A white van approaches...

[magnatom]

and luckily I spot him. He isn't going to slow down and there is no space to pass safely. I swerve to avoid collision.

View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-nfLJ1v4z7s




I wonder if Mr Hippo will question my use of the word swerve....?

 

[dodgy]

Sorry, can't see what the fuss is about.

Dave.

 

[domtyler]

You are let down by your positioning there Magna, all joking apart. You have left a gap big enough to [almost!] fit a Transit van through. So, understandably, he took it. Had you been positioned correctly, three feet further over to the right, that manoeuvre would not have been possible for him.

 

[magnatom]

You are let down by your positioning there Magna, all joking apart. You have left a gap big enough to [almost!] fit a Transit van through. So, understandably, he took it. Had you been positioned correctly, three feet further over to the right, that manoeuvre would not have been possible for him.

I completely agree. I was wondering if anyone would spot that. I almost called the video 'My Mistake' but i didn't want to bias the discussion. Yes I should have had been more primary. Obviously the driver was an idiot, but I could have prevented it by being more assertive.

I've been a little less assertive recently and I think I've had a couple of incidents because of it (or should I say I haven't been able to prevent them). Hopefully just a phase I am going through.

 

[magnatom]

Sorry, can't see what the fuss is about.

Dave.

Look at the gap between the van and the parked car about 3 ft. Had I not braked (quite hard) and swerved I would have been there. How wide is a bike? 1.5 ft perhaps, leaving 1.5 ft to be shared between the space between me/parked car and me/van.

Yes your right, not much to fuss over really....

 

[cannondale boy]

You are let down by your positioning there Magna, all joking apart. You have left a gap big enough to [almost!] fit a Transit van through. So, understandably, he took it. Had you been positioned correctly, three feet further over to the right, that manoeuvre would not have been possible for him.

Would have to agree with this one...you should of stood your ground as the wvm wouldn't of got past you if you were in primary. I personally would of not swerved to let the wvm past.

 

[magnatom]

Would have to agree with this one...you should of stood your ground as the wvm wouldn't of got past you if you were in secondary. I personally would of not swerved to let the wvm past.

My initial positioning was not great, but when I turned and see the van approaching there was no way I was going to stay in its' way. I am sure he was above 30mph as he passed and as there was traffic on the other side (notice the car that swerves around the packed bus shortly afterwards) I wasn't going to risk it just to make a point.

I had to use my escape route. Thank goodness there was one.

 

[Cab]

I'm in two minds. Might have maintained primary (further out than Mag. was) or may have swerved in and slowed, ushering the van past. But I would have been starting from further out into the road. The problem here is that by starting in a fairly passive road position, you're inviting conflict.

 

[magnatom]

I'm in two minds. Might have maintained primary (further out than Mag. was) or may have swerved in and slowed, ushering the van past. But I would have been starting from further out into the road. The problem here is that by starting in a fairly passive road position, you're inviting conflict.

Yes I agree. I know there are always cars parked there, and in the past I have held the primary. Haven't been as good recently. My cycling mind is just a wee bit out of focus at the moment, hopefully the fog will clear soon.

I thought it was worth posting though as an example of why a submissive road position can lead to problems.

Oh and the van should still have slowed even despite my position. I assume we all agree with that?

 

[domtyler]

Oh and the van should still have slowed even despite my position. I assume we all agree with that?

That is irrelevant. When out cycling on the roads we need to deal with real world behaviour not "ideal world" stuff.

 

[magnatom]

That is irrelevant. When out cycling on the roads we need to deal with real world behaviour not "ideal world" stuff.

Of course it's relevant!

A good driver should predict that a cyclist is approaching a hazard and is likely to need more space, and hang back. The fact that he did not do this indicates that he was unable or unwilling to think ahead or to take account of the possible consequences of his actions. That is always relevant.

Anyway, Dom, I realise that I shocked you by completely agreeing with you. You probably just felt that you had to say something that I wouldn't like....

 

[Cab]

Yes I agree. I know there are always cars parked there, and in the past I have held the primary. Haven't been as good recently. My cycling mind is just a wee bit out of focus at the moment, hopefully the fog will clear soon.

I thought it was worth posting though as an example of why a submissive road position can lead to problems.

None of us always get that right

The thing is, its counter intuitive to think that people will choose to pass dangerously close, and that therefore the place to be is right in front of them. And however much you practice, I don't believe that an assertive cyclists positioning instinct is ever entirely perfect.

Oh and the van should still have slowed even despite my position. I assume we all agree with that?

Absolutely.

 

[domtyler]

Of course it's relevant!

A good driver should predict that a cyclist is approaching a hazard and is likely to need more space, and hang back. The fact that he did not do this indicates that he was unable or unwilling to think ahead or to take account of the possible consequences of his actions. That is always relevant.

Anyway, Dom, I realise that I shocked you by completely agreeing with you. You probably just felt that you had to say something that I wouldn't like....

No, I'll stick with my initial position that it was irrelevant. We should always plan for the worst case scenario not what an ideal driver would do in an ideal world if he had just come away from a highway code study party.

 

[magnatom]

No, I'll stick with my initial position that it was irrelevant. We should always plan for the worst case scenario not what an ideal driver would do in an ideal world if he had just come away from a highway code study party.

....and your cycling is perfect then Dom...?

 

[domtyler]

....and your cycling is perfect then Dom...?

Not perfect but pretty good. I certainly would have avoided that incident.