So, who was in the wrong?

[Ellis456]

Watch the video, me or him.




3 Lanes, left to go left, 2 right to go straight, I get into the far right lane as after the bend it's my lane to go straight on, the other goes left at the end. I am just over the line on my side, plenty of space both sides for cars, done this stretch plenty of times and never had any problems.

If I stayed right I would get crushed at the pinch point at the lights and I was told to stay left as if I was on a single road.




Anyway the Hyundai, beeps me from behind, I look and he goes past me on my right, then cuts me up to go left, I sound my airzound.




If he is wrong then ill upload to my bad driving channel.




http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Xr4fohXEAX4

 

[Jezston]

Who told you to stay left?

From the vid it looks like you are straddling both lanes, which is ... odd.

I'd have stayed in the center of the lane you needed, makes it clear what you are up to.

The driver's incredibly close overtake however was totally out of order.

 

[BSRU]

Who told you to stay left?

From the vid it looks like you are straddling both lanes, which is ... odd.

I'd have stayed in the center of the lane you needed, makes it clear what you are up to.

The driver's incredibly close overtake however was totally out of order.

+1

You seem to be riding along the lane markings in between the lanes, meaning the car had to go to the right to pass you as it they may have thought passing on the left was an undertake.

The position to be in, as stated, is in the middle of the lane you want, so any drivers behind you have a better idea where you intend to go, being in the middle as you were would have been very confusing.

Having said that the driver seem to be giving you as little room as possible as there was loads of room to their right.

 

[ohnovino]

^^^ as above.

Nothing excuses a close overtake, least of all when they can see the red light up ahead. But your positioning has left you stuck in no-man's-land, and doesn't send a clear signal to other traffic as to what you're doing.

 

[boydj]

Who told you to stay left?

From the vid it looks like you are straddling both lanes, which is ... odd.

I'd have stayed in the center of the lane you needed, makes it clear what you are up to.

The driver's incredibly close overtake however was totally out of order.

+1

I'd take the middle of the right-hand lane, which makes it clear to the drivers coming up behind what you are doing and the only way to pass is on your left. By staying almost on the dividing line you are inviting close passes on either side.

 

[Ellis456]

Ok thanks, well it's good to learn from mistakes, but as said i've never had any problem with this position before, if I take the lane here(it's up hill at the start) im going to get a lot of rage as when you come around that corner drivers go so fast there going to go into the back of me, I know this as I drive that stretch.

 

[Ian 74]

The car was inconsiderate and close.
I would have waited till I got round the corner to move into the right hand lane, but legally you did nothing wrong as you were following the marks on the road. The line you chose made you exposed on both sides to cars under and overtaking you. That's why I would have stayed left for longer so I would only have traffic passing on my right until it was time to indicate to move into the right hand channel. How fast were you going?

 

[Ellis456]

Not fast, it was slightly uphill and was exhausted after a long cycle. Ian I used to do what you said, but then was told that wasn't the correct thing to do!, arg!, im going round in circles!, I hate that bloody bit of road lol.

 

[Norm]

It's a tough call watching the video, rather than having local knowledge, but I'd be in the middle lane at the start (where the signs show 1xleft and 2xright) and hold that lane with a strong primary until past the pedestrian crossing / junctions before moving to the right hand lane.

One thing I can't imagine doing is riding the white lines. You'll encourage, and get, close passes on both sides, possibly simultaneously which would be a tad worrying.

 

[Ellis456]

Ok thanks, so primary position middle lane until around the bend, then move over right into primary?.

 

[martint235]

[QUOTE 1518146"]
Sorry but I'm gonna be blunt.

That's one of the worst positions I've ever seen a cyclist take. I'm not excusing the drivers behaviour but I'm not surprised they did what they did.

What I would do is what you done at the start, however I would take the middle of the left hand lane of the two lanes that lead around to the right.

The distance from where the road turns to the traffic lights ahead does not need for you to be in the position that you took at all. It's highly dangerous splitting lanes because something like this may happen.

In addition I can't see how you can say that there is plenty of room on either side of you then complain about a close overtake as there clearly is not enough room at all!
[/quote]

+1 although you're probably thinking we're gits

. Watching the video and seeing your position, I was expecting the second split (ie where a lane went left and you went straight on) to be almost straight after the first corner when it's actually quite a distance away. Take and hold the left hand of the two right hand turn lanes until you're closer to the traffic lights. It means that motorists have to overtake you on the right but have plenty of room to do so and it will also mean that when you come to indicate moving across to the right hand lane, you have a clear path to the white line.

As others have said it's doesn't excuse the driver though.

 

[Ellis456]

I don't mind, it's all about learning, we all learn from our mistakes, that's why I posted the video so it wouldn't happen again. No cyclist is perfect though, we all make mistakes.




Thanks for the replies.



BTW I used to live in Welling, used to cycle welling to Eltham for 2 years. Welling high street was a bugger, still need to try out shooters hill hehe.

 

[jonny jeez]

Ellis...firstly well done for asking advice, that's pretty brave.

Secondly, was this the road split that you questioned in an earier post?

So then...my opinion (if you really want it)

Firstly, you were too close to the bus as you passed the point where peds will step out in front, I'd have done a lifesaver and moved out a little into a primary and been looking around the corner of the bus as I passed.

Secondly, You gave lots of rear obs before commiting to your move out...good stuff

But... I'd had ridden the left of the middle lane but given lots and lots of rear observation to ensure nobody ran into the back of me as they moved from the right, to take the left fork (easily done). I'd then have maintained this position as it would have taken me around the bend and left me on the left of the traffic,allowing faster vehicles to pass me with at least one lane between us.

What you did, left you at risk of a car running around the blind bend and straight into the back of you, which nearly happened.

Good luck and well done for making an effort to canvass opinion before posting another "crap driver" vid on pootube

 

[oldfatfool]

For what its worth I took the same position at a similar junction, except it was (steep) uphill so didn't want to have to cut across 2 lanes in traffic nor hold traffic up by going center right, in future will take center of lane and sod the traffic

 

[Ellis456]

Thanks, yes that was the road I was on about in an earlier post, I used to take the middle lane then eventually drift over to the right after the bend but thought this was wrong so posted about it, then thought I would try this approach but clearly didn't work!. And yes having 2 cars side by side and you inbetween is a scary experience!!!!!, I hope never to experience that again!.

It's a shame there isnt a road cycling course we could go on, I would sign up in a beat to improve my road cycling, like IAM for motorists.