just before use, the cylinder one can be recharged from the cigarette lighter socket, with the enclosed cable and conector.

Yeah, but if not used for a period of > 6 hours then does the battery run down ? i.e. when fully charged and then left unused overnight is it good to go first thing next day or does it need recharging first ?

Once its switched off its off ,not using hardly any power as its not waiting to be switched on is it, as it would be if on standby.

The thing is to always keep an eye on the blinking light, for the first few uses to see how yours performs.

I get what the OP is saying being cut up is bad enough, but drivers giving you abuse afterwards when you point out their error 🙄

I'm not a perfect driver or a perfect cyclist. I make mistakes when I do I hold up my hand in apology.

I had a taxi driver want to fight me one day because I shouted at him when he nearly knocked me off pulling out from a parking space. Was he trying to prove he was an arsehole as well as a shit driver

I just ride sensibly... ...it's very rare that I ever get involved in any confrontation or have someone hoot/shout abuse.

(don't anticiate all lights just ones with long queues and pinch points straight after, wide road no need, short queues I'll wait [b]in[/b] traffic)

anticipate is code for jump, yes ? 🙂

Anticipate is set off when the other directions lights have changed to red (after checking for RLJers of course 😉 ) that millisecond before your's go to red-amber, technically jumping yes I'll hold my hand up to that - but as someone wrote "I'm morally at peace with it"

[i]She slams on, then swings the car back in towards the kerb. And I mean RIGHT towards the kerb. In the space I'm about to be occupying[/i]

Was it an ex of yours binners? 😉

I have a go pro which I used for commutes but now it's always dark it's next to useless. Not very good in low light.

"richmtb - Member
I get what the OP is saying being cut up is bad enough, but drivers giving you abuse afterwards when you point out their error"

Couple of months ago cycling to work down a residential side street bloke does a u turn right in front of me causing me to do a big emergency stop, I point out rather vehmently that he may be blind. Next thing he winds down his window and starts shouting "Did you call me stupid, etc" so I now point out to him that he is obviously a little deaf as I called him blind and maybe shouldn't be driving a car with such a range of disabilities. Next thing he stops the car and gets out shouting the odds, so I dump the bike on the ground and explain that I'm fed up with bullies in cars who think they can knock people over with impunity. He gets in his car and drives off.
Next morning riding down the same street, he's just getting into his car and he shouts " hello mate how you doing" genuinley being pleasant, I reply in kind - most bizaare!

(some) Motorists attitudes to cyclist are different. The woman that cut me up on the roundabout yesterday then preceded to ignore me completely until the shout of "OI!" got so loud that she acknowledged it by flicking me the Vs. Had I been driving my car I'm pretty sure a mouthed "sorry" or a more friendly hand gesture would have been forthcoming. This may be a very pessimistic view, but I can’t help thinking this is because hitting another car is more hassle than hitting a cyclist, who are seen by some motorists as dispensable. Hitting one is unlikely to damage their vehicle so they are not worth worrying about or at least treated differently.

Part of this is about the level of interaction. What non-cycling drivers are never prepared for is the more personal response of the cyclist. In the above example, had I been in the car, I would have sounded the horn. It’s pretty impersonal. The offender thinks oops, silly me and carries on. On the bike, I’m in the open air and the more personal tone of my built in horn (OI!) tends to drive home that they have been a bit of a prat more directly. Drivers are not used to people shouting at them in their cars and hence they are not quite sure how to react. Empathising with my near death experience is the last thing on their mind as they feel threatened.

most bizaare!

I think we definitely need some

Button it, fatty!

T shirts printed up

[img] [/img]

Quality! 😀

Never sure why some cyclists (or motorists for that matter) feel the need to berate another when they do wrong or make a mistake after the danger has passed. To shout/beep at another user when the incident is ongoing is one thing as it might prevent an accident but do those that indignantly chase cars to bang on the side or continue to shout "oi" repeatedly louder until you are acknowledged actually think you will modify behaviour? I'm not convinced and think all it probably does is ramp up the aggression levels especially when the original offence was an accident rather than deliberate.

I think a problem with the really bad drivers is that they are so bad and lacking in awareness, they don't even know they've done anything wrong.

actually think you will modify behaviour?

Treat all other road users like the unpredictable, foolish sleep deprived idiots they are
As for trying to "educate" a person by shouting at them... its a waste of time. Be glad they did'nt kill you and ride on safe in the knowledge they are on borrowed time.

Ride safe everyone.

Couldn't quite figure out where my recent experience fits in, but now seems as good a time as any.

Two months ago I was riding down a long, straight and frankly nasty B road out of Bradford on Avon. I was aware of a white van behind, about to overtake. As he passed me, I saw he was keeping his right indicator on, presumably to take a right turn coming up. Then I heard the screach of braking tyres as a car doing twice his spead hurtled down the wrong side of the road from behind, intent on overtaking us both.

I can only presume the guy expected the white van to overtake me then pull back in in front. When he realised his insane manuoevre was about to be blocked he slammed the brakes on at probably 70mph. As he passed me his wheels had locked; his back end was twitching left, then right - he was all over the road. Fortunately he didn't twitch too far left or he would have collided with us both, and I can't see I would have come out of that too well (if at all). As it was he bounced into, then out of, the ditch on the far side of the road and the car was already at 90 degrees when it skidded across the minor road the white van was about to turn into, then wrapped himself round a lamp post.

I stopped, not quite believing what I had just seen. So did the guy in the van. He got out to see if driver and passenger were ok - they were. It was at that point that I began seething with anger. I realise I should have stayed to act as a witness, but there was one already, and if I had actually confronted the guy whose act of lunacy had nearly killed me I really don't know what I would have done. I rode on, and only when I got home realised how 'lucky' I'd been.

Sorry for the essay

If project is going < 10 mph then they are entitled to cross the solid lines to overtake.

Not on a blind bend!

I will get flamed and I always ride to the letter of the law but if somebody pulled some of the stunts above on me they would have a considerable amount of damage to their cars and even themselves. Its unnaceptable to put peoples lives at risk like this and some people only understand a message when you make it clearly enough.
If your outrageous driving risks my life then there is a real risk you will have a large gouge out of the side of your car/broken mirror/bent door etc.

Whilst I am as polite as nybody else I cant understand the attitude that simply allows people to walk/drive away without accepting any responsibilty

Just google street view, Brimstage, for a cars view of the road

The Flying Ox, are you copywrighting that Tshirt or can we steal it and get one printed?

Definately going on my christmass list!

I'm pretty sure the Ministry of Defence has copyright on Kitchener's mug, and if the intellectual property that is "button it, fatty!" belongs to anyone, it's probably my mum.

Steal away 😆

@convert just to qualify, the "oi"ing is going on during the incident. The person had not seen me, or more accurately was not looking in the direction you would normally expect upon entering a roundabout i.e at the traffic. I'm not the sort of person to chase a vehicle down the road, bang on it or to keep shouting once the danger has passed, which I agree achieves nothing.

Steal away

Anyone else want one for cost+post before I photoshop it and head down to my local t-shirt printing emporium?