Why do drivers think this acceptable?

[mediumbird]

Not really expecting an answer, just want to let off steam. Cycling back from the gym, looking to turn right down a quiet side road, check clear to move to the middle, arm out indicating right, and what happens.? Well, about 50 feet from the turn off two cars think it acceptable to pass me on the right on the other side of the road. I even looked straight at them incredulously. After they passed I then got the single finger salute from the driver.
If I had been in a car they wouldn't have overtaken me, or on a motorbike or scooter, so why us it acceptable to do that to a cyclist.. And why is it acceptable to be abusive to a middle aged female, or any cyclist?
I must get some cameras as there is a local police drive to improve cycling safety with use of undercover cyclists, and may be they would have been interested in some footage. Any bike camera recommendations? Would need to be able to easily swap between bikes. What does the collective think of Cycliq cameras?
Incidents like these make me despair of the human race....
Thanks for letting me offload!

[Mike Sales]

This sort of behaviour is of a piece with the conviction of many drivers that they are entitled to expect deference from cyclists and pedestrians. They seem to believe that it is against the law for them to be obliged to slow down for us.

[hemo]

Probably against your instinct and not bird like, you should have given them the finger back. You never know it might have surprised them.

[mjr]

If I had been in a car they wouldn't have overtaken me, or on a motorbike or scooter, so why us it acceptable to do that to a cyclist.

It's not acceptable but some probably would overtake a car in that situation. My home is usually accessed by a small relatively-rarely-used right turn and I've had a few moronic drivers overtake me (EDIT: when driving my car!) when I've slowed for the turn despite a flashing indicator.

I must get some cameras as there is a local police drive to improve cycling safety with use of undercover cyclists, and may be they would have been interested in some footage. Any bike camera recommendations? Would need to be able to easily swap between bikes. What does the collective think of Cycliq cameras?
Incidents like these make me despair of the human race....
Thanks for letting me offload!

I think Cycliq cost more than I want to risk losing if it falls off the bike. I've had two camera mounts work loose over the years, but found the camera both times. I'm currently using a £30 high street SJ4000 clone (replaceable rectangular battery and all), plus a couple of aftermarket vibration-damping handlebar mounts, described in old posts on here.

Be prepared to get far more use from it reporting potholes and vegetation than bad driving, though. There's often something incomplete/inconclusive about bad driving on camera, or at least it's not to police standard.

[fastpedaller]

If I had been in a car they wouldn't have overtaken me,
Incidents like these make me despair of the human race....

About 35 years ago I was driving a mk2 Ford Escort, and turning right (with indicators on) onto the housing estate where my Mother lived and some idiot overtook - fortunately I saw him in the door mirror, so no collision occurred. After I collected my nerves I stopped and checked, and YES the indicators were working. Like yourself I do despair at some of the antics. The other one I see often is a car (correctly) turning left into a side road, so the impatient one behind thinks it's ok to overtake because they can't (don't want to ) wait for the car to turn off - despite someone coming the other way. They also run the risk of someone turning left out of the minor road who can't see them through the car turning left. But Hey the insurance will pay, and unfortunately this is the stance the Police take, as they don't seem to prosecute if those circumstances lead to an 'accident'

[yakdiver]

I've had this quite a few time they just couldn't wait, on another road with keep left islands they have overtaken on the wrong side of the island, I have had this twice, lucky for them I didn't have my video camera with me.

[reohn2]

I've had the same thing happen to me on a few occasions even when there was acres of room to overtake me on the left.It's moronic behaviour from drivers who know there's little chance of ever being caught due to a complete lack of traffic policing.
Be careful out there IMHO the morons are on the increase.

