First irate blare of a car horn after adopting riding in Primary for the last year

[Jon George]

For the last year I've ridden in Primary position where I think it's been necessary - realising it's better for the motons to get angry, rather than me get angry after having my life and limb put in danger. Today, that philosophy was tested on a blind bend near Kirton (which has seen at least two deaths that I know of: one on a cycle, the other a motorbike) and I got into position to prevent any overtaking. A few seconds later an irate driver blasts his horn, I gesture and swear (I know I really shouldn't, but I find it difficult to placate or bow down to bullies - so much for the placid approach) and he reacts by overtaking - swearing and gesticulating himself - and nearly hits an on-coming vehicle.
While I have to accept some blame for this (if I hadn't reacted the way I did, I don't know if he'd still have rushed past me), I'm just happy that I'm still here to write about it.
Ride safe people.

 

[Moodyman]

You're perfectly entitled to ride primary, but not all motorists know this. I think how we signal our intentions and our gratitude to considerate driving goes along way to avoiding misunderstandings.

 

[glenn forger]

Wave thanks with a smile.

 

[ufkacbln]

Out for the day and just had this in Petersfield

Signalled to turn right and pulled into Prinary

Chavriolet starts tooting and revving

So Sound Airzound and repeat right turn signal

More tooting

Repeat Airzound and right turn signal

Loud voice from pavement


"Ok you (onanist) it's obvious he's turning right ... Learn to drive"


I smiled

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I've used primary for years and I've always found that most drivers are OK with it, but theres the odd one now and again who'll give you grief for it, I'll usually just ignore them.

 

[User16625]

Leave the nutters pass. I would rather give in and get them out of my site than suffer any abuse (or worse). I know we have rights with regards to holding primary but I find its better not always to go by them.

 

[RMurphy195]

Leave the nutters pass. I would rather give in and get them out of my site than suffer any abuse (or worse). I know we have rights with regards to holding primary but I find its better not always to go by them.

Tricky if you are being squeezed by a pedestrian refuge n the middle of the road!

 

[400bhp]

Fark em. Get a scamera, film them doing a close pass, follow them, goad them into chasing you down the road and watch em fly.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I had some irate but attempting to be polite about it motorist stop after we came to a junction the other day He wasn't too happy that i'd stayed in primary for about 30 seconds which stopped him from overtaking me going down a steep hill. "Excuse me but do you realise that you not only held me up but all the traffic behind me" said he. "I was doing 29 mph in a 30 mph speed limit. So if you'd overtaken me you'd have been breaking the law" i replied. He knew i was in the right but he just couldn't get his thick head around why i stayed away from the kerb and parked cars for my own safety.
Maybe i should stop trying to tell these types why we sometimes have to ride in primary, and just either ignore them or give them the J Arthur Rank sign. Or maybe i could copy the bit in the Highway Code about primary position and.overtaking bikes etc, and make a few prints of it and hand it to them.

 

[Cyclist33]

Cyclists are all great. And then they go and spoil it all by doing something stupid like haring through a blatantly red light among loads of stopped traffic and over a ped crossing on green, across which several peds were in the middle of crossing. And then failed to even swear back when I shouted "watch out you prick!" at them.

 

[mickle]

Cyclists are all great. And then they go and spoil it all by doing something stupid like haring through a blatantly red light among loads of stopped traffic and over a ped crossing on green, across which several peds were in the middle of crossing. And then failed to even swear back when I shouted "watch out you prick!" at them.

You've wandered into the wrong thread.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

I had some irate but attempting to be polite about it motorist stop after we came to a junction the other day He wasn't too happy that i'd stayed in primary for about 30 seconds which stopped him from overtaking me going down a steep hill. "Excuse me but do you realise that you not only held me up but all the traffic behind me" said he. "I was doing 29 mph in a 30 mph speed limit. So if you'd overtaken me you'd have been breaking the law" i replied. He knew i was in the right but he just couldn't get his thick head around why i stayed away from the kerb and parked cars for my own safety.
Maybe i should stop trying to tell these types why we sometimes have to ride in primary, and just either ignore them or give them the J Arthur Rank sign. Or maybe i could copy the bit in the Highway Code about primary position and.overtaking bikes etc, and make a few prints of it and hand it to them.

That's how TrafficDroid started, isn't it? We all know where that can lead...

 

[steveindenmark]

Riding primary is the correct thing to do in certain circumstances, as in the situation you described.

The problem is with some cyclists is that the sound of a horn or what they perceived as a close pass sends the quietest soul into a raving lunatic in a milisecond.

He horns and you immediately go into nutter mode. A friendly wave to say I know you are there and I will get out of your way when I can is a far better approach. Even is the guy in the car wants to shout and swear all the time he is behind you.

Now saying and doing are totally different things.

 

[moo]

It's a sad indictment of driving standards that cyclists have to ride primary to prevent dangerous overtakes.

 

[Jon George]

Now saying and doing are totally different things.

I'm getting there.