I don't normally post rants, but...

[Wobblers]

Is it just me, or have the roads filled with idiots since the clocks went forward???

I've lost count of the number of very close passes I've had in the past six weeks. There's been more of those than in the whole of the winter. Then there was the munchkin who, after not troubling to complete his, shall we say, rather too intimate overtake, then decided he wanted to be closer to the kerb. When I was about level with the doors. He wasn't even going that fast: had I not been on the way back from a 70 mile club run he would have been woken up from his coma by me hammering on his offside window enquiring as to where he had put his glasses. As it was, I had to content myself with a "OI!!!!" which I'm sure you must have heard (needless to say, he didn't) and a comment stating my belief that he indulges in solo sex. Which makes that the third time since the clocks went forward. In the last two years, I've felt the need to make that observation... errr, three times. Sigh.

And what's brought this on? Well. It wasn't a close pass, though, yes, that did feature on tonight's ride home. No. It would be the oiks who threw the glass bottle - I'm not quite sure whether it was aimed at me or at the tyres. They missed. But they were left in no doubt as to just how verminous I thought them. I actually saw the brake lights come on and they swerved into the bus lane I was using. They thought about it. They definitely thought about it. And then sped off. Amazing just how quickly the bravado evaporates, isn't it? (Though I never thought I looked that scary!)

I didn't get the registration. But I will be fitting that video camera. And, possibly, getting a spikier bike...

 

[coffeejo]

Urgle.

 

[BSRU]

I had a brave motorist this morning beep me for not using the cycle lane, then take offence at my beeping back, they went past slowed down as if they wanted to talk but as soon as I gestured to pull over and talk about it they accelerated off, how brave some people are.

 

[smiorgan]

A change in the weather, a period of holiday followed by resentful nation back to work, hot weather, traffic. All brings out the tools.

Yesterday I had a couple of boy racers nearly floor it into me while I was on a mini roundabout; someone overtaking me after I indicated to turn right and started to move out - a middle aged couple in a four by four, gesturing at me as they passed me; and a young lady trying to squeeze me into the parked cars at the end of my road. The number one cause I can think of is having to be back at work after two four-day weekends (where a lot of them will have been on hols).

 

[cyberknight]

Apart from last week when everyone was in holiday brain dead mode i have been fine.

It must be the country air that filters into the brain cells and gets people to overtake nicely, mind you if they did hit me i will be toast as they are doing 60 + on the back roads

 

[Arch]

Interesting one this morning. Approaching a mini RAB, but just before it some roadworks and a lorry are blocking the other side of the road. I'm ready for the cars behind to over take me and cut in before the roadworks, and they do - the first one is okish, the second one should have waited in an ideal world.

But the first one then turns right at the mini RAB,, completely running over the painted circle and right across the path of an oncoming car. There was hooting, and the driver of the car that was cut across actually stopped afterwards for a moment - perhaps to get his heart rate back to normal, but I think he was contemplating trying to turn round and collar the guy (the road turned into only leads into a few commercial premises.) I did think that if he had done that, I'd have gone and offered as a witness, unless it looked like he was big enough to flatten the other chap.

So there's a case of someone taking slight care of a cyclist, but no care whatsoever with another car!