Road safety(great read)

http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/how-to/road-positioning

Didn’t realise about taking a lane etc,i only do this at lights,also the two bikes abreast.Very interesting read.

Didn’t realise about taking a lane etc

Blimey! You haven’t been around here long then 😀
“Primary Position” comes up a lot (often as a source of argument) in the various road/commute car-vs-bike threads. 🙂

This book is worth reading. Lots of good advice (and some you may want to regard with a pinch of sodium):

http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/

It is the basis for much of Bikeability[/url].

In that article, this bit also stuck out for me:

“Cyclists are allowed to ride two abreast, although most drivers are not aware of this. On fast or busy roads, it is courteous to single out to make it easier for drivers to pass. “

That has also come up here in the past. My personal feeling is that it makes little sense to single out, as you turn one short road “hazard” into either one long road hazard or two separate hazards; and depending on what lanes are available it may encourage drivers to pass too close, just like riding in the secondary position.

It’s not blummin’ cyclists who need to read that, it’s the millions of drivers who beep, wave their arms around or swerve towards the side of the road after overtaking in order to complain about us not riding in the gutter.

Oooo it winds me up.

Except for the chap a while back who tried to make a point by driving really close to the edge of the road after overtaking, hit a bump and did a brief stint of off-roading. That’ll learn ‘im.

it’s the millions of drivers who beep, wave their arms around or swerve towards the side of the road after overtaking

Slightly tense discussion with my dad’s GF the other night:

Her: “Bloody cyclist was riding down the middle of the road holding up traffic…”

Me (tries not to rise): “Mmm..hmmm..”

Her (warming to the subject): “They think they own the road. The other day I passed a cyclist perfectly safely, with plenty of room and he banged his hand on my car. It gave me such a fright”

Me (gritting teeth): “If he could reach your car to bang it then you can’t have given him ‘plenty of room'”

Her: “Well.. he.. swung across the lane to bang it..”

Course he did.

🙄

I’ve had two situations where I’ve been shouted at about lane positioning.

First approaching a round about I take the centre of the L/H lane if going left or straight, to avoid being forced off the road by a driver turning left.

Second, when travelling down a single lane country road in the miffle of the road becuase the potholes and damage at the side of the road, some up to 2ft outwards, would have had me off in an instant. In this case, the argument with the driver behind (who stopped to berate me), ended with me informing him I rather be in front of him then under his wheels.

I’ve mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, theres some good advice for dealing with the inadequte infraestructure and road system we have.

On the other, it seems to have encouraged a bit of victim-blaming, and created the perception that to improve road safety we need to do nothing other than train the cyclists. To be fair to the author, he does make it clear that he doesn’t view this is a template for creating perfect cycling conditions, just his thoughts on the best way of dealing with what we have at the moment.

I’ve had two situations where I’ve been shouted at about lane positioning.

Yep. It’s to be expected unfortunately.

I’ve even been beeped at and had a torrent of sweary abuse hurled at me while pulling my 2 year old in a trailer. I stayed out wide after turning left (in a 20 zone) because I needed to turn right immediately afterwards.

Apparently that is very wrong, for some reason that I couldn’t quite pick out amongst all the hate and spit. 🙄

On the other, it seems to have encouraged a bit of victim-blaming…

Agreed, see also the whole “don’t get into the blind spots of trucks” advice- which is perfectly sound, however the real question should be “WhyTF are there trucks on the public road with such huge blindspots??”

Read http://www.citycycling.co.uk/Issue11/Truck1.html

Thing is, this tactic annoys poor motorists who can’t overtake you. It’s selfish and inconsiderate, as it prevents them going about their lawful business. cyclists employing this tactic are a menace and shouldn’t be allowed on the roads, as they give all cyclists a bad name.

No?

Cyclists are allowed to stop on double-yellow lines. Again, drivers may be unaware of this.

As are cars…

Drivers are obliged by the Highway Code (Rule 139) to give you ‘at least as much room as a car’ when overtaking. Let that sink in: at least as much room as a car. That means that they should pull out, cross the central, dashed white line, and pull in again.

By riding further out from the edge of the road, you force following traffic to overtake you properly instead of squeezing past dangerously close. Are you inconveniencing anyone? Only those drivers who would not have overtaken you safely in the first place.

As a rule of thumb, your distance from the kerb is the same distances that drivers will give you when overtaking. That bits talks sense.

mike: sadly a very commonly held view in my experience, and I don’t even ride on the road that much.

To be fair, it is “selfish”. But I’d always choose being selfishly safe and going home to my family over selflessly putting myself in mortal danger just so some twunt can pass me without having to turn his hands slightly. 😀

The trick is to be selfless when it is safe to do so – so you don’t get angry muppets building up behind you.

Cyclists are allowed to stop on double-yellow lines.

I read a comment the other day from a cyclist who was told to “ride in the cycle lane” by a driver pointing at the double yellow lines 😕

I ride exactly like the article says all the time.

Nice to know I’m doing it right! 🙂

the most annoying thing that I do is swing out more when there is a narrowing of the road up ahead like a crossing island or a bridge.
it seems to really tick people off as they have to move their right foot slightly to the left and push the middle pedal, maybe move their left foot and arm a bit and change gear, and turn the wheel about 10 degrees. it’s a massive inconvenience for them and adds at least 5 whole seconds to the time it takes them to reach the red traffic lights up ahead. so selfish.

How the hell do you expect them to do all that while also speaking on the phone, adjusting the radio, or checking their hair in the mirror? Heartless sod.

Thing is, this tactic annoys poor motorists who can’t overtake you.

Well it annoyed one driver enough to stop, get out and hit me, as I was going about my lawful business.

I think most cyclists forget that majority of drivers aren’t actually that bad. But the ones who are, are dreadful. I always move out further still where there are traffic island pinch points, and when negotiating a left hand bend.

Also put your pannier on the offside to look wider. That and wave when people beep. After all, they must know me and I like to return a salutation.

I was relieved to see this on the page.

When not to take the lane

If you’re not confident in taking the lane, especially when simply riding along, don’t feel that you have to. If the road is busy and the traffic is moving faster than you can, either because it’s a fast road or a steep hill, you’re often better not taking the lane. This is a courtesy to drivers, enabling them to overtake you more easily.

Well it annoyed one driver enough to stop, get out and hit me, as I was going about my lawful business.

Grrr. did you get them for it?