I drive alot. 400 miles a week so am used to seeing all manner of bellendery. I used to have a traffic officer as a friend and did a bit of road work with him, and some tuition with afire brigrade driving instructor.
Done loads of track days and used to instruct drifting as my friend ran a school for a while, so when it comes to a to b commuting i am normally confident and positive
So, yes this tool had me questioning if i maybe dither abit too much
Weirdly, i cannot recall the make of the vehicle, which is very unusual ad i have owned over 50 cars but for some reason my brain blocked it out
Playing devil’s advocate, the one thing you did wrong IMHO is thinking it’s your job to police someone else. The fact is, you don’t know what they’ll do and if they want to throw their car into oncoming traffic that’s on them not you. Maybe a head-on with a semi (fnarr) would be a greater incentive to amend their driving style than a bloke in a Volvo playing the TCR jam car.
equally boot on the other foot.
your that cyclist and the car does meet a semi (are you american>?) coming the other way who do you think is going to take the brunt of the impact ?
Being a cyclist as well you know what a close pass feels like, I'd imagine Mr "making progress" doesn't.
I'm all for an overtake of a slow driver if they are just dawdling, but if they are going slowly because of a cyclist (or for some other reason), then it's just time to relax and keep everyone on the road and safe.
If you can find his house, you know what to do with the frozen sausages!
So, yes this tool had me questioning if i maybe dither abit too much
His actions after passing you should have been enough confirmation that there was nothing wrong with your driving. If he thinks punishment passing, brake-checking and road-raging are perfectly OK, then chances are his judgement on your driving was a bit impaired.
As you point out, he was enough of a loon to do something that would most likely cause a massive stack, wrecking both cars.
Report to police if you can remember his number/description. He may have a history of it if a non-issue like this provokes this kind of reaction.
You weren't in the wrong OP, you did the right thing.
"Hurry up and overtake it's just a cyclist" far too many drivers have this attitude
I had to save a driver the other day from his own stupidity.
Cycling along a narrow B road with some blind crests, I crested a small rise and spotted a car coming the other way. At the same time behind me I hear a car going for an overtake, he's not got over the crest yet so hasn't spotted the car. I move over to the middle of the lane and hold my arm up.
The overtaking car pulls back in and now spots the oncoming car. I pull back and now the road is actually clear he overtakes. He holds up his hand to thank me!
If i'd let him overtake without me signalling he'd either have had a head on crash with the other car or, more likely, pulled back to the left when he saw the oncoming car and wiped me out.
People are idiots.
TCR jam car.
I was more of a Race & Chase kid myself.
I do believe that being a cyclist makes you a more aware driver*
The single best thing I ever did to vastly improve my driving was to pass my motorcycle test.
I was more of a Race & Chase kid myself.
A mate of mine had that. I was very envious.
If i’d let him overtake without me signalling he’d either have had a head on crash with the other car or, more likely, pulled back to the left when he saw the oncoming car and wiped me out.
+1. Had to do this on a hilly coastal road once. There wasn’t a queue of traffic behind me, but a car every 30 seconds or so. Approaching the crest after one near head-on impatient overtake I felt the need to block overtaking cars as I could see oncoming traffic (it was a dutch bike, I had a better view) AND it was a series of crests, terrible for overtaking. But they do. Time and again.
Got off and walked on the verge* as my nerves were shot, foreseeing that inevitable impact.
*Long-term response to dangerous section/issue = bought a monstercross for the same commute and instead took bridleways, farm tracks and cheeky SWCP. Slower, harder, longer, dirtier, but at least mostly enjoyable and not as frustrating/nerve-shredding as getting off and walking/dealing with dull-edged weapons driven by dull-edged, er, weapons 😬
"Anecdotally, I have seen many impatient drivers pass me (me on my bike) on bends and hills only to narrowly miss causing a head-on with traffic approaching from the other direction."
I've been in a car when someone did exactly this. Long straight road with sharp bend at the end, and they overtook just before the bend narrowly missing a car coming the other way, then complained "What an idiot! He shouldn't be cycling on a road like this". I had to bite my tongue, they were my partners friends. They were awful drivers, constantly stressed about the slightest thing. They were driving a tiny Peugeot then, you'll be pleased to here they've bought an enormous 4x4 Lexus to give them some confidence.
Thinking about it...
I tend not only to look where I'm going, but where the cyclist is going as well; potholes, rubbish on the road and so on.
