Cycling UK Forum

I mean why are we so selective when commenting about the rude or idiotic behaviour we see on the roads? The last few weeks especially forum users seem quick to bleat about car drivers (and most are probably car drivers of no more than average skill or courtesy themselves) while remaining blind to the fools we see among our own two wheeled ranks. Something about casting the first stone...?

I can understand it for the outrageous or really dangerous stuff, but taking to the internet and complaining about being simply beeped...? Whatever next? A thread called "A motorist looked at me a bit funny today"...?

I sometimes wonder how the sensitive souls among the membership survive in public without bursting into tears several times a day.

I agree, some contributors can appear to be sensitive! But, from my experience a beep usually precedes a stupid/dangerous manoeuvre. If not, it usually indicates a driver who 'hasn't got a bloody clue' and therefore is a potential threat to your safety.

It wasn't a particularly aggressive beep, but as the car was almost alongside me it wasn't so much a warning, but "Oh my God if the cyclist doesn't keep a straight line there's going to be a collision either between me and the cyclist or the car coming in the opposite direction as the gaps are small." It was done in panic in my view. ie I've made a "mess" of driving my car. I thought it was completely unnecessary and showed a lack of thinking ahead.

I agree that if you ride away from the kerb, motorists usually give a wider clearance. There are many who are very good, but unfortunately not enough.

Lance Dopestrong wrote:I sometimes wonder how the sensitive souls among the membership survive in public without bursting into tears several times a day.

So you're saying people that post videos of close passes on the forum are obviously being too sensitive and shouldn't be doing it because of that. I posted withou a video.

Obviously close passes are norm for you and don't bother you. If so that's fine, but I find they are uncomfortable and potentially dangerous, and judging by comments on the forum others do too and hence campaigns to give a wide passing clearance.

A major reason many don't cycle is cycling's regarded as too dangerous and only for nutters and close proximity and speed of motor vehicles is the main factor.

Just to add my two penneth worth, I'm a very new cyclist, I've been driving for 6 years now but I only realised I could stay on two wheels about a month ago, so personally close passes and beeping would make me very uncomfortable, hence why throughout my driving history I have always since day 1 made sure that if it is safe to do so, I pass cyclists by moving entirely into the oncoming lane in order to give a full lane of space and when it is not safe to do so, I just don't overtake until there is a chance to give an absolute minimum of 3/4 of a lane space. The amount of people I see behind me nearly clipping cyclists is ridiculous and is certainly part of why I was nervous about getting on a bike.

So in conclusion, I think posting about potentially dangerous driving is useful just to raise awareness and maybe even to raise awareness for us newbies to learn how to keep control when something like that happens.

Jack

It's a mistake to ride too close to the kerb for it invites close passes; I did it on the occasion posted. It was a relatively quiet street and having just climbed a steep hill (for me - Rotherfield Lane) I was relaxing a bit and cycling leisurely. The motorist then chose to overtake me through the narrow gap between me and an oncoming car. There was a line of parked cars, so basically 4 vehicles abreast. Not only that I was beeped to indicate she was giving me "inches" clearance.

It's a pity that in order to drive a car you don't have to pass a test for cycling in traffic on the road, but that won't happen, of course. IIRC there was a petition for that but I think signatories were low.

So always cycle away from the edge. Motor vehicles will then have to overtake you and not "pass" you.

It's strange, but, people seem to 'get beeped' when they don't take the the lane, rather than when they do. Perhaps the driver does it when they think there is a chance of 'squeezing' past, and not, when they obviously can't.
Speaking to an 'experienced' cyclist the other night, I was surprised to hear him say that he had heard that cyclists should ride much further out in the road, and he was surprised that this was a good idea