How to get along with other drivers

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Brandane

The Costa Clyde rain magnet.
Dear Granny, I know I only met you five days ago, but here are some eggs. Let me help you with eating them. Kind regards, Garethgas x
So just because GG is new to CC, he can't possibly know anything about cycling then? Perhaps he has been cycling a very long time and doesn't bother with forums (not a bad idea).
Welcome to the CC forum Gareth, hugs and kisses, User13710 x.
 

400bhp

Guru
Just ride yer ferkin bike.

Primary, secondary, gutter. Whatever.

Become traffic, make cycling normal.

I must go back to a car forum and ask about road positioning on there.

Man, we worry far too much about what others think.

Follow advanced driving - concentrate on your own safety, the rest will follow.
 

Justiffa

Senior Member
Location
Malaysia
People hereabouts are only now catching up with bicycling, commuting, touring so the laws with regards to cyclists are probably almost non-existent. for now. I hope. And today I hv learnt something new - filtering.

Again, this is a great place for info :thumbsup:
 
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Garethgas

Senior Member
The issue of primary/secondary is a little tricky as it depends on your cycling route.
There are indeed parts
I confess I haven't seen much of this "hatred" towards cyclists. I ride secondary most of the time, primary if I need to and 99% of motorists are absolutely fine with it.

Funny that you say that, because I too don't get any hassle off motorists. Perhaps some people are just a bit more clued up, have a better attitude and more relaxed about their riding than others?
It speaks volumes that some are so familiar with conflict.
Judging by the mentality of some, it's not surprising that there's so many confrontations going on, especially when I'm criticised for simply trying to encourage others not to follow suit. I suspect that if these people will still be having bad rides in their later years (if they live that long).
 
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Garethgas

Senior Member
The issue of primary/secondary is a little tricky as it depends on your cycling route.
There are indeed parts
He might know a bit about cycling; he doesn't know much about us. He's as welcome as anyone else who doesn't wade in being patronising. OK Branny?
If you find my posts patronising, why not make a constructive contribution that may help others less experienced than yourself, instead of pretending that you have some kind of rank here just because you've been here longer?
 

swansonj

Guru
I think there is a debate still be had about how often, when taking primary, to inconvenience oneself by pulling over to allow motor vehicles to overtake.

On my commute, there's a mile and a half stretch of single carriageway A road where I often take primary. But even though, objectively, I probably only delay motorists by a minute or two, that still feels like a long way to be holding up other road users. So I know where the side turnings are that don't have dangerous lips, and I will often ease up and pull over into one of them at least once and sometimes twice on that mile and a half, particularly if there's a bus or lorry behind. Or I will ease into the gutter for a bit to let cars past.
 

Linford

Guest
If I feel that a car cannot pass safely given the width of the road and oncoming traffic, I will move out in to the primary. When approaching a traffic island, I will always take the primary..when I am passed it, I will take the secondary. I never ride in the gutter...either on the cycle,motorcycle or in the car... too much debris, too many drains. My secondary position is about 1ft out from the edge of the drains...or depression around them.
 

swansonj

Guru
Where's the debate though? This is good practice, so is car drivers showing patience. What it isn't, is 'keeping taking primary to a minimum'.
I think the debate comes from my, for one, not really knowing how often I should pull over to allow overtakes. Every time there's a car behind would be excessive in one direction; the whole (in my case) mile and a half would be excessive in the other direction. I'll bet different cyclists have different opinions.
 

Mugshot

Cracking a solo.
Its confidence and the absolute understanding that you have an absolute right to be on the road. It's very easy for cyclists new and old to assume that they are a hinderance to faster moving vehicles and that because of that they should metaphorically doff a cap and tug a forelock to them. It can take a bit of persuasion and an about turn in attitude to put yourself further into the road whether secondary or primary, you're closer to the danger, you're holding people up, people will be annoyed with you and so on, but once you're there you soon start to see the advantages. The vast majority of drivers aren't out to get you, they just need reminding that just because there's a gap they don't have to go for it and a confident, assertive but inclusive use of the roads very rarely results in beeping and abuse.
 
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