Driver behaviour during the pandemic - my honest experience

[Mike_P]

I acknowledge drivers who give way when I am approaching but I would suggest it's pretty difficult to acknowledge an overtake as its only until after its been completed that you know it's a good one. Once had a wide pass followed by a very sharp cut in, which I was expecting and had slowed, given the street furniture ahead. No doubt a driver in serious need of visiting the opticians as plainly could not see clearly 30ft in front.
Seen a video recently of a ride where the cyclist is complaining because a car turning towards him stopped slightly too late but nevertheless with adequate clearance. It's quite obvious from the shadows on the video the driver of the car during the turn would have been looking momentarily at the sun and consequently blinded at the very time a brake application would have been more appropriate.

 

[Mark pallister]

I got some offensive language on twitter for saying this, so I want to put my views more completely.

Since lockdown started in the UK I have commuted every-day mainly on A/B roads, and have seen far more examples of considerate driving towards cyclists. I don't just mean drivers sticking to the rules, I mean drivers giving us twice the recommended passing space, or slowing right down before passing, even giving way when they don't need to; stuff like that. This has made me happy during these awful times.

People are sad that traffic has gone back up a bit in the last fortnight-or-so; well so am I, but the levels are well below February figures, and I'm enjoying it. There may be hot-spots (round MaccyDs, or garden centres??) that are busier, I'm sorry about that, but I haven't seen them. Official stats confirm that overall, numbers are still well below normal.

On social media people are rightly highlighting a few psychos causing deaths, serious injuries or just fear; they are right to highlight these (under pandemic or not) and I support them. But that doesn't make it wrong to take pleasure in the overt kindness of many strangers I've met on the roads since March. I can't describe crashes or appaling driving that I have not seen. (although of course in 3 months I have witnessed the odd idiot - just far less than in Jan/Feb.)

Forgive me, people, for seeing some light in the dark.
M x

Some of the best cycling I’ve ever had has been during lockdown whilst taking my once a day exercise
v quiet roads and much more considerate drivers

 

[RichardB]

I think your post highlights that some cyclists can be selfish in their approach, a smile or wave costs nothing but is probably a rare thing from many riders.

Many = nearly all, in my experience. Guy in jeans and ill-fitting helmet out for a spin in the sunshine, almost always. Roadie in Lycra, almost never. I regret saying this, but it's my honest experience.

I acknowledge drivers who give way when I am approaching but I would suggest it's pretty difficult to acknowledge an overtake as its only until after its been completed that you know it's a good one.

I wave as the car gets well clear, on the basis that he will be a good driver and look in his nearside mirror to check it is clear to return to his lane. Yes, I am a hopeless optimist.

(Actually, many do see this, as they wave or flash the hazards to acknowledge.)

 

[PaulSB]

Many = nearly all, in my experience. Guy in jeans and ill-fitting helmet out for a spin in the sunshine, almost always. Roadie in Lycra, almost never. I regret saying this, but it's my honest experience.

Well I tried to avoid saying nearly all but I agree. I think you're correct. I've no wish to appear holier than though on this, or anything, but I do believe cyclists could give a better impression of ourselves in this regard. The small group I ride with regularly all acknowledge good driving and I think it is unusually widespread in my club. I don't think enough riders behave this way.

A lot of care goes in to our signalling, waving drivers through, acknowledgement etc. I think it works in our favour and this is increasing year by year.

Having said this I'm quite prepared to accept it's not the case across the country. Lancashire is relatively sparsely populated and folk seem to be patient enough. We have our share of idiots though!!!!!!

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I'm in two minds on this thing where you acknowledge a driver for doing the right thing... I've always done it, but do I fear that for some drivers it sets up an expectation that they MUST be thanked.
It's like this habit that people have developed for thanking drivers for stopping at zebra crossings... it seems fine in theory and a pleasant thing to do, harmless on the face of it. But I crossed a pelican crossing a while ago, and didn't thank the driver for stopping (seeing as it's a compulsory red light for him) and he leaned out aggressively and said "Yeah that's it mate, don't thank me, you're f*cking welcome".
He'd obviously become conditioned to believe he was absolutely entitled to thanks, simply for driving in accordance with the law, and that's worrying.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Went out for quite a long ride on the old Raleigh 3-speed this morning to make up for the shite weather yesterday cutting my mileage short. I was pleasantly surprised how well behaved everyone was today. Even the boy racers doing at least 50% more than the speed limit were allowing plenty of room and a couple of right turns performed at normally dodgy junctions passed off without any idiots doing something dumb. Let's hope it continues!

