Are people a little more polite now?

[Lovacott]

He was angry about this because in his opinion this just portrayed cyclists as dangerous, unpredictable and a cause of accidents and was instilling this view in drivers right at the beginning of their driving career.

On the other hand, I waver around in the road quite a bit because I don't have four ten inch wide wheels with which to ride over potholes or dodgy manhole covers. There is a big downhill section on my home bound commute which would be suicidal if I were to attempt it less than two metres away from the side. A lot of local club riders use the hill and they all hang well out from the edge due to protruding brambles (nasty), pot holes and fissures.

The law says that if I am in front, it is my right of way and I can use the whole width of the lane. It is the responsibility of the driver behind me to make sure that if he overtakes me, he does it safely.

So in the DVLA video, maybe what they are trying to demonstrate, is the very point I have just been trying to make above. The only safe way to overtake any vehicle, is on the other side of the road without impinging on any oncoming traffic.

Car drivers do it with tractors and JCB's so why should a 15mph cyclist be treated any differently to a 15mph tractor or JCB?

I'm a car driver as well as a bike rider and if I see a bike ahead, I stay back until it is safe for me to overtake on the other side of the road.

 

[Lovacott]

meh I’m sticking to my morning rides, like it’s been said before one moron can ruin a ride, and it’s transit drivers atm, that’s the 2nd time in as many weeks I have had a serious issue with one.

On Tuesday morning, I got a heap of abuse from a twenty something builder in the front passenger seat of a local builders van. I was approaching a roundabout and had right of way over the traffic entering from the left and there was a blue Transit about 20 yards away approaching from the left. I continued on to the roundabout and the Transit came to a halt (as it should).

But as the Transit was overtaking me on the exit road, it slowed down and this slack jawed thug kid started having a go at me out of his window. His big fat dad/foreman (whatever) was driving. The "C" word was used a couple of times and if I'd been any other colour than white, I'd have probably been told to "go back where you came from".

They kept this up for about ten seconds, I concentrated on my cycling and they gave up and drove off (doubtless to tell everyone at work how they'd just taught a "Lycra Luvvie" a real lesson). I can only assume that it occurred to them that I had more muscle in my left calf than they had on all of their bodies combined?

Meanwhile, the van was liveried and me and the missus have been getting quotes for a loft conversion and that particular firm was in joint pole position to win. The possibilities for a cold dish of revenge are mind boggling.

Which reminds me. I must get a helmet cam. Budget around £100.

Any recommendations?

 

[Drago]

On the other hand, I waver around in the road quite a bit because I don't have four ten inch wide wheels with which to ride over potholes or dodgy manhole covers. There is a big downhill section on my home bound commute which would be suicidal if I were to attempt it less than two metres away from the side. A lot of local club riders use the hill and they all hang well out from the edge due to protruding brambles (nasty), pot holes and fissures.

The law says that if I am in front, it is my right of way and I can use the whole width of the lane. It is the responsibility of the driver behind me to make sure that if he overtakes me, he does it safely.

So in the DVLA video, maybe what they are trying to demonstrate, is the very point I have just been trying to make above. The only safe way to overtake any vehicle, is on the other side of the road without impinging on any oncoming traffic.

Car drivers do it with tractors and JCB's so why should a 15mph cyclist be treated any differently to a 15mph tractor or JCB?

I'm a car driver as well as a bike rider and if I see a bike ahead, I stay back until it is safe for me to overtake on the other side of the road.

The law says no such thing.

There is no such thing as "right of way" with respect to moving traffic regulations.

Recommendation - do not mount anything solid upon your helmet, unless you would be happy to have it rammed through your skull in the event of an off.

 

[Notafettler]

No.
The more people I meet the more I like my dog.

 

[Lovacott]

The law says no such thing.
There is no such thing as "right of way" with respect to moving traffic regulations.

Maybe "right of way" was not the right expression to use in this context?

But, if you are in front, the road is yours and the onus is on the person behind you to not risk your safety when they try to overtake.

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/using-the-road-overtaking.html

 

[Drago]

There is only "priority".

Priority is a commodity you give to other road users, not one that a road user takes for oneself.

