Little_McKay
Regular
I've only recently joined this forum and yesterday marked my 2nd day commuting by bicycle in Glasgow.
To give a little background info, I DO ride my bike a lot in Elie, Fife but I find it safer there as lots of people are on bikes and drivers are wary and pass wide and slow down (I'm normally on a national speed limit country road). I do know how to ride in traffic, so in this situation, I really didn't do anything wrong because I'm a "newbie".
Yesterday I was riding on a particularly busy section in Anniesland, Glasgow. The traffic wasn't overly heavy but cars were mostly going from one traffic light queue to the next. I noticed that a orange punto was trying to overtake me but there's not enough space; there are cars in the outside lane and I'm not hugging the gutter so that's a bit obvious! I'd seen a few vids by magnatom (perhaps same name on here?) on youtube and I've adopted the idea of putting my arm out, palm facing backwards and the car was dissuaded from trying to get past me.
So far so good...
I thought that was it but at the lights she rolled down her window and started screaming at me for stopping her from overtaking. I was quite calm and said "There wasn't enough room, you need to leave about 3 feet to pass". She kept screaming but I decided to leave it be and try to not get this person any more angry, just hoping for the lights to turn soon. The lights go green and I take off - a few seconds later she's right on my back wheel - like 20/30 cm space, I kid you not! She's honking her horn and there's nowhere I can go. I was already pedaling hard for the take off so I was trying to keep that up and thankfully had the presence of mind to NOT hug the gutter as she no doubt would have tried to pass and it was about 99% certainty I'd get hit.
I literally panicked as I was boxed in. There wasn't even the option of jumping onto the pavement as a last resort because the pavement there is fenced off!
Thank god there was a person in the outside lane who slowed down along side this driver and honked his horn. A quick glance around and he was waving his hand for me to move in front of him into the outside lane. As soon as I moved in she took off and then even better - the person behind her stayed back and let me back into the lane!
I then pulled off at the next junction to stop. I kept thinking "What if my foot had slipped on the pedal?" (it was very foggy and damp yesterday) or "What if I'd hit a bump or lost control?".
Those two drivers also pulled off at the junction and stopped behind me to make sure I was okay. Unfortunately in all the drama none of us had a licence plate number, maybe I should invest in a camera! lol
I thought I'd tell this story on here, though, because despite this incident I intend for there to be a 3rd day commuting. And while it may sound daft, the fact that two car drivers not only helped me out but made sure I was okay has instilled a little faith amongst drivers out there. Yeah, one went mad for no reason but those two made up for that a little.
It's crap that it's happened only 2 days into working up the courage to attempt Glasgow traffic but I'll get there!
Oh yeah, and it's worth mentioning that magnatom's advice on youtube (perhaps discussed here) about using an arm out and palm backwards really does work in disuading drivers from close pass overtakes. That being said, this xmas I'm getting a reflective backpack and using a marker I'm going to write "3 feet to pass" on the back
To give a little background info, I DO ride my bike a lot in Elie, Fife but I find it safer there as lots of people are on bikes and drivers are wary and pass wide and slow down (I'm normally on a national speed limit country road). I do know how to ride in traffic, so in this situation, I really didn't do anything wrong because I'm a "newbie".
Yesterday I was riding on a particularly busy section in Anniesland, Glasgow. The traffic wasn't overly heavy but cars were mostly going from one traffic light queue to the next. I noticed that a orange punto was trying to overtake me but there's not enough space; there are cars in the outside lane and I'm not hugging the gutter so that's a bit obvious! I'd seen a few vids by magnatom (perhaps same name on here?) on youtube and I've adopted the idea of putting my arm out, palm facing backwards and the car was dissuaded from trying to get past me.
So far so good...
I thought that was it but at the lights she rolled down her window and started screaming at me for stopping her from overtaking. I was quite calm and said "There wasn't enough room, you need to leave about 3 feet to pass". She kept screaming but I decided to leave it be and try to not get this person any more angry, just hoping for the lights to turn soon. The lights go green and I take off - a few seconds later she's right on my back wheel - like 20/30 cm space, I kid you not! She's honking her horn and there's nowhere I can go. I was already pedaling hard for the take off so I was trying to keep that up and thankfully had the presence of mind to NOT hug the gutter as she no doubt would have tried to pass and it was about 99% certainty I'd get hit.
I literally panicked as I was boxed in. There wasn't even the option of jumping onto the pavement as a last resort because the pavement there is fenced off!
Thank god there was a person in the outside lane who slowed down along side this driver and honked his horn. A quick glance around and he was waving his hand for me to move in front of him into the outside lane. As soon as I moved in she took off and then even better - the person behind her stayed back and let me back into the lane!
I then pulled off at the next junction to stop. I kept thinking "What if my foot had slipped on the pedal?" (it was very foggy and damp yesterday) or "What if I'd hit a bump or lost control?".
Those two drivers also pulled off at the junction and stopped behind me to make sure I was okay. Unfortunately in all the drama none of us had a licence plate number, maybe I should invest in a camera! lol
I thought I'd tell this story on here, though, because despite this incident I intend for there to be a 3rd day commuting. And while it may sound daft, the fact that two car drivers not only helped me out but made sure I was okay has instilled a little faith amongst drivers out there. Yeah, one went mad for no reason but those two made up for that a little.
It's crap that it's happened only 2 days into working up the courage to attempt Glasgow traffic but I'll get there!
Oh yeah, and it's worth mentioning that magnatom's advice on youtube (perhaps discussed here) about using an arm out and palm backwards really does work in disuading drivers from close pass overtakes. That being said, this xmas I'm getting a reflective backpack and using a marker I'm going to write "3 feet to pass" on the back