 

[DRM]

Many = nearly all, in my experience. Guy in jeans and ill-fitting helmet out for a spin in the sunshine, almost always. Roadie in Lycra, almost never. I regret saying this, but it's my honest experience.



I wave as the car gets well clear, on the basis that he will be a good driver and look in his nearside mirror to check it is clear to return to his lane. Yes, I am a hopeless optimist.

(Actually, many do see this, as they wave or flash the hazards to acknowledge.)

Me too, i'll usually get a hand up or flash of the hazards in return

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I've no wish to appear holier than though on this, or anything, but I do believe cyclists could give a better impression of ourselves in this regard.

Absolutely. If cyclists want to be respected and treated as legitimate road users by motorists, we can't go around breaking the rules of the road, behaving rudely, and coming across as generally arrogant. I could have easily got away with doing a couple of RLJs today, as there was nothing coming the other way, but any driver witnessing such antics would have been cursing all cyclists and saying to their passengers "look at that w***er over there, he thinks red lights don't apply to bikes" Drivers with negative views of cyclists are less likely to be bothered about cutting across in front of you or doing a close pass at speed.

 

[RichardB]

Drivers with negative views of cyclists are less likely to be bothered about cutting across in front of you or doing a close pass at speed.

Definitely.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

70 mile ride today and not a single bad overtake or oncoming close pass in the lanes. I was on a recumbent though. In many cases I had to wave them through lest they sit there all day. Most drivers acknowledged me waving them through by pressing the breakdown button to flash both indicators.

On Wednesday I went down a narrow lane with banks either side. A white van appeared coming other way. I thought here we go. But they pulled over into a field entrance and stopped. I shouted thanks as I passed and they shouted no problem in response.

At the moment it’s still good here.

 

[YellowV2]

Unfortunately the 4x4 brigade are back in force in North Kent. the ones that think they are more important than everyone else and can't wait 30 secs to pass. I'm afraid it's stereotypical (Porsche, Bentley, Mercedes 4x4 and Range Rover drivers) always the same IMO.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

I was 1/4 mile from home on estate roads when a driver was coming up to my road from the left. She kind of slowed, l made eye contact and thought that she would stop. Wrong. She just carried on and pulled out right in front of me. She then had to slow down for two speed ramps. This would have happened regardless of Covid-19. Bad driving is bad driving and yes I saw plenty today doing well over 30 in a 30 limit. I did see a radar speed trap in the week, pity they don`t do it at weekends !

 

[RichardB]

pressing the breakdown button.

I’ve never heard it called that before. Are you sure you don’t mean the ‘I know it’s a double yellow but I won’t be a minute’ button, or the ‘I’m too fat to walk 100 yards’ button?

Unfortunately the 4x4 brigade are back in force in North Kent. the ones that think they are more important than everyone else and can't wait 30 secs to pass. I'm afraid it's stereotypical (Porsche, Bentley, Mercedes 4x4 and Range Rover drivers) always the same IMO.

I love Range Rovers (the older ones) and I have owned three. But sadly I also work in tourism, and when a guest turns up in a RR we all get ready for a display of arrogant muppetry. White ones are the worst, for some reason.

 

[DRM]

Just lately I've noticed a lot of Range Rover SV-R's & Merc G-Wagons flying about, I'm absolutely certain they're funded by drug money, driven by arrogant daffodils who as far as I can tell aren't in the prime demographic for buying £100,000 cars, saw one of these lazy toerags take a new black G-Wagon into a hand car wash in Co Durham, the car was washed he paid & drove off, less then 30 seconds later he was back pointing at little marks, the guy went round it with a chamois, only for when the driver was happy for a courier van to come flying into the yard, straight through a huge filthy puddle, and leave the G-Wagon dripping with filthy puddle water, I didn't laugh.......much