Something that you can't do if you are following a car.
Yep guy sounds like a bell end. If I'm overtaking a someone on a bike I'll generally go over onto the other carriage way (Highway code rule 163 "give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car"), nice photo as well in case anyone is in doubt.
People do get frustrated if they're behind me but sorry that's part of the deal with driving and vulnerable road users. I do find it frustrating that you'll do that and then you see all the bell ends behind you either giving little or no room when overtaking or squeezing past round a blind bend etc.
On a slight tangent I don't get it when someone on a bike tries to wave you past when there may be an obstruction or you can't see round a bend. I understand they can probably hear things better than they can but that doesn't mean there aren't a bunch of bikes coming the other way, a horse or an electric vehicle. It's not like I'm right up their chuff either.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people will sit behind say a tractor until the heat death of the universe but will throw their car into oncoming traffic with gay abandon when confronted with a cyclist going twice as fast.
I don’t get it when someone on a bike tries to wave you past when there may be an obstruction or you can’t see round a bend.
Spoiler: car drivers don't have the monopoly on bellendery, I know we're biased but there's there's plenty of muppets on two wheels as well.
People do get frustrated if they’re behind me
This just made me think of something.
I do wonder if a portion of the ‘perception‘ problem is that cyclists are (to the dull mind) ‘neither fish nor fowl‘?
To use the tractor example again - even a particularly dull-witted driver is sure about the situation when ‘behind’ a tractor. They are quite literally behind it, not just in terms of ‘making progress’. They driver is not (generally) ‘angry’ at the tractor or the driver of tractor (usually obscured way up there behind a dirty cab)...
But then they of course finally pass the tractor in a safe and sensible fashion ...only to come across a C Y C L I S T.
Now (to the dull-witted) the rules all of a sudden seem all over the place.
The cyclist is either
1. Located near the edge of the carriageway, to the passenger-side of the approaching car. Therefore:
Not literally ‘in front/ahead’ of the driver, yet ‘ahead’ in ‘progress*‘.
So dimwit thinks is this an overtake or a slow-down? Does a dimwit speed-up or back-off?
And look at that, it’s a human. Moving. Unconfined. Not a ‘proper’ vehicle.
Dimwit finds this adds to confusion and mounting annoyance. So goes for
A. A close-pass at speed
or
B. Indecision, closing in fast on cyclist, mounting impatience followed by last-minute pass on a bend/hill into oncoming-traffic.
2. Cyclist in primary position. Therefore:
Dimwit’s head implodes. Now they see that cyclist is in front of them in every way possible. At the least very much more ‘in the way of me’ than a tractor or horse, or even runner in the same situation.
Dimwit assessment of situation: ‘Horrible cyclist in the way, in front, ahead of me/in the way of me/ahead in progress/blocking the road/in the MIDDLE of the road. They just have to be taking the piss?’
At this point the dimwitted driver cannot ever imagine the cyclist to be analogous to a tractor. This is war. Add another cyclist (two-abreast) and We’re talking a 30-second wait, then warp-speed last-minute overtake on crest/bend, plus hurled abuse/confrontation/altercation or at least an angry letter to the papers/Tweet to the terminally-Twittered. #notatractor
* ie ‘How can they be slower than me, while currently ahead, yet not in front, ie to the side, yet making more progress! ARGH ARGH! my dick head! My accelerator! My life!’
I don’t get it when someone on a bike tries to wave you past when there may be an obstruction or you can’t see round a bend.
Maybe the cyclist can see it's clear? (I don't think you're meant to do it anyway).
I suppose the question is does being an active cyclist make you alot more aware and possibly make the wrong decision when overtaking other cyclists?
Yes
You did the right thing
Well done. There’s always an apoplectic idiot about.
Maybe the cyclist can see it’s clear?
Or a psychopath who is waving you into the path of an articulated lorry... 🙂
I'm sure plenty of drivers get annoyed with me for the same reason. Sod 'em.
Now they see that cyclist is in front of them in every way possible. At the least very much more ‘in the way of me’ than a tractor or horse, or even runner in the same situation.
Yeah. Weird, isn't it. If they were behind a horse rider they'd be patient and give plenty of room when passing at low speed, rather than punishment-passing on a blind bend whilst bellowing "you don't even pay road tax!!" at them.
Perhaps we need to get tee-shirts printed up with "I'm on a horse" on the back.
