How to deal with these situations?

[Jody]

Need some guidance for a couple of issues I came across this morning while riding to work. Tried looking back in this part of the forum but not found much. What ideally would you regular commuters do?

First one which happened twice this morning is people overtaking just before stationary traffic then pulling in front of you and hitting the brakes. They can clearly see the traffic but still feel the need to go round anyway. I'm not talking about a couple of hundred feet before traffic but as you are slowing down and maybe 30-40 feet.

The other issue is filtering in slow moving traffic. It seems people get a little jealous when they see you catching back up and about to go round them. You go round the right hand side and someone pulls their car over to the central line as you approach. Or go on the inside and a car will with little warning pull very close to the curb.

 

[BSRU]

Just accept some drivers are stupid or jealous or both.

 

[martinclive]

The other issue is filtering in slow moving traffic. It seems people get a little jealous when they see you catching back up and about to go round them. You go round the right hand side and someone pulls their car over to the central line as you approach. Or go on the inside and a car will with little warning pull very close to the curb.

Wow - looks like the car drivers in your area at least use their mirrors!!!

Honestly - to both questions - the answer is 'not a lot' except to take stronger road position when coming to the back of stationary traffic

 

[Arjimlad]

Must Get In Front Then Block the cyclist seems to be the mentality of a very few round my way. Not much you can do about it.

I had one today who pulled out round me 30yds from the junction ahead and stayed on the wrong side of the road in the path of oncoming traffic, which had to brake.

When overtaking stationary traffic a lot of drivers will use their mirrors and pull over to the left to make more space. Others who don't, or who pull out on you, you just have to get past as best you can.

 

[helston90]

Nothing you can do- they're just kn-bbers, that or they think they're being funny/ making ground but actually just being dangerous kn-bbers.
Best to keep an eye out for them now that you know they exist.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

First one which happened twice this morning is people overtaking just before stationary traffic then pulling in front of you and hitting the brakes. They can clearly see the traffic but still feel the need to go round anyway. I'm not talking about a couple of hundred feet before traffic but as you are slowing down and maybe 30-40 feet.

business as usual, nothing to see here, move on stuff. Just ride in strong primary to discourage all but the uber-chimps (uber-chumps?) and when it happens, let it go.

The other issue is filtering in slow moving traffic. It seems people get a little jealous when they see you catching back up and about to go round them. You go round the right hand side and someone pulls their car over to the central line as you approach. Or go on the inside and a car will with little warning pull very close to the curb.

happens at least a couple of times a month, even if I haven't been overtaken by the driver previously. Chummy in his/her Insignia/Beemer/Audi/Range Rover* (never had it from another model/marque) works very hard in order to drive that company car so why should I be able to get past on a mere bicycle? One set of four pedestrian refuges on the run into the town I work in seems to compel some folk to do it.

Stop, wait, overtake or filter, when it is safe to do so, with a weary shake of the head. I sometimes eyeball the driver before the head shake when going past on the outside. Especially if they are on the phone or texting/facebooking/twattering, which at least 1 in 10 is.

*cue all the whiney hurt Insignia/Beemer/Audi/Range Rover drivers claiming it is an unfair stereotype. Pah!

 

[Thomk]

Often I don't think they are impatient but rather stressed by bikes buzzing around them so try to stay in front of them at all costs.

 

[AboutLee]

Am I the only one to stop infront of them while traffic is stopped? I get it a lot when coming to traffic lights get first before the cyclist so he doesn't hold me up. But I go in front anyways lol.

 

[Jody]

business as usual, nothing to see here, move on stuff. Just ride in strong primary to discourage all but the uber-chimps (uber-chumps?) and when it happens, let it go.

Stop, wait, overtake or filter, when it is safe to do so, with a weary shake of the head. I sometimes eyeball the driver before the head shake when going past on the outside. Especially if they are on the phone or texting/facebooking/twattering, which at least 1 in 10 is.!

Some good points. One of the marques that did this to me was a black Golf GTi that had a sticker on the back saying Boost Monkey. She was probably one of the uber chimps you refer to.

It may be bad practice but I overtook an articulated lorry that was crawling down a hill at about 10mph with the driver staring downwards. There was nothing in front of him and no side junctions so I went for it. As I got to the tractor unit he spotted me in the mirror and accelerated, in which time I was round him. As I went past the cab I noticed he had his elbows on the wheel and texting

 

[Beebo]

I think in the first example the driver often doesnt realise they are causing a problem, as they dont see the traffic from a cyclists point of view. but it does annoy me.
The second example is just people being knobbers, I had a WVM do it twice to me the other night, with the chimp in the passenger seat laughing.

 

[fossyant]

Not much, but if you are approaching a line of traffic, I usually take primary to stop them doing this, just before I filter down the outside.
With the filtering and blocking, if someone does this, I'll switch the bike quickly and fly past on the other side, then maybe wave as I cycle off into the distance.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

Often I don't think they are impatient but rather stressed by bikes buzzing around them so try to stay in front of them at all costs.

If they are "stressed" by other traffic, maybe they shouldn't be on the road in the first place.

 

[Jody]

Often I don't think they are impatient but rather stressed by bikes buzzing around them so try to stay in front of them at all costs.

I would hope they are not stressed with cyclists. You see very few commuting round here.

 

[Hip Priest]

To be honest, I get far more drivers who see me filtering on the left and move right to give me more room.

If someone does a MGIF or tries to block me, I tend to just go round the other side. I like to think this makes the driver feel a bit petty.

 

[Jody]

Not much, but if you are approaching a line of traffic, I usually take primary to stop them doing this, just before I filter down the outside.
With the filtering and blocking, if someone does this, I'll switch the bike quickly and fly past on the other side, then maybe wave as I cycle off into the distance.

Primary and secondary are still fairly new phrases to me. I try to use them but don’t want to antagonise people. Having seen that a small minority don’t give a sh*t about my safety I will probably use them a bit more and especially where people are likely to cut in front of me and brake.

To be honest, I get far more drivers who see me filtering on the left and move right to give me more room.
If someone does a MGIF or tries to block me, I tend to just go round the other side. I like to think this makes the driver feel a bit petty.

Not sure what a MGIF is but I have been switching to the opposite side to go round them. I have also found the majority of people are very polite and tend to give a reasonable room when going round.