shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
- Location
- Manchester way
I've driven Mrs SB into work this morning and pleasantly surprised to see quite a few people riding into work.
All told no surprises, 99+% of us driving and riding are doing ok just getting from A to B in one piece, a few fall short and into nobberdom irrespective of having an engine or not.
The thing that bothers me though is the low expectations cyclists have on being passed by cars. I'm not a shrinking violet when riding, I hold primary when `i need to & a close pass to me is when I can flick an elbow out and touch the vehicle.
When driving I make sure I wait for a clear stretch and I pass textbook style, if I back up other cars = tough. It was clear that by waiting 10-15 feet back in non revvy gears and rolling along at the bike pace until it was safe to go past Highway Code stylee. I was making cyclists rather nervous or confused.
I was getting far more backward glances and long hard stares even if just 20-30 seconds sat there with traffic streaming the other way. A couple of riders even deviated from a decent if not quite primary line right into the gutter, one when clearly coming up to a line of parked cars, all clearly unsure what I was doing waiting and whether consciously or not seemed to be willing me past them.
My effort to be a good and considerate driver seemed to make them more nervous than had I been the standard must-get-past that we all encounter from a few feet to a few inches away but none with any great patience to wait.
On the upside, the cars that I'd got behind me in waiting also took the same proper wide across the central line as me past the bikes.
A driver trying to do it absolutely by the book though seems such a rarity that cyclists don't know quite what they're up to or how to respond.
I wonder if I might be better for other cyclists self confidence by still being safe and giving several feet of room but not quite so prissy about passing? It that disappoints me that I should have to consider if it is better to do it wrong to not distract the riders or make them feel obliged to get out of my way.
All told no surprises, 99+% of us driving and riding are doing ok just getting from A to B in one piece, a few fall short and into nobberdom irrespective of having an engine or not.
The thing that bothers me though is the low expectations cyclists have on being passed by cars. I'm not a shrinking violet when riding, I hold primary when `i need to & a close pass to me is when I can flick an elbow out and touch the vehicle.
When driving I make sure I wait for a clear stretch and I pass textbook style, if I back up other cars = tough. It was clear that by waiting 10-15 feet back in non revvy gears and rolling along at the bike pace until it was safe to go past Highway Code stylee. I was making cyclists rather nervous or confused.
I was getting far more backward glances and long hard stares even if just 20-30 seconds sat there with traffic streaming the other way. A couple of riders even deviated from a decent if not quite primary line right into the gutter, one when clearly coming up to a line of parked cars, all clearly unsure what I was doing waiting and whether consciously or not seemed to be willing me past them.
My effort to be a good and considerate driver seemed to make them more nervous than had I been the standard must-get-past that we all encounter from a few feet to a few inches away but none with any great patience to wait.
On the upside, the cars that I'd got behind me in waiting also took the same proper wide across the central line as me past the bikes.
A driver trying to do it absolutely by the book though seems such a rarity that cyclists don't know quite what they're up to or how to respond.
I wonder if I might be better for other cyclists self confidence by still being safe and giving several feet of room but not quite so prissy about passing? It that disappoints me that I should have to consider if it is better to do it wrong to not distract the riders or make them feel obliged to get out of my way.
