thomas
the tank engine
- Location
- Woking/Norwich
Was on a club ride today (not commuting, but this fits better here). A small group were up ahead and I was just cycling next to my Mum. The road is just a single lane, but enough space for a car and cyclist to pass.
A car comes around the corner so me and Mum start to get in single file (which we all know doesn't happen in a split second). The driver isn't slowing, at all, which makes getting in single file a lot harder. As the driver doesn't appear to be slowing, I just stop having pulled in a bit and the driver then stops next to us. I didn't want to just jump across because I'd of probably just side swiped my Mum.
Had the driver just eased off when she saw us we'd of got in single file, no problem, and neither of our journeys would have been any longer.
Instead of this, she stops next to us and starts doing down her window. While she's doing this I say to her, very calmly and politely "It pays to anticipate the needs of others", or words very similar to that effect. I don't think it's an unfair point and I certainly wasn't being threatening or aggressive (I've got a gob on me if I need it. This didn't!).
When her window was down, I did put my hand on the ledge. This wasn't meant to be hostile, though it probably did come across that way. The women starts to speak angrily, looking like she's about to cry, about how cyclists must never be two across and telling me to get off her car!
I barely get a chance to correct her as she's already driving off. It's a shame that the reason she probably didn't slow down was because of her ignorance about cycling two abreast, which caused a whole problem. Even if we were in the wrong (and as we all know we weren't), you don't just carry on driving at someone, especially when it's a cyclist. My Mum claimed she was driving too fast (around the corner), which I'd disagree with. Her speed was fine, it was the fact that she didn't adjust the speed to the road conditions (eg. two cyclists).
She probably regretted stopping but hopefully for a split second she felt as vulnerable as a cyclist is, without the protection of the shell of a car.
Hopefully this thread doesn't come across as me being an arse, trying to scare some women as that was the furthest thing from what I was trying to do. I was on a club ride (Mum next to me!) so you'd have to do something very serious for me to loose my cool. I don't think this is one of those times where my actions mean she will take it out on the next cyclist (or at least I've very much hope not as that was the furthest thing from my intention). Like I said, not even slightly aggressive, though I do accept putting my hand on her car may come across as hostile (it was much more just a reaction, she wanted to chat).
It's just a shame that some people won't adjust their driving, even if someone else is doing something wrong. I'm by far from perfect at either cycling, or driving, but I do adjust my riding/driving style to avoid conflict (it doesn't matter if I'm in the "right").
Oh well!
A car comes around the corner so me and Mum start to get in single file (which we all know doesn't happen in a split second). The driver isn't slowing, at all, which makes getting in single file a lot harder. As the driver doesn't appear to be slowing, I just stop having pulled in a bit and the driver then stops next to us. I didn't want to just jump across because I'd of probably just side swiped my Mum.
Had the driver just eased off when she saw us we'd of got in single file, no problem, and neither of our journeys would have been any longer.
Instead of this, she stops next to us and starts doing down her window. While she's doing this I say to her, very calmly and politely "It pays to anticipate the needs of others", or words very similar to that effect. I don't think it's an unfair point and I certainly wasn't being threatening or aggressive (I've got a gob on me if I need it. This didn't!).
When her window was down, I did put my hand on the ledge. This wasn't meant to be hostile, though it probably did come across that way. The women starts to speak angrily, looking like she's about to cry, about how cyclists must never be two across and telling me to get off her car!
I barely get a chance to correct her as she's already driving off. It's a shame that the reason she probably didn't slow down was because of her ignorance about cycling two abreast, which caused a whole problem. Even if we were in the wrong (and as we all know we weren't), you don't just carry on driving at someone, especially when it's a cyclist. My Mum claimed she was driving too fast (around the corner), which I'd disagree with. Her speed was fine, it was the fact that she didn't adjust the speed to the road conditions (eg. two cyclists).
She probably regretted stopping but hopefully for a split second she felt as vulnerable as a cyclist is, without the protection of the shell of a car.
Hopefully this thread doesn't come across as me being an arse, trying to scare some women as that was the furthest thing from what I was trying to do. I was on a club ride (Mum next to me!) so you'd have to do something very serious for me to loose my cool. I don't think this is one of those times where my actions mean she will take it out on the next cyclist (or at least I've very much hope not as that was the furthest thing from my intention). Like I said, not even slightly aggressive, though I do accept putting my hand on her car may come across as hostile (it was much more just a reaction, she wanted to chat).
It's just a shame that some people won't adjust their driving, even if someone else is doing something wrong. I'm by far from perfect at either cycling, or driving, but I do adjust my riding/driving style to avoid conflict (it doesn't matter if I'm in the "right").
Oh well!
.
Surprise Surprise we met him again at the next set of lights he was in a queue a mile or so long.