Get in the bike lane! Wait your turn! A video from yesterdays commute

[dave2041]

Unfortunately, when she had her lessons they did not teach her to think about cyclist enough. Maybe a 30 miles cycle ride in suburban, city and rural should be part of the driving test. No, let us make it 100 miles.

Very defensive of the lack of driver education, i believe if you want to use the roads then it's your responsibility to learn the highway code.

 

[dave2041]

Because anyone that cycles any real mileage will see this 10 times a week, so there's no novelty or surprise in it. If we all posted up videos of such Muppets the internet would break under the strain.

And why indulge her? A cheery wave while cycling onwards gets the message across, doesn't delay the rider by one second, and doesn't risk them being drawn into an argument or confrontation that will get them nowhere.

This turned out to be a relatively benign encounter, but still the rider gained nothing in exchange for the loss of a minute of their time, so why bother?

The point wasn't for me to "gain" anything but for the driver to stop and hopefully think a little bit about the situation. Which i believe she did, mission accomplished! And no i don't have these encounters 10 times a week, and i cycle 7 days a week 14 - 20 hours a week.

 

[dave2041]

I have seen too many in the past where the cyclist is a nob and out looking for agro.

Then you should definitely watch this one, as i am neither

 

[dave2041]

Completely off on a tangent, your voice sounds very similar to the magician Dynamo. ...Are you Dynamo?

Did the driver turn back from the exchange to see the card she was thinking of stuck to the inside of her windscreen?

Maybe a lot of cars think i'm a magician the way i "appear out of no where!" haha

 

[Turbo Rider]

Because anyone that cycles any real mileage will see this 10 times a week, so there's no novelty or surprise in it. If we all posted up videos of such Muppets the internet would break under the strain.

And why indulge her? A cheery wave while cycling onwards gets the message across, doesn't delay the rider by one second, and doesn't risk them being drawn into an argument or confrontation that will get them nowhere.

This turned out to be a relatively benign encounter, but still the rider gained nothing in exchange for the loss of a minute of their time, so why bother?

I cycle over 100 miles per week and I can count the bad encounters I've had in the last 6 months on less than a hand. If you walk through life scared to engage then it's you who suffers but if you're confident and polite you can bring about changes to peoples perspectives. People can get angry if you ignore them as well though and a cheery wave can also become an instigator, because a wave can be taken to mean any number of things. If you become human to someone who takes you as an object then you stand a better chance of being seen with a smile than a growl, so I'm all for the pleasantries.

 

[screenman]

Very defensive of the lack of driver education, i believe if you want to use the roads then it's your responsibility to learn the highway code.

Not defending it, I think the poor quality of driving lessons and the test itself turns out poorly equipped drivers in may cases. Some of us go beyond the normal tests and lessons. There are a lot of irresponsible people about who both drive and cycle.

 

[Arjimlad]

"get a bike, then" - very good !

 

[screenman]

I also do about 100 miles a week on the bike and have done so for the last 45 years, I seldom encounter the things that seem to happen to some people on a regular basis, is it because I do not wear a camera?

 

[dave2041]

Not defending it, I think the poor quality of driving lessons and the test itself turns out poorly equipped drivers in may cases. Some of us go beyond the normal tests and lessons. There are a lot of irresponsible people about who both drive and cycle.

I think you're absolutely right.

I also do about 100 miles a week on the bike and have done so for the last 45 years, I seldom encounter the things that seem to happen to some people on a regular basis, is it because I do not wear a camera?

I believe this boils down to riding style (and perhaps place of cycling) I rarely have any bother of this nature, certainly i'm not heckled on a regular basis!

 

[screenman]

I have certainly learned a lot about road craft over the years, from being a cyclist, a car driver, a motorcyclist and many years a go a LGV driver. Also doing things like the Edge session with the local police and spending time riding with many skilled police riders opened my eyes, and more important than that my mind also.

Dave I am glad is does not happen to you, it shows you are doing something right, but we have certainly had a share of people showing videos on the site on a regular basis.

 

[screenman]

Question, how many cyclists on here have had any form of cycle training in road craft etc, specific to cycling as opposed to powered vehicles? Would it be a good idea.

 

[Origamist]

I also do about 100 miles a week on the bike and have done so for the last 45 years, I seldom encounter the things that seem to happen to some people on a regular basis, is it because I do not wear a camera?

It must be. There cannot be any plausible alternatives, can there?

 

[Turbo Rider]

Question, how many cyclists on here have had any form of cycle training in road craft etc, specific to cycling as opposed to powered vehicles? Would it be a good idea.

Cycling profficiency when I was in primary school. Croydon do run a free course on cycling though, as do many other councils, though I have not attended as I don't really encounter many issues and most of the changes to my cycling have been made having watched a few of those uploaded videos, then taking on board a huge amount of comments from experienced cyclists, such as yourself.

If anyone need a link though, then try http://www.cyclinginstructor.com/

 

[dave2041]

Question, how many cyclists on here have had any form of cycle training in road craft etc, specific to cycling as opposed to powered vehicles? Would it be a good idea.

I too did the cycling proficiency in primary school but i've learnt a lot from CycleGaz's videos and Mr Origarmist above. That and 25,000 miles of cycling in the last three years has changed a lot about how i view the road, and the users of it.

 

[andyfraser]

Question, how many cyclists on here have had any form of cycle training in road craft etc, specific to cycling as opposed to powered vehicles? Would it be a good idea.

Apart from cycling proficiency in 1981 I've had no bike specific training. I apply what I learned from riding motorbikes, common sense and the highway code. That seems to be working so far.