He could have killed me!

[Matthew_T]

Words just dont cut it. What this guy did was insane. It is the closest overtake I have every had. He effectively brushed my handlebars.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm0rWm3GKGM

I was stumbling all over the place due to trying to avoid the car and the wind turbulence it caused when it passed me. There wasnt even any need to overtake like he did as he was miles away from the traffic island.

As far as I know, I wasnt in the wrong. I had taken primary due to the pinch point and it was a clear day. He had been behind me through one junction where there were cars turning right.

 

[jowwy]

had worse and seen worse - sorry mathew but its true, just accept that it happens.

 

[potsy]

Impatient nobber

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Had he been held up by the cars turning right, Matthew? If so you really deserved that punishment pass. They call this ''traffic calming,'' by the way.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

He didn't kill you. Dry your eyes and move on.

 

[Matthew_T]

Had he been held up by the cars turning right, Matthew? If so you really deserved that punishment pass. They call this ''traffic calming,'' by the way.

He hadnt been held up by anyone. He had been behind me momentarily.

 

[gaz]

had worse and seen worse - sorry mathew but its true, just accept that it happens.

So because you've had worse and seen worse he then can't post it or complain about it? Or am I getting the wrong end of the stick from your post?


Matthew, a few things that a wiser and more experienced person might do in this situation.

• As you see them overtaking before the pinch point. BAIL OUT OF THE SITUATION! brake and move to the right, the use of primary has already failed with this driver. A part of taking primary is that it gives you space to the left to move into if required, use that and a bit of the brakes and you'll be ok.
• Do you really need to take a primary position in that video? The space between the traffic island and the pavement is pretty wide, perhaps wide enough for someone to pass you. I can only go by what I see on the video, I can safely say it is not as narrow as some of the pinch points around me, which are only just wide enough for cars.

 

[Brandane]

Hard to tell for sure, but it looks like you moved from secondary to primary when the car was already committed to overtaking you. When you look over your shoulder (0.07) the car is well out into the right turn lane, going for the pass. When you look to the front again, you have moved from secondary to primary. Then he moves in and cuts the nose off you. Not clever by the car driver, but as per usual you perhaps don't do yourself any favours by failing to anticipate the actions of others.

What could you have done better (IMHO)? Done your rear observation earlier, BEFORE you started to move out to primary, then you might have seen the car earlier. If it was apparent that he was going to be cutting it fine by getting in front of you before the traffic island, then perhaps you could have slowed down and let him go, THEN moved into primary for the traffic island.

Apologies in advance if that's not the way it was, but these short clips with their limited field of vision don't always give the full picture.

Edit: Must learn to type faster than Gaz . But I don't think braking and moving to the RIGHT is the best advice .

 

[fossyant]

Thought you had a good ride today? It's a poor pass as he cut in too early, wide to start but cuts in when the road is wide enough to leave you space.

Not great.

 

[MrJamie]

Terrible overcommitted overtake

It's hard to judge speed in the video and I have tried, but it doesn't look like you slowed at all. From a self preservation point of view, once you're aware of the island and the car alongside committed to the overtake you should probably be on the brakes because it's very likely they're going to barge through and hope everything fits, at your risk. Absolutely not your fault, but keeping safe is always priority

 

[Brandane]

Impatient nobber

And the car driver wasn't too clever, either!

 

[Matthew_T]

It was the fact that he cut in for no reason that scared me most. I really thought he was going to knock me off.

I did stop pedaling as soon as he started overtaking and was forced to veer left at the last moment, so I understand that I should have braked and moved left. However, in the situation and with things happening so fast, it is difficult to do that in a short space of time. I am not very good with thinking on my feet so that it why in these situations, I often make mistakes. I try to learn from them though.

 

[gaz]

It was the fact that he cut in for no reason that scared me most. I really thought he was going to knock me off.

I did stop pedaling as soon as he started overtaking and was forced to veer left at the last moment, so I understand that I should have braked and moved left. However, in the situation and with things happening so fast, it is difficult to do that in a short space of time. I am not very good with thinking on my feet so that it why in these situations, I often make mistakes. I try to learn from them though.

A bit of thinking before hand can make the biggest difference. You don't have to take primary at every single pinch point etc.. Do it when it is required, in this situation a look behind way before you get to the pinch point, then again a few seconds later so you can judge approaching traffic. If it's only one vehicle, then slow down and let them overtake you before the pinch point. Then carry on through after them with no need to change position. A smoother ride for yourself and others on the road.

 

[Matthew_T]

A bit of thinking before hand can make the biggest difference. You don't have to take primary at every single pinch point etc.. Do it when it is required, in this situation a look behind way before you get to the pinch point, then again a few seconds later so you can judge approaching traffic. If it's only one vehicle, then slow down and let them overtake you before the pinch point. Then carry on through after them with no need to change position. A smoother ride for yourself and others on the road.

I do try to be courteous on the roads and like you say, when there is just one car behind, I will let them overtake in this type of situation. However, this was in the middle of the day with moderate traffic conditions, so I decided to take primary early due to people forcing past too close here in the past.
I will try to judge what people are doing better in the future. I am going on the club ride tomorrow so probably wont have to deal with any roads like this.

 

[fossyant]

Body language is a good one in dealing with pinch points. Look behind and directly at the driver as you move out from the curb at the narrow ones, this works as the driver sees you looking at them. But the road Matthew was on is wide, even at pinch points, I know it well, this is a poor pass.

Some folk think they pass wide by the fact they start wide, but cut in very early like this one. I once told a woman too close, but she said she had given me room, but she had started wide, but cut in too soon, as they misjudge your speed as you aren't pooling, you are riding quite fast so take longer than they expect to pass.

Why don't motorists think, this guy is dressed like Spider-Man I think he might be a bit quicker than that little old lady on a bike ? They think bike = slow.