How could you possibly not see me?

[endoman]

I simply expect every car at every junction to pull out. Ditto while driving. Then there's no surprise and you are ready.

 

[Scruffmonster]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ACv-v0shWM&lc=xo9C-2cu7a6eUD7SOmjr3qp-PCIGqey81XjkltOPAvk&feature=inbox

One day you will cringe that you posted this onto a pair of websites and looked to glean attention from doing so. Or at least I hope you will.

Mistake made, no harm done. This is a microscosm of you Matthew. You use that camera, and the comments your videos get, as a blanket. Let it all go. You'll become a better person.

If that happened to me I'd probably joke to the driver with something friendly like "Come on dude, it took me ages to get up to that speed" He would have smiled and apologised 90%+ of the time.

In case you need another reminder.

STOP SWEARING AT PEOPLE​

In that video, you're the dumb sh1t. The driver made an accidental error, be that in not seeing, you, misjudging your speed, whatever. You chose to swear at him. You are actually advertising your own immaturity, irresponsibility, lack of social intelligence and it's just dumb.

I really don't know why I've posted sensibility at you on a few occasions as you're clearly numb to it, it's a weird concept to think I've just spent 3 minutes writing something you'll ignore. Ho hum.

 

[fenlandpsychocyclist]

I'm with the posters who have said "everyone expects a cyclist to be moving at 6mph ... plenty of time to pull out".
Instead of fitting a dogs dangleys super bright light, which just says "i'm a cyclist with a bright light" why
not fit a 6" diameter headlight that says "i'm a motorcycle". (Joke).

To many motorists nowadays under the influence of drink (maybe from the night before),
cough medicine, drugs, chris moyles, anti-depressants, kids in the back, mobile phone, row with
the partner, etc, etc.

 

[boydj]

One day you will cringe that you posted this onto a pair of websites and looked to glean attention from doing so. Or at least I hope you will.

Mistake made, no harm done. This is a microscosm of you Matthew. You use that camera, and the comments your videos get, as a blanket. Let it all go. You'll become a better person.

If that happened to me I'd probably joke to the driver with something friendly like "Come on dude, it took me ages to get up to that speed" He would have smiled and apologised 90%+ of the time.

In case you need another reminder.

STOP SWEARING AT PEOPLE​

In that video, you're the dumb sh1t. The driver made an accidental error, be that in not seeing, you, misjudging your speed, whatever. You chose to swear at him. You are actually advertising your own immaturity, irresponsibility, lack of social intelligence and it's just dumb.

I really don't know why I've posted sensibility at you on a few occasions as you're clearly numb to it, it's a weird concept to think I've just spent 3 minutes writing something you'll ignore. Ho hum.

Personal criticism like this is totally unnecessary.

 

[cyberknight]

They look but don't see and/or think bicycle = slow, I shall pull out.

.

Reminds of a heated conversation i had at work today ...
Guy i work with and get on well with and knows i cycle although he thinks he knows everything about everything kinda person is commenting on how its dangerous to ride motorbikes as one had crashed on a roundabout .He then goes on to comment that all 2 wheeled vehicles are dangerous and cycles are the worst ....
Me " why is that ?"
He " they hold up traffic"
Me "So your saying that because drivers cannot wait a few seconds to overtake safely the cycle is dangerous ?"
He " They crawl up hills at 6 mph getting in the way .."
Me " repeat answer 1 .."
He" But they dont pay road tax "
me " Raod tac was abolished in 1937 , the VED is based on pollution"
He "They should pay something "
Me " what about all the zero ranked vehicles as well should that and should they also be off the road ? "
He " Cyclists all jump red lights "
Me " How many have you seen jump red lights compared to speeding cars and people using mobile phones whilst driving ? "
He "cycles are dangerous because there to slow and get in the way "
Me " So cycles are dangerous because you cant wait for 2 seconds ?"
He "cycles should be on cycle paths not on the roads ,they are for cars "
Me " cyclepaths are often dangerous , as well as the fact thjat roads have been around a lot longer than cars "
Yawn you get the idea , blinkered to the point that they cannot see the results of their actions can cause anyone who is not in a vehicle any harm as they "are in the way " and should not be thought of as being allowed on the road let alone be consdered as traffic .

 

[Davidc]

We all do it - look but don't see. It's very well documented, and one of the best illustrations is the Gorilla In The Room film and experiences showing it.

It probably wouldn't help if you had a football ground floodlight mounted on your bike, and shining lights in people's faces is more likely to get you thumped than get someone who isn't looking to see you.

