Junction Rage Strategies

[Wolf616]

We all have those one or two junctions on our regular route home that inspire fear and boredom in equal measure. The one in particular that I am thinking about is near Deptford Market in London. There's a small side road you end up on after cycling across the market (don't worry, not pedestrianised as such!) and it leads to a major road with traffic lights just off to the left. I have to turn right onto this main road, and will often need to wait until the traffic lights (that are not on a timer, as far as I am aware, and therefore need to be activated by pedestrians) turn red before I get a chance to pull out as it's normally not safe to do so otherwise.

The only problem is that this road is very narrow, so narrow in fact that if I am at the front of the queue I cannot really stand to the right to let left turning traffic past as any cars turning left into that road barely have enough space to do so anyway. I also tend to queue as cars etc. would, rather than filter past, as there just isn't really room to do so.

Normally this is fine; most motor vehicle drivers, I find, are reasonable and understand the need for me not to fly out into traffic and hope it's okay. Last night, though, an angry and impatient driver decided to honk his horn at me, gesture wildly and shout at me to 'get a farking move on'. I'll admit I panicked slightly - I turned around quickly to shout back at him, pointing out I wasn't just going to pull out into traffic and he should shut up, before doing exactly that and pulling out into traffic hoping I wasn't going to die. Realistically I had made a split second decision that there was a tiny gap and oncoming traffic wasn't approaching THAT fast, but it wasn't the safest junction manoeuvre I've ever done. Would he have honked his horn at a car? Probably. Would that car have pulled out before they were ready? Possibly not.

What do you do in such situations? What is the appropriate action here? Sometimes I manage to keep my cool and ignore the honking, continue to patiently wait and then pull out when ready. But for some reason last night I just snapped and reacted in a completely irrational way. On the plus side, I cycled the second half of my journey home faster than I ever have before due to the adrenaline and rage pumping away.

 

[Profpointy]

I had something similar. Was waiting at a tricky junction when I heard someone behind beeping so looked round. Missed an opportunity to go, so waited some more, then just as I was about to go, more beeping so looked round and there was a bloke behind waving his arms at me. Took me ages to pull out as junction was tricky enough without the extra distraction of the chap behind. I was tempted to get out and theatrically look under the car or something but didn't. I was in my car.

Anyhow, the moral of the story is some people are stupid.

 

[mjr]

The appropriate action is to wave hello and then carry on without changing anything, but if the junction's that slow to use, I'd also consider turning out left, then pulling up to the lights and pushing the button and using that to cross.

The satisfying action would be to accidentally miss your mouth with your water bottle when you finally pull out, just like in a car you'd accidentally fluff the controls and wash your windscreen but would be going so slowly so it'd hit the top of your windscreen and splash back.

 

[I like Skol]

Once they start beeping it's a the signal to slowdown and make double sure you only go when you are good and ready. Otherwise they think they have been rewarded for their unpleasant, antisocial and aggressive behaviour and will do it even more!

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Take a deep breath, and carry on as normal, doing your very, very best to ignore the person seeking to have a go. It's the only sane thing to do, people who don't react at all are rarely caught up in trouble. Even a "friendly wave" will be provocative to some testosterone heads.

 

[mjr]

Even a "friendly wave" will be provocative to some testosterone heads.

Trouble is, sometimes I know the person beeping and they're just saying hello, so I don't like to ignore them. Most modern car horns are shoot at expressiveness. Even bike bells convey more feeling.

 

[steveindenmark]

The first thing you have to allow to sink into your head...and it is not easy...is that drivers honking at you is all part of everyday riding. The first reaction is for the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up. With experience and practice, the sound of a horn sounding can give you a warm glowing feeling.

I dont get it in Denmark but in the past in the UK I have stopped in the middle of the road and put my bike on the kickstand and gone and talked to the driver. I dont care if they rant and rave. But I have made it clear that if they had not beeped at me they would be a lot further down the road than they are now.

 

[si_c]

I just ignore horns. The driver rarely has anything of interest to say.

 

[User16625]

We all have those one or two junctions on our regular route home that inspire fear and boredom in equal measure. The one in particular that I am thinking about is near Deptford Market in London. There's a small side road you end up on after cycling across the market (don't worry, not pedestrianised as such!) and it leads to a major road with traffic lights just off to the left. I have to turn right onto this main road, and will often need to wait until the traffic lights (that are not on a timer, as far as I am aware, and therefore need to be activated by pedestrians) turn red before I get a chance to pull out as it's normally not safe to do so otherwise.

The only problem is that this road is very narrow, so narrow in fact that if I am at the front of the queue I cannot really stand to the right to let left turning traffic past as any cars turning left into that road barely have enough space to do so anyway. I also tend to queue as cars etc. would, rather than filter past, as there just isn't really room to do so.

Normally this is fine; most motor vehicle drivers, I find, are reasonable and understand the need for me not to fly out into traffic and hope it's okay. Last night, though, an angry and impatient driver decided to honk his horn at me, gesture wildly and shout at me to 'get a farking move on'. I'll admit I panicked slightly - I turned around quickly to shout back at him, pointing out I wasn't just going to pull out into traffic and he should shut up, before doing exactly that and pulling out into traffic hoping I wasn't going to die. Realistically I had made a split second decision that there was a tiny gap and oncoming traffic wasn't approaching THAT fast, but it wasn't the safest junction manoeuvre I've ever done. Would he have honked his horn at a car? Probably. Would that car have pulled out before they were ready? Possibly not.

