A trio of videos

[rliu]

Certainly one of the less hospitable places to cycle in London. Not surprising that I went there today I noticed 3 riders in the space of 30 minutes using cameras. As for these incidents, I very much doubt the police would be interested.

There are a lot worse places to be honest, Old Kent Road and New Cross are always horrendous, it's calmed down a fair bit by Catford

 

[bianchi1]

I was about a foot over the middle lines, but I was trying to stay out of the way of the traffic coming up behind me to turn right, particularly seeing as there is a row of parked cars on the left side kerb. The truck barely had to slow to get past me so I have no idea why the driver shouted at me, other than because he thinks he's a big man in a big truck and everyone should steer a country mile clear of him out of deference.

Try to remember you are traffic. You don't have to get out of the way of it. Especially if that means having get into the path of oncoming traffic to turn right.

 

[rliu]

Try to remember you are traffic. You don't have to get out of the way of it. Especially if that means having get into the path of oncoming traffic to turn right.

A fair point, but unlike what is presumed by some in this thread, I try to be courteous and on my daily commute on that road, average sized cars coming from both directions of traffic can get round me while I'm waiting to turn right, in this case even the lorry was able to, but obviously I was dealing with a lorry driver who has no respect for cyclists and prefers to come past me and act aggressively towards me than wait 10 seconds to let me turn and in the process make life easier for the traffic behind me.

 

[bianchi1]

A fair point, but unlike what is presumed by some in this thread, I try to be courteous and on my daily commute on that road, average sized cars coming from both directions of traffic can get round me while I'm waiting to turn right, in this case even the lorry was able to, but obviously I was dealing with a lorry driver who has no respect for cyclists and prefers to come past me and act aggressively towards me than wait 10 seconds to let me turn and in the process make life easier for the traffic behind me.

Be courteous by all means, but it is not the cyclists job to but themselves "a foot over the line" into on coming traffic so that someone else can shave 5 seconds of their commute. By being so subservient it reinforces the idea that we are second class road users. Stand your ground, take a positive road position, make eye contact with divers behind and make them wait...it wont kill them. Cycling into the path of a angry truck driver may however prove fatal.

 

[Lemond]

While I'm not sure I agree with the lorry driver's full choice of words, I can't help but agree that putting yourself into his path like that was rather silly.

 

[vickster]

Yes, why would you sit to the right of the centre line to turn right when there is traffic coming the other way? You wouldn't do it in a car would you to allow other traffic to pass behind you surely?

 

[Lemond]

In the first video the taxi shouldn't overtake in that manner; the driver showed no patience. Of course, if the cyclist turning left had indicated his intention, the situation could have been avoided.

As for the second video, the OP can hardly blame the taxi.

 

[raleighnut]

Glad I don't ride in that there London

 

[jonny jeez]

Zzzzzzzz.


Why?

 

[ianrauk]

Glad I don't ride in that there London

Indeed. London is the only place in the whole country where there are problems between bikes and cars.

 

[jonny jeez]

Glad I don't ride in that there London

Trust me, videos like this are proportionally rare (and these were fairly non events)

 

[Mugshot]

I was about a foot over the middle lines, but I was trying to stay out of the way of the traffic coming up behind me to turn right, particularly seeing as there is a row of parked cars on the left side kerb. The truck barely had to slow to get past me so I have no idea why the driver shouted at me, other than because he thinks he's a big man in a big truck and everyone should steer a country mile clear of him out of deference.

By which I asume you mean a foot over into the on coming traffic which is stupid and dangerous and unnecessary, I winced when I watched it, as has been pointed out, you wouldn't do it with any other vehicle so don't do it on a bike. Whilst the HGV driver was rather brusque in his choice of words if you were over the centre line I agree with the sentiment.

 

[Milkfloat]

In my count I see crap driving by taxi once and crap riding by OP twice. Everything else seems fairly normal / as expected to me.

 

[Roadrider48]

Not currently riding due to surgery.
But I usually ride everyday in London and I can't honestly remember the last time I had an altercation of any kind by a motorist.
I actually think most London motorists are quite clued up when it comes to driving around bikes.
You get the odd tosser, but that applies in most things in life.

 

[cd365]

In my count I see crap driving by taxi once and crap riding by OP twice. Everything else seems fairly normal / as expected to me.

I agree with this. I wouldn't post non-event videos like these on here