Fair point.

Baaaaaaaaah!

Everyone wants to ride in this place that you ride then
you are very lucky

I don’t mean to sound smug. It’s just that most of my riding is trouble-free.

I commute in West Yorkshire; mixture of rural and urban. The only incident I’d count as “serious” happened to me some years ago; a guy turned right across my path and I only just missed him. I went back for a word and he was very apologetic.

I use hand signals and road positioning to tell drivers what to do, I don’t wear a helmet which means (according to research) drivers give me more room, I do a little wobble every now and then to discourage close passes, I ride out of the door zone, I take primary at pinch points, filter on the right, wave thanks to patient drivers, and stop at junctions forward of the stop line.

Maybe I have been lucky so far.

Most people are just **** stupid. Ever talked to an averagely stupid person? Well half of people are even more stupid than that.

this. The thought has gone through my mind a lot recently – some people are idiots, most of those idiots drive cars. And ive experienced more this week than for a long time.

i also recently did fuel efficiency driving lessons – much more than its name suggests, it taught me to view the journey as a whole rather than a race to the next lights / junction. I wish i could teach everyone what i learned in those 20 minutes. Quicker, cheaper, safer, less stress – win all round. But people just don’t see it.

To the peeps suggesting I adopt the primary position- I do, I’m assertive, I block cars when coming to traffic islands etc and ride well away from parked cars to avoid cars behind pushing past and also to give me room to avoid being ‘doored’.
But it doesn’t matter, Vectra man came flying up behind carrying speed to do an overtake to then realise a car coming the other way so I got squeezed. Happens all the time.
Lack of forward planning/foresight with the cyclist being the least damaging object for car drivers to use as a bail out zone.

I use back roads as much as possible and have a nice section of Sustrans 6 to use but still…….

Interesting debate. I think a big part of the problem (and this was something mentioned on another thread recently) is that some people have absolutely no idea what will and will not delay their journey. Obviously delaying someone’s journey is no excuse for a dangerous pass! But people just think: cyclist>slow>must pass, even though there may be a traffic jam ahead.

Just this morning I seen a woman riding very un-primary and a white tranny squeezed her badly at speed through a traffic island only for him to slam on for several cars just after the island and a red light. The woman just sailed past him and about 5 other cars. As has been mentioned some people really are a bit thick when it comes to driving safety but there’s more to it than this.. I work with a few guys who I would consider fairly intelligent but they HATE cyclists.. Total irrational hatred like we dont belong on the road at all. Some of the shite they spout is unbelievable.

OP go and watch Premium Rush… right now.

Prefect mood to watch this movie in!

Premium Rush

I commute by car mostly (it’s 20 miles and I carry 15-20kilos of stuff to and from work every day) and the total absence of basic planning skills from 95% of drivers is painfully apparent and imo a big part of the problem in that people only every think about the next three car lengths not the journey as a whole or even t the next half mile .

It’s not just cyclists that this driver incompetence extends to… emergency stops for zebra crossings, changing traffic lights, failing to plan for vehicles coming out of blind side roads, basic lane changing, approaching slower vehicles on the motorway slowing down abruptly then pulling out into the gap that was there before they braked, boxing cars in when there’s an empty lane to their right … just no effort too anticipate what’s further ahead than the car in fronts brake lights.

Short of multiplying the roads policing budget by 500 I fail to see how we will fix this, so walk, drive and ride defensively and approach it flexibly, which could be any of many things including but not limited to – take primary position, squeeze left a bit to make some road space, pass on the right, on the left, slow down or speed up and just occasionally pull over completely and release a queue of traffic that’s patiently waiting for a proper gap on a tricky road x and anything else you can think of but most of all take positivery action for your own safety as ime no one else will do it for you.

Should things be better than that – undoubtedly – but reality says they are not.

I heard the price of fuel is about to head back up, that’s going to impact on some of the enthusiastic progress makers no doubt…

I have said it before but I still think it’s the long game you need to remember…

The cost of driving will rise and rise, the cost of driving like a bellend more so, and then autonomous cars will creep in and all the “joy of driving” clarksonite cobblers will eventually fade away…

It’s going to take a while but just remember when we get there, as a society, you were well ahead of the curve…

Until then plan your route as best you can, avoid conflict where possible and so long as you get home alive it’s been a successful journey…

RustyNissanPrairie – Member
I’m going to

Take the car to work?

I find a good thump on the side of a too close car frightens the cr@p out of the driver.

