Bad commute today

[dand_uk]

Lovely day today, shame about the behaviour on the roads today.

Incident 1, approach archers road, banister road junction in soton, 2nd in queue. The lights go green for both directions of archers road, I am planning on going left from archers road to banister road. Car in front turns right, artic flatbed from opposite direction turns right at same time, I am then practically on the turn when a SECOND artic flatbed (rx07 dwu?) does the turn right causing me to stop. Dread to think wot would have happened otherwise.

Incident 2, on wide lane on road instead of bumpy, drive and side road infested shared pavement. VERY close overtake gets the two fingers. No particular reason why it was so close - punishment overtake?

Incident 3, similar situation to 2, again on road instead of even bumpier converted pavement since I have to use a toucan crossing to join the path on the other side of the road. I take primary as I'm approaching my right turn. I join filter lane to get some chavvy woman shout "psychopath(cyclepath?)"

Some days I feel hunted, today was one. First incident has no excuse. The other two are annoying since the delay to road users was minimal to non - they do not lose their place in the next queue. Maybe they're annoyed because they arrive at the back of the queue a few seconds later and therefore are delayed in sending their next text message. grr.

 

[BSRU]

I had a quiet commute this morning, apart from one nutcase overtaking me on a mini-RAB.
It's school holidays in Swindon, so alot less traffic than normal and drivers seem to be more relaxed.

 

[2Loose]

I've been very early this week and although there is far less traffic, some of the vehicles have been using the extra road space to act like twunts.

I followed a car yesterday who spent well over half a mile with the driver side wheels over the white line in the oncoming lane because it was attempting to overtake a bike. The overtake was never completed because the bike was moving the same speed as the car in front.

This morning at 6.30 someone felt the need to wheelspin away from every light and brake hard for the next one, despite the fact that it was the only car in sight. He also deliberately took up the ASL...and it was by someone old enough to know better.

As I only saw 4 or 5 cars each trip, 1 numpty is a pretty high percentage of drivers . The commute home in rush hour is much more civil!

 

[upsidedown]

Incident-free ride in this morning, and loads of cyclists out which was a bonus.

 

[gambatte]

Yesterday was fine for me, incident free ride in. Only cause for concern on the way home was caused by a ‘professional driver’. A private hire vehicle, which emerged from a side road on the left, when there’s no space in oncoming traffic for him to turn right. He was stood across both the main carriageway and the cycle lane. He did this when I was at full speed (for the flat) and close enough to have to apply the brakes relatively sharply. His passengers didn’t look too pleased with the “Oi!!” he got bellowed at him. I’m sure those lines on junctions are supposed to mean ‘give way’...?

 

[BentMikey]

Could I make a suggestion? Close overtakes can be improved over time if instead of swearing or pulling signs, you make a loud "OI" and a push out to the right motion with your right arm. Over time this has led to most of the regulars on my commute giving me loads and loads of space, even those who react with a pointing to the left after I've done this.

I usually feel less than good about some of the very angry cyclists we see on YouTube.

 

[twozeronine]

Close one today, coming through Bushy Park. Traffic coming in the opposite direction, all obeying the 20mph limit, with the exception of one idiot. He obviously didn't feel like being held up, so pulled out into my lane and accelerated towards me at about 30mph, giving me about 2 feet clearance. I gave him an earful as he went passed me and I heard someone beep him, but I doubt these types of people realise how stupid they're being.

 

[suecsi]

With roadworks in Kingston and Hampton Court (plus apparently there was some filming going on in Hampton Court) unfortunately there are probably idiots cutting through the park. It is usually very civilised in there with the 20mph limit. The shared path from Hampton Wick gate to Hampton Hill is also well paved and away from cars - if I decide to cycle all the way home, I use it. Lovely in this weather ..... now there's an idea for later .....

 

[gambatte]

Idiots everywhere.

I had to take the car for fuel last night. I was stood there as I watched this unfold:

Single deck bus pulls into bus stop alongside chevrons.

Following vehicles stop and wait.

3[sup]rd[/sup] car in queue decides he cant wait, wheel spins as he goes to shoot round bus – over the chevrons. Bus has already started to indicate he’s pulling out. He just gets past the bus and pulls left before the traffic island the chevrons approach....

4[sup]th[/sup] car in queue saw 3[sup]rd[/sup] car set off and decided to do the same. Only thing is.... he doesn’t get to the front of the bus before its level with the island.