 

[Lovacott]

There is only "priority".
Priority is a commodity you give to other road users, not one that a road user takes for oneself.

When it comes to priority, steam gives way to sail but there surely has to be a level of common sense attached to the equation?

My half of the bargain is that I will give priority to anybody behind me on a country lane by pulling over and letting them pass.

I'd like that same level of consideration from someone behind me when I am cycling down the A377 in a thunderstorm.

 

[Lovacott]

You'll only get that if you stop jumping red lights, start paying road tax, stop mowing down and killing literally thousands of kiddies and grannies on the pavement, and above all - stop being "smug" (in other words, stop making people feel bad about themselves).

Only this morning, I caused three major crashes and my lack of road tax payments meant that sixteen poor kids had to go without free school dinners.

 

[Johnno260]

Like it's been said drivers overtake things far larger than a bike with no issue I can't see why bikes are difficult, if the vehicle behind me decided to overtake on a blind corner, that's on them for making a dumb choice, not mine for using the road.

With the "road tax" thing I have destroyed people at work for saying I need to pay road tax, It resorted to me saying I pay more council tax and running 2 cars and bikes means I pay more VAT so maybe he should get off my road as he has paid less to use it.

Also explained it they want legislation put in place for a free vehicle then that's tax money wasted, but hey you can't educate stupid people.

 

[Lovacott]

With the "road tax" thing I have destroyed people at work for saying I need to pay road tax.

I get the road tax argument all of the time at work. The fact that I am not using the car (which I have paid road tax for), eludes them.

The fact that the vast majority of cyclists also drive cars seems to go over their heads as well.

Apparently, if you get on a bike and go for a morning ride down a quiet country lane, you are a menace to society.

But it's okay to give your five year old son a bike for his birthday (it's expected).

The logic of the anti cycling brigade is brilliant.

 

[Pikey]

On Tuesday morning, I got a heap of abuse from a twenty something builder in the front passenger seat of a local builders van. I was approaching a roundabout and had right of way over the traffic entering from the left and there was a blue Transit about 20 yards away approaching from the left. I continued on to the roundabout and the Transit came to a halt (as it should).

But as the Transit was overtaking me on the exit road, it slowed down and this slack jawed thug kid started having a go at me out of his window. His big fat dad/foreman (whatever) was driving. The "C" word was used a couple of times and if I'd been any other colour than white, I'd have probably been told to "go back where you came from".

They kept this up for about ten seconds, I concentrated on my cycling and they gave up and drove off (doubtless to tell everyone at work how they'd just taught a "Lycra Luvvie" a real lesson). I can only assume that it occurred to them that I had more muscle in my left calf than they had on all of their bodies combined?

Meanwhile, the van was liveried and me and the missus have been getting quotes for a loft conversion and that particular firm was in joint pole position to win. The possibilities for a cold dish of revenge are mind boggling.

Which reminds me. I must get a helmet cam. Budget around £100.

Any recommendations?

Chilli bullet cam 100%

 

[Lovacott]

Chilli bullet cam 100%

Looks good. I am going to buy one and use it.

Cheers.

 

[Pikey]

Looks good. I am going to buy one and use it.

Cheers.

I got two recently in a special deal they were running. I can’t fault the company at all, great delivery and communication even under the current conditions... Nice little cams, pretty unobtrusive on the bars, I don’t like putting lights and cams on my lid too much as I can’t be bothered to find the right position for it!
I quite like having a rear facing one for the tail gating close passers.

 

[Lovacott]

I got two recently in a special deal they were running. I can’t fault the company at all, great delivery and communication even under the current conditions... Nice little cams, pretty unobtrusive on the bars, I don’t like putting lights and cams on my lid too much as I can’t be bothered to find the right position for it!
I quite like having a rear facing one for the tail gating close passers.

Great information. Cheers mate.

 

[Johnno260]

I’m looking at the chilli cam as well now, it’s to the point where I think dash cam and cycle cams are essential kit.

Too many idiots, I think the initial politeness from C-19 is well and truly gone, it’s to the point where I’m considering hanging up the road bike and investing in a good mountain bike and finding some nice trails