Just trying to save you having to ask the question again
Road ragers should wear helmets
- Thread starter glenn forger
- Start date
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Mugshot
Cracking a solo.
Do you think the rider should have been dodging in and out of the gaps between the parked cars or that he should have been riding closer to the parked cars, or maybe a little of both?
Doog old chap, you need to brush up on your cyclecraft, because the things you have said above are worrying.
On that road you ought be riding primary - there isn't room for a cyclist to ride clear of the door zone and still have enough room for a safe overtake.
Origamist
Legendary Member
Most car doors fall within the 3 to 4 and half feet bracket when fully opened. However, you need to give yourself a further safety margin and this is why a minimum passing distance of 5ft is generally recommended.
Bikeability training is also available for adults and it can be subsidized by your local authority. It might be worth checking to see if you qualify: https://bikeability.org.uk/
Mugshot
Cracking a solo.
All the posters saying that the cyclist should have done nothing do any of you think it's ever acceptable to approach a motorist whose driving you feel was well below par and if you do when is that?
When they've hit you?
When they've nearly hit your mate?
When they've hit your mate?
When they've nearly hit one of your family members?
When they've hit one of your family members?
Or never ever because doing so would give all of us a bad name and besides it's our own fault for being in the way?
When they've hit you?
When they've nearly hit your mate?
When they've hit your mate?
When they've nearly hit one of your family members?
When they've hit one of your family members?
Or never ever because doing so would give all of us a bad name and besides it's our own fault for being in the way?
PhilDawson8270
Veteran
If you go looking for confrontation, rightly or wrongly, you will meet somebody willing to give it out.
He was lucky to get a tarmac diver, it could have easily been somebody with a knife. He has a camera, he has it on film, he wasn't touched. If he genuinely felt like his safety was at risk by the pass, he could quite easily pass the details and evidence onto the police.
If somebody passes you a bit close in a car, do you park next to them, and tell them how stupid they were? I reckon most of the time, people that make a mistake will apologise, but those making a stupid pass like that, aren't likely to give you a nice heartly apology.
He was lucky to get a tarmac diver, it could have easily been somebody with a knife. He has a camera, he has it on film, he wasn't touched. If he genuinely felt like his safety was at risk by the pass, he could quite easily pass the details and evidence onto the police.
If somebody passes you a bit close in a car, do you park next to them, and tell them how stupid they were? I reckon most of the time, people that make a mistake will apologise, but those making a stupid pass like that, aren't likely to give you a nice heartly apology.
Lemond
Senior Member
- Location
- Sunny Suffolk
As this incident shows, it's probably not a good idea. Had the driver not fallen over who knows what would have happened had he caught hold of the cyclist. Would it have been worth it then? Sadly, suffering a close pass comes with the territory; it's not pleasant, it shouldn't happen, but it's not worth putting yourself in further harms way.
Origamist
Legendary Member
He could, but it is likely that the police would do nothing. It is this perceived lack of accountability, enforcement and justice where careless and dangerous driving is concerned that cultivates the burgeoning camera and YouTube phenomenon. Social media retribution/justice fills the void for some people (nearly 2 million hits on YouTube for this video alone).
Is this online ridicule more or less effective than a talking to by a police officer for the poor overtake - I don't really know...but with no guarantee of even low-level police action, I can understand why people resort to a 21st century version of the stocks.
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PhilDawson8270
Veteran
But if you choose to question, and antagonise somebody with such little care for your safety anyway. Being assaulted shouldn't come as a surprise.
It's like poking an angry dog, it's funny till it bites, then it's all the dogs fault for biting.
Lemond
Senior Member
- Location
- Sunny Suffolk
Do we really expect the police to act on a close pass? Assuming this would fall under careless / dangerous driving, could that even be proved based on the video evidence available? Seems like a monumental waste of time and resources.
No - it's like resisting being bullied by another person.
Andrew_P
In between here and there
I have had encounters with reckless drivers from all walks of life and a lot of them anyone of sane mind wouldn't have confronted a van full of workmen, but that burst of adrenalin on top of the exercise sometimes I just cannot help myself. In the great scheme of things I still view it as a further risk to my safety.
Sitting here at my laptop in the cold light of day ignoring the tossers is the best course of action but on the road with the burst of adrenalin it is sometimes too hard to resist. Not once has there been a positive outcome from the confrontation.
Sitting here at my laptop in the cold light of day ignoring the tossers is the best course of action but on the road with the burst of adrenalin it is sometimes too hard to resist. Not once has there been a positive outcome from the confrontation.
PhilDawson8270
Veteran
So there's a choice to make.
Ignore it, go about your day with no further risk caused by this guy. Or, go and get yourself involved with him again, but not be surprised with an attempted assault.
Eventually confronting every driver you're not happy with, you will come across somebody bigger, stronger, and tougher. Some cyclists seem to like to put themselves in harms way, to complain about being in harms way.
Origamist
Legendary Member
“Close passes” (aka poor driving) comes in many forms – a close overtake by a HGV at 45mph feels different to a close pass by a car at 45mph. A close pass at 3ft at 70mph feels very different to a 3ft pass at 25mph. Some close passes are done with the intent to scare or hurt (“punishment passes”), others are done through ignorance and/or negligence. As such, I’d expect the police to make a decision based on the particular circumstances.
I think it is important that poor driving is reported as it creates a pool of intelligence that will help to identify repeat offenders and provide a more detailed picture of “everyday” poor road behaviour. Whether the police have the time to act on every incident is going to be contingent on time and resources, but given that traffic pol numbers have massively declined over the last ten years, that’s not likely. However, at the very least these incidents should be reported and I’m glad to see that more constabularies are providing an online reporting form for poor driving.