Another vote for you doing the right thing, it's also what I do too. At the end of the day your actions in a car can seriously injure or kill other vulnerable road users. You recognised the risk and took actions to mitigate it.
Is it wrong to admit I take great pleasure in holding up the traffic behind to ensure I give the cyclists I am about to over take sufficient space and exaggerate my overtake to demonstrate a safe pass?
I definitely do this when at work in the delivery van. I've even had cyclists phone up the "How's My Driving?" number on the rear door and leave a good comment on how I gave them loads of room and didn't intimidate them. I do it too in the car when I come across a family out for a spin, don't want to discourage them! Overtaking regular cyclists, roadies etc, I'll just do a safe overtake if I can.
Seems you were right and he was a dick.
I'm not a rapid response driver. It doesn't matter if I'm a couple of minutes late at my destination.
I think cycling has influenced my driving. I ride more than I drive. But equally I try to interact with other road users as I would outside of my car. I'd hold a door for a stranger, not barge past someone in a tight space and generally be courteous and polite. So why not drive like that?
Maybe a head-on with a semi (fnarr) would be a greater incentive to amend their driving style than a bloke in a Volvo playing the TCR jam car.
I kind of agree with the sentiment, but in reality, faced with a head on with a truck and shoving the cyclist to the kerb to get back in, what will be the outcome?
I was kinda thinking the 'blind bend' bit but yeah, fair point.
your reaction to the situation is to be commended sir, only thing to add is that there are far too many people in prison, hospital and the cemetery due to the escalation of road rage incidents, stupid is as stupid does!
I've had a belly full of idiot drivers. I get at least one close pass per ride and spend most of my time riding not enjoying the event, but instead plotting revenge or imagining what kind of scum has just put my life on the line without a second thought.
However, I think that the intolerant behaviour towards cyclists is a symptom and not the cause of the issue. We've had little to no investment in cycle infrastructure, likewise little in the way of road upgrades for a long time. Meanwhile growth in vehicle sales and house building in metro areas is constantly supported by the state, leading to ever increasing levels of congestion and driver frustration. Angry man in the OP's post is still a bellend and deserves a slap at some point, but he's just reacting to the environment he's in.
Will our current government sort the problem? Unlikely. The next one? As unlikely, I suspect. Change will be a long time coming as public support and understanding for more liveable places just isn't part of our culture at the moment.
Perhaps we need to get tee-shirts printed up with “I’m on a horse” on the back
"Safer Scotland" actually ran a campaign a few years ago "See Cyclist, Think Horse" because someone had no doubt spotted the weird contradiction between how cyclists and horses are treated on the road.
The ASA tried to ban it as it featured a cyclist "not wearing a helmet" and riding in the "wrong place" in the road
He got it wrong. He was driving badly. So rather than suck it up, evaluate his driving and learn where the problems lie, he wants to use his one redeeming quality - being built like an ape - to vent his insecurities.
Well done on your actions. Now fit the dashcam.
I dun a Awareness Course the other day, and one of the takeaways was: If you do this (ANYTHING!) while driving, would you pass your driving test?
Well bell-end desperate to overtake wouldn't would he!? And your nicely considerate overtake of the cyclist sounds like how you would do it on your test. So it's pretty simple that you were right and he was wrong a ****
I’ve had a belly full of idiot drivers. I get at least one close pass per ride and spend most of my time riding not enjoying the event, but instead plotting revenge or imagining what kind of scum has just put my life on the line without a second thought.
Guilty of this too. Main reason I ride a gravel road alternative where ever I can as I actually enjoy the ride then rather than getting pissed off.
However, I think that the intolerant behaviour towards cyclists is a symptom and not the cause of the issue.
I had a Ford SUV squeeeeze by me today as the last car of a queue of traffic passed in the other direction. We were in a 50 limit and doing an estimated 25-30mph on a slight downhill. To the driver's credit she had been waiting for traffic to pass, but if she had waited another second the road would have been clear. However, rather than do that she passed so close I could almost touch the passenger window (and there was a passenger sitting there). I have to admit to losing my sh!t a little, and she did hear me judging by the rather shocked glance in the rearview mirror.