The problem happens just as much with cars, lorries and buses as with bikes and motorcycles.

As has already been said it's best to just accept and expect it and include that in your defensive riding assumptions. A bit of defensive driving and riding may slow you down a few minutes in the hour, but it helps avoid collisions.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Cybernetic,that's just some sort of idiocy bias,I get that at work also.

People in this country think they know it all about everything when they actually know f-all...An instructor told me that yesterday and I agree with him.

In relation to my job (I work on the railway) and i've heard it all,leaves on the line blah blah blah.

He also said for us t-drivers we are on the pitch and the public it are in the stand criticising (bit like a football match eh?)...damn I can't even think how he told it,but it was magic and I naused it up.

Yes I appreciate I don't know it all either.

This country has a massive car culture,where I am cycling in about three weeks time they are more tolerant to cycles and mopeds,probably because there is a bigger percentage of the same plus the people are nicer and less ignorant also.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

I was driving home last friday and was in a 30 limit at Oxspring. Flying in from the 60 came a Ford Ka, not even bothering to slow down. She seemed oblivious to the world chatting away on her mobile.
Shame she was a driving instructor according to the whacking great plastic sign on the roof.
That should qualify for an instant lifetime ban, as should all mobile use. But of course no-one enforces driving laws in this country.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

I was driving home last friday and was in a 30 limit at Oxspring. Flying in from the 60 came a Ford Ka, not even bothering to slow down. She seemed oblivious to the world chatting away on her mobile.
Shame she was a driving instructor according to the whacking great plastic sign on the roof.
That should qualify for an instant lifetime ban, as should all mobile use. But of course no-one enforces driving laws in this country.

Exactly,and they take the p155.

Makes me shudder driving like that being oblivious to their own safety as well as other peoples.You get no second chance when you cock it up.

 

[Crankarm]

This going to controversial but I reckon that in traffic in Cambridge 60-65% of female drivers are using their mobile phones while driving either glued to their ears or texting thinking they cannot be seen doing it as they drive, where as with male drivers it is about 30-35%. Why do women have to talk so much?

 

[TheDoctor]

Wankarm in casual sexist post shock horror!

 

[Cyclopathic]

If the 'out' isn't there of course I'm prepared to stop.

Drivers simply think 'Any cars coming... nope... and don't register that a bike can be as fast as it is.

I absolutely agree on this. Drivers simply do not expect a bike to be doing more than 10 m/h and will pull out at times they wouldn't even think about if they had seen a car.
I've had to stop on a main road to let cars out that have misjudged my speed and when I give them my "what on earth do you think you're doing" look (sort of a quizzically bemused open handed gesture with a vague shaking of the head (I practice in the mirror)) they usually just look at me gone out as if to say "You're only a bike, what gives you the right to expect courtesy or even consideration on the roads. Now stop bothering me with your quizzically bemused gestures and let me get about the very important business of getting to my destination."
Then I give them my "Your bloomin' lucky that I'm a reasonable sort of person and haven't dragged you out of your car and given you a remonstration that you wouldn't quickly forget. However I would rather rise above such nonsense and win the moral high ground so that later on you might just think about how you drive. Except that I don't think that's very likely because you look like the sort of person who thinks that they already know everything and any protests to the contrary are only proof that other people don't know as much as you. Now be on your way."
(I have very expressive "looks".)

 

[AndyPeace]

There really should be more emphisis on this issue in driving tests. It only gets worse as the winter approaches. I am pretty adement that driver licences should only last a couple of years , then they should have to repeat the test to demonstrate that they have maintained proper road skills. If you can't judge speed you shouldn't be allowed to drive.

 

[vickster]

Matthew - have you ever considered having a couple of driving lessons to help your roadcraft and understanding of other road users and why things happen. Everyone makes mistakes on the roads, cars, bikes, milkfloats - almost all of the time the incidents you report are not deliberate, just a miscalculation in a split second. Most drivers aren't out to get you (really), although your part of the world does seem to have a high proportion of aggressive so-and-so's, although sometimes your actions aren't conducive to an agreeable outcome.

Just a suggestion

 

[campbellab]

This going to controversial but I reckon that in traffic in Cambridge 60-65% of female drivers are using their mobile phones while driving either glued to their ears or texting thinking they cannot be seen doing it as they drive, where as with male drivers it is about 30-35%. Why do women have to talk so much?

Men like bluetooth!