rjb wrote:These signs are beginning to appear in Taunton. Spotted one near a school.
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Will it remind the school run drivers. Not too sure there.
They would actually have to read it, as the majority of drivers seem incapable of reading any roadsign i fear their impact is likely to be, well zero.
When i started riding, mid '70's, close passes were rare, cars were smaller, there were fewer of them, it wasn't an issue. In the last decade in particular, cars have grown by a good 50% in size, households have a vehicle for every eligible person which means that there is more on street parking, more hazzard, our space on the roads is forever being squeezed.
There does seem to be less close passing post Covid but maybe thats due to less traffic? Dunno but the close passes still seem to be the same classes of driver, female SUV drivers, older drivers in modern cars, tradesmen in vans. Oh i know other drivers do it too but if i had to put money down i'd go for these three. In most instances they don't even realise they are doing it, certainly the old drivers in modern cars, they've always sat in that position in the road, the fact that their latest wheels are maybe half a metre wider or more than the Ford Anglia they learnt in never crosses their mind.
I ride a lot of miles, mostly rural but neccesarily in urban areas too, so i see a broad spectrum of driving quality, a lot of which is very poor. Yesterday for example, i had several cars sit behind me when i expected they could safely pass, one close pass then immediate right turn, two late passes resulting in immediate hard braking and a close pass by a bus. Only one of those, the bus was in an urban setting the rest were on B roads.
My biggest bugbear is actually oncoming traffic on narrow/single track lanes, the default often seems to be drive as fast as you can, the bike will get out of the way, except often theres nowhere for the bike, ie me to go, no safe exit from the carriageway at all. I've become quite adept at fitting through gaps under 50cm wide, its either that or hit them head on, given their speed of approach there is no other alternative. Often, if they just slowed a little, we could pass much safer for both parties. On the same roads they don't try to pass from behind so its illogical why they do it head to head so to speak.
though was a n0.11 in rugby league, and anywhere they'd have me in union.
) without a definite a shape, they are either more wary, or more inclined to treat you more as just another vehicle. We do try to ensure that our lighting is pretty much on a par with most vehicles though, sure that contributes to it! 