I've also had a discussion with two older ladies on FB who were joking about needing a tank to protect themselves from fast motorbikes, boy racers and packs of cyclists on a particularly long and picturesque stretch of national speed limit near here. I politely pointed out that an 80kg cyclist putting out half a BHP is hardly a threat to a car and its driver, and we continued to discuss deaths caused by motorised vehicles compared to those caused by non-motorised vehicles. Again, what it came down to was a perspective from inside a steel cage and the inconvenience caused by others, and probably even some lack of understanding to those that are 'different'.
However, where I'm going with this is that I don't think either of these examples were meant as malicious or even particularly intolerant, rather just thoughtlessness and impatience. To me the answer is education and understanding, both of which seem to be in short supply at the moment.
(And better infrastructure would be very nice too).
Angry man in the OP’s post is still a bellend and deserves a slap at some point, but he’s just reacting to the environment he’s in.
So why don’t we all feel and act the same way towards cyclists? I don't react like him not because IANAB, but because waiting behind a car that is waiting to overtake another road-user is not normally an environmental trigger/disaster that deserves any reactions other than ‘make your checks, continue to read the road and situation, continue to drive safely’. Becoming an aggressive and dangerous tit is not a ‘reaction to the environment’ unless of course your environment is insanely aggressive. Would the OP say that the evirons/situation before Mr Beller kicked off were ‘insanely aggressive’? I see that could be a chicken vs egg discussion...yet...
I had to save a driver the other day from his own stupidity.Cycling along a narrow B road with some blind crests, I crested a small rise and spotted a car coming the other way. At the same time behind me I hear a car going for an overtake, he’s not got over the crest yet so hasn’t spotted the car. I move over to the middle of the lane and hold my arm up.
The overtaking car pulls back in and now spots the oncoming car. I pull back and now the road is actually clear he overtakes. He holds up his hand to thank me!
I proactively manage traffic on my rides a lot of the time. It can be quite mentally wearing but it also buys you time and mitigates a lot of the anger if you can swing in / ease up / wave someone through. The trick is to actually mean it. Be assertive and most drivers will work out that you're actually trying to help them.
1. Located near the edge of the carriageway, to the passenger-side of the approaching car.
........
2. Cyclist in primary position.
During the early part of lockdown when traffic was way down on normal, I didn't get any close passes at all. All the overtakes were really wide and safe, no issues. The problem isn't "the cyclist". The problem is oncoming traffic. As soon as you put oncoming traffic into the equation, you get the situation that you describe where they can't decide whether to wait for a safe moment or squeeze through.
“See Cyclist, Think Horse” because someone had no doubt spotted the weird contradiction between how cyclists and horses are treated on the road.
Yes I have often thought this - why people on bikes aren't treated similarly to horse riders I'll never know. I have never, even during the lockdown, been on a road ride without someone doing something stupid.
A couple of weeks ago I had been down to my local wood for a quick blast on the MTB and on returning home, I was going through a set of lights. I deliberately rode towards the centre of the lane so people behind would know I was going straight on (or at least know I wasn't about to turn left). As I was passing through, the lights started to turn to red and I heard a car gunning its engine and accelerate through so they wouldn't have to wait a couple of minutes for the next green light. She then overtook me and immediately turned left, almost taking my front wheel off. Just why?
As soon as you put oncoming traffic into the equation, you get the situation that you describe where they can’t decide whether to wait for a safe moment or squeeze through.
Almost as if they have to remember how to safely overtake another vehicle or obstacle?
I have never, even during the lockdown, been on a road ride without someone doing something stupid.
Same, my two nearest-misses in over 12 months were during the quietest two weeks of ‘lockdown’. One boyracer not looking flew out of sidestreet nearly took me down, another one close-passed me at mad speed and then overtook slow car in front at warp speed nearly hitting another car oncoming. Arguably the nobbers were most prolific during ‘lockdown’ taking their ‘necessary’ ****chback journeys to nowhere by exploiting the empty streets like the Nürburgring
She then overtook me and immediately turned left, almost taking my front wheel off. Just why?
Because you’re
1. ‘In her way‘ and
2. ‘#notahorse/#notatractor
Yes I have often thought this – why people on bikes aren’t treated similarly to horse riders I’ll never know.
I've witnessed this numerous times. Driver will follow a horse along at 5mph for 2-3 minutes, pass ultra wide and careful, not revving the engine.
Driver behind a cyclist, even one doing 25mph and it's right up the arse, trying to squeeze through, hooting...
I suppose the question is does being an active cyclist make you alot more aware and possibly make the wrong decision when overtaking other cyclists?
