Almost mangled this morning

[JamesAC]

I suggest that when it's done conservatively the following cars understand perfectly, for me it when I'm travelling at the speed of the traffic or where the lane is clearly only wide enough for one vehicle

.. that's the major problem. The car(s) following do NOT understand at all. They cannot work out why the cyclist in front of them, trundling along at 15 mph or so, apparantly randomly signals and moves out into the middle of the lane. Maybe they think (ok - I know they don't think) that he is going to turn right. When he doesn't, they are confused and frustrated, so they do what's natural for motorists, they attempt to overtake.

Then, they suddenly notice that a) there's a bus coming in the opposite direction; there's a traffic island in the middle of the road; c) there are parked cars all over the place. So what do they do? They abandon the overtaking manouver, and pull back to the left- right where you are!! If they notice you at all, (about 50% chance) they'll hoot at you, as though it's your fault that they attempted a stupid manouver in the face of a, b and c above; if they don't see you, you might get mangled.

Which is why you adopt primary position in these circumstances (any one or more of a, b or c). Because when the inevitable happens, you've got 1.5 m of space, created by you, on your left hand side into which you can swerve and brake.

Why adopt primary if it's going to lead to such difficulties, you might ask. Well, the motons will be encouraged to overtake you if you are not in primary position, and if any one or more of a,b or c crop up, they will still pull to the left: and you've got nowhere to go!!

It's happened several times to me this week: I've been hooted at and glared at by completely stupid drivers who, not being fit to be on the road, have attempted dangerous overtakes, and failed. But, because I was in primary, I was able to find some safe space.

I am thinking about writing a letter to the local rag, appealing to drivers to just think about it for a couple of seconds before pulling out and attemping to overtake. It would make life so much more pleasant!!

I'm so p*ss*d off at the moment.

 

[Cab]

Primary position means blocking motorists no?

No. Theres another side of the road, they can overtake. If you find you're holding them up and can find a safe place to let them pass then do so. In practice it means that where it is safe to overtake they can overtake. That isn't holding them up.

 

[JamesAC]

On the other hand, from time to time, responsible and thoughtful motorists do hold back (cf a post I made recently about a Murphy's truck) -- all it needs is a couple of seconds, then they can (usually) overtake in safety. I give a big wave of thankyou to such chaps (and occasionally, but not often, chapesses).

 

[Terminator]

To car drivers it appears to be blocking motorists whereas for cyclists it is the safer choice between holding up a motorist for a few seconds or being railroaded into the gutter.

T x

Well I manage okay.

 

[cannondale boy]

I think some drivers can be very impatient...a bike takes how much room on the road? one metre. A car? three metres.

That one metre of the road that you take, they don't give a monkeys as long as they are in front of you. Its darn right selfish if you ask me. Some drivers on our roads need to resit there tests again.

 

[Cab]

It is one of the more common insane things I come across; you're trundling along in traffic, all of a sudden the car behind comes alongside and starts pulling in, even trying to get into a gap that isn't there between you and the car in front. Starting off in primary position really helps, but it isn't an absolute defense. Sadly, I don't think that there IS a perfect solution.

 

[magnatom]

It is one of the more common insane things I come across; you're trundling along in traffic, all of a sudden the car behind comes alongside and starts pulling in, even trying to get into a gap that isn't there between you and the car in front. Starting off in primary position really helps, but it isn't an absolute defense. Sadly, I don't think that there IS a perfect solution.

Yes there is........ ban cars!

 

[MartinC]

Yes, I often find cars blocking me. Is this allowed? Who should I complain to? Am I allowed to kill them?

 

[HJ]

You must have been wearing one of those bright yellow invisibility jackets, drivers just can see you if you wear one...

 

[cannondale boy]

This is a perfect example of a car trying to squeeze past a cyclist.
The driver hit the front of the wheel by overtaking...numpty! Not my video though.


View: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=l4IrpcigKwk

 

[Tony]

I was yelled and hooted at by two car drivers the other day for taking primary...on a walled narrow hump backed railway bridge, then for SECONDARY on the descent and blind left hander on the other side. I can only assume they thought I shoulkd have been in the hedge---no footpath. One of them was in a BMW of course.
But last night.....I rode to work at Gatwick, and came under the South terminal ramp. To find a bus nose to nose with a car,
The driver had obviously done a U-turn. In a one way system, as a safe'n'experienced COASTer...fortunately, when she met the parking service bus it was BEFORE the blind right hander (bus driver viewpoint) so that he had time to see her coming and emergency stop.
According to the passengers, she was a banker. Or ranker. Or tanker. I couldn't hear clearly.

 

[Tynan]

rolled up to lights at a crossroads this morning, two lanes, a car is very tight to the curb and crooked and indicating left, he's come from a left turn right tight to the junction

with the benefit of hindsight, his indicator is still on from that ...

anyhow he's half into the ASL so I pass on his right and take a position well forward leaving him space to turn left, off I go leaving it a little later than usual to move over to primary to pick up the bus lane on the other side

quick check over my left shoulder just in case, the bloke comes tearing up my inside to get through the gap before I move over, appalling incredible danger because he knew full ****ing well that I was going to move over and I might well have done hadn't I have allowed him space to straighten up before turning

I went ballistic but he was off, to join heavy traffic 100 yards later, I was very keen on discussing the incident but far too many grey silver shitbox saloons in the queue, fairly sure it was some fat middle aged idiot in shirt sleeves

might be my top deliberate piece of bad driving, no more consideration from me at that junction, god knows I don't show much anyway where I can see potential for danger