How much space are you left?

[davidtq]

Well got my new helmet cam today and had the most pleasant ride home yet (car wise - weather was awful strong headwinds and rain).

Never been left so much space before. There was one new change to the bike apart from the addition of the conspicous Borg camera.

Do you think being consistantly left this amount of space by overtaking vehicles is exceptional. Certainly made for a pleasant journey



What do you reckon mundane passing or exceptional. I didnt have a single bad overtake for the 7 miles Compare to my regular commute this was blissfull. Other cyclists might get the much space all the time I dont know. But thought it was worth showing what I consider decent over taking for a change.

 

[PrettyboyTim]

Hi David,
Good to see that you're getting more room on the road with your camera. It's a but difficult to see how much space you're getting, probably not quite as much as recommended by the highway code:

but I think in the circumstances not too bad, either!

 

[davidtq]

I reckon I was probably getting about a foot or so under the highway code recomendation. and at times even the whole hog, It was a great ride.

Wasnt the helmet cam though, it was the 2 keyboards in boxes that I had strapped widthways on my panniers making the bike look really wide, even though in fact my elbows were still the widest point...

Back to normal space now even with the cam, but Ive not yet had any noteworth incidents since getting the camera, got to be a good thing really.

Ive thought several times about printing out that page from the highway code and keeping it with me to hand out to drivers

Ive swapped from my normal triple pannier to a right side only one and still getting the normal "pannier space" from it. Instantly noticeable when I dont have a pannier at all though that cars are far close. Seriously considering keeping the keyboards around as a pemanent pannier extension

Its amazing what an optical illusion can do for road space.

 

[PrettyboyTim]

There's a couple of boxes at work I need to transport home, and they're probably around a metre (maybe slightly over) long. I've been planning to strap them across my panniers, but I need to rig up front and back lights for the right hand side so that they don't get knocked in to.

I do like transporting large loads on the back of my bike, though ;-)

 

[longers]

I do like transporting large loads on the back of my bike, though ;-)

It's not just me then? Why though?

 

[PrettyboyTim]

It's not just me then? Why though?

I think there's a certain satistfaction in transporting something completely under your own steam, and also because it's a proof of the utility and usefulness of a bike.

I think it may also be something to do with getting a perverse pleasure in onlookers thinking that it's a lot harder work than it actually is.

 

[longers]

Sorry about the interruption Davidtq.


Good answer PrettyBoyTim, you summed it up very well. Thanks.

 

[gbb]

How much space...different day, different story.
Some days it seems like everyones out to get you...others, its bliss.

No logic....

 

[spindrift]

I feel like printing that photo off and handing it to numpty drivers who pass too close.

 

[walker]

I just watched that and it made me feel dizzy

 

[classic33]

I think there's a certain satistfaction in transporting something completely under your own steam, and also because it's a proof of the utility and usefulness of a bike.

I think it may also be something to do with getting a perverse pleasure in onlookers thinking that it's a lot harder work than it actually is.

Took a fridge freezer to the dump yesterday, by pedal power, & your right there is a certain amount of satisfaction in having done so under your own steam. Couple of odd looks on the way there, but no-one tried passing me.

 

[Tynan]

I use a right side pannier, been brill for space from day one, used to it now mind