What do you do in such situations? What is the appropriate action here? Sometimes I manage to keep my cool and ignore the honking, continue to patiently wait and then pull out when ready. But for some reason last night I just snapped and reacted in a completely irrational way. On the plus side, I cycled the second half of my journey home faster than I ever have before due to the adrenaline and rage pumping away.

For some reason you snapped? That reason is 'people'. They are annoying in general and its why Osama and Hitler wanted them all dead. I love both road and off road riding but in some way MTBing does provide relief due to the isolation. Its rather ironic that I feel much safer riding along a rutted path next to a clifftop than I do riding on many roads.

 

[I like Skol]

Once they start beeping it's a the signal to slowdown and make double sure you only go when you are good and ready. Otherwise they think they have been rewarded for their unpleasant, antisocial and aggressive behaviour and will do it even more!

Had some fun tonight on the way in to work. Got to the top of New Zealand Rd in Stockport when some twonk decided he would try to left hook me on the approach to the jct where I was going to turn left anyway. I could have avoided any conflict by jamming on the brakes and allowing him to complete the stupid manouvere but instead decided to hold my ground and continue regardless. As he began to turn in on me at the corner I thumped his passenger door and this alerted him to the fact that A, I was there and B, I had no intention of being intimidated off the road.
This worked perfectly because he stopped pretty sharpish when faced with the prospect of having to run me over or head into oncoming traffic to continue driving. I was continuing on my way when he did the most idiotic part of the whole fiasco, he beeped at me!
I stopped and lay my bike in the road in front of him and walked up to the drivers window then, while the cars in the queue behind him began honking their horns, I explained how dangerous it was to try and overtake another road user at a jct in that situation. All very well mannered and he didn't lose his temper but he was obviously a bit on the back foot because he kept saying that he thought I was behind him?
Anyway, discusion over and point made, we continued on our way and he passed me shortly before having to stop at traffic lights. I stopped behind him (no point in trying to cause aggravation) and the driver of the car behind wound down her window and asked if I was ok and said she couldn't believe what he had done. I assured her I was fine and that it was nothing unusual but it was a change to get the opportunity to explain to the driver where he had gone wrong.
All fun and games that didn't stress me at all but at least he might think twice before pulling that trick again?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

We all have those one or two junctions on our regular route home that inspire fear and boredom in equal measure. The one in particular that I am thinking about is near Deptford Market in London. There's a small side road you end up on after cycling across the market (don't worry, not pedestrianised as such!) and it leads to a major road with traffic lights just off to the left. I have to turn right onto this main road, and will often need to wait until the traffic lights (that are not on a timer, as far as I am aware, and therefore need to be activated by pedestrians) turn red before I get a chance to pull out as it's normally not safe to do so otherwise.

The only problem is that this road is very narrow, so narrow in fact that if I am at the front of the queue I cannot really stand to the right to let left turning traffic past as any cars turning left into that road barely have enough space to do so anyway. I also tend to queue as cars etc. would, rather than filter past, as there just isn't really room to do so.

Normally this is fine; most motor vehicle drivers, I find, are reasonable and understand the need for me not to fly out into traffic and hope it's okay. Last night, though, an angry and impatient driver decided to honk his horn at me, gesture wildly and shout at me to 'get a farking move on'. I'll admit I panicked slightly - I turned around quickly to shout back at him, pointing out I wasn't just going to pull out into traffic and he should shut up, before doing exactly that and pulling out into traffic hoping I wasn't going to die. Realistically I had made a split second decision that there was a tiny gap and oncoming traffic wasn't approaching THAT fast, but it wasn't the safest junction manoeuvre I've ever done. Would he have honked his horn at a car? Probably. Would that car have pulled out before they were ready? Possibly not.

What do you do in such situations? What is the appropriate action here? Sometimes I manage to keep my cool and ignore the honking, continue to patiently wait and then pull out when ready. But for some reason last night I just snapped and reacted in a completely irrational way. On the plus side, I cycled the second half of my journey home faster than I ever have before due to the adrenaline and rage pumping away.

I think you're talking about Watson Street, where it meets the A2. It's very much a rat run so overloaded with impatient drivers and an awkward Right hand turn. If you go past the Albany and continue for a while you can get onto the A2 via Mornington Road. It's an easier and quieter junction and traffic is pretty much stationary.

 

[Drago]

I've a cunning plan.

Always wear a rubber Bruce Forsyth mask when cycling. When the above scenario happens, leap off your bike, slap the driver, then quickly make good your escape. After several reports of violence involving old Bruce he'll be arrested and removed from TV, leaving you free to move on to another celebrity mask.

 

[greekonabike]

In my mind I would have gone and squared up to the bloke and told him to stop being such a melt....

But in reality I probably would have considered my options and taken the one that seemed most favourable.

GOAB