Car ends up stood on chevrons indicating left whilst bus and several vehicles pass on his left – no one let him in. He was stood there for 30-40 seconds till a space naturally appeared.

 

[twozeronine]

With roadworks in Kingston and Hampton Court (plus apparently there was some filming going on in Hampton Court) unfortunately there are probably idiots cutting through the park. It is usually very civilised in there with the 20mph limit. The shared path from Hampton Wick gate to Hampton Hill is also well paved and away from cars - if I decide to cycle all the way home, I use it. Lovely in this weather ..... now there's an idea for later .....

Yeah, I very rarely have problems going through there. I didn't realise there might be some people using it as a diversion. They probably don't pay attention to road signs and wonder why everyone is keeping their speed down on a mile-long bit of straight road.

 

[dand_uk]

Sorry for my previous rant, I have now calmed down a bit.

BentMikey I agreed I shouldnt have given him the finger but in the heat of the moment I was angry at the idiot driving within a few cms of my handlebars. I have used the give me more space signal before too.

I think as the roads are emptier at the moment people have even less patience?! No logic.

 

[BentMikey]

BentMikey I agreed I shouldnt have given him the finger but in the heat of the moment I was angry at the idiot driving within a few cms of my handlebars. I have used the give me more space signal before too.

Awesome! And not at all, I think most people have gotten angrier than they should have and flicked a sign. I'm always amazed at how car drivers have no idea why cyclists get so angry after they've carelessly risked a cyclist's life.

 

[suecsi]

Yeah, I very rarely have problems going through there. I didn't realise there might be some people using it as a diversion. They probably don't pay attention to road signs and wonder why everyone is keeping their speed down on a mile-long bit of straight road.

Local Drivers: road signs! oh I wondered what they were - are they similar to the white right turn only arrow in the right hand lane at the bottom of Kingston Bridge, which means I can turn left instead and cut up everyone else on my left?

(sorry, but this is a bugbear of mine both in the car and on the bike, though I tend to use the cycle path over the bridge)

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Idiots everywhere.

I had to take the car for fuel last night. I was stood there as I watched this unfold:

Single deck bus pulls into bus stop alongside chevrons.

Following vehicles stop and wait.

3[sup]rd[/sup] car in queue decides he cant wait, wheel spins as he goes to shoot round bus – over the chevrons. Bus has already started to indicate he’s pulling out. He just gets past the bus and pulls left before the traffic island the chevrons approach....

4[sup]th[/sup] car in queue saw 3[sup]rd[/sup] car set off and decided to do the same. Only thing is.... he doesn’t get to the front of the bus before its level with the island.

Car ends up stood on chevrons indicating left whilst bus and several vehicles pass on his left – no one let him in. He was stood there for 30-40 seconds till a space naturally appeared.

I saw a very similar thing just 10 minutes ago as I came back to the office from my lunchtime cruise. Three cars in a row about to turn into the kindergarten near our office, me just behind another bloke on a bike going the other way. All three cars were indicating as best as I could see - Car 1 stopped just at the turning into the nursery car park to let some peds cross the entrance - fair enough. Car 2 stopped behind. Car 3 was having none of it and tried to go round the other two to go into the same place as they were waiting to get into: dunno what she though she was gonna do about the people crossing the road. Anyway, she spotted me and the other bike just as she got level with the back of Car 2, round about the same time as Cars 1 and 2 started moving again. Me and other bloke had both stopped and just stood there looking at her sat on the wrong side of the road. She motioned (angrily) for us to go round her but before either of us could move she changed her mind again and just went for it, shaking her head and moaning and muttering about something.

 

[downfader]

That junction at archers road has always been a bit iffy. I've always found that one a bit difficult. Been mostly quiet for me.

Have noticed some plank has been dragging the bollards and road signs into the road/cyclelane on the Itchen Bridge. Couldnt have that so put them back where they were safest (on the very wide pavement). Have also noticed some van drivers playing racy games the past 2 days, one came into the cyclelane as I rode up it so I wasnt that impressed.

Friday I did have a teen try and gob on me ...and an old dear barge into the road with a pram from behind a big SUV. I braked hard, luckily not going too fast. She then starts tutting at me. "Alright, mate!" I said and rode off. Baby dont stand a chance