Battle hardening ?

[Origamist]

Like many others, I'm inured to close overtakes. This response is understandable as the desensitization process is a psychological coping strategy to the threats we face (or perhaps better, perceive we face) as more vulnerable road users. This level of habituation is of course double-edged...

The distance from our handlebars is not the only yardstick...Our own speed, the speed of the passing vehicle (i.e the speed differential), the size of the passing vehicle, and passing distance are the main factors (there are of course others) that affect how we feel about an overtake.

 

[downfader]

I've just got back from a ride where I intended to log a potential route to a shop. This was through towards Parkgate in Hants. A couple of times I really thought I was going to get hit, and a tipper truck turned left over me (thankfully I was out of the saddle at the time accelerating, saw him looking at me and trying to judge my speed and his angle and realised: brake)

I might send a private youtube link to the councils involved to try and get some action/thoughts on safety, or offroad routes (have never liked them, but going up hill it shouldnt be too much of a bother for peds or cyclists)

 

[John the Monkey]

My current pet theory is that the good drivers are getting better (had a few overtakes lately with the vehicle out of arms reach) and the bad (impatient, distracted) are getting worse (more toys in their car, less awareness of the road ahead, less acknowledgement that you have the right to be on the road at all).

 

[downfader]

My current pet theory is that the good drivers are getting better (had a few overtakes lately with the vehicle out of arms reach) and the bad (impatient, distracted) are getting worse (more toys in their car, less awareness of the road ahead, less acknowledgement that you have the right to be on the road at all).

I saw a driver pick up a mobile as he was about to exit a car park today.. or atleast I thought he was. I was just about to switch the cam on incase he drove into someone (I was stood by the side of the road having a drink) but he just pulled over into another bay. My first thought after was one of "well done!" If only more drivers took his example.

 

[summerdays]

I wonder if they see you as a human being when they see your face, see your eyes..?

I am sure that it turns you into a person rather than an obstacle for some ... or simply that they understand you are about to do something. I wonder if the "look" works better in areas with high numbers of cyclists where the motorists get used to it or whether it works everywhere?

Certainly there have been occasions when I've looked behind to get ready for a move right only to find that the car driver anticipates this earlier than expected and then hangs back anyway.