Frood42
I know where my towel is
- Location
- Magrathea, Horsehead Nebula
Just yesterday I was a in a queue of a few cars waiting to overtake a cyclist who was wobbling along because he was going so slow and when I got to the front waiting, he was looking back and going slower, I honestly was wondering what the hell he was trying to do and as per usual gave an extra wide berth. Looking in my mirrors I saw he was now going right. In my opinion road users like this are a danger to themselves yet let's blame the driver of the vehicles should an accident arise.
We do all (inc. pedestrians) have to share the road (and I ride in a such a way that I try to fit in with the traffic flow, but some are not confident enough to do this, they should not be banned from public roads because of other impatient road users).
If you hit someone from behind, then yes, the finger would be pointed in your direction as you are the one performing the overtaking manouvere with a clear view of the person ahead. If they are wobbling about, yes it can be frustrating, but you need to make allowances ("as per usual gave an extra wide berth" - great, but why such a drama about it?), these are public roads.
Unfortunately less confident road users have no choice but to use the road, as pavement riding is illegal and seperate infrastructure is not up to scratch.
If I saw a cyclist looking back and there was a right turning ahead I would be making allowances for him to be making a right turn, whether I be in a car or on a bike, as making a right turn with fast moving or large vehicles coming up behind can be rather intimidating for some (and it has happened to me on some larger roads).
Impatience and entitlement seems to be becoming more and more an issue these days (with people rushing about, trying to fit more and in to there days. Leave earlier to make allowances for possible delays, I do, I ride 22 miles in to work, it takes me about an 1hr 30mins to 1hr 45mins, but I give myself 2hrs 30mins to be at my desk - just in case of bad weather or traffic).
Thankfully you get some drivers like I had last night, who saw me looking back on a fast road, he stayed back and gave me the room and the time I needed to move across to the lane I wanted. I was very grateful that he gave me the time to do so in a safe way (http://goo.gl/maps/n30LC - needed right hand lane as going straight on, but this is the A406, and so you get some fast moving traffic).
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