Cycle paths and psychopaths

[ufkacbln]

[media]

]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkpvOuVvJZY[/media]


Local driving school instructor pulled beside me at lights and started spouting off...

So I simply wrote to the School head office with a copy of the video, expressing my concern that the pupil was being given incorrect information, and thatthe attitude of the indtructor was questionable.

Got a nice reply, the instructor has been spoken to and now simply glares at me as I cordially wave when we pass!

 

[benb]

Well, here's the video. He seems quite nice in our conversation, but I'm unimpressed with the use of the horn and the close overtake.
Thoughts?
[media]

]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj_pckiP3LA[/media]

 

[As Easy As Riding A Bike]

You come out of that quite well. You apologized for the swearing, and he accepted it.

Pity you couldn't get across the point about 18 mph+ you make in the annotations, specifically about it being in the Highway Code. It would have made it clearer why you were not using the lane, especially regarding the pedestrian safety point.

Weird comment by him at the end - was it

"You're best running [pedestrians] over instead."

?

Not sure what he meant by that, beyond "You cyclists are always running pedestrians over", which is a bit out of order.

 

[postman]

You handled that very well .

Also i will say shock does may you swear .It's a reaction i well understand .

We have a nasty junction Off a roundabout King Lane Stonegate road .Clearly marked loads of white paint on the road .It looks like a massive island and guess what they get in the wrong lane then cut you up for just a few seconds .

And boy do you jump with shock .Cos the road narrows so quickly .It's a safe junction if they would only do what they are supposed to do .STAY IN LANE .

 

[downfader]

Well, here's the video. He seems quite nice in our conversation, but I'm unimpressed with the use of the horn and the close overtake.
Thoughts?
[media]

]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj_pckiP3LA[/media]

Was he the passenger or the driver?

TBH I agree about the overtake - a larger vehicle like that presents a risk when overtaking that closely and pressing the horn. The horn should mean "danger" and I can well imagine a new cyclist swerve under the wheels as they panic to look back and see what the problem is.

I agree with other comments on here that his exiting the vehicle may be seen as aggressive.

I think a letter/email to his employers stating that legally you're obligated to use the roads under a fast pace, and morally that its right to do so for the safety of others, might be worthwhile. Obviously thats down to you if you do so, but please consider filling out a stopSMIDSY form on this so that the CTC can see it.

Their council colleagues had gone to great anguish getting the white lines, bicycle graphics correct and the sign posts perfectly vertical for you to ride on the cyclepath.
It is a huge insult you not using the cyclepath.

Perhaps if town planners and the workforce involved in offroad cycle facilities had done their jobs right they'd realise that offroad facilities are really a wasted effort in the majority of cases. It presents a gradual erosion of the cyclists historic right and obligation to use the road...

 

[As Easy As Riding A Bike]

Downfader, I suspect jimboalee's tongue was firmly in his cheek. I hope so, anyway.

 

[downfader]

Downfader, I suspect jimboalee's tongue was firmly in his cheek. I hope so, anyway.

Given some of his previous replies to posts its hard to tell tbh. Like the primary at junctions/rear ending debate we all had a while back. If it was I apologise (a wink face would help though )

 

[Mark_Robson]

Cunobelin, you little tinker..... That's either a helmet cam that your wearing or you have that camera stuck to your forehead using a suction cup.
On a serious note the attitude of the driving instructor seems to be pretty common, because I often get scalped, beeped at or glared at for not using using the glass infested cycle lane near to where I live. People seem to think that it's mandatory to use them because the council has been good enough to privide them.

 

[ufkacbln]

Cunobelin, you little tinker..... That's either a helmet cam that your wearing or you have that camera stuck to your forehead using a suction cup.
On a serious note the attitude of the driving instructor seems to be pretty common, because I often get scalped, beeped at or glared at for not using using the glass infested cycle lane near to where I live. People seem to think that it's mandatory to use them because the council has been good enough to privide them.

 

[jonesy]

Cunobelin, you little tinker..... That's either a helmet cam that your wearing or you have that camera stuck to your forehead using a suction cup.
On a serious note the attitude of the driving instructor seems to be pretty common, because I often get scalped, beeped at or glared at for not using using the glass infested cycle lane near to where I live. People seem to think that it's mandatory to use them because the council has been good enough to privide them.

I get beeped and shouted at for not riding on the pavement! Lots of drivers have got it into their heads that it must be a cycle path because there is a shared use path further along the same road. But there is also a dual carriageway further along the same road and yet they seem to have worked out that that doesn't make the whole road a dual carriageway!

 

[ufkacbln]

We had the local paper run an article on Pavement Cycling and took great delight in pointing out the picture used was of a cycle path.

My piece de resistance though was the Mayor of Fareham...

Parked across and obstructing the access to a cycle route while they visited the local cricket team. I did politely ask the driver to move the vehicle, and the Driver told me he would move it when they were ready... sometimes the "Snap and Send" of the local paper can be helpful!

 

[Number14]

Local driving school instructor pulled beside me at lights and started spouting off...

So I simply wrote to the School head office with a copy of the video, expressing my concern that the pupil was being given incorrect information, and thatthe attitude of the indtructor was questionable.

Got a nice reply, the instructor has been spoken to and now simply glares at me as I cordially wave when we pass!

Sounds like you've been putting a bit of effort in on that pedal

 

[benb]

Hi all. Been away for the weekend.

So I still can't decide whether to take this further or not. I'm not fussed about him having a chat with me about the whole thing, but I am bothered by the beeping from close behind.

I really don't know what to do for the best - report it or let it go.