I applaud drivers for giving me so much space, but....

[BlackPanther]

....for gawds sake, keep your eyes open for approaching traffic. This happens all too often.....just a matter of time methinks.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP_ZE0LrOrc

 

[2Loose]

Had a couple of those type of events this week, one where I braked because I knew the driver had to cut in before impact - he didn't and clipped the oncoming cars mirror. Stoopid, stoopid stoopid.

Still, as you say, nice of them to give us space!

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Yes, it's odd how some people miss the point that safe overtaking means not only giving traffic moving in your direction some space, but also the oncoming traffic.

 

[tincaman]

I love the ones who move over to the other side of the road to give you loads of space, trouble is its on a blind left hand bend, I get this all the time over Dartmoor.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

On my old commute that would happen so many times each day, each way, that I actually got to the point where I closed my eyes, not wanting to witness any more near misses (or the one or two over the 7 years which were not misses).
Eventually I picked up the courage to simply block motorists on the worst corners by cycling up the middle of the lane on a blind bend - won't work there because the road is straight, but on one occasion, an old man actually stopped around the corner at the next layby and flagged me down. I was understandably hesistant. It turned out he wanted to thank me for stopping him overtaking me on the blind right hand bend (a known accident area with frequent deaths over the years). He would have hit the oncoming lorry. I finally changed my route because it was getting too stressful - taking my commute to work off-road & single track country lanes. It was much more enjoyable.

 

[HovR]

People often try to overtake me here.

The crest is only about a 300ft section of road to the top, which takes me no more than 30 seconds to climb. Even from the high-up vantage point of the Google car's camera you can't see over the crest of the hill, yet people still try to overtake.

I've had two cars have to come to almost a complete stop in the right hand lane because the driver behind me couldn't wait 'till I reached the top, where I then give way at a pull-in to let cars overtake.

 

[HLaB]

What I find bizarre is the car that sits behind you on the strailght where they could easily overtake but when you approach that blind bend/crest they overtake; 'the road has been quiet for the last 30sec, it must still be clear!'

 

[gbb]

What I find bizarre is the car that sits behind you on the strailght where they could easily overtake but when you approach that blind bend/crest they overtake; 'the road has been quiet for the last 30sec, it must still be clear!'

Had exactly that once (well almost exactly).
Oundle Road, headed out to Elton, you go up a steady incline that crests out at the top, then a quick little descent into Elton.
On the ascent, I sensed a car sitting behind me...for too long really, the road had been clear for ages....they then decided to overtake just a bit before the crest, got beside me and slammed on the anchors with a screech of rubber....fell in behind me...and turned left at the crest into their house

The indecision was incredible. Sat crawling behind me for maybe 100 yards, then attempt an overtake 20 yards before they're going to turn off anyway ...and the road was as empty as a grave all the way.

 

[HLaB]

Had exactly that once (well almost exactly).
Oundle Road, headed out to Elton, you go up a steady incline that crests out at the top, then a quick little descent into Elton.
On the ascent, I sensed a car sitting behind me...for too long really, the road had been clear for ages....they then decided to overtake just a bit before the crest, got beside me and slammed on the anchors with a screech of rubber....fell in behind me...and turned left at the crest into their house

The indecision was incredible. Sat crawling behind me for maybe 100 yards, then attempt an overtake 20 yards before they're going to turn off anyway ...and the road was as empty as a grave all the way.

Typical; it seems like 90% of crap overtakes involves the driver turning off at the next junction/driveway. They choose to risk injury/ death to potentially get home 2secs earlier

 

[enas]

Those sort of overtakes are very common in Ireland (leave lots of space to the cyclist, regardless of the oncoming traffic). To be honest, I eventually got used to them. As a cyclist, I have to selfishly appreciate that the car gives me space, and accept that what might happen otherwise is under his own responsibility. As a driver coming in the opposite direction, I have to say that it does pi$s me off. However, you learn to anticipate that, and slow down or even stop to let the overtaking car finish his manoeuvre.

When you think of it, it's better to slow down in a car than when cycling, and it's far better to pass a car too close than a bicycle. So overall, once you accept that this is common practice, and you adapt to it, it's that big of a deal.

 

[Matthew_T]

I had someone overtake me this evening in the face of an oncoming car. He gave me plenty of room but forced the other car to brake and swerve. I saw a lot of head shaking and frustrated looks in the opposing car as I passed it.

 

[gbb]

There is another side to this...as a driver.
I will often see a bike and a car oncoming, and draw to the extreme left to allow the car plenty of room to overtake the cyclist safely. I'm not bothered if he encroaches into my lane, ive prepared myself for that .(although the original video looks BLOOMIN close)
If everyone is aware and awake, often its no real problem.

On the opposite side of that...imagine you're on your bike and an oncoming car passed you that close...as happened to me last year.
Single carriageway, 30 mph, i'm in secondary on my bike...there's a car oncoming in the opposite lane, out pops a Merc at high speed, overtakes him at maybe 60 mph and misses me by about a foot.
I saw it coming..the driver had a fixed/determined look on his face as he passed me ( I sensed he'd commited and was determinedly seeing it through)....he got all the gob I could muster on his windscreen

There was a ped just in front...the look of horror and disbelief at what just happened was all over his face.