Story alert.
The last three rides I've had four drivers overtake me giving me lots of room but in the face of oncoming traffic causing the oncoming drivers to brake heavily.The latest,today was on a left hand bend where I could see whilst riding in secondary position(about 1m from the kerb) the oncoming traffic easily.Mr Moroninafocus seemed oblivious and decides it's the ideal time to overtake completely in the opposing lane,the poor lady coming the other way had to do an ES to avoid a collision,loonies are "clowns to left of me,jokers to the right,here I am stuck in the middle....." sadly

[fastpedaller]

We're preaching to the converted (with this thread) of course. I once had someone do a close overtake and nearly collide with driver coming 'tother way. When I caught up with them I politely pointed out the error to which the driver said "I had to overtake you", to which I responded "you didn't have to, you chose to". She then repeated (by way of an explanation?) that she had to overtake. I genuinely think she was convinced that's what she HAD to do, and I suggested we call the Police to discuss whether she HAD to overtake. She declined the invitation

[flat tyre]

Yes I've also suffered the overtake by cars on several occasions even though I am clearly signalling right with outstretched arm and having moved right out into the lane for turning right positioning. Once or twice I've succeeded in blocking the would be overtake only to be subjected to verbal abuse once they pass on the left. It's all part of the joy of cycling.

[rmurphy195]

I'm a diver and it isn't acceptable, I've been "victim" to it many times when cycling.

[awavey]

we are preaching to the converted, but it helps to share the frustation I think, let off steam and offload about it especially with people who have been through the same things, else you can just bottle it up and thats no good for you in the long run, its important not to take it personally IMO.

and yeah its happened to me too, I feel its probably a 50% chance at all right turns if theres a car directly behind me theyll generally push for the overtake, sometimes just signalling seems to trigger them to accelerate to overtake,and often Ive had to pull my arm back in mid move to avoid it getting hit by the car.

the worst one I think I had was I was well into moving across the road into position as this car passed me,and as I was busy shouting & remonstrating with the driver as they passed me, the guy took both hands off the steering wheel and lifted them up as in a shrug style of "what else could I do" manner, I think that shocked me more than anything, and frankly only leads to me think half the people that try these moves are on something.

I do have a camera, cycliq fwiw because the GoPro Hero I originally had I found was utterly useless in the dark,though the cycliq isnt stellar on that part and the mountings are worse, but has it helped me? Im not sure, in several cases where Ive come closest to being knocked off, or the driver was really driving deliberately dangerously around me, it was dark,or twilight and I couldnt identify a clear number plate which scuppers the whole report them piece. And youll get close passed or someone will do something stupid that at the time really felt bad, but you watch it on the video and the way the angle of the lens on them works it distorts gaps and distances, so a close pass even within a foot, may look actually reasonably ok on replay. I dont know I just seem to end up storing terabytes of video for no overall gain, other than an its an insurance policy I guess I hope never to need to use.

[Redvee]

Riding home from work and there is an S bend with double white lines down the middle and a right turn after which I turn into, no need to check behind me initially for approaching cars as I can hear them and see the headlights. This night though I've indicated even though there is nothing close, shoulder check and move to the central white line then check again and see a car overtaing me on the wrong side of the road. Straight away I utter a few naughty words then add the driver's name to the expletives cause it's a work colleague.
Fast forward 18 hours when I have the time to catch up with him and ask about his drive home and explain that we're both talking today cause one of us is more aware of our surroundings on the road and cause of that he is in work and not a police station giving a statement. He tried to blame me for not indicating the turn but I explained I was indicating long before he approached and needed both hands on the bars to brake and make the turn, given the circumstances it's just as well I had both hands on the bars.

[Cunobelin]

One of the places an obvious helmet cam is useful.

Doesn't always work, but pointing it out does deter a lot of these stupid moves.

[fastpedaller]

One of the places an obvious helmet cam is useful.

Doesn't always work, but pointing it out does deter a lot of these stupid moves.

Is this a case for a 'little sign' on the back of the bike with a 'camera logo' on it? Would it be helpful, or would it have the opposite effect and goad the bad ones?

[pwa]

Just to answer the title question directly, I don't think most drivers do think that is acceptable. I believe that a dangerous minority do. It doesn't often happen to me.It happened a few years ago and I think I put in a little dummy move to worry the overtaking driver, making him/her think I was turning in to their path. I'm not recommending that, but it was what I did.