In my experience I would say no. I commute to work so spend a fair bit of time on roads and the amount drives who tell me I can't ride in the middle of the road (despite legally being able to) is unreal, when I tell them otherwise its often met with I know the rules I cycle too. Which we all know is proper fraff.
I fully believe that a good 65% of drivers have zero clue of road rules when it comes to bikes and drive like absolute morons. This so called "golden age of cycling" needs a shed load of investment to education these idiots like in teh OP.
Yes I have often thought this – why people on bikes aren’t treated similarly to horse riders I’ll never know.
Simple. A horse can do a lot of damage to their car if they hit it or it gets spooked. A bicycle doesn't, it just bounces off. At no point in the above does the driver consider the human sat on each, it's all about who comes off worst hence the rush to buy SUV's, 4x4's and the like.
Driver behind a cyclist, even one doing 25mph and it’s right up the arse, trying to squeeze through, hooting…
Yeah had that one recently too - going down a quiet country lane at a fair speed so lots of wind noise and I didn't hear the car behind me. The first I know about it was when he stamped on his horn (not a brief 'bleep', a full on 'getoutofmy****ingway' sounding). I very nearly went into a ditch in panic as he then close passed me (there really wasn't room even if I moved to the very left of the narrow road). His partner in the passenger seat had that look of 'I'm sorry, but spare a thought for me, I have to live with this tosser'.
Generally I find the level of bellendery is independent of the form of transport the bellend is in control of (questionable I know).
And the other driver is definitely in the bellend camp.
I think there is also something Malvern Riders post, a tractor in front of you presents (on narrower roads especially) and object you simply cannot pass, where as a cyclist, and to an extent a horse and rider, something that you could get past if conditions allow. People generally deal better with absolutes rather than indeterminates. With the tractor, there is no option, with the others there is the chance of getting past, so they try...and the longer the delay, no matter that it’s still small, the greater the desire to try.
The stupidity of this is that, if he was in such a rush, why did he feel the need to stop, get out, shout etc. That must’ve delayed him more than waiting for a safe overtake..
This is the bit that baffles me, and something I do ask on the occasion someone’s thrown a wobbler because I’d dared to hold them up whilst cycling.
Must Get In Front.
Most common type of “dangerous” or inconsiderate overtake, there’s absolutely nothing gained from it. I’ve had overtakes up to junctions, red lights, traffic jams
If one of these passes me while on the bike I ALWAYS go into the advanced stop box at the lights and sit in the middle of it. MGIF driver then has to wait while I start off and get clipped in.
You did the right thing and just unlucky to meet someone like that. The best action you can now take is get a dash cam. We use a little wedge shaped Akaso one from Amazon which is tiny and very unobtrusive.
I've actually wondered if a bit of subliminal behaviour modification happens with most (reasonable) drivers. If I overtake a cyclist in a deliberately careful way, then 9 times out of 10 the car behind me does the same. Did my behaviour influence theirs? Would make an interesting research study for someone.
If I overtake a cyclist in a deliberately careful way, then 9 times out of 10 the car behind me does the same. Did my behaviour influence theirs?
I've noticed the same thing. We need to lead by example. There are always some dickheads it won't affect though.
I'm pretty sure I did the right thing when overtaking even when I wasn't a cyclist, but I'm more aware of it now for sure.
The problem imo is that most drivers just have no idea they're doing anything wrong. Even when told the law, even when stopped by the police, the mindset is still that they're being unfairly harassed for their dangerous driving. If you ever see a police force doing a "close pass" operation and posting about it on the internet, check into the comments to see an endless procession of people declaring how dangerously they drive, on the police's facebook page... Says it all really.
Completely with the OP and everyone that not overtaking was definitely the right call, however...
but using road craft i cross the doubles for a look up the road
So you illegally crossed double solid lines to check further down the road if you could overtake a cyclist you shouldn't be overtaking because it's double solid lines?
The double solid lines are there for a reason - no overtaking as it's a blind corner or creat or whatever. If the cyclist is doing more than 10mph you cannot overtake them on double solids so why the need to look further down the road to check it's clear to overtake?
Once you are clear of the double solids, that's the point you can then start to think about whether it is safe to overtake.
I will fully admit I may have misunderstood this action and in that case I apologise and take it back, but to call this 'roadcraft' is very incorrect.
That's the theory, but in practice there are loads of places where you'd be better overtaking a bike on double whites than not.
