I get a lot of close passes, but this one was particularly dangerous.
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4F_UYQ1xY8
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4F_UYQ1xY8
Idiot lorry driver, v.close pass
- Thread starter Goto10
- Start date
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summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
It's not a nice experience to be passed close but in my opinion you left it too late to pull out the other cyclist had a better road position leading up to the narrowing, although the lorry driver should have anticipated that you were going to need to pull out.
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
You are in a great position where you can get some advise from other cyclists on how to avoid certain things.
As has been mentioned already, it's best to take control of the road long before the issue at hand. I would personally be looking for a gap in traffic before the taxi passes you. A strong indication and then a strong positional change should keep such a driver from overtaking you but this all needs to be done before you get to the point where the road works start.
This doesn't take away from how bad this piece of driving is!
I've got a short video about positions on the road and why you should take them, although it is easier to do it when you can go as fast as the traffic.
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRONsqlL1q8[/media]
As has been mentioned already, it's best to take control of the road long before the issue at hand. I would personally be looking for a gap in traffic before the taxi passes you. A strong indication and then a strong positional change should keep such a driver from overtaking you but this all needs to be done before you get to the point where the road works start.
This doesn't take away from how bad this piece of driving is!
I've got a short video about positions on the road and why you should take them, although it is easier to do it when you can go as fast as the traffic.
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRONsqlL1q8[/media]
stowie
Legendary Member
Having been pretty much run off the road the other day for having the temerity to take primary in stationary traffic please forgive me if I am somewhat cynical about the use of primary to control the behaviour of someone driving a multi-tonne truck.
Our roads truly are screwed when we need to position our bicycles and bodies in front of lorries in order for them not to try this idiotic manoeuvre.
Yes, primary would have been a good option as long as the driver wasn't going to try to pass anyway. The cyclist in front would be the position I would normally try to take, but it is difficult especially if you have a lorry driver bearing down on you.
In any event, it is the driver's responsibility to drive in a safe manner, read the road and respect other road users - especially vulnerable ones. The overtake was terrible.
In defence of lorries - I find most of them the most considerate drivers on the road to cyclists, and often by quite some margin. It is just when you get one nutter it is frightening how difficult it is to keep safe around them.
Our roads truly are screwed when we need to position our bicycles and bodies in front of lorries in order for them not to try this idiotic manoeuvre.
Yes, primary would have been a good option as long as the driver wasn't going to try to pass anyway. The cyclist in front would be the position I would normally try to take, but it is difficult especially if you have a lorry driver bearing down on you.
In any event, it is the driver's responsibility to drive in a safe manner, read the road and respect other road users - especially vulnerable ones. The overtake was terrible.
In defence of lorries - I find most of them the most considerate drivers on the road to cyclists, and often by quite some margin. It is just when you get one nutter it is frightening how difficult it is to keep safe around them.
I'm trying to take primary more often - I've found that I'm a lot more assertive when on my hybrid but I can easily do 20~30mph on that, being on a Brompton seems to annoy drivers (foldups *look* really slow!) - I had a cab driver hold his horn down for a hundred metres because I took primary going through the busy junction near Bank and then he proceeded to give me verbal when we finally stopped at temporary lights (where he would've got stuck anyway) (this is a few days before I finally ordered a camera - was sick of the constant abuse, just having the camera on my head has actually worked to decrease confrontations, they know they're on video!)
I know I should've glanced behind at the roadworks but I could hear the lorry clearly (I know, I know, not as good as looking) - I just didn't think he'd actually squeeze past there!
I know I should've glanced behind at the roadworks but I could hear the lorry clearly (I know, I know, not as good as looking) - I just didn't think he'd actually squeeze past there!
One thing I have learnt over my 5 years of commute is assume nothing when it comes to other road users. That has held me in good stead over the years.
A lesson learnt there.
Video is private? But I wanted to see
Sorry, I must've accidentally done that - just made it public again.
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4F_UYQ1xY8
hoski
Veteran
- Location
- Oxford, UK
This. Even if a cyclists actions could prevent a stupid manoeuvre like that, it doesn't lessen the irresponsibility of the driver.
I find that with van drivers, at least in Birmingham. They're usually the ones who overtake with enough room, allow me to merge/change lane etc.
Yikes! That is nasty.
Just a question - why would the rider looking behind them in such a case have prevented that?
I regularly get incidents where I hear someone approaching behind me as I approach a pinch point, I've looked behind me to see what they are up to and hoped that by me looking at them they might consider backing off, but often they still cut through like a dickhead anyway.
Most of these such incidents I get going past this traffic island here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...d=5WK0RUGZmFdNHDtzHBeiLw&cbp=12,282.4,,2,3.54
Not really possible to move into primary when you've got a fairly constant stream of traffic passing at 40mph+ (usually 50mph+)
Just a question - why would the rider looking behind them in such a case have prevented that?
I regularly get incidents where I hear someone approaching behind me as I approach a pinch point, I've looked behind me to see what they are up to and hoped that by me looking at them they might consider backing off, but often they still cut through like a dickhead anyway.
Most of these such incidents I get going past this traffic island here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...d=5WK0RUGZmFdNHDtzHBeiLw&cbp=12,282.4,,2,3.54
Not really possible to move into primary when you've got a fairly constant stream of traffic passing at 40mph+ (usually 50mph+)
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
I find looking behind often (not always) makes drivers appear to think ... "they are about to do something I will hang back..", whereas I may be doing an early look before thinking about doing a manoeuvre.
adds21
Rider of bikes
- Location
- North Somerset
Oddly, I find the opposite. I almost always find that looking behind me encourages the following vehicle to overtake, to the extent that I often don't look behind when I can hear something staying behind me, if I don't want it to overtake. I also find a very quick glance over my shoulder (or indeed, just to my right) will encourage an overtake when I'm ready.