^^^^^
i try to pretend my hands are taped to the bars works most of the time and avoids pointless arguments

be careful though:

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/former-bikie-toby-mitchell-launches-more-attacks-on-social-media-over-alleged-road-rage-assault-on-cyclist-20150915-gjmtyj.html

I have enjoyed reading this thread and empathise with the OP – there are some days when it feels like I am Yossarian and everyone is trying to kill me… BUT, although I have on occassions lost my cool in the past, I really try not to these days. I even try to make a tap on the side of the car a friendly “look out I’m here mate” type tap if I can. If comes down to a loosing your cool competion I am not the one inside the big fast metal box on wheels…

As a cyclist, i understand the frustration and fear of poor driving, but as a car driver, I’m getting really bored of the assumption by some on here that we are all impatient homicidal maniacs.

Presumably coming from people who do not drive, or when they do, are absolutely 100% perfect 100% of the time. 🙄

Turns out people don’t like being tarred with a brush regardless of their affiliation or non-affiliate to a particular group.

I ride, walk, and drive. I get just as frustrated about being blamed/associated with the bad behaviour of other people who just happen to be using the same mode of transport as me at that time.

riding home – houses on both sides of a residential street, side road to my left, I’ve got lights on, middle of my lane.
Nobbied up Lupo coming the other way indicates right, stops, lets me get close then pulls across and stops in the middle of my lane for no reason-empty road that he’s turning into. I slam on and stop, baseball cap wearing **** in the passenger seat calls me a looser then they drive off.

Chase after them but it leads into a scummy estate so leave em be.
I’m going to start carrying a spare 400mm seatpost in my rucksack and I will start beating the shit out of **** like this.

**** sick of people seeing you then thinking **** you anyway, you’ll stop – its not a case of smidsy.

That post by antigee; whats a bikie enforcer ?

Edit;never mind, just found out.

For the record my North Devon commute is nice and relaxed. 8)

To the OP

too fu####ng right. Same feelings here and getting the same attitude too.
Car drivers get home 13seconds faster yet leave us thinking through the consequences of their near miss/dooring/stupid overtake …

Yesterday, just outside Aviemore, son and I were riding back on narrow, twisty lane. A few cars waited a minute to pass us, and I waved them past when safe. As we near another corner, I can see cars coming other way, and pull back alongside son in a defensive position. The corner is tree lined and stone walls all round.
As we go round blind corner, a car overtakes, hesitates, then pulls in nearly taking my front wheel out he was so close. Oncoming car stops to avoid head on crash.
The car that overtook? Orange P7 and nice Giant road bike on roof.

Even our ‘own brethren’ are behaving like idiots in cars it seems.

Luckily I don’t seem to have too many issues when riding in and people seem to respond well to fairly assertive riding.

Wednesday I was driving to work and approaching a roundabout in the right hand lane of a dual lane A road, chap on a bike in the left lane dripping in Rapha decides to change lanes suddenly without as much as a glance over his shoulder to see if a car is coming on the outside, he was 1ft away from contact with the front of my car. Same chap gets to the roundabout (dual lane and busy) and despite the light being red for his entire approach he just glides on through and off.

Idiots are everywhere, a greater % of them drive cars but this **** is the closest I have ever come to any kind of collision on the roads.

A “white tranny” quick somebody call the Equalities Hotline !

Idiots are everywhere, a greater % of them drive cars but this **** is the closest I have ever come to any kind of collision on the roads.

Well sure, but the point about idiot cyclists is that they’re mostly a danger to themselves, not others.

Well sure, but the point about idiot cyclists is that they’re mostly a danger to themselves, not others.

as long as you ignore the emotional and mental damage caused to nice normal people who suddenly end up killing someone through no fault of their own.

as long as you ignore the emotional and mental damage caused to nice normal people who suddenly end up killing someone through no fault of their own.

Which thankfully doesn’t happen very often (AIUI drivers are at fault in most cyclist fatalities), so is a bit of a distraction from the debate.

The car that overtook? Orange P7 and nice Giant road bike on roof.

Ahh Bike the thief’s

It’s not gonna happen but I reckon a couple of compulsory days on a bike once a year for every driver would make things better.

I feel the OP’s pain.
I only ride on the road occasionally, but there are certain (sometimes unavoidable) routes that always, always result in feeling threatened.

I once accidentally found myself on the Congleton/Macc road. Never ever again.

Unfortunately – there is something about a car, that makes otherwise right-thinking individuals make poor decisions.

I can’t even say for sure that I’ve always passed cyclists safely, despite my best intentions.

Unfortunately – there is something about a car, that makes otherwise right-thinking individuals make poor decisions.

This. Next time you find yourself not letting someone out of a junction, remember that you wouldn’t think twice about holding the door open for them.

