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Frood42

I know where my towel is
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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sazzaa

Guest
That's because you're in Aberdeen, and fellow cyclists will be sharing your love of Arctic temperatures, high winds off the sea, and traffic bedlam on the A90 and A96. I used to drive an artic every working day to Aberdeen airport and a cyclist was a rare sight. Can't blame them as there must be a better alternative to Anderson Drive and the Haudagain roundabout :cursing:.

Today is the first day I've worn something long-sleeved, it's been way too warm for us lately! :smile: Yeah, once our bypass is built it should be fine. Which will take at least 5 years. And our lovely Labour-led council have decided they don't want to tackle Haudagain until the bypass is built, because "it'll cause gridlock". Not sure what they think is happening now?!
 

BLUE(UK)

Active Member
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).

I'm using my phone so I'm not going to split your post.
The cyclist in my case looked behind, no hand signals, i'm not mystic meg,there was no road to the right, he turned to get onto a pavement. Illegal perhaps but I don't care to be honest, he's probably safer on the pavement.
Ah well, I've said my thoughts so like it or not, enjoy your rides, I sure do.
 

Frood42

I know where my towel is
I'm using my phone so I'm not going to split your post.
The cyclist in my case looked behind, no hand signals, i'm not mystic meg,there was no road to the right, he turned to get onto a pavement. Illegal perhaps but I don't care to be honest, he's probably safer on the pavement.
Ah well, I've said my thoughts so like it or not, enjoy your rides, I sure do.

I hope your not driving and using your mobile :tongue:

What's not to enjoy about cycling? :bicycle: ^_^
You may get a minority who cannot see or understand another view point (thorugh ignorance or selfishness), but thankfully they are a minority.

No one here is 'having a go' as it were, we are all very friendly, but at the same time you will have a mixture of opinions and there are those on the forum that will try to challenge your point of view, and to try and make you think differently (or put you in someone else's shoes as it where).

This is a good thing to try and challenge misconceptions.

You do not know the reasoning behind why the cyclist was going so "slow" (the old tag line "it's a limit, not a target" comes to mind), so just give them room like you say you did, job done.

As I said, public roads, which are for everyone to use, so expect the unexpected.
I used to live in the countryside where you had to walk facing oncoming traffic as there were no pavements, mostly it was pleasent, but you did get the odd nutter doing 60+ on these back roads, with no thought for other road users.


I do own a car just in case you were wondering (some do :rolleyes: ).
 

Amanda P

Legendary Member
Just thought I'd challenge these two points.

...the most dangerous of all is those who don't try and keep with the traffic flow, whether too fast or too slow, it is dangerous...

It's a bit much to ask cyclists to 'keep up with the traffic flow' when most of the rest of that flow is motor vehicles. Sure, in 30mph limits there are some who can do this, but in pretty much any other situation, most cyclists cannot keep up with traffic flow. Are we all dangerous for being slow?

road users like this are a danger to themselves

You've used that stock phrase 'a danger to themselves'. Consider that for a moment. If the cyclist in your example had been alone on the road, would he have been in any danger? I don't think so. Was he going to crash into a tree or a lampost and hurt himself? So how can he be a danger to himself?

The danger, all of it in this instance, comes from other road users, surely?
 
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