Being yelled at and perceptions of cyclists....

[Rhythm Thief]

If there is a motorist behind me and I become conscious of his presence, I will pull left, slow down and let him pass. To my mind, I feel more comfortable doing this than trusting and hoping he is watching me if I have to brake suddenly.

See, that would irritate me, if I was the motorist behind you. It rather reinforces the mindset that cyclists shouldn't be on the road, for a start. You're a legitimate part of the traffic, aren't you? Then behave like it. And that doesn't mean holding primary unnecessarily.

 

[Norm]

I think that I've only been beeped when riding in primary. There's a fairly long pinch point in Bray village, with no room to overtake for quite a distance through the village, so I'll ride wide there and screw the idiots who get frustrated as the limit is only 20 there anyway.

I seem to get motorists giving me more room when I'm in secondary, although the only times I've been abused by chavs where when I was in secondary.

In the gutter, which is where I was riding exclusively until about 6 months ago, I don't recall ever having been beeped or anyone in a car shouting at me or abusing me, but you do get a lot of close passes.

 

[ttcycle]

Your strategy gives the wrong impression as RT said that cyclists aren't part of traffic flow and on busy roads with high number of cars, how is it practical to pull over every time a car is behind you? There's also the possiblity of letting other motorists know your intention- that is not exclusive to just holding primary but also the glancing back and indicating etc before carrying out any turns etc or just glancing to keep an eye on what's behind.

 

[I am Spartacus]

If there is a motorist behind me and I become conscious of his presence, I will pull left, slow down and let him pass. To my mind, I feel more comfortable doing this than trusting and hoping he is watching me if I have to brake suddenly.

All my ranting was to get you all thinking "What if" if the motorist is not paying attention.

Is this where you all got the impression I was a 'gutter crawler'?

See, that would irritate me, if I was the motorist behind you. It rather reinforces the mindset that cyclists shouldn't be on the road, for a start. You're a legitimate part of the traffic, aren't you? Then behave like it. And that doesn't mean holding primary unnecessarily.

I think you best stick to being a delivery boy... J rides with awareness and sense if he does what he says he does.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I think you best stick to being a delivery boy... J rides with awareness and sense if he does what he says he does.

Oh, I don't have a problem with people pulling over to allow motorists to pass if the road is narrow - on country lanes for example. What I do have a problem with is cyclists pulling out of the way of cars automatically, even when there's room for them to pass, merely in order not to inconvenience them. That reinforces all sorts of negative stereotypes about cyclists and seems to me to be what Jimbo is advocating.

 

[Norm]

It rather reinforces the mindset that cyclists shouldn't be on the road, for a start. You're a legitimate part of the traffic, aren't you? Then behave like it.

I don't see it that way at all. If I am going slower than the traffic, whether on the bike, in a tractor or in the Land Rover, I'll move across / pull in to allow people past. If I come up behind someone moving slower, I appreciate it when they do the same.

It's not about saying we shouldn't be on the road, it's recognising that we can do something to minimise the inconvenience to others.

Ride a motorbike in France or Ireland and most vehicles you approach from behind will move as far as they can to the kerb to allow you to continue to make progress. I've had cars, lorries, coaches and even a couple of coppers do it for me. Each one of those vehicles is a legitimate part of the traffic, each one has every right to be on the road but their drivers are showing me consideration.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

That was me, not ttcycle. See my post above for clarification of what I meant: I have no problem at all with getting out of the way if there's no other way for faster vehicles to pass.

 

[ttcycle]

How did you put RT's words quoted by me norm?!

If progress is slow sure and it's down to conditions of the road and how narrow it is but surely if people are making good progress and flowing with traffic this is not necessary.

 

[I am Spartacus]

Oh, I don't have a problem with people pulling over to allow motorists to pass if the road is narrow - on country lanes for example. What I do have a problem with is cyclists pulling out of the way of cars automatically, even when there's room for them to pass, merely in order not to inconvenience them. That reinforces all sorts of negative stereotypes about cyclists and seems to me to be what Jimbo is advocating.

if there is room a plenty then little or no point to baulk and hesitate in the ride....maybe however with more thought on what is behind then that lessens the 'abuse' factor.. which J has submitted figures to prove.
Mind you.. if the pinch point isnt too long.. and I am on the right bike for it.. still fit enough to use acceleration to lessen the burden of those behind me.
I also understand the fluro jacketed ones who persist in stumblin along a busy B road with 20 cars behind them...yeah we all share but there are still enough berks on bikes to keep the negativity alive and well.

