OM freaking G

[SquareDaff]

I've just moved further out from the city centre into a little village, and I've found the drivers to be much better than in the city centre. Actually, it is like I have only just realised how bad some people can be in comparison . I'm not sure what it is, whether it is the traffic at rush hour that affects people or they are just not as used to cyclists, although there are a lot more in the city centre so that doesn't even make sense

Likewise - and because I commute at the same times I've now got my "regulars" who know my routes and speeds and can adapt accordingly. It's the same in towns but you've just got more chance of meeting someone "new" who might think all cyclists are the devil incarnate.

 

[Kookas]

If we're talking location, I think it isn't just about 'town' or 'city'. I find drivers in Solihull generally nicer than those in, say, Hall Green. Even though, from experience, I'll get close passes in either if I don't cycle defensively, I generally notice less 'aggression' from Solihull drivers. It's just little things, like being more willing to hold back if I signal, tailgating less, yielding more readily, etc.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Interesting thread . . my vote is for calm . . February cc-ing is tough as we are all sick of the dark and cold . . stay warm, listen to tunes, and invest in expensive strobe lights .

Put not your faith in princes.

Expensive stobe lights won't help you if they look but don't see, and 36% of them are doing that.

 

[buggi]

If we're talking location, I think it isn't just about 'town' or 'city'. I find drivers in Solihull generally nicer than those in, say, Hall Green. Even though, from experience, I'll get close passes in either if I don't cycle defensively, I generally notice less 'aggression' from Solihull drivers. It's just little things, like being more willing to hold back if I signal, tailgating less, yielding more readily, etc.

I've been maliciously hit or pulled off my bike 4 times in Solihull ! Warwick is nicer.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I've been maliciously hit or pulled off my bike 4 times in Solihull ! Warwick is nicer.

Let me sum up the response from the CC "I think like a driver" party
Either you've imagined these incidents or they are probably your own fault. Or you are flat out lying perhaps. Maybe the way you ride just winds other people up. Or you seek conflict. Possibly I think you may have a victimhood management problem. Because I've been riding 200 miles every day since 1862 and never had a problem.

 

[Nigeyy]

In all fairness with this discussion, I don't think anyone has been saying that.

Let me sum up the response from the CC "I think like a driver" party
Either you've imagined these incidents or they are probably your own fault. Or you are flat out lying perhaps. Maybe the way you ride just winds other people up. Or you seek conflict. Possibly I think you may have a victimhood management problem. Because I've been riding 200 miles every day since 1862 and never had a problem.

 

[sheffgirl]

To prove my point this morning I rode 8mmiles no problem with vehicles rushing past at 50/60mph+, only to be forced into the gutter by a lorry near the city centre and I ended up hitting the kerb and falling off. Very sore legs buy am more gutted that I scratched my new pedals

 

[glenn forger]

Black cab driver just waved me over his road I was bisecting.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Safely overtaken by a biiiiiig lorry, 'cause I smiled and waved at driver ... safe for me and my group, not so safe for the incoming traffic that had to stop
Private taxi overtook me while I was in primary at a junction ... then turned left on me
Usual going ons, thank goodness not life threatening.

 

[Hip Priest]

Interesting, I've noticed the polar opposite. Town drivers seem far more cycle aware and far more cycle accepting to me. Suburban and rural drivers seem to have little opportunity to experience cyclists, they seem to want to get past us more and also seem to be far more easily distracted.

Its also fair to say that at certain times of the day, suburban drivers are prone to sudden stops and uturns to drop kids off, take rat runs, grab a parking space...or just stop for a chat....than those in town.

Town driving seems to have much more purpose or perhaps function than suburban...its almost a profession.


Interesting how perceptions are so varied.

Its the spice of life!

It terms of driving quality around cyclists, I'd rate it thus:

1) Rural drivers - Very rarely do I see bad driving in the sticks. Maybe it's because they're used to tractors, horses...etc and are in less of a hurry.
2) Town drivers - Can be quite skilled as you say, and seem to concentrate.
3) Suburban drivers - Nobbers

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Whereas

1) Rural drivers - rat runners par excellence. High percentage of flat out nobbers who simply can't imagine a cyclist around the next bend going 40 mph slower than them. Mantra "must get past, must not get passed." Do not understand primary or secondary, like to take the racing line, bikes should be ridden in gutter or kept in towns.
2) Town drivers - in a desperate rush to get to the start of their rural rat run, or to park outside the kebab shop, indicators optional. Mantra "must get past now!" Don't understand how traffic lights work, and apply to them. Pavement is provided for parking space. Do not understand primary, secondary, bike should be in gutter, on cycle path or in suburbs.
3) Suburban drivers - in a traffic jam fuming with a huge urgency to get to a road, any road, where the traffic, which they are emphatically not a part of, is moving. Mantra "WTF no again, what's the hold up now". Do not understand primary, secondary, bike should be in gutter, on cycle path or in city centre or kept for weekend use only.
4) City drivers - dodging bombs and congestion charges so likely to be riding bikes these days.

 

[Arjimlad]

A nobber is a nobber. I walked out of the newsagents last night & along the road (no pavement) and nobber young lad in a souped-up Fiesta wanted to park on the bit of road I was walking along.

He basically bullied/shoved me out of the way rather than wait 10 seconds whilst I walked to my car. When he got out the car he gave me a "come on if you think you're hard enough" nobber stare.

He'd have been a nobber if I had been on my bike too.

 

[Andrew_P]

Well still driving this week due to work commitments, not driven much at all in the last three years.

Van at a roundabout, wrong lane no indication all over the shop passed him on the two lane part looked over texting. M23 70 odd mph fast lane as M25 joining the motorway quite a busy fast junction car in middle lane doing 65-75mph started crossing in to the fast lane I slowed she corrected back to the middle then I passed her both hands using the phone whilst part of her hands were on the steering wheel top centre had I not slowed she would have clipped me no doubt about it totally unaware of my presence only became aware that she was badly wandering when she looked up from her phone. Really scary shoot that I share the roads on a bike with farking idiots like this, bad enough in a car but at least have a bit of metal around you.