Must Past Cyclist

[BrynCP]

When I think I have seen it all, today I was totally puzzled.

Large queue of traffic ahead moving about 10-15mph. I join that queue matching the speed of the traffic being there is no room to filter safely (my avg on that road up to that point being 21mph).

Behind me a car joins, matching the speed. Behind that car comes another car, a blue one, all of a sudden I hear from behind me something accelerate rapidly, it's only the blue car presumably annoyed that the car in front of her is not making progress by overtaking me, to er, go nowhere.

What makes this worse? That car has a whole family in it, and almost collides head on with another car with a full family in it, saving themselves by almost forcing me off the road and into the kerb in order to re-join the queue of traffic.

So, gained 1 car length and 1 bike length in the queue, by gambling with the lives of 10 people. I manage to filter out of the traffic and she catches up with me about 3 miles later. If she couldn't see the queue of traffic, her eyesight must certainly be unfit for driving.

 

[Lonestar]

Happens all the time with whatever transport road users are using.

 

[raleighnut]

Probably thought there was a gap (didn't/couldn't see that you were there) BHK (bank holiday knob)

 

[Racing roadkill]

I had an absolute first (for me) yesterday. I was filtering past a queue of cars, on the right, when some total dickwad, decided to overtake the line, and me. I was sandwiched between the dickwad, and the queue of cars. It didn't work, he ended up stranded at the red light, on the wrong side of the road. Lots of beeping and laughing ensued from the assembled masses.

 

[BrynCP]

I had another today, I am in the bus lane (open for everybody, but typically motorists avoid them 24/7) going 22mph and the outside lane is at about 16mph due to queued traffic, so I believe my passing on the left is perfectly in line with the highway code.

Car in the outside lane is impatient, so "indicates" and pulls into my lane (simultaneously), I have to brake fairly hard, he then accelerates up to a parked car, and rejoins his original lane having gained about four car lengths - I am not sure this is acceptable as per the highway code as that was blatant undertaking.

I've never witnessed such poor actions, so I don't know if this is because:

• I'm starting to push towards 25mph on the flat in areas and my speed is the trigger
• As somebody above said, bank holiday idiocy

 

[vickster]

You shouldn't have to but from a safety point of view as the more vulnerable road user if undertaking queuing traffic, perhaps modify your speed, not that I can sustain 22mph so it's not a hard thing to do! There's only one loser ultimately so I prefer to ride defensively for self preservation

 

[T4tomo]

Buses that overtake only to pull in again 300 yards later are the ones that astound me. One actually forced me to brake to let him into the bus stop. I stopped for a calm chat to ask him why he bothered to over take so close to stopping again - there had been a stream of oncoming traffic and parked cars preventing him for about half a mile earlier. His response was "you should have got out of my way earlier down the road!" I didn't get a response to which part of his bus training and Highway Code tells you that bikes should scatter to the pavements when buses are on the road.

 

[vickster]

Bus drivers are often shocking. I'm astonished by the number that pass me and then pull in. I didn't know they only ever drive the route once and thus never get to learn where the stops are

 

[Dec66]

I was crawling my way up Corkscrew Hill in West Wickham at about 10mph yesterday (on the steepest bit in fairness). Behind me and just over my shoulder is a blue hatchback, giving me a sensible breathing space and hanging back because there's a traffic island with keep left signs and a 90° bend to the left.

No so patient was the driver of the white Audi who was so intent on being at the very important place they had to be at 8.30am that they overtook us both at 40mph, on the wrong side of the traffic island, narrowly missing a car coming down the hill and around the bend in the opposite direction.

 

[raleighnut]

I was crawling my way up Corkscrew Hill in West Wickham at about 10mph yesterday (on the steepest bit in fairness). Behind me and just over my shoulder is a blue hatchback, giving me a sensible breathing space and hanging back because there's a traffic island with keep left signs and a 90° bend to the left.

No so patient was the driver of the white Audi who was so intent on being at the very important place they had to be at 8.30am that they overtook us both at 40mph, on the wrong side of the traffic island, narrowly missing a car coming down the hill and around the bend in the opposite direction.

He must be saving for a BMW.

 

[vickster]

He must be saving for a BMW.

No he's traded up, Audi the new 4 letter word

 

[Misusawa]

A few weeks ago, I had a bus attempt to overtake me on a downhill road between two traffic islands. There was only 200 metres between the islands, so the bus powered on level with me, then the driver had to brake sharply before pulling in behind me again. Sent the video to Stagecoach, never received an email back.

 

[bozmandb9]

Buses that overtake only to pull in again 300 yards later are the ones that astound me. One actually forced me to brake to let him into the bus stop. I stopped for a calm chat to ask him why he bothered to over take so close to stopping again - there had been a stream of oncoming traffic and parked cars preventing him for about half a mile earlier. His response was "you should have got out of my way earlier down the road!" I didn't get a response to which part of his bus training and Highway Code tells you that bikes should scatter to the pavements when buses are on the road.

This should be reported to the bus operating company, with registration number time date and location, and possibly copied to the police. It is in no way acceptable for those driving public transport vehicles to have this attitude, and I'm pretty sure that at least some 're-education' would result, and a record made. Every report will increase awareness.

 

[bozmandb9]

A few weeks ago, I had a bus attempt to overtake me on a downhill road between two traffic islands. There was only 200 metres between the islands, so the bus powered on level with me, then the driver had to brake sharply before pulling in behind me again. Sent the video to Stagecoach, never received an email back.

Contact police. Don't know why you haven't already?

 

[Karlt]

The last mile and a half of my commute home by most routes involves a road with lots of parked cars, mostly on the side of the road I'm on at that point because the other side has a double yeller. For motor vehicles, progress is a constant series of stops and negotiations as only one direction can go at a time past the blocks of parked cars. For me, it needn't be, because there's plenty of room for a bike to overtake the parked cars without crossing the centre line. Except that every Mr MGiF overtakes me as I approach these blocks, then slams on the anchors because of oncoming traffic. If they'd just stayed behind for another few seconds they'd be exactly where they are, but I'd be two hundred yards further down the road. They shaft me and gain sod all.