Stopped at Lights, window down................Pleasant exchange between mature adults!

[Svendo]

On the way to work today, following an Audi TT downhill to a roundabout (Drake Street in Rochdale), at the bottom the car moved right then turned left (into a no motor vehicles road 7am-6pm Mon-Sat but I've given up being bothered by that being ignored as everyone else seems to.)

I shouted 'signal mate?'. Followed the car who went round the next roundabout and signalled for his exit, to which I shouted 'Well Done Mate!' ever so slightly sarcastically. He slowed down a bit outside the townhall where there's parking and I assumed he was looking for parking so overtook him, but he pulled up next to me at the lights further up the road and wound his window down.

I thought 'Oh crap, here we go' as the last time this happened a few years ago at this junction, after I'd deployed the self-gratification artist gesture, a driver ended up getting out and offering to punch me in the face.

What actually happened is the guy asked what was up, I explained that it was just when he'd jinked right and then turned left without a signal it was a bit confusing, and he said 'I'm sorry mate I didn't know you were behind me, I'll be more careful' I wish it always like that, nearly as good as being treated like an equal road user in the first place!

 

[Keith Oates]

It's good to hear some good stories instead of all the bad ones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jig-sore]

i nearly had a taxi driver cut me up on a mini roundabout on Thursday but he just spotted me in time, stopped and waved me on. as he passed me seconds later i gave a cheery "thanks/never mind" kinda wave and got one back in return.

OK, he make a mistake but he caught it in time and all was fine. as a motorist myself i know how easy it can be.

there are some good/fair motorists out there and we are all human (well most of us).

 

[stowie]

A few weeks ago, I nearly got hit by an old, battered BMW turning out of a side road into the main road. I had to swerve across the road and swore loudly.
When I was waiting at the lights to turn right, the BMW pulled up next to me and wound down the window. There was a shaven headed "youth", and I started to get to really concerned. But he apologised and said he cycled as well and if someone did that to him, he would have said more that "f**king hell!".

I rode off feeling a little better about humankind and a little bit ashamed that my immediate assumption about a young chap in an old car was that he was a brainless thug.

 

[hackbike 666]

Oh I wondered what those flashing yellow things were for.

 

[Jezston]

I once pulled up alongside a bus that dangerously overtook me coming out of a bus+cycles only side street across a major four-way junction, despite me being in primary to have a go at him, to which he apologised after thinking I had plenty of room, and I say said "well don't do it again" to which he looked very sheepish.

I felt like a schoolteacher telling off a child, despite me being about half his age

 

[shippers]

I have to say, cycling through Leeds city centre 6 times a week, the vastest of vast majorities of motorists are absolutely spot on. Bus and lorry drivers especially so.

Very rare that I have any problem at all- and that's mainly people being a bit slack.

 

[Glow worm]

there are some good/fair motorists out there and we are all human (well most of us).

True - most are OK to be fair. Though I've had a couple of run-ins this week with imecile motons. It was in Cambridge though so I expect it there- the place is crammed with feckwits.

Also, it's a shame most drivers are undertaking frivolous, unnecessary journeys of under a couple of miles. I often wonder how much better life would be for all of us if such trips were not made.

 

[giner1961]

I had to ride through some temporary lights today after a hard ride, traffic on the opposite side of the road was well tailed back waiting for the lights on their side to turn green, this gave the traffic behind me no chance to overtake me until i got to the end of the tail of traffic on the opposite side. one driver came past me with his nearside window down and slowed down when he came along side me when this happens i always go on the defensive, i think he was going to say something too me until i looked him in the eye and he realised i was not a kid and he drove off, only held him up a few seconds i was riding at 25mph and me legs where hurting and they are still sore from my ride.

 

[661-Pete]

On my commute I get to a T-junction (with traffic lights) where I in fact go straight on (onto a cycle path). But cars have to be turning either right or left. If there's no other vehicle (and of course cyclists don't count) they