question about incidents and bad day times

[gambatte]

seems mornings, when people are going to work - fine
If I get an incident its on the way home. probably worse on fridays especially as the bank holiday starts

Tonight
I'm accelerating. I'm approaching the start of an ascent and on the first bit the road widens to accommodate a short right turn box. The approach and far side of it the road is painted with chevrons.
So as I said, I'm in secondary and accelerating. I look back, indicate and move into primary. Claim primary, look over my shoulder and indicate right again. I need to be at the right hand side of the lane to move into the right turn box/lane.
At this point car 1 overtakes on the chevrons. I can't believe it. I'm still indicating. I'm now at the right hand side of the lane about to move right into the box, quick lifesaver. I've now got 2 women in a small ford, kids in the back, overtaking on the chevrons and through the box I'm moving into!

Neither car wanted to turn right, both went straight on.

Next problem was that the RT box is where the ascent gets steeper. By this point I've normally assessed oncoming traffic so as I can push on, maintaining momentum or change down and stop. I've now lost 90% of my speed and I'm in a high gear......

Glad I've got a week off

 

[ComedyPilot]

'Must get past cyclist, Must get past cyclist, Must get past cyclist, Must get past cyclist'

'Not safe to get past cyclist'

'Sod their safety, I'm going anyway'

 

[cyberknight]

'Must get past cyclist, Must get past cyclist, Must get past cyclist, Must get past cyclist'

'Not safe to get past cyclist'

'Sod their safety, I'm going anyway'

+1

Sounds like you do all you can to anticipate other road users actions but you will always get a numpty who will do something stupid, all you can do is leave yourself an escape route if possible.
I do find that if i get a close encounter of the moton kind it is in the afternoon ,like you say they are to busy trying to get where they are going to pay close attention to what they are doing.

 

[gambatte]

Inability to understand that going past a cyclist is actually an overtake, would they pass a car indicating right?
Inability to understand that its taken an effort for a cyclist to get upto that speed, whereas all they have to do to adjust their speed is to move their right foot position an couple of inches....

 

[Bman]

I agree, its usually afternoons that bring out the worst. Especially the last day of the working week.

Besides that I have noticed an increase at some times in the morning. Usally at the start of the week, and at 30minute intervals. I've come to the conclusion these are all the "late" starters, who drive like nutters just to get to work on time.

 

[Paul_L]

i think it's anyone at anytime of the day, night or weekend. My ride in the Yorkshire Dales yesterday had only one low point. An MPV with family on a bank hol day trip impatiently whizzing past me on a narrow single lane road. He'd been sat behind me for a couple of hundred meters and despite there being an obvious wider point in the road appox 50m ahead, he'd clearly decided he'd been held up more than was reasonable and went.

 

[boydj]

1. School run time - they always seem to be late and distracted - on the way to school and afterwards on the way to gym/shopping. Not deliberately dangerous - just generally oblivious to what is going on round about them.

2. Mid-morning / mid afternoon when the old duffers are about. There are a lot of incompetent drivers - and there's a definite minority who think that cyclists belong in the gutter and drive accordingly, so punishment passes are a fairly regular event.

 

[2Loose]

Very early in the morning before the rush. Some of them think a clear road is an excuse to treat it like a race track.

 

[Wobblers]

As a rule, things tend to be much better when it's dark. I do a lot of night riding, and I can think of very few "FFS moments" after dark. Which is in stark contrast to daytime when muppetry seems to be all too common. It's not just that the roads tend to be quieter in the evenings, because I also get fewer incidents in the winter rush hour when it's dark. I suspect that's because motorists are looking for lights, so you as a cyclist are more easily registered as another object to be avoided on the roads. In daylight, most motorists are simply looking for other cars so are less likely to observe anything else that isn't a vehicle.

 

[Bayerd]

Most of what drivers do comes down to lack of understanding what it's like on a bike.

This morning I was with the missus heading down an incline with a cyclist in front in a strong secondary. The limit was 50, the cyclist was doing about 35. She says "I hate it when they do that" I say "What?", "not leave you enough room to pass". I said "What he's doing is right, I've no problem, he's giving himself options and stopping me from overtaking too close to him, besides, we're about to enter a 30 and he's doing more than that."

All I can hope is she takes it on board. I'm sure she will, she doesn't want to knock anyone off a bike anymore than most people do, but it did highlight to me what most drivers who don't ride a bike think.

 

[ianrauk]

In London, there is no set times for Moton madness. Mornings, Afternoon, evenings, nighttime... anytime is ripe for for dangerous driving or maneuvers.

 

[gbb]

1. School run time - they always seem to be late and distracted - on the way to school and afterwards on the way to gym/shopping. Not deliberately dangerous - just generally oblivious to what is going on round about them.

2. Mid-morning / mid afternoon when the old duffers are about. There are a lot of incompetent drivers - and there's a definite minority who think that cyclists belong in the gutter and drive accordingly, so punishment passes are a fairly regular event.

Agree wholeheartedly, i detest going anywhere near a school at chucking out time. I always find it ironic that they've got the most precious things in their lives in the car...and seem oblivious to the danger they present to all around due to innattentiveness or distraction. Based on actual observation, ive had more close passes near schools that anywhere else.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

I think there are problems whatever the time, but certain types of problem happen more frequently at certain times.

At school time in a morning I have problems at one place where a few cars will stop in the cycle on the main road, let the children out then wait while the children cross the main road to go down the side road that leads to the school. Then they set off without necessarily checking properly. A so that they don't have to turn off down the side road. It's difficult trying to look behind to move out, signal, brake, watch for cars moving off, and watch for kids stepping out, all at the same time.

 

[Jakaan 1984]

Anticipation is the most important thing while I'm cycling. While waiting for the lights to change the other day, a couple of yards away there is another side junction. I notice a car half out, but usually the oncoming traffic let the drivers out, as the lights change. Being aware of this I slowly moved off.
Thank god! I did, this car came flying out of the junction after overtaking the car that was already protruding out. I did'nt know whether to be grateful for the other car for giving me that anticipation, because if he was'nt there I'd have been in full speed & I would of certainly test my cycle helmet to the full.