Must pass cyclist...

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wesa

Well-Known Member
Location
Oxfordshire
I saw an incident on the way to work this morning that made me laugh, it also got me thinking of the 'must get past cyclist' mentality. What stories do you have of how an attempt to get past a cyclist has delayed a driver more than holding back a couple of seconds?

This morning I was in the car, I was heading towards a T-junction where I was turning left into the joining road. Traffic coming towards me has a devoted right turn lane and a through lane. There was a car waiting to turn right. A cyclist was moving some (20+) in secondary towards me in the through lane.

The driver approaching the cyclist entered 'must pass cyclist' mode and pulled half into the right turn lane to pass; nearly along side the bike he finally noticed the stationary car waiting to turn right. He stopped the car just inches from the bumper of the turning car, as I turned into the junction I could see the driver trying to reverse to give himself space to get back in his lane; unfortunately the guy behind him had not expected to have to stop either and there was not much room. The queue of cars was building rapidly.

I could see the cyclist disappearing along the road.
 

gaz

Cycle Camera TV
Location
South Croydon
Cyclist 1 - 0 dumb car driver
WOOOOOOOOOOOO!
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
It's not just cyclists. Part of the time at work, I drive a little electric truck - her top speed is about 8-10mph. There's one set of rounds we do that involve coming back round a one way road with two lanes, and there's always at least one vehicle that 'must get past' just as we approach a point where the two lanes diverge to go opposite ways.

It's a glorious day when someone has to go round again because they've left it too late and ended up trapped in the other lane...
 
Arch said:
It's not just cyclists. Part of the time at work, I drive a little electric truck - her top speed is about 8-10mph. There's one set of rounds we do that involve coming back round a one way road with two lanes, and there's always at least one vehicle that 'must get past' just as we approach a point where the two lanes diverge to go opposite ways.

It's a glorious day when someone has to go round again because they've left it too late and ended up trapped in the other lane...
Two silvers and a gold top please milko:laugh:.
 
D

Deleted member 1258

Guest
Headgardener said:
Two silvers and a gold top please milko:laugh:.

And two silvers over here please Milko, and have you got any eggs please.:smile:
 

Norm

Guest
I had one last night heading south over Cookham Bridge (and yes, it is always as beautiful as it looks there). It's single lane and traffic light controlled, I nearly always ride it in primary as there's not enough room to pass but I was also coming up behind someone on a Dutch bike so was way out to the right when I heard the grinding of wheels on kerb stones about 3 feet behind me.

After the bridge, the little old man in his little old Focus went past but he had to stop a hundred yards further up as there was a queue turning right towards Cookham village.

I slowed right down as I passed him and asked through his open passenger window if it was worth his alloys, just to try and pass a bike which was doing over 20mph anyway.

I didn't wait for his answer, nor did I see him again as he was stuck in the queue.
 
I went out for a ride on last Sunday morning and was riding in a quiet lane around a left-hand bend when I heard a vehicle approaching me from behind. I could tell that it was not slowing at all because of the sound of the tyres on the road. The car was a BMW X5 and swept past me at a fair speed, especially considering the fact that it filled the road. Suddenly a Range Rover appeared from the opposite direction, causing a real panic brake/swerve back to the left by the BMW to avoid a crash. Luckily, it was well past me at that stage and I was not about to be squashed. I had a chuckle to myself regarding the driver's ability.

I think that it is about time that drivers were taught how to overtake safely as part of learning to drive, instead of it being something they 'pick up as they go along'.
 

Mad Doug Biker

Just a damaged guy.
Location
Craggy Island
No, but I overtook a train today at Lomond Shores.
One of those 'road train' thingimybobbers for kids I mean, complete with umpteen tourists there to see me fly past as I engaged my new clipless pedals in taking me to warp speed.

Having an audience made it all the more satisfying - I hope someone filmed me!! ;)
 

u9ge

Well-Known Member
I had a muppet black cab last night at the junction of upper richmond road and Queens Rise. One way junction with teo lanes and a big ASL. it's never worth burning it away from the junction as you hit more lights within 300m which are phased to changes about 30 secs after. He's sat in the left lane behind cyclists, lets a passenger out, then pull into the right hand side of the ASL. He's got to be going right at the next lights? nope, all the traffic moves off then overtakes all the cyclists and pulls in left to turn left at the next lights (whiles cyclist refiltered around him into the next ASL. Muppet.
 

sunnyjim

Senior Member
Location
Edinburgh
Arch said:
It's not just cyclists. Part of the time at work, I drive a little electric truck - her top speed is about 8-10mph. There's one set of rounds we do that involve coming back round a one way road with two lanes, and there's always at least one vehicle that 'must get past..]

Umm, guilty of that a few months ago - overtook something trundling along looking like a self propelled water tank on my trike, except that as I was level with it a bus in front decided to stop, neatly closing up my pulling-back-in gap as a stampede of cars released from some distant traffic light approached in the other direction. Quick decision time - Drop back & try nestle alongside the trundley thing within the lane, or a death-or-glory breenge to the front of the bus..:smile:
 

QuinnDexter

New Member
One "Must get past" mentality mode I hate is when a thicko driver overtakes you and then immediately brakes and turns left. These days I take a hammer with me so I can swipe at the car and do as much damage as possible......only joking...
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
Of course, some cyclists are guilty too. Filtering down narrow gaps, scooting with one foot on the kerb, just to get ahead in a queue - and like as not have to stop at the red light anyway - unless they just jump it.

I tend to hang back rather than filter through tight spaces - I'm in no great hurry. But how often am I passed on the inside by someone who then scoots up the inside of a bus or whatever - the whatever often being hopping up onto the pavement to get past, riding along a bit and then back down into the gutter.
 
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