One of those situations when not to get annoyed with a driver

[Welsh wheels]

I was cycling past a minor junction in a residential street when a car pulled out right next to me, just missing me. I'm normally furious inside and often show it if I'm put in danger from bad driving, but in this case I wasn't angry and didn't react. Why? I saw her looking first but for some reason she didn't see me. It was an honest mistake and she looked very shocked, bless her. I don't get annoyed with this kind of bad driving, what winds me up is when drivers see me but still don't take care,

 

[Drago]

Sounds like old Welshy is in love

 

[Welsh wheels]

Sounds like old Welshy is in love

She looked a bit old for me, but you know never say never.

 

[Drago]

That's the spirit

 

[Welsh wheels]

That's the spirit

You could say she nearly knocked me for six.

 

[Slick]

I think that would annoy me just as much. Most accidents are caused by people looking but not registering what they see but what they expect to see. Sorry to be a pain but it would bring no solace to me.

 

[Welsh wheels]

I think that would annoy me just as much. Most accidents are caused by people looking but not registering what they see but what they expect to see. Sorry to be a pain but it would bring no solace to me.

Maybe, but for me most bad driving involves aggression or impatience on the part of the driver

 

[Yellow Saddle]

No need to get upset at 99% of these incidents. Most people realise they are in the wrong and actually learn from their mistake. We all need a little wake-up call from time to time.

 

[ColinJ]

I used to get incredibly annoyed at 'blind' motorists doing that to me, until one day as a pedestrian I did it to a driver! I was looking to cross a small side street off the A646 in Hebden Bridge. i looked towards the main road, saw that it was safe to cross and ... walked straight in front of a car which had just turned down the side street right where I was looking!

The driver had his wits about and slammed his brakes on. missing me by a couple of feet. I apologised and acknowledged that it was my fault.

I didn't used to believe that a motorist wouldn't see a cyclist if they looked in the direction of them but I have learned my lesson - I had managed to stare at a car but not see it!

I think the problem is to do with just taking a quick glance. Somebody on the forum posted a few weeks ago about the brain not really registering what you are looking at until your eyes stop moving.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Had it many times on motorcycles and a few times on a cycle..
I think it's the brain focussing on another object..so they really just don't see your smaller mass..
Night time with headlights it's far worse..

Take her for lunch and make sure She pays.. As they say ,no such thing as a Free lunch

 

[galaxy]

Its easy to do something, i suppose as long as no harm is done is all that matters

 

[Vantage]

I've rolled onto one or two roundabouts without thinking about it and rolled onto a junction whilst staring at my Garmin once. A white van man beeped and woke me up to that one.
A postie lady in a RM van and I almost kissed bumpers once but just smiled and laughed it off. Neither of us was paying attention.
We're only human.

But when it's a blatant disregard for my safety then it's a different story

 

[Globalti]

As a dozy 16 year-old I crossed a street without looking and then heard a curious zzzzzzz sound from behind me, which turned out to be the locked wheels of a red Escort van sliding on wet tarmac. The van came to rest against the backs of my legs and I found myself staring straight into the shocked eyes of the driver and his passenger. Still feel bad about that one - sorry lads.

 

[Oldfentiger]

And then there's the spawn of satan that is mobile phones.
I'm always bluetoothed-up while driving because I need to be contactable during working hours.
Most times it's not a problem, but there are certain conversations which can divert an unhealthy percentage of concentration.
I was fending off an irate customer (the carrier had lost his urgent consignment), when I sailed past a camera van and landed myself a fine and 3 points.
I always try to stay within speed limits, but in this instance I obviously wasn't concentrating on the road or my speedo.
Lesson learnt - call the customer back, having stopped safely first.
Lots of drivers out there yet to learn that lesson.

 

[Drago]

Apparently, using hands free reduces your reaction times to the range typical of a drink driver.