Bloody Selfish Drivers

[Mallory]

For the love of god why can't motorists look ahead for other traffic i.e cyclists before turning??

I've not been on bike for a few weeks (personal reasons) so today i thought id wait till about 9am then go for a little pootle about. In the space of 1km i was almost wiped out more than half a dozen times by dozy twunts NOT looking.

Coming up the A504 towards hendon station and just as i approach this junction the twunt turns right across my path then stop halfway as he suddenly see's me

I wouldn't mind but it was clear and i'm a tall skinny kit wearing a bright red helmet and white jacket with a Lezyne Micro Drive LED flashing away!!!!

Sorry for the rant but it's hard enough to get my cycling mojo back and idiots like this just make it even harder

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

so you went out during the school run and are surprised drivers don't look?
give it another half hour next time round. brats/kids are at school by then and drivers less stressed! tis generally safer once they are at school....

 

[redcard]

so you went out during the school run and are surprised drivers don't look?
give it another half hour next time round. brats/kids are at school by then and drivers less stressed! tis generally safer once they are at school....

What other times throughout the day do you think cyclists should stay home?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

What other times throughout the day do you think cyclists should stay home?

never said he should stay at home - it is just he said he would wait until 9am to go out, so clearly had a choice and giving it another half hour would have eased matters that's all (I used to cycle commute to work in a school - I know what the roads around them at certain times are like and it was always safer to rig my route to arrive just before or just after the majority of parent's had driven their kids to school/collected them from school.)
As for cyclists staying off the road - well that is hardly applicable to someone who went off to cycle around the world and has found herself cycling up motorways in some countries where all border crossing have been moved off minor roads and only now exist on motorways.

 

[Mallory]

Thats the thing it was AFTER 9am that i went out!!!

 

[oldroadman]

What other times throughout the day do you think cyclists should stay home?

None, but if there is a choice then why not leave it until there is less chance of something happening because of distraction or inexperience. For instance, rush hours, school run times (which are probably the worst). Otherwise just take care out there, because other people may not!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Thats the thing it was AFTER 9am that i went out!!!

school around here start at 9:15am which was why I was thinking another 1/2 hr would have eased matters... (though not the private ones - the one I worked in started at 8:30am for lessons.)

 

[tyred]

Time isn't really important. There are short sighted/dozy drivers about at all hours. Last weekend, I came worrying close to colliding with an Astra that left hooked me at 8am on Sunday morning.

 

[Crankarm]

This is what an Airzound is for.

 

[Biker Joe]

I think that the media should do much, much more about educating drivers about cyclists.
You hardly see anything on TV that brings the attention of drivers about cyclists needs. No warning campaigns, nothing.
I think the government should fund more campaigns warning drivers about cyclists. Media campaigns, poster campaigns, etc.
Maybe even lobby the local MP about it.
I think it's the drivers who have never cycled who are most at fault. The cyclist drivers are more aware of the bike rider's requirements.

 

[Mallory]

^^^^ what he said

Motorists also seem to forget that us cyclists have different braking speeds and accelerations to that of a car. A car can can break then accelerate out of trouble by the press of a pedal whereas a cyclist if an emergency stop is being performed is most likely in the wrong gear and in the process of unclipping.

 

[compo]

I wish they would also educate cyclists. I was riding this morning along a very pot holed and rutted road when I was passed by a group of roadies. I'm sure they were having a competition to see who could get closest to me as they overtook. I am just sorry there wasn't a pot hole while they were going past to give me an excuse to swerve out right into them! Tossers.

 

[danjanoob]

I consider myself a motorist first, cyclist second. But before I was a cyclist, I was always considerate and patient with cyclists. I think a fair proportion of motorists are like myself. But our views are warped and skewed depending on our experiences. There are dumb/inconsiderate people everywhere doing different things. Best to try and avoid them/spot them before they can cross your path.

 

[HLaB]

Thats the thing it was AFTER 9am that i went out!!!

The most bizarre incident I had was on a wide residential road when I waited till after 10am to go out, you just can't win

 

[redcard]

never said he should stay at home - it is just he said he would wait until 9am to go out, so clearly had a choice and giving it another half hour would have eased matters that's all (I used to cycle commute to work in a school - I know what the roads around them at certain times are like and it was always safer to rig my route to arrive just before or just after the majority of parent's had driven their kids to school/collected them from school.)
As for cyclists staying off the road - well that is hardly applicable to someone who went off to cycle around the world and has found herself cycling up motorways in some countries where all border crossing have been moved off minor roads and only now exist on motorways.

Then I'm even more surprised that you apportioned some of the blame to the OP!