Outrageous overtakes by impatient Drivers

[Frood42]

For me in london apart from the above mentioned incidents! it's people stepping off the kerb that really gets my goat. No one seems to look, they want to cross and just step out. Twice my bars have brushed someone.

That is what happens in car centric places, people don't hear a car coming and seem to think it is ok to step out.
Which will be interesting when electric cars come along (there was talk about adding noise to electric vehicles for this reason).

Especially as dangerous for both parties when done in between vehicles in a traffic jam, someone coming out from the front of a lorry or bus is always a worry for me.
I came very close to injuring a woman who stepped out, but I missed her, she got a scare and so did I (as well as almost losing it into the kerb, I still don't know how I didn't come off, somewhere along Upper/Lower Thames Street).

 

[burndust]

had one today...whilst turning right at traffic lights guy right up my arse reving his engine then screams past me...closely...but heres the kicker he parked about 20ft later....i normally avoid an argument....but this really peed me off...a heated debate followed with him ending up telling me he was going to batter me as we say up here....i just laughed the guy must have been about 20st of lard....he prob would hav had a heart attack swinging at me. ..told him to f off and went on my way

 

[adds21]

That is what happens in car centric places, people don't hear a car coming and seem to think it is ok to step out.

Not just car centric places IMO. I've had this happen to me several times in the middle of nowhere. Of course there are more of them in towns and cities!

 

[172traindriver]

Not just car centric places IMO. I've had this happen to me several times in the middle of nowhere. Of course there are more of them in towns and cities!

I try to avoid busy town centres, but the country lanes can be equally dangerous.
It pays to remain focused as you never know what may be racing around. People seem to think it is a personal race circuit.

 

[welsh dragon]

The bottom line is you get idiots wherever you live. Most people where I live are very good. Probably because we are used to having a lot of bike races here. However you always get the odd numpty who flaunts the rules whenever and however they can. The best thing you can do is to make sure you keep you ears and eyes open at alll times. I do my best to find back roads that are quiet so there is less chance of traffic.

 

[Frood42]

Not just car centric places IMO. I've had this happen to me several times in the middle of nowhere. Of course there are more of them in towns and cities!

I grew up in the countryside and we never relied on just our hearing when out for a walk or hike, although that may be because pavements were few and far between.

In London people seem to have some sort of unpleasent wish, but I would rather not ruin their or my day, even if they are the ones crossing without looking. It just seems with the larger numbers of people in London you get a higher number of people who are only concerned about getting themselves home and are not worried about their impact on others around them.

The London Underground during rush hour is a pain, and since escaping that in favour of a bicycle I will do my very, very best to NOT have to go back to it.

Anyway, a bit OT now, sorry folks!

 

[Matthew_T]

I had a guy overtake me on a blind bend today. He gave me plenty of room, but didnt take into account the possibility of someone coming around the bend. I commented to myself (with no intention of them hearing) but they did so and stopped. The moron driving started shouting out the window and reversing up to me. I decided I didnt want to talk and just cycled past him. Then when he went to overtake again, I stopped and prevented him getting a word in edgeways.
One of the things he said was "I gave you plenty of room, dont have a go at me". Giving me room is irrelevant of you dont think about the oncoming traffic.

 

[stowie]

Today I was in the car and two cyclists were in front of me. I waited until the traffic opposite was clear to overtake as per highway code, giving as much room as I would a car. This displeased the neanderthal in the van behind who tooted me and was tailgating during the whole manoeuvre. I looked in the mirror as he close passed the cyclists and then shortly afterwards turned left into an industrial estate. We were behind the cyclists for less than two minutes. I am sure those two minutes were of vital importance for WVM and I deserved the abuse for whatever really important job he had on.

As I get older I realise I share my world with idiots.

 

[sabian92]

Today I was in the car and two cyclists were in front of me. I waited until the traffic opposite was clear to overtake as per highway code, giving as much room as I would a car. This displeased the neanderthal in the van behind who tooted me and was tailgating during the whole manoeuvre. I looked in the mirror as he close passed the cyclists and then shortly afterwards turned left into an industrial estate. We were behind the cyclists for less than two minutes. I am sure those two minutes were of vital importance for WVM and I deserved the abuse for whatever really important job he had on.

As I get older I realise I share my world with idiots.

In the car I was driving along side a row of parked cars here (http://goo.gl/maps/9LTyZ), which is tight at the best of times when it's busy. Dozy bint comes out of a one way street the wrong way and drives at me. I stopped and sat there for over a minute shaking my head until she reversed before calling me a c*nt for blocking the road.

Idiots indeed, and I'm only 21!

 

[Tommy2]

Blind bends are made worse by the fact that idiots coming the other way can't seem to go round corners and have to have 2 wheels on the opposite side the road even when they aren't overtaking something. Taking the racing line so the don't have to slow down.

 

[172traindriver]

As cyclists we are on threads such as this one commenting about the driving abilities/inabilities of vehicle drivers. I don't know how you feel, but when I drive and come across cyclists I try to be considerate towards cyclists reversing the situation to if it was me on the bike.
I know the topic is about outrageous overtaking, but bad driving and lack of skills and judgement comes under a far bigger umbrella regarding road users.
I honestly believe because I also ride a bike I do try to be considerate and try at all times to adhere to the rules of the road. There seem to be lots of people that are probably very nice but once they get behind the wheel of a vehicle seem to have sort sort of personality disorder and become raging lunatics.
They seem to be in such a hurry to get from A to B any sort of reasoning disappears. Once they get there they are probably lovely people once more.
Many a times as other posters have commented someone will pull a crazy overtaking stunt and then 30 yards after passing you will pull in. What is that about, they save all of 20 seconds, probably endanger a cyclist, themselves and possibly the driver of a vehicle coming the other way.

The post by Sabian92 made me smile, do nothing wrong and the wrongdoer then calls you a c**t

 

[Peter88]

which reinforces my view that all drivers should go for a driving assessment every 10 years, regardless of age. Too many drivers have developed bad habits that they are not even aware of. Unfortunately, it will never happen as it is not a vote catcher.

I fully agree with the principle of an assessment every 5 or 10 years. Last year i spent 3 weeks driving the cars in London for the Olympics and the insurance company insisted that all drivers took an online aswell as on road assessment. I found this usefull as it pointed out a couple of things I was doing that have been improved on.

 

[GrasB]

which reinforces my view that all drivers should go for a driving assessment every 10 years, regardless of age. Too many drivers have developed bad habits that they are not even aware of. Unfortunately, it will never happen as it is not a vote catcher.

Problem is there's a lot of 'swatting up for the exam' type stuff that goes on & is left on the verge when you get out on your own. I've seen it many times, a kid passes their test, gets in their car & acts like a loon.

 

[Hip Priest]

I had a guy overtake me on a blind bend today. He gave me plenty of room, but didnt take into account the possibility of someone coming around the bend. I commented to myself (with no intention of them hearing) but they did so and stopped.

Britain's loudest mumbler strikes again!

 

[DrLex]

Britain's loudest mumbler strikes again!

Could have been the Welsh Lip-reading champion...