Move left or keep the line?

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It's a beautiful picture. Look how he has managed to frame his face next to his registration. :biggrin:
 

Origamist

Legendary Member
Thanks Orig :smile:

What a pr@t, he couldn't wait behind 'Number 14' for 2 secs but he could stop and argue for nearly 2 minutes !

Like others have said a strongerline would hopefully have discouraged the manoeuvre but you always get pr@t though as a few opposing drivers who have nearly had a head on will testify! or that central Island WVM hit a few weeks back :smile:

Quite.

Number 14 could have been further out and this might have discouraged the overtake, but note the manhole cover to his right as he comes through the junction and consider that some drivers might think he was planning to turn right if he was closer to the centre line (and one of the consequences of leaving that amount of space to the left is that it can lead to an even more imbecelic undertake).

I actually think he did well to swerve left when he saw the Fiesta coming or heard the beep. What was far, far poorer was a driver overtaking when coming through a junction in the face of oncoming traffic and forcing a cyclist to take evasive action. To cap it off, there also appeared to be veiled threats at the end.
 
OP
OP
Number14

Number14

Veteran
Location
Fareham
Quite.

Number 14 could have been further out and this might have discouraged the overtake, but note the manhole cover to his right as he comes through the junction and consider that some drivers might think he was planning to turn right if he was closer to the centre line (and one of the consequences of leaving that amount of space to the left can lead to an even more imbecelic undertake).

I actually think he did well to swerve left when he saw the Fiesta coming or heard the beep. What was far, far poorer was a driver overtaking when coming through a junction in the face of oncoming traffic and forcing a cyclist to take evasive action. To cap it off, there also appeared to be veiled threats at the end.

I've been further out along this road before but that then raises the risk of oncoming vehicles overtaking cyclists and presenting me with a close-up of their offside headlight cluster. Drivers don't look for oncoming cyclists in that position, especially around here. Where I was in the video is a happy medium for the door zone - feet and front chainring first into anyone who opens the door is a bit safer than over the handlebars.

They weren't veiled threats - he was pretty admant that we had an appointment for this morning. Unfortunately I was there at the appointed place at the appointed hour but he didn't show up. :sad:

Never mind, there's always tomorrow, or the day after, and ....
 

Origamist

Legendary Member
I've been further out along this road before but that then raises the risk of oncoming vehicles overtaking cyclists and presenting me with a close-up of their offside headlight cluster. Drivers don't look for oncoming cyclists in that position, especially around here. Where I was in the video is a happy medium for the door zone - feet and front chainring first into anyone who opens the door is a bit safer than over the handlebars.

They weren't veiled threats - he was pretty admant that we had an appointment for this morning. Unfortunately I was there at the appointed place at the appointed hour but he didn't show up. :sad:

Never mind, there's always tomorrow, or the day after, and ....

Ahh, I didn't realise you were riding a bent - the low camera angle is a bit of give way - should have spotted it.

Your position on the road didn't seem unreasonable to me. Different people will weigh up the risks between a possible dooring, a close overtake and getting tagged by a passing vehicle differently - particularly if they know the road well and how the traffic generally behaves.

Thanks for clarifying the audio; it's difficult to hear what it being said in the "conversation".

That is a Contour 1080 isn't it?
 

dellzeqq

pre-talced and mighty
Location
SW2
I'm running the risk of being shot down here, but here we go........

Me - I'd have held the line, chased after the bastard, caught him and given him cause to worry.

but...........

Susie would have been better advised to go left if she heard someone coming up behind her, and, if need be, take a breather at the end of the gap.

What I mean is this. Only stand on your rights when you're confident you can hold your own. In the end the idiot in the car has about a 1200kg/100hp advantage.
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
I've been further out along this road before but that then raises the risk of oncoming vehicles overtaking cyclists and presenting me with a close-up of their offside headlight cluster. Drivers don't look for oncoming cyclists in that position, especially around here. Where I was in the video is a happy medium for the door zone - feet and front chainring first into anyone who opens the door is a bit safer than over the handlebars.

Would it not be better to stay out further, and only pull left a bit if you do get an oncoming vehicle overtaking a cyclist? That's what I would do. I agree it's more likely that we would pile drive any door to oblivion, but I'm also still afraid of being doored, as it's not inconceivable that the door edge would catch us in the side.
 

dellzeqq

pre-talced and mighty
Location
SW2
I hadn't seen the second video when I posted last. There's no point in chasing after someone if they've stopped - indeed, it's probably more satisfying to whizz past giving him the 'self-gratification artist's sign.

But my reservation remains. Don't get involved in anything you can't win.
 

Origamist

Legendary Member
I hadn't seen the second video when I posted last. There's no point in chasing after someone if they've stopped - indeed, it's probably more satisfying to whizz past giving him the 'self-gratification artist's sign.

But my reservation remains. Don't get involved in anything you can't win.

I prefer to have threats ahead of me, where I can keep a closer eye on them and react quicker to acts of aggression. If they're behind, I feel more uncomfortable and vulnerable. That said, if traffic is heavy, I don't mind whizzing past as I know they'll be unlikely to catch me.
 

battered

Guru
Right, so here's a scenario. He pulls over, you breeze past giving him a "self-gratification artist" sign. He pulls out, overtakes you, and then pulls in hard against the parked cars before standing on the brakes. 4 servo assisted brakes attached to tyres 6 inches wide take on 2 patches of rubber each the size of your thumb. Guess who wins. That's you through the back of his car and on the way to hospital, and him saying "There was a dog in the road Officer, I braked instinctively and the guy on the bike didn't stop."

Watch it out there, there are some bloody idiots and as others say, don't start anything you aren't sure of winning.

I would have held the line, at that speed you should get hold of the road. I had something similar a while back on a hill, I was doing 25-30 past a line of parked cars, holding a very strong line and a guy on a moped was right up behind me. It's a 30 limit so I was happy to take over the carriageway and if anyone wants to pass then they can cross the white lines. Moped boy didn't have the power so at the bottom of the hill he was gesticulating at the kerb. I shook my head and carried on.

With video footage like that there has to be a case for taking it to the police, no?
 
OP
OP
Number14

Number14

Veteran
Location
Fareham
I knew he was behind me as we approached the gap. When I heard his revs pick up I had a sixth sense and moved left a bit but his wing mirror was still above my handlebar (underseat steering) and it was still close. The car horn in the clip is the oncoming car so it must have been close on that side as well.
Guess I'm lucky the parked cars were there or he would have come a lot further over and probably taken me out.
 
OP
OP
Number14

Number14

Veteran
Location
Fareham
I knew he was behind me as we approached the gap. When I heard his revs pick up I had a sixth sense and moved left a bit but his wing mirror was still above my handlebar (underseat steering) and it was still close. The car horn in the clip is the oncoming car so it must have been close on that side as well.
Guess I'm lucky the parked cars were there or he would have come a lot further over and probably taken me out.
 
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