Quiet Word with a Colleague

[cd365]

Cycling to work this morning (6th time in 8 days since I took the plunge) I felt it necessary to have a chat with someone who works at the same company as I do. He had overtaken me on a blind bend.

I explained to him that he should take more care and he said he had given me plenty of room, which in his defence he had. I said if something had come around the corner the only place he had to go was into me and I had nowhere I could go. I explained that it is very nervy for a cyclist when car drivers do that sort of thing. He did seem to listen and take it in.

 

[J.Primus]

Sounds reasonable. As you said he probably thinks that if he gives you room it's ok but hasn't thought what he would do if oncoming traffic came out of nowhere. He can either head on a car or clear you out and unfortunately once instinct kicks in almost anyone would swerve and hit the cyclist. Same reason you don't overtake cars on a blind bend. Hopefully he realises that rather than think you're having a pop.

 

[adds21]

if oncoming traffic came out of nowhere.

That's the point isn't it.. This doesn't happen.

 

[J.Primus]

That's the point isn't it.. This doesn't happen.

It does on a blind bend or it wouldn't be a blind bend, just a bend.
Obviously it's coming from somewhere, the part around the bend you can't see. Hence why you don't overtake on a blind bend.

 

[Leodis]

I agree it is worrying when they overtake on blind bends, I have one at the start of my commute, its uphill and near the top, they fly past me and I constantly hear the nagging "get out of the gutter nob head", I then carry on cycling but take a better position.

 

[cd365]

Mine is also uphill and at the top.

 

[jugglingphil]

well done for bringing this up with your colleague.

 

[Melonfish]

had this happen to me in work. coming up to a rab and turning left, car overtook me and also turned left.
had a word with the chap and his argument was he gave me tonnes of room.
my argument was that his manouvre was illegal.
i explained patiently the danger of us both turning at the same time and he accepted it.
had another incident of almost exactly the same issue turning into works front gates. i was left with very little room and ashamedly i went off at the driver, when i calmed down i explained the only room i had was to mount a kerb without a drop or cycle over a grid and double yellows and as it was wet that was dangerous. after we both calmed down he saw the sense.

 

[Matthew_T]

Seems like a few reasonable comprises in this thread. The only things I approach drivers about is when they have pulled out infront of me or done a dangerous manouvre. However, it has been a very long time since I confronted anyone (last year was probably when I did).
I have wanted to speak to people who have done good overtakes but never get the chance (congratulate and thank the awesome driving).

 

[Leodis]

I was cut up all over the place going home yesterday, cars letting others pull in and out whilst not checking their mirrors, I did a lot of shouting and fingers pointing to eyes but came to the conclusion you cannot educate pork, I shall just watch out for myself and thank drivers who make room and are aware.

 

[Lee_M]

My survival tactic when I was a motorcyclist was to assume if there was a stupid manouevre possible then expect that the other person would do it.

I find that also works on the bike

 

[ColinJ]

I explained to him that he should take more care and he said he had given me plenty of room, which in his defence he had. I said if something had come around the corner the only place he had to go was into me and I had nowhere I could go.

I rode the North West Passage audax in 2007 and that exact scenario took place. I met an old cyclist who was cut and bruised after being overtaken on a blind bend by a farmer towing a livestock trailer. Halfway round the bend, the farmer encountered a truck coming the other way and swerved to the left. The trailer side-swiped the cyclist and knocked him off the road!

 

[BentMikey]