Not all driving is bad

[ComedyPilot]

I've had a sh1t couple of weeks commuting; not due to fitness, weather, lethargy or hard work, but due to other people's driving. Starting to lose count of the number of times I've had to ride on the verge to avoid being hit by (mostly) cars doing 60 passing me leaving zero room because they can't slow down and wait for a gap to overtake safely (only a matter of seconds in EVERY incident). That's not to mention the Golden Nugget of passes, the one where they can't wait to overtake and pass trucks/cars/vans, drive straight at you and force you off the road to avoid a head-on collision. Now I am a confident cyclist, but I won't stand my ground on that, and take to the verge every time.

However, (and it's a big one) last week a truck came up behind me, braked and slowed to a crawl, then when the oncoming vehicles were past the driver indicated, accelerated, moved over onto the other side of the road, passed me VERY safely, and carried on their journey. I was so impressed with their driving I wrote to the company to say thanks. Got a reply too..

Hello ComedyPilot,

Thank you for taking your time to contact us regarding one of our drivers. It’s always nice to receive positive comments and to know that the training we organise for the drivers does pay off.

We will pass your comments on to the driver concerned.

Kind Regards

B I Halder & SON LTD

If anything good can come of it, like them telling other truck drivers, and those other truck drivers acting the same, then a simple thanks from a cyclist can only help others...?

Bit of a ranty/smug/happy post while I wait for the rain to pass.

 

[Hip Priest]

Good post.

I rode a couple of miles on a very busy main road yesterday, and appreciated an excellent pass by an Elddis lorry, which was similar to the one you described.

 

[downfader]

I wonder if carrot approach is needed at times. I started using the hashtag "TodaysGoodDriver" on twitter to try and promote the better side in the co-operation between cyclists and drivers. I know that if these guys and girls can do it surely more can. I'm a great believer in positive reinforcement

 

[Matthew_T]

Probably the greatest feeling I can have is when I have sent a letter of thanks to a company for their above average driving. It is mainly lorries but I do get the odd van. Its an even greater feeling when I get a reply appreciating my thanks. It really puts a smile on my face and cheers me up. Takes my mind off the idiot drivers of the day too.

 

[jarlrmai]

Proper haulage drivers are some of the best drivers on the road.

 

[Moodyman]

Indeed the big trucks are some of the best driven. Pensioners are the worst in my experience. Having said that, I have very few instances and the few that I encounter are due to bad judgement (not malice)

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Indeed the big trucks are some of the best driven. Pensioners are the worst in my experience. Having said that, I have very few instances and the few that I encounter are due to bad judgement (not malice)

Like you I rarely have incidents but the ones I have are usually due to the driver cocking up, and don't be too hard on the pensioners, I'll be one soon and I ain't that bad, pensioners are like everybody else, some good some bad some OK.

 

[cd365]

That's not to mention the Golden Nugget of passes, the one where they can't wait to overtake and pass trucks/cars/vans, drive straight at you and force you off the road to avoid a head-on collision. Now I am a confident cyclist, but I won't stand my ground on that, and take to the verge every time.

I had this happen to me a couple of weeks ago, car coming at me about 70mph overtaking on a country lane, I'm glad there was no kerbs as I made a hasty move to the grass, I was hurling obscenities at him as he went past, I hoped he was the brave sort who liked to chase you after because my head had gone completely and it's best to avoid me when that happens, fortunately for him he didn't.

 

[donnydave]

I've started waving thanks to people who wait behind me until it's safe. It's annoys me that I'm thanking them for doing something they should do anyway, but I see the same motorists every day and I recognise a few now who give me more room than they used to. I'm slowly training them to do things properly!

 

[Spinney]

I've been told on these pages in the past that I oughtn't thank others for merely complying with the Highway Code.

Don't see why you shouldn't. I do. If it makes everyone feel happier towards one another, what's the harm?

 

[jonny jeez]

Yorkshire sounds horrible.

 

[Hayley]

I always try to at least smile at drivers who have been good to me, even just by complying with the Highway Code! I hope it'll encourage them to keep it up... plus a smile is always a good thing to pass on, keeps them in a good mood

 

[ComedyPilot]

Yorkshire sounds horrible.

It is....

It's bloody terrible, you're best off avoiding it.

 

[Maz]

Yorkshire sounds horrible.

Wash tha' gob aat!
Yorkshire is God's Own County!

 

[PeteXXX]

There's nothing wrong with a 'thank you' to people who do what the Highway Code says they should be doing anyway.
As an HGV driver myself I know what it's like to try and safely pass a cyclist. A fully laden truck is frequently slower than an accelerating cyclist! In a town, I generally don't bother overtaking as it only means getting to the next lights/junction to be passed by the cyclist again. On the open road, I wait until there's a decent space to overtake. Often, a cyclist will pull over for a few seconds to let me past. As they can't see a wave, I give them a toot of thanks on the airhorns.