andytheflyer
Guru
- Location
- South Cheshire
I need a rant.....
I live in a small village and I bike to the local shops on my hybrid - it's only half a mile max. Just been out to get some bread for lunch, pulled out of the drive, road clear both ways, no traffic either way, but visibility to the right down the hill is poor at the best of times past cars parked on my side of the road. Cars parked on the right up the hill as usual so only one lane up the hill to the church. Quickly aware in the mirror of a tipper truck coming up behind me at speed maybe 60 yards behind. I had 50 yards to go to a LHS pull-in at the church, so took primary up to the pull in as there could be just enough room for a truck to try squeeze past - car OK with care (and I usually do let them past), but truck very marginal, and definitely dangerous.
That set him off. Air horns blaring but I was not going to be intimidated. Pressed on up the hill, indicated left and pulled in to a cacophony of air horns, at which point he came to a halt (and I stopped behind him) because there was not enough room to get around a car coming the other way - but he squeezed through and the car driver was clearly similarly angry about the truck's driving. I delayed him for all of 5 seconds.
There was the big yellow warning sticker on the back of the truck about cyclists not passing up the inside. Ho ho. Didn't get the reg - covered in mud.
Followed him down the hill now to a x-roads in the middle of the village, where he proceeded to turn left past the shops through two lines of parked cars, at speed, with barely a fag paper either side - horn blaring all the way. Watched him turn right at the end of the shops but no company name - plain white cab - so no one to ring and chase. Dibble won't care so no point in ringing them. There is a new building site down the hill a bit, went there to see if they'd sent the truck out, but not from them - they are sending their muck away from the village so downhill (very sensible).
I can now see how people get killed in London - they either pass up the inside, or get left hooked, or give in to intimidation. Fortunately, I'm prepared to take primary and hold it until I'm prepared to be passed - I learned that on the old ACU motorcycle training course many years ago - manage the traffic behind you. I can easily see how someone less stroppy (or confident) than me would come off worst.
And breathe.... (I'm shaking.....)
I live in a small village and I bike to the local shops on my hybrid - it's only half a mile max. Just been out to get some bread for lunch, pulled out of the drive, road clear both ways, no traffic either way, but visibility to the right down the hill is poor at the best of times past cars parked on my side of the road. Cars parked on the right up the hill as usual so only one lane up the hill to the church. Quickly aware in the mirror of a tipper truck coming up behind me at speed maybe 60 yards behind. I had 50 yards to go to a LHS pull-in at the church, so took primary up to the pull in as there could be just enough room for a truck to try squeeze past - car OK with care (and I usually do let them past), but truck very marginal, and definitely dangerous.
That set him off. Air horns blaring but I was not going to be intimidated. Pressed on up the hill, indicated left and pulled in to a cacophony of air horns, at which point he came to a halt (and I stopped behind him) because there was not enough room to get around a car coming the other way - but he squeezed through and the car driver was clearly similarly angry about the truck's driving. I delayed him for all of 5 seconds.
There was the big yellow warning sticker on the back of the truck about cyclists not passing up the inside. Ho ho. Didn't get the reg - covered in mud.
Followed him down the hill now to a x-roads in the middle of the village, where he proceeded to turn left past the shops through two lines of parked cars, at speed, with barely a fag paper either side - horn blaring all the way. Watched him turn right at the end of the shops but no company name - plain white cab - so no one to ring and chase. Dibble won't care so no point in ringing them. There is a new building site down the hill a bit, went there to see if they'd sent the truck out, but not from them - they are sending their muck away from the village so downhill (very sensible).
I can now see how people get killed in London - they either pass up the inside, or get left hooked, or give in to intimidation. Fortunately, I'm prepared to take primary and hold it until I'm prepared to be passed - I learned that on the old ACU motorcycle training course many years ago - manage the traffic behind you. I can easily see how someone less stroppy (or confident) than me would come off worst.
And breathe.... (I'm shaking.....)
