BBC helmet cam film to explore cyclist-motorist conflict

[Buddfox]

IMHO you did more harm to cycling & cyclists than you can possibly imagine.

Rarely has so much nonsense been condensed into such a small amount of text.

 

[Andrew_P]

It's not only the Cab driver who shows that mentality in the video. Partway through, when Gaz's attention is already on alert to the potential for conflict with the cab, the cab stops at the lights at the head of a central bus lane with a clear road ahead. A little bit of forward thinking says the cab is going to pull away and travel faster than the cyclist (Gaz comments on having anticipating a close pass, so what I'm about to say is not my hindsight). Best move would have been to stop behind the cab and the conflict situation goes away. Instead. Gaz applies MGIF thinking and overtakes into the ASL cyclists' box. ASL boxes are not compulsory and in this case would have been best avoided.

I said much ealrier that I had some empathy with Gaz and felt some of his decisions were based on an anger generated from witnessing the Cab nearly clip two cyclists in the Cycle lane prior to the traffic lights..

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

I had this on again while peeling potatoes in the kitchen and for a minute I thought it had switched over to an episode of the professionals with the screeching of tyres and swearing.

Christ,that first cab driver was awful.Over-react,no 5h1t mate.

 

[Buddfox]

Even though it would be nice to have the same respect as other road users, the fact is that cyclists don't. You are a slow moving obstacle and an annoyance. If you were driving a tractor down a country lane and were a conscientious driver, you would pull in to let traffic pass. So as a conscientious cyclist, you shouldn't expect to ride in the centre of the road if you are considerably slower, and expect not to annoy other drivers.

I don't know where you ride, but in central London, where Gaz rides (and I expect this is true for him as well), in my experience it is never the case that a car is faster than me on my bike. Cars are always in the way, they are always slower. This is true as much on Euston Road as it is on Victoria Embankment as it is on the Strand. Gaz is perfectly correct to take the lane, it is defensive cycling and recommended (as it is for PTWs in the CBT) and he would not cost the cab any time at all. The only annoyance is a cab driver who thinks it's acceptable to use his cab as an aggressive weapon to force people out of his way, and to hold himself (apparently) to the standard that since he's never knocked anyone off, he's a good driver. I beg to differ.

 

[Andrew_P]

Hmmm "over 25 years of building peace"

 

[PK99]

I said much ealrier that I had some empathy with Gaz and felt some of his decisions were based on an anger generated from witnessing the Cab nearly clip two cyclists in the Cycle lane prior to the traffic lights..

Decisions based on anger are rarely the best when viewed in cold blood : Testosterone and adrenaline tend to lead to fuddled thinking

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Never believed in banging peoples cars though.Always going to get a 5h1t reaction.

Ironically I have only ever done it once to an Adddiscum Lee cab.

 

[PK99]

in central London, where Gaz rides (and I expect this is true for him as well), in my experience it is never the case that a car is faster than me on my bike. Cars are always in the way, they are always slower. .

Never?

I don't ride in Central London in the rush hour but i do at other times of the day, and my experience differs

 

[grumpyoldgit]

Rarely has so much nonsense been condensed into such a small amount of text.

So you think he came across as a well balanced individual?Looking around non cycling web forums seems to disagree with that theory.The other guy seems to have come across as a loveable loony,not so with Gaz.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

I like the cabbie "I've never seen a cyclist get nicked,ditto I've never seen a cabbie get nicked,and they should be.

 

[SportMonkey]

Never?

I don't ride in Central London in the rush hour but i do at other times of the day, and my experience differs

Ride faster.

So you think he came across as a well balanced individual?Looking around non cycling web forums seems to disagree with that theory.The other guy seems to have come across as a loveable loony,not so with Gaz.

I suggest you'd feel more at home there then, with your little grumpy friends.

 

[Dusty66]

Presumably we should all be riding in the gutter then ?! I'm not being funny but if we were all to follow your advice we'd be getting off every few hundred yards. Sounds like you'd be better off on the bus. Why feel the need to 'get out of the way' of cars anyway? In most towns at rush hour, they're only crawling along from one jam to the next. Frankly, it's the cars that get in my way on my commute, doing 5 mph max, blocking all the roads.

Obviously in bunched up traffic or a complete jam, you are going to be moving faster. I was referring to situations when you are aware that a vehicle is behind you (or a line of vehicles) and you are holding them up. I know about the advice of taking centre positon to be seen, or to prevent overtaking, but if that is going to put you in the position of causing the rest of the traffic to slow down for longer than a short distance, then unfortunately it's going to make you annoying!

Every day, I'm held up on my commute by cars. Motorists are slow moving obstacles and an annoyance. Not once has a car driver pulled in to let me past.

If you think about it, a car driver is unlikely to pull in for anything because there's hardly any room to maneuver. Unless it's for an emergency vehicle, they're just going to sit there hoping they will be moving again shortly anyway.

 

[Leodis]

You are a slow moving obstacle and an annoyance

Then why when I speed past cars who are stuck in traffic do they not move over and give me space? They either don't check their mirrors or are jealous I am passing them and refuse to move pushing me into the curb. I once had to take a primary role a a mini RAB and the driver behind tried to force me into the curb using his car as a weapon, it didnt work but he tried to aggressively over take me at the nip point.

The majority of drivers ignore cyclists and we are left with a minority who give way and a smaller minority who make a point of poor driving and aggressive actions

 

[Mushroomgodmat]

the production company did two particular things to Gaz that I think where underhand:

1 - the licking of the lips - it did and offered nothing.

2 - did anyone notice the camera was lower, looking up towards Gaz (may not have been intentional though) while every other camera was level with the interviewees head/eye?

*edit - spelling

 

[SportMonkey]

Obviously in bunched up traffic or a complete jam, you are going to be moving faster. I was referring to situations when you are aware that a vehicle is behind you (or a line of vehicles) and you are holding them up. I know about the advice of taking centre positon to be seen, or to prevent overtaking, but if that is going to put you in the position of causing the rest of the traffic to slow down for longer than a short distance, then unfortunately it's going to make you annoying!

So a person should put themselves at risk? Cycling in primary isn't done all the time, and the choice of when to do it is a weighted decision, the length of the queue of cars isn't generally one of them; although I can't think of any time that there has been a long queue behind me whilst taking a whole lane.

If you think about it, a car driver is unlikely to pull in for anything because there's hardly any room to maneuver. Unless it's for an emergency vehicle, they're just going to sit there hoping they will be moving again shortly anyway.

Why should a cyclist move over for a car then, if there's no room to manoeuvre then there is no room to overtake safely, so cyclists always have to cycle in primary and annoy cars...