Overtaking stationary traffic

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Road Fiddler

New Member
Mags i do this all the time and have never had a problem, today i passed a traffic copper stood in the road directing traffic around a couple of fire engines that were at a house fire i thought he was going to say something but he just smiled. I pass the police station where the traffic cops are based and often pass traffic cars and they have never said anything.

I also often follow motorbikes up the outside of the traffic in the same position including a motor bike cop and i actually passed him as he could not get through a gap at an island, he was not bothered.

When i do this i actually cycle closer to the oncoming traffic than the traffic on my side as they can see me where as the traffic on my side might not see me especially if they dont use there mirrors. It also gives some space if someone was to step out from in between the cars or a car door was to open.

I think she was just a nervous driver or just having a bad day. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
I find this often since I spend time on a motorbike and on a bicycle - filtering to the right like that on my motorbike she would not have beeped me, filerting like that on a bicycle she would have done.
 
Hmmmm, I'm in two minds about this one. On the one hand, there's no reason she couldn't have moved over for you, and I would have done if it had been me driving the car. I'd also probably have felt confident about doing what you did on my bike. And (finally) I sometimes overtake traffic when I'm in my lorry if I can see that there would be room if the car coming towards me would just move over a bit. Actually, maybe I'm not in two minds about this after all.xx( But if I was, I'd say that it's not really up to you to decide that traffic should move out of your way if you're on their side of the road.
On balance though, I think you were right.
 

col

Legendary Member
I must admit,it looked worryingly close for a second there,but the car had no reason to not just move over a couple of foot,it wouldnt have been a problem at all,but took the stance of it seems,im not giving cos your in my lane,no i didnt see a problem with your vid,you were making your way passed a tailback,causing no problems.I dont think i would have,just a confidence on the road thing,but i cant see any reason against.
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
For a bit of balance here...

You're going along in primary position, a car moves in to your lane to pass a vehicle on his side of the road. You will have to move over not only into secondary position, but close enough to the gutter such that you're concerned by what happens if one of the pedestrians steps out.

Are you peed off by the oncoming car?
 

mr_hippo

Living Legend & Old Fart
Were you right or wrong? In my, never too humble, opinion - wrong on a number of counts. You started your overtaking manoeuvre when it was not safe to do so - the silvery car was moving out to pass a parked car. You could not see past the truck - there may have been a car exiting the side road. Citroens, like most cars, do not move sideways like crabs; they need space to execute a manoeuvre and she may have 'held her line' because of the parked silvery car. You state that you were only 30cms over the line, measured from where - the end of your handlebars?
"I take that line (probably 30 cm over the white line) nearly every day. Never had a problem", "I had the right of way." I wonder how many times St Peter at the Pearly Gates has heard those 'excuses?
 
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magnatom

Guest
Thanks everyone for the comments. I think taking into account what everyone has said and taking into account my own opinions, I think I was fine to do the maneuver and this lady just doesn't like cyclists!

I think I may have been a wee bit hasty passing the lorry, fair enough. However, I don't honestly think I was in any danger or was I blocking anyones progress.

Mr Hippo,

I have no problem with your differing opinion, however, I do object to having words put in my mouth. Please point out where I said 'I had the right of way'. I commented, right at the very start, that I realised that the onus was on me to complete my overtaking maneuver safely. I never claimed right of way, I just thought that common courtesy would have mitigated the situation.

Oh and there was no car parked next to her. She was passing a junction!!
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
magnatom said:
Thanks everyone for the comments. I think taking into account what everyone has said and taking into account my own opinions, I think I was fine to do the maneuver and this lady just doesn't like cyclists!

I mostly agree with you, but I felt it worth pointing out the opposite view. Are you sure that the kerb side in her lane is roadspace she should be using? There were no pedestrians, the road surface is definitely good?

Oh and there was no car parked next to her. She was passing a junction!!

Ahh... In which case, might she have been keen to keep away from that turn off so that she had good visibility down that side? Might she have been reticent to swerve in towards the junction for fear of cars or bicycles poking their noses out from that side?
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
mr_hippo said:
Citroens, like most cars, do not move sideways like crabs;

With a really good push or a strong side wind I gather that you can make a 2CV move sideways.
 

mr_hippo

Living Legend & Old Fart
magnatom said:
I have no problem with your differing opinion, however, I do object to having words put in my mouth. Please point out where I said 'I had the right of way'. I commented, right at the very start, that I realised that the onus was on me to complete my overtaking maneuver safely. I never claimed right of way, I just thought that common courtesy would have mitigated the situation.

Oh and there was no car parked next to her. She was passing a junction!!

Neither quotes were attributed to you, were they? They were two separate quotes.
I did not say that there was a car parked next to her, did I? "...and she may have 'held her line' because of the parked silvery car." That is what I said. Please, stop the video at 08:29:56 and tell me what you see? There are three cars - a dark coloured car in front of you, a 'silvery' one parked and the car towards the top centre of the shot which will shortly go past the parked car. Now, you wanted her to move in as soon as she passed the parked car by the shop and then move out again to pass the next car? Most drivers would have kept the line she was on. Let's just imagine that she did move in at the shop, imagine that there is a car waiting to turn left from the side street and he thinks "She's turning here and forgot her indicators - women drivers!" and then he pulls out.
 
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magnatom

Guest
mr_hippo said:
Neither quotes were attributed to you, were they? They were two separate quotes.
I did not say that there was a car parked next to her, did I? "...and she may have 'held her line' because of the parked silvery car." That is what I said. Please, stop the video at 08:29:56 and tell me what you see? There are three cars - a dark coloured car in front of you, a 'silvery' one parked and the car towards the top centre of the shot which will shortly go past the parked car. Now, you wanted her to move in as soon as she passed the parked car by the shop and then move out again to pass the next car? Most drivers would have kept the line she was on. Let's just imagine that she did move in at the shop, imagine that there is a car waiting to turn left from the side street and he thinks "She's turning here and forgot her indicators - women drivers!" and then he pulls out.


Mr Hippo,

I have stopped the video where you suggested. I can see the dark car in front of me, but I see no silvery parked car! That car is waiting to go ahead at the traffic lights. She would not be going past that car, she would be waiting behind it!

I'd have another look if I were you xx(
 
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