Even our ‘own brethren’ are behaving like idiots in cars it seems.

Brethren? I can’t say I’ve noticed any difference between cyclists and non cyclists as far as their driving goes. I once spent several hours climbing a long pass in the Rockies with no shoulder on the road. Sight lines were good and traffic not that heavy so there was no reason for close overtakes. About half the cars going up were carrying bikes on their roofs as there was a road race going over the pass the next day. I got just as many close passes from bike cars as the non bike cars.

Fair point. Just frustrating that I would have *hoped* other riders have half an idea how frightening such a situation is.

About half the cars going up were carrying bikes on their roofs as there was a road race going over the pass the next day. I got just as many close passes from bike cars as the non bike cars.

Because some people are comfortable with ‘closer’ passing and might presume (as you are riding up a big hill in roadie gear) you are competent and thus the same opinion as them. Of course they shouldnt be, but I dont think you can presume they ‘just dont care’ onto all of them. [edit; just read its the US, no-one gives space over there IME]

I get attempts at close passes, but thats why i dont ride right in the gutter, gives me space to move across as they pass (i can hear/see them coming up behind). For cars cutting across in front, most are just terrible judges of speed, or at least judging speed/time for something going as ‘slowly’ as ~15mph.

Not sure being happy with close passing equals competent. Actually most drivers managed to use the empty other lane. But of the minority who chose to pass unnecessarily close there was as many with bikes on the roof.

I use a mirror when touring and the big advantage to me when drivers give me a wide berth is that I can see them starting to move out well back and know they have seen me. Actually in general I’ve found American drivers to be OK. In over 10K USA touring miles I’ve had a handful of dangerously close passes and only once had to ride off the road to avoid being hit.

brooess – Member
With appropriate signalling and communication, you can demonstrate how you want them to behave… right there in the moment.

I’ve taken primaray AND held my hand up behind in a “stop” position when I could see around a bend that the car behind couldn’t. He still passed me, and apologised half a mile up the road where he’d got out of his car. His apology would’ve done **** all to help me if I had been run over, and equally little to help him or the occupants of the vehicle coming the other way had they collided.

Some people make stupid decisions some of the time. Riding primaryer than thou and any other steps you take really won’t help some of the time, unfortunately, and I don’t think many people haven’t heard that advice, particularly regular commuters.

I don’t think many people haven’t heard that advice, particularly regular commuters.

I’d estimate that in my area, around 75% of cycling commuters ride too close to the kerb, so the message doesn’t seem to be getting through.

usual shite,
Mid week.
silver fiesta at side street on my right/opposite side of the road, pulls out without indicating but starts turning right – ‘I hope she’s seen me and doesnt squeeze me’, only she isnt turning right and cuts across in front of me into the pub car park.
I did a full emergency slam on, follow her into the pub car park. Gormless bint had seen me but didn’t give a shit, no apology, lost my rag with her and her wing mirror.

This morning.
Nissan Navara overtakes, female passenger throws a hand full of orange peel at me but then turns into animal feeds place 300 yards further on, batshit mental mode is at #9 “whats the problem? it was only orange peel” Stupid fat arsed jodhpur bint got both barrels

Past two weeks
Same route every morning only now Mrknobcheese 206 driver decides to drive flat out down a single track road (with no passing points) without slowing down and with full beam on. No amount of gesticulating is working. Found where he lives by accident the other day. Im going to torch his car.

When you are done, can you pop down my way for a bit of retribution too.

30 miles on country lanes this morning, and three near death* passes. The first was a double whammy – over a blind crest with a forest car park entrance 20 yards after. Car overtakes me on the crest, pulls in and slams brakes on to turn right into the car park. Has to completely stop as there’s a car coming the other way.I brake hard to stop running into the back of him. Meanwhile dick 2 is pulling the same trick, but only gets alongside me before having to slam the anchors and pull in to avoid the oncoming car. My cyclo cross experience is useful in avoiding contact.

Bit later, young girl in a Ka tries an overtake on a short straight. She would only have to had waited another 100 yards for a clear run. Same thing, car comes round the bend in front, but instead of slowing and dropping in behind me, she just swerves towards me. Cyclo cross time again!

Years of cycling have fought me to half-subconsciously keep an escape route so I’m always aware of the s ate of the verge for a quick divert. Fortunately both were by mud today and not ditches, guess lady luck was smiling on me!

*obvs for someone without my superskills

New Mercedes have flashing lights which means there something to the side of your 50 grand car, never mind just ignore it, even though it was well beyond primary going down hill fast to a mini roundabout then a humpback single lane bridge. Let’s get past it.