 

[Norm]

That was me, not ttcycle.

It was, sorry!

How did you put RT's words quoted by me norm?!

Sorry to you too! Not sure how that happened. I wonder if I pushed the multiple quote thing then deleted the wrong bits. Apologies to you both.

If progress is slow sure and it's down to conditions of the road and how narrow it is but surely if people are making good progress and flowing with traffic this is not necessary.

Under those circumstances, yes. But the first sentence of my point was "If I am going slower than the traffic".

My riding is mostly on country roads with higher limits and making good progress on a bike (or tractor or Land Rover) is not the same as making good progress in a car. Just as I'll hold open a door for someone who is behind me, without conceding that I have every right to use that door, just as I hope that walkers on the towpath will let me through on the bike, I will give space to faster vehicles when riding.

 

[BentMikey]

It seems you might not be that different in your riding from most of us, Jimbo. For example, here's my own riding pulling to the left to let four lorries past me:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua4VKKHpYEA


You have nobody but yourself to blame if you give a misleading impression in your posts.

 

[J4CKO]

You are a professional driver?

You are a driver who has bought or has been given command of a FULLY certificated FINISHED vehicle.
I would say you are a 'delivery boy' who uses a lorry to do the deliveries. Your job is simply moving something from one place to another. A postman does this. Your truck is your tool.

A professional driver, myself included, is a person who is employed to develop the fueling or handling systems on a Prototype 1, PP1 or PP2 ( pre-production ) vehicle and calibrate it to be certificated by government authorities.
His job is to assess the Emissions, Drivability and Performance of said vehicle before Delivery boys can drive them safely. The cars I drove were my workpieces. Digital fuelling microcomputers were my tools.

I would say someone who drives for a living, as his proffession is a Proffessional driver and someone who develops fueling systems for cars is a Proffessional Engineer first and foremost and drives as a by product of his proffession, if you hadn't done your job the vehicle wouldnt work so nobody could drive it.

Personally I would prefer truck drivers to think of themselves as proffessionals rather than someone who merely operates a vehicle to deliver goods, someone who feels he has a standard to live up to or improve on, plus some respect I expect would probably make a better stab of it than someone told that they are a "Delivery Boy" !

 

[Goldfang]

Along with most people posting on this thread, I get my fair share of abuse from motorists, particularly the local boy racers when I am riding home from work late at night. I think the comment on an earlier post about people not being able to cope with someone doing anything out of the ordinary sums it up. I have an allotment about 10 minutes walk from my house, and every time I come home with a wheelbarrow full of produce, pumpkins/onions etc, I get people screeching abuse at me from passing cars. I am at a loss to explain this behavior? If I walk or cycle to the allotment nobody (generally) says anything. Is it jealousy, beyond their understanding, that cuases this behaviour? As with verbal abuse of cyclists, it tends to be the chavvier/ boy racer type of motorist.
Regards, Goldfang.

 

[jimboalee]

Along with most people posting on this thread, I get my fair share of abuse from motorists, particularly the local boy racers when I am riding home from work late at night. I think the comment on an earlier post about people not being able to cope with someone doing anything out of the ordinary sums it up. I have an allotment about 10 minutes walk from my house, and every time I come home with a wheelbarrow full of produce, pumpkins/onions etc, I get people screeching abuse at me from passing cars. I am at a loss to explain this behavior? If I walk or cycle to the allotment nobody (generally) says anything. Is it jealousy, beyond their understanding, that cuases this behaviour? As with verbal abuse of cyclists, it tends to be the chavvier/ boy racer type of motorist.
Regards, Goldfang.

It's because you're wheelbarrowing in 'Primary'.

 

[brokenbetty]

Is it jealousy, beyond their understanding, that cuases this behaviour? As with verbal abuse of cyclists, it tends to be the chavvier/ boy racer type of motorist.

It's not jealousy. It's asserting their claim to being in the normal pack by publicly rejecting someone who isn't. The subtext is "look, I'm normal! See how I identify and mock those who aren't! Don't turn on me, there's a bloke with a pumpkin over there!"

That's why one never gets mocked by people on their own (angry swearing at cyclists is different). It's not about the mockee at all, it's about reinforcing the bond between the mockers.