Bashed a car today

[JamesAC]

There I was, cycling along (in a cycle lane ) with two lanes of traffic on my right. Approaching TLs, two lines of stationary traffic. I happen to know that there is an ASL at the TLs, so I start to filter (with care, looking out for left indicators etc). Suddenly, as I was passing a car, it started to pull left into the cycle lane. I yelled, and still it came on, until the wing and mirror were mm from me. I yelled even louder and veered sharply to the left (I ALWAYS leave a bit of room on my left!!!). The car stopped, and a woman gazed at me in a blank sort of way, mumbled something and then CARRIED ON. So I whacked the roof of her car really hard. She stopped. I cycled round to the front offside window, and asked (in a rather un-gentlemanly sort of way "What the f*ck do you think you are doing??" She said that she hadn't heard me. "Heard me!" I yelled - "You didn't see me -- because you weren't looking, you stupid cow!"

The lights changed, and several nearby cars gave me a very wide berth .

I caught up with the Stupid Cow a mile or so later on - she was wearing headphones, with music so loud I could hear it 10 yards away. She was oblivious to anything and anyone.

There's a lot to be said for getting rid of cycle lanes on the road. They are ignored and abused by motorists, and they encourage cyclists (like me!) into dangerous situations.

 

[hackbike 666]

Cycle lanes are not to blame for poor driving.

 

[magnatom]

Cycle lanes are not to blame for poor driving.

Very true, but (poorly designed and thought out) cycle lanes often increase the risk of being affected by poor driving.

 

[Joe24]

Just dont bother with most cycle lanes. Much safer. You do get people telling you to get into them though, but you just blank them.

 

[hackbike 666]

Very true, but (poorly designed and thought out) cycle lanes often increase the risk of being affected by poor driving.

...and that's where the beauty of cycle lanes exist.You don't have to use them if you don't want to.

 

[Riverman]

She really is stupid if she wears headphones in a car.

There can't be many of these people around because wearing headphones in a car seems beyond the stupidity of most people.

But then I guess there are enough cyclists out there who seem unaware of the dangers of cycling with headphones on high volume. I imagine some even wear inear noise-isolating ones. Or the added emphasis not to do this in traffic.

 

[handsome joe]

Cycle lanes assume motor vehicle drivers and cyclists are all law-abiding, competent and safe. We all know this is not the case and the high mortality rate, especially in London, makes the case. As a Country if we want to encourage more people to cycle this is not the way to go. I am in my mid thirties and cycled since my teens. I am still making mistakes and learning how to cycle better. I feel fairly confident in my cycling skills but that's because i try to anticipate drivers behaviour. What if someone hasn't developed these skills yet?

 

[mad al]

another case of motorists rule and sod any and everything else

 

[ComedyPilot]

I think the motoring and some of the cycling community think because there are cycle 'paths', then all cyclists should use them.

Personally, if I am on my 'racer' I will not use them, as I want to go fast. Likewise, if I have a head of steam on my MTB Hybrid, then I will use the road - it's too dangerous to go charging around on a path. If I am just mooching A to B on my hybrid/tourer, and not in a hurry, I will use the cycle path.

I will also use them if they are 'dedicated' and go where I want to go - like this one: http://www.solar.york.ac.uk/Sustrans_route/sustrans_route.html

 

[semislickstick]

Cycle lanes just need concrete(or some other eco friendly, hard, car stopping solid thing) bollards instead of the white lines.

 

[addictfreak]

I very rarely cycle in the cycle lane, dont know about where you guys live but round here the lanes are full of crap. Road sweepers seem to be a thing of the past.

I find most motorists to be ok, but like many other walks of life there is the odd retard. Had a lady the other day who very nearly hit me on a roundabout (her fault i had right of way), luckily if was looking into her car and could see she hadnt seen me. Anyway after having to slam on her brakes, off she drives screaming 'tosser' out of her window!
The moral is if your going to abuse me make sure there are no traffic lights within a 100 yards. Sure enough a red light stopped her and I rolled up by her open window. I was quite polite and suggested that if wasnt swearing at her then it would be good manners for her to do the same. Suitably embarrassed, she said sorry and added that she wouldnt have hit me on purpose. After I asked if it was ok to accidentally kill me she was even more red in the face. I find a little sarcasism often does the trick.

I was actually more concerned about my new bike, had only ridden it twice!

 

[Joe24]

I very rarely cycle in the cycle lane, dont know about where you guys live but round here the lanes are full of crap. Road sweepers seem to be a thing of the past.

I find most motorists to be ok, but like many other walks of life there is the odd retard. Had a lady the other day who very nearly hit me on a roundabout (her fault i had right of way), luckily if was looking into her car and could see she hadnt seen me. Anyway after having to slam on her brakes, off she drives screaming 'tosser' out of her window!
The moral is if your going to abuse me make sure there are no traffic lights within a 100 yards. Sure enough a red light stopped her and I rolled up by her open window. I was quite polite and suggested that if wasnt swearing at her then it would be good manners for her to do the same. Suitably embarrassed, she said sorry and added that she wouldnt have hit me on purpose. After I asked if it was ok to accidentally kill me she was even more red in the face. I find a little sarcasism often does the trick.

I was actually more concerned about my new bike, had only ridden it twice!

Is there going to be any comments on this word?

 

[hackbike 666]

What CP said.When I am cycling at any sort of speed I found im riding further in the road.When im riding as my normal slow self I use cycle lanes.If you don't want to use cycle lanes then fine.I don't see anything amazing on my commutes.Generally the positioning and behaviour of cyclist is naff.

 

[JamesAC]

two lanes of stationary traffic? Ride straight down the middle

If there had been enough room, I would have done.

 

[scouserinlondon]

I illustrated this point to my wife the other day, our local pub is just near an ASL and cycle lane. I told her just to watch for a few mins and see how many drivers just ignored the paint, and how many cyclists dived down the inside blindly believing that the paint made them car-proof.