Substitute cyclist on a narrow road for that bollard, and there’s no sympathy for those drivers.

Take their licences from them, they’re not fit to drive.

Too wide for many of our old roads too. As a cyclist this impacts me too.

This.

Buuuut, perhaps the drivers (not unreasonably) assume that the road furniture is designed in such a way that a normal-sized* car can fit through a gap with perhaps 12″ of clearance on the driver’s side. I’m sure most drivers are more cautious around moving objects and uncertain gaps (even if many are not as cautious / courteous as we might like).

Which is the problem – assuming it’ll be fine because other roads are wide.

Instead how about assessing the situation they’re actually in and reacting accordingly. And if uncertain THEN SLOWING DOWN OR STOPPING.

Please, if you’re travelling along controlling a big heavy metal box and don’t really know what’s going on, slow down a bit until it’s clear what’s happening. Or stop, if you really can’t be sure you are going to be safe – and those other soft squishy humans around you are going to be safe too.

Also I despair that you seem to imply that a 12” gap either side wouldn’t need you to slow down. Explains why so many scary close passes happen. Even the folk who have judged their car’s width properly think it’s ok to charge past with only a foot a space.

Correction, 3″ clearance either side – but that’s wheel to wheel width,

Tbh it’s a mad thing very little margin for error and the posts are too low, I’d say that’s made the road/pavement more dangerous.

Everyone’s a driving god here 😉 but judging your nearside to less than a few inches with a post you can’t see isn’t a thing I’d expect the majority of drivers to get right, .5 inch over from what is looking tight on the right post is crunch time.

3 inches a side. That’s q7 / range rover /Tesla S (which is noticeably wide when your following one) dimensions

Less about being a driving god . More about using the big window to see what’s in front and not approaching at a speed sufficient to destroy your car.

Substitute cyclist on a narrow road for that bollard, and there’s no sympathy for those drivers.

Take their licences from them, they’re not fit to drive.

I think that’s more than an over-reaction, and hardly comparable.

If it’s not, just to be clear, you’re happy to be passed on a narrow country lane by a competent driver as long as they maintain three inches of space?

If it’s not, just to be clear, you’re happy to be passed on a narrow country lane by a competent driver as long as they maintain three inches of space?

Is that an inference you have just made up in your head because no one said that.

Are you suggesting that you’d like to be passed by people who are unable to judge how wide their car is….As for the folk in the video the 3 inches has become zero/flat cyclist…..but since you asked it’s the better of 2 bad situations to have 3 inches over no inches tbh.

Everyone’s a driving god here

Bitten by a radioactive driving instructor.

One shouldn’t laugh but those Rufford Ford videos are priceless.

Check out the hapless white van man at around 2:05. 😀 Tries to put fasten the tow strap/sling to a bit of plastic ducting 😀

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HN04gJfaPk&ab_channel=BENGREGERS

To be fair I have. A little more sympathy for them.

No one is taught about wading depths and bow waves. It’s something we rarely need – unlike knowing the widths of our cars.

The grey transit how ever. That water is clearly deep (it’s up to the pedeatrian bridge) and it’s flowing. Not somewhere I’d be venturing in a hurry. No less in a transit.

Is that an inference you have just made up in your head because no one said that.

It’s literally what he said, so I did: Substitute cyclist on a narrow road for that bollard

Are you suggesting that you’d like to be passed by people who are unable to judge how wide their car is….

I’m saying I’m comfortable being passed by somebody on a country road today who was unable to judge three inches yesterday because they should be a lot further away from me – and three inches should make zero difference. I can barely see how the two correlate at all.

Have you never pulled into an empty parking space and been a bit too close to the bay on one side or the other? I know the width of my car, but you know, sometimes I’ve not been perfect. It doesn’t mean I don’t know how to give the right amount of space to other road users.

Totally different scenario. White lines on the floor ypu cannot see as they are under your vehicle. Approach, more often than not at 90′ to the direction of travel. Limited room to pull wide amd swing in due to cars parked opposite
Tge trick is to reverse in a and use the lines painted opposite to get squared away., as most car parks the spaces oppose each other
Maybe we need a better driving test, which wpuld involve havimg to place the vehicle say 20cm frpm a post to the front and rear and both sides
Too far away, fail. Hit post, fail.

Its people driving whilst distracted that hit stuff, phones, passenger waffling on, kids fighting, radio re tuning etc. Plus drink and drugs.

Where i work the car r park has huge red bollards which get hit on an almost weekly basis, st walking speed. Some guy whacked one so hard he put in his side window. Just forget they were there and, as cars get taller these post are just below the window line. And 6″ in diameter

Have you never pulled into an empty parking space and been a bit too close to the bay on one side or the other? I know the width of my car, but you know, sometimes I’ve not been perfect. It doesn’t mean I don’t know how to give the right amount of space to other road users

Nah STW drivers can park with absolute precision to the micron.

I wholly agree with your view an inch or two shouldnt’ make any difference whilst overtaking a bike when the laws 1.5 metres minimum.

Being able to judge 1-2 inches isn’t the issue as the law is 1.5m minimum which is a lot bigger if you can’t manage that then yes you shouldn’t be allowed the luxury of a licence.

It’s literally what he said, so I did: Substitute cyclist on a narrow road for that bollard

I must have miss read it. No where did he say he was happy about the 3 inch situation. But it still beats being hit at a speed that destroys the car

Isn’t being able to park between the lines still in the driving test. I recall reverse bay parking being a thing in my test. The good thing about going in , in reverse is that unlike things along side you when moving forwards of you….your rear view mirror keeps them in view on one side or other throughout the manuver and allows a clear field of vision on exit hence why it’s the parking method of choice in most large employers carparks

So clearly folks should be reversing through the narrow gap.

Width aside they are all still traveling too fast for there being a restriction on the road. You bet their ass they would slow down if it was a proper speed bump. (Not the stupid bus zone ones control ones that only slow down stupidly low cars)

Isn’t being able to park between the lines still in the driving test. I recall reverse bay parking being a thing in my test.

It might be in the test but I doubt you’ll fail for not being exactly central be a couple of inches.
I drive a hell of a lot for work and tend to return my vans the same shape they were supplied but with 120k plus at 3yrs.
To park my work van on my driveway, one rear tyre is approx 2cm from the edge of a step. I can do this reversing fine, but I can be sure that if it was nose first, one day I’d slice a tyre on the step.

Oddly I found a transit custom easier to get through a width restriction than a transit connect. Being smaller it should be easier, but it’s not.
I have bounced a custom gently off the one near the Hammersmith flyover in the pissing rain once, no real damage, just a small scuff on the door trim.