Did I deserve this?

[Notsoblue]

Lorry driver was a tosser, but I'd have probably waited at the island for a proper space to have opened up.

 

[Tynan]

bad cycling is all I can say, you ended up in the wrong part of the road at the wrong time, put yourself at the mercy of the traffic

 

[hackbike 6]

Ooh, yes, terrible driving that you didn't deserve. OTOH, I know if I'd been riding like that, I'd want to have done things better myself (and I've got caught out myself before).

As BM said whatever your experience we can all get caught out or be caught in a bad position.

Additional,you didn't deserve that crap driving though.

 

[Tynan]

'deserve'?

no idea what that means really, you get what you get, all sorts of drivers out there, spec in sarf london

 

[Downward]

No need for the Lorry to do that but there was also no need for you to put yourself in that position.

Better to get to where your going slightly later than take risks and not get there at all.

Don't trust any drivers and be cautious overtaking/undertaking (Is Undertaking safer ?!?) stationery/slow moving traffic.

And yeah there are a few drivers who like to make a point of overtaking us either close or revving the tits off their vehicle when we dare to go past them.

 

[Priscilla Parsley]

I think you expect too much of the driver, drivers are hard pressed to notice you when your on their left, always remember that drivers are human and not robots following the highway code, that traffic looks shitty and i find that drivers are more erratic trying to get away from the traffic in those condition compared to free flowing fast traffic.

 

[maurice]

That was shocking from the lorry. I think we've all been caught out by the lights going green at an awkward point, but it's not a capital offence.

 

[John the Monkey]

I think you expect too much of the driver, drivers are hard pressed to notice you when your on their left, always remember that drivers are human and not robots following the highway code, that traffic looks shitty and i find that drivers are more erratic trying to get away from the traffic in those condition compared to free flowing fast traffic.

Yup, although if a few more would drive as though they were propelling several tonnes of metal at high speed, as opposed to driving as though they were comfily ensconced in their favourite armchair, things would be better all round.

It wouldn't kill most of them to read a highway code published since they passed their driving test either.

 

[alp1950]

Frightening piece of video on several levels. No of course you didn't deserve this & the lorry driver behaved irresponsibly (even criminally, although I suspect PC Plod would say the video evidence is inconclusive).

However with only 2 months commuting experience I think you are more than a little foolhardy to be attempting what looks like a pretty complex bit of right filtering on a tight & congested road. I'm still shuddering at the footage as you approached the pinch point at the lights. But even at the start of the recording, you seem to be overtaking moving traffic on the right with a bus coming towards you on the other side. Strictly speaking permissible, but you're very exposed and where is the escape route? Although there are clearly times when it is safer to claim the road, sometimes pragmatism is more sensible and it might be prudent to cycle more defensively.

Sometimes I think it makes more sense to give up the moral high ground (even if this means yielding primary position) if it reduces the chance of coming to grief.

 

[handsome joe]

If it means anything i would of waited and joined the traffic later. I am very careful around any large vehicles having learnt a few harsh lessons and seen the risks other cyclists take.

Watching the video you can see the Lorry brake twice in quick succession. To me he looked in a hurry. But then everyone seems in a hurry or pissed off about something. The amount of times i hear a motor engine reeving behind me then some vehicle pass by me at speed and usually braking suddenly soon after because they are going too fast. Just because a bicycle is in front of them.

I wonder if the Lorry driver would of reacted if another vehicle had driven in front of him, maybe one of the motorcycles. Would he have given another form of transport more respect? I get the feeling that the main issue that causes road rage is things GETTING IN YOUR WAY OR SLOWING YOU DOWN. People (even some cyclists) don't have the patience to look around and be aware and take their surroundings.

 

[HLaB]

Some motorists just don't like being over taken. I usually slot back into the queue a couple of cars back from the stop line, the exact position of this varies according to the situation/ traffic. 99.9% of the time there's never an issue with this. Occaisionally however its usually the same situation/ location there's a queue of 15 or 20 vehicles, I over take most of them till I come to a bus/ HGV on a bend about 5 or 6 vehicles back; my visisibility is restricted, the traffic stationary so I pull in just to the front and right of the following car. I don't know why but the following driver sometimes takes offence to this, parppp!; there's nowhere for them to go and because I'm to the right of them its not as if I would cause them to brake, anyway they are stationary and when the lights do change, I get a draught of the bus/hgv and don't slow them down . Touch wood it's not happened for quite a while maybe I've got slightly better over time at picking the correct gap/ filtering back in, the OP will to given time, lesson learnt.

 

[magnatom]

But even at the start of the recording, you seem to be overtaking moving traffic on the right with a bus coming towards you on the other side. Strictly speaking permissible, but you're very exposed and where is the escape route? Although there are clearly times when it is safer to claim the road, sometimes pragmatism is more sensible and it might be prudent to cycle more defensively.

Actually I often filter as the OP did at the start. I think, and I know others agree, that filtering down the right if there is enough space, is considerably safer than filtering down the left. I can understand how it looks more dangerous with the traffic coming towards you, but, the fact that they have a clear view of you makes it safe from an oncoming traffic perspective.

By filtering down the right you also avoid passenger doors opening, parked car doors opening, Johnny driver deciding at the last minute to pull the car to the left to look closer at the nice pair of leather trousers in the shop window, left hooks etc. Of course you need to keep an eye out for cars doing u-turns etc, but you get a better view of what is happening ahead, and usually more space to react.

As with everything it needs to be done with care.

 

[magnatom]

Some motorists just don't like being over taken. I usually slot back into the queue a couple of cars back from the stop line, the exact position of this varies according to the situation/ traffic. 99.9% of the time there's never an issue with this. Occaisionally however its usually the same situation/ location there's a queue of 15 or 20 vehicles, I over take most of them till I come to a bus/ HGV on a bend about 5 or 6 vehicles back; my visisibility is restricted, the traffic stationary so I pull in just to the front and right of the following car. I don't know why but the following driver sometimes takes offence to this, parppp!; there's nowhere for them to go and because I'm to the right of them its not as if I would cause them to brake, anyway they are stationary and when the lights do change, I get a draught of the bus/hgv and don't slow them down . Touch wood it's not happened for quite a while maybe I've got slightly better over time at picking the correct gap/ filtering back in, the OP will to given time, lesson learnt.

+1

That's exactly what I do. The vast majority of the time it happens with no problems. The odd rare occasion you get tooted at. I'm not sure why, because I hardly hold them up and I end up filtering further at the next hold up.

On the very, very odd occasion, I do get the timing wrong, but as you are on the right and very visible you are in little danger. You can either wait until the car behind/beside you lets you in front, or slot in behind.

It's a skill that gets better with experience.

 

[Downward]

Takes balls to filter on the Right - I will have to get some and do it rather than squeezing up the left at 3mph !

 

[fossyant]

Filtering on the right is much better - if light poor, stick the lights on.

It is far safer believe you me...at least you can see on-coming traffic and make judgements....