Cut up and driven at...

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Caught this footage on my commute this morning.
The footage of the original incident is pretty rubbish, but stick with it, I’ve tried to enhance it.

Basically cyclist infront of me was filtering/undertaking on approach to lights (it’s a one way street there with two lanes).

As he went past the car, the driver swerved suddenly to the left, nearly taking the cyclist out. It doesn’t do it justice on the tape and IMHO it looked a lot worse, and possibly on purpose, in real life.

Cyclist had a right go at teh car driver, told him he was a f***ing idiot etc, then teh car driver got out and started the “What did you call me…” stuff

Taking all the swearing out it transpired that the driver swerved to “avoid a pothole” (even though he was going at 3mph and there wasn’t one, I looked), the cyclist begged to differ.

I hung around in case it went off, well the cyclist might need someone to hold his jacket for him, the driver eventually got back in his car as the traffic behind was building up.

Had a chat with the cyclist while next to him at the lights - told him to look out for himself on youtube and we both knew that little boy racer would do what he did next…


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk4TbO4E1tc





View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk4TbO4E1tc

 

[Jake]

thats why you need a gatling gun on the front of our bikes! hard to see the first part, but the driver pulling out was very bad. is it a full moon, it being halloween and all that?

 

[Bollo]

First, driver was a steaming horse's c0ck for that. No excuse. Ever.


But.........

Another example of why filtering on the left just isn't a good idea. It was always a tightish space and had the potential to get tighter. The chances of not being seen are high and, if you are seen, there's a chance that the vehicle is being driven by an evil, small-minded Clarkson who'll feel his gourd rise at the thought of being undertaken and try something stupid.

 

[Scratch]

Its sad how many tossers there are in the world. I think I would have goen round the right hand side there. I've had people swerve towards the kerb as I've approached before so I just wheel round the other side of the car

 

[Cab]

All too common, I'm afraid.

This isn't about left filtering, its about a man for whom motoring is a penis extension.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

That happened to me once too.

Really wide road - massive queue of traffic with a big gap all up the inside. Traffic queue was about 1/2 mile long.

I was cycling up the inside (or filtering - whatever you want to call it). at a really slow pace - not taking the piss or anything just going about my business when all of a sudden this BMW just pulls in the hits me with his bumper - he wasn't going anywhere - just pulled in as I went past.

Unfortunately for him my pedal caught under his bumper and scratched it but I managed (somehow) to stay on - god knows how .

I gave him a "what the f are you doing" type of shrug/shout/gesture but he just stared straight ahead.

I'll never understand why he did it and presume that he didn't get out of the car and moan about the scratch to his bumper because he felt he was in the wrong?

Trouble is that although motorists don't like it when we filter there's nothing in the highway code to say that you can't do it - the nearest it says is that according to Rule 72 you shouldn't undertaken when traffic is turning left.

There are about 8/9 different rules warning car drivers (and riders) that cyclists (and motorcyclists) may be filtering through traffic. I don't know why it upsets them so much.

Same as the lack of Vehicle Duty or Road Tax or whatever you want to call it - the law says that we don't have to pay it and that's just the way it is!

 

[jimboalee]

I abandoned a LEJOG due to a motorist like that. I've got the xray to prove it. But alas, no-one got his number.

 

[Landslide]

Take off and nuke him from orbit. It's the only way to be sure... Tw@

 

[hackbike 6]

It seems to be getting worse.The attitude towards cyclists seems to be changing for the worse.

 

[ComedyPilot]

That is something the police ought to know about. It's worth a visit to the driver minimum, for him to be told to wind his neck in. If the cyclist was willing to give a statement, a section 59 warning could be given. If the driver does that sort of trick again after the warning he would have his car taken off him!!

 

[bryce]

jeez you do attract them. I used to live in richmond, it was genteel back then!

 

[HF2300]

Another example of why filtering on the left just isn't a good idea. It was always a tightish space and had the potential to get tighter. The chances of not being seen are high and, if you are seen, there's a chance that the vehicle is being driven by an evil, small-minded Clarkson who'll feel his gourd rise at the thought of being undertaken and try something stupid.

Can't see the vid well enough to comment, but +1 to Bollo on general principles.

Trouble is that although motorists don't like it when we filter there's nothing in the highway code to say that you can't do it - the nearest it says is that according to Rule 72 you shouldn't undertaken when traffic is turning left.

Well, not strictly true. Rule 163, which although it's in the general section applies as much to cyclists as it does to motorists and is linked to from the cycling section online, says:

'only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so'

while Rule 167 says:

'DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example ... approaching or at a road junction on either side of the road ... where the road narrows ... where traffic is queuing at junctions or road works'

 

[ComedyPilot]

Rule 147

Be considerate. Be careful of and considerate towards all types of road users, especially those requiring extra care (see Rule 204). You should

• try to be understanding if other road users cause problems; they may be inexperienced or not know the area well
• be patient; remember that anyone can make a mistake
• not allow yourself to become agitated or involved if someone is behaving badly on the road. This will only make the situation worse. Pull over, calm down and, when you feel relaxed, continue your journey
• slow down and hold back if a road user pulls out into your path at a junction. Allow them to get clear. Do not over-react by driving too close behind to intimidate them

 

[ComedyPilot]

Also, if the driver did use threatening behaviour, then good old 'Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986' is a good catch-all piece of legislation. On video too, with witnesses. Easy collar and a tick in the 'sanctioned-detection' box for Mr Brown and the home office.

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Sorry about the quality of the vt – as I said in the OP it looked a lot worse in real life – the camera doesn’t do it justice – it looked to me like the actions of a little bully boy racer who took exception to a cyclist passing him just before the lights, and however inadvisable the cyclists road position was, there’s no excuse in my book for that.
Driver also did that pathetic swerve towards cyclist after the lights. I thought the other chap on the bike showed a lot of restraint after the second swerve into him.