Oh no I touched a car!

[CatherineB]

Magnatom - there's plenty of room on the left (at least 5 feet or more and no parked cars) but then as I got closer to the intersection there was a line of about three cars pulled up close to the kerb, so I had to stop. Is this wrong? I've seen other cyclists do the same on this road to get up to the cycle box (there's a short lane to the left leading up to it when you get close to the light).

 

[XmisterIS]

I did plenty of filtering down the middle of two lanes this morning. It is very satisfying!

When riding out of Southampton, Eastbound at the rush-hour, it is usual for the traffic to be backed up from the City Centre, all the way along the A3024 to the motorway - a journey of about 5 miles!

It is a true pleasure to cycle or motorbike through that lot! Except when you get some tw@t who deliberately sticks his front end out to stop you getting past - even though he is stuck is stationary traffic. (As yes, they do it!).

 

[Cab]

You're on a road with, say, eight bicycles visible in front of you, in heavy traffic. All of them are filtering down the left. Is it safer for you to follow them down the left or to go around the outside?

 

[jonny jeez]

No... link?

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvzsn5e6YIU

 

[Alien8]

You're on a road with, say, eight bicycles visible in front of you, in heavy traffic. All of them are filtering down the left. Is it safer for you to follow them down the left or to go around the outside?

Go round the outside so if you're lucky you can get in front of 'em.

 

[magnatom]

Magnatom - there's plenty of room on the left (at least 5 feet or more and no parked cars) but then as I got closer to the intersection there was a line of about three cars pulled up close to the kerb, so I had to stop. Is this wrong? I've seen other cyclists do the same on this road to get up to the cycle box (there's a short lane to the left leading up to it when you get close to the light).

Is this traffic lights? and is there a left turn at the traffic lights.

It's not wrong as such, but it can be dangerous. If you approach the junction on the left just as the lights change it is possible for a car to turn left (they don't always indicate!) just as you draw level. You are then at risk of being left hooked by the car (or worse still an HGV etc). The feeder lanes on the left are IMO best ignored (I know a lot of others agree with this).

Also filtering on the left, this can happen. There was nowhere for the child to go (safely) so you have to expect doors opening in the most unexpected places!

 

[Alien8]

In general undertaking, which is we're talking about here (filtering is a completely different thing), is a mugs game that is best avoid unless you're really sure it's safe.

 

[CatherineB]

Yeah, I would never go fast down the left of a line of cars, just a bit faster than walking pace, so doors/etc. don't post a huge risk - and I'm definitely super careful around big lorries and intersections - I never get next to them, I'll hang back and let them get past whenever I can (and have been known to dismount and walk my bike on to the pavement if it's safe, just to make sure we keep out of each other's way). But I'm always interested to hear how other people do things and what I may be doing wrong. Safety first and all that.

 

[mangaman]

Stupid big-faced ugly-tie-wearing jerk.

That's good - I like that

 

[magnatom]

Yeah, I would never go fast down the left of a line of cars, just a bit faster than walking pace, so doors/etc. don't post a huge risk - and I'm definitely super careful around big lorries and intersections - I never get next to them, I'll hang back and let them get past whenever I can (and have been known to dismount and walk my bike on to the pavement if it's safe, just to make sure we keep out of each other's way). But I'm always interested to hear how other people do things and what I may be doing wrong. Safety first and all that.

Have you had a read of Cyclecraft By John Franklin? Brilliant book which provides educated advice on how to cycle safely on urban roads. Might be worth asking Santa for perhaps?

 

[Twenty Inch]

Beemer SUV - what else would you expect?

Brilliant reaction Catherine, nice one.

 

[upsidedown]

He's probably paying about a grand a month for that car, then there's huge VED, depreciation, appalling fuel consumption, too big to park anywhere and never being let out of junctions.
Oh and looking like an idiot.
You'd be stressed if you were him.

 

[HJ]

I was filtering to the left of some stationary traffic but I got to the point where I couldn't go any further so I put my foot down. The road was a bit slippery so I lost my balance, just a little. I put my hand out and very gently touched the Beemer SUV next to me to steady myself and immediately the driver jumped on his horn like I'd come at it with an icepick. It startled the hell out of me and made me jump a mile. I whipped around to see what was going on and his face was a contorted mask of rage and he was screaming something, but I couldn't make it out over the sound of the horn. So I smacked the side of the thing as hard as I could, stuck out my tongue at him, hopped off my bike, pushed it up the pavement about ten feet to the next little street on the left, and hopped back on to take a detour. I didn't look back, but I wish I had just to see the look on his big stupid red face.

Yes, I was immature and probably put my (5'3" female) self at risk, but seriously, what the f**k??? It just made me so angry. I BARELY touched his car with my gloved hand to keep myself from sprawling all over the kerb and the pavement and the street (and probably scratching up his car with my bike in the process). If we were both pedestrians and I tripped and touched his arm to keep myself from falling, would he have screamed obscenities at me? Of course not. I would apologise, he would say it's OK, and we would have gone on with our lives. But since he's protected by a car, he thinks it's fine to scare the shoot out of me and call me everything but a Christian. Stupid big-faced ugly-tie-wearing jerk.

Welcome to England

 

[Arch]

I guess one could always stop, pause, and pull out of a pocket a really big yellow duster type cloth*, then go back and exaggeratedly polish clean the bit you touched, before riding off with a cheery wave.

Best to spit on the cloth for better cleaning, of course.

*You'd have to be prepared, unless you normally carry such a thing.

 

[magnatom]

I guess one could always stop, pause, and pull out of a pocket a really big yellow duster type cloth*, then go back and exaggeratedly polish clean the bit you touched, before riding off with a cheery wave.

Best to spit on the cloth for better cleaning, of course.

*You'd have to be prepared, unless you normally carry such a thing.

Now this I like! You'd have to make sure it made a really loud squidgy squeaky sound when you rubbed it for full comedy effect.