Don't always blame the motorist.

[screenman]

So the same as I described way back up thread.

I have come across many cyclist who do not look over their shoulder so would not know a vehicle is there, in fact I shout a warning when I am coming up just to get their attention so that I can pass safely and that is when I am on my bike.

So although I may do things correctly and you I expect even saintly we I think would agree some cyclist may not.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I have come across many cyclist who do not look over their shoulder so would not know a vehicle is there, in fact I shout a warning when I am coming up just to get their attention so that I can pass safely and that is when I am on my bike.

So although I may do things correctly and you I expect even saintly we I think would agree some cyclist may not.

We also don't know the experience or experiences of the cyclists in the OP whom the (let's consider them) the non accused of being bullies contingent appear to have automatically assumed Gavroche must be correct and they are simply being inconsiderate and unhelpful for the sheer devilment of it, rather than making their own informed and rational value judgement of protecting their own safety at that particular point. They may well have been well aware that there was a bit coming up where they could accommodate an overtake they deemed safe to them but they didn't get the chance because their control of their environment was usurped from them and they were passed at the discretion of the car driver in spite of their attempts to do what we all consider good cycling practice and controlling our space until we feel it safe to accommodate a pass.

But since its an I'm a cyclist but..... thread, there are a few on here seem happy to suck up the 'poor annoyed me in my car' OP as Gospel.

Maybe those automatically deciding that they're in the wrong on the basis of a one sided Mr Toad-a-like OP & including Gavroche, should ride a few miles on that couples pedals before castigating them as incompetent or unhelpful to drivers.

We all have our own thoughts and feelings on protecting our safety amongst the big metal boxes including them and just because Gavroche appears to hold a different threshold to them it is not a given that it they are incompetent or willfully negligent.

 

[newfhouse]

I will go out of my way to encourage the free flow of traffic past me be it tractors, cars or HGV's....

Regardless of traffic conditions or your own schedule? If I did that on my commute I'd never get to work.

I will do it in the safest way possible for myself and other road users. I really dont want them up my chuff.

How do you know that the cyclists in the OP didn't take the same approach? After all, the slightly inconvenienced motorist did manage to find a safe opportunity to overtake within sixty seconds.

Every other long distance cyclist I know does this, every other long distance cyclist I meet here or abroad does this, up mountains, down Cols and 99.999% of the time motorists and other road users will appreciate this,without fail thank you and go on their way...as I do.

What makes you think these were long distance cyclists? Would it matter anyway?

 

[glenn forger]

Every other long distance cyclist I know does this, every other long distance cyclist I meet here or abroad does this..

How many cyclists are you claiming to speak for? Ball park.

 

[growingvegetables]

.... Every other long distance cyclist I know does this, every other long distance cyclist I meet here or abroad does this, up mountains, down Cols ...

v

... There are many people on here well versed in the skill of arguing the toss but less versed in the skill of cycling differing road and traffic conditions...

Ah, now I understand. Only long-distance cyclists are real cyclists. Anybody else is just an argumentative t@ss@r. An interestingly exclusivity.

Sad fact though - the vast majority of cyclists who do not belong to your selective little band have a much stronger grasp of maths and statistics. [A generous way of suggesting we count better ]

... 99.999% of the time motorists and other road users will appreciate this,without fail thank you and go on their way...

Dunno what planet you're cycling on, but it sure as anything isn't Yorkshire!

Put this response down to a vitriolic reply ...... to your arrogant vitriol.

 

[newfhouse]

Just long distance ones. You don't need to concern yourself because you don't ride enough to qualify, so your opinion doesn't count.

I reckon I'm at the Ronnie Corbett end of the line too.

 

[glenn forger]

This sinister chorus of long-distance cyclists seem a moody bunch.

 

[DaveReading]

I have come across many cyclist who do not look over their shoulder so would not know a vehicle is there, in fact I shout a warning when I am coming up just to get their attention so that I can pass safely and that is when I am on my bike.

The cyclists' behaviour that you describe sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

The only time I look over my shoulder (on the bike or in the car) is when I'm about to move in or out which could possibly put me in the path of a vehicle (or bike) coming up behind me. Am I doing wrong ?

 

[slowmotion]

This sinister chorus of long-distance cyclists seem a moody bunch.

Oh, I don't know about that. The outraged victim types seem to be singing in tune, wouldn't you say?

 

[Seevio]

Dunno what planet you're cycling on, but it sure as anything isn't Yorkshire!

Yorkshire isn't a planet. It got demoted in 2006 along with Pluto.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

This new red herring about long distance cyclists....

May just be me but I encounter far less cars over longer rides than commuting in the Manchester rush hour, even finding quieter routes to make it a more pleasant (less unpleasant) experience.

Long distance riding is no real example of enhanced experience around cars.

 

[screenman]

Some have mirrors and or good hearing.

Riding into a head wind you have very little chance of hearing a quiet vehicle a safe distance behind you.

As for mirrors, yes some do.

 

[screenman]

The cyclists' behaviour that you describe sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

The only time I look over my shoulder (on the bike or in the car) is when I'm about to move in or out which could possibly put me in the path of a vehicle (or bike) coming up behind me. Am I doing wrong ?

So on say a 5 mile long single carriage road you would not do a life saver until you got to the end, on a headwind day that would put a lot of traffic behind you. I take it you have mirrors.

 

[mickle]

The attitude of the OP is at the core of everything that's bad about cycling in a car centric society. The post and it's weird title identifies him as a 'cyclist hating cyclist'. Motoring is the norm. We're all drivers. So amongst those of us who both drive and cycle there's a group whose driving mentality is so deeply ingrained that they think of cyclists as an 'out group'. This combined with an incomplete understanding of the rules of the road make them think, upon catching up with a cyclists in their car, that the cyclists are somehow 'in the way'. Thus is at the crux of it. The cyclists aren't in the way, they are ahead. A fallen tree is 'in the way' a cow on the road is 'in the way '. A cyclist riding along in front of your car is another road user with equal rights (some might argue - more right) to be in the road. They are not 'in the way' they are in front of you. And you are behind. They got there first. It's their road. And it therefore falls to you to treat them with courtesy and respect and patience until such time as you can safely pass. They have no obligation to let you pass. Their journey us no less important than yours. Patience. It probably took you longer to write the post complaining about this incident that the valuable time they cost you.
Amazing that a 'former driving instructor' needs this spelling out.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

So on say a 5 mile long single carriage road you would not do a life saver until you got to the end, on a headwind day that would put a lot of traffic behind you. I take it you have mirrors.

Headwind, tailwinds, in the eye of a hurricane, sunshine, rain, plagues of frogs, the motorised vehicles will still be travelling faster.

Why will all the traffic stack up behind?

I don't get it that at all, a rearward glance is not needed by drivers as a permission slip to overtake. As long as the other carriageway is free, surely the cars can pass with a cheery wave and a song in their hearts??

Or shall we add a 5 mile tailback into the equation to help try to make a non existent point stick.

The Snake and much moreso Woodhead pass between Manchester and Sheffield is a shorter than M62 route but largely winding, poor to see past others single lane each way with Articulated lorries, these travelling far more slowly than smaller motorised traffic even with their far greater width and length don't build up inordinate queues of cars. They accrue some followers and it can take a few miles (not a few seconds as per OP) to find a safe spot to get by, but they do not ever seem to receive the same level of abuse and opprobrium for the 'inconvenience' they cause.

I'll happily admit to being a Mr Toad if I catch up such a truck, especially on the least overtake friendly bit at the edge of Manchester but never when that has happened have I ever thought it necessary to engage with Internet world to castigate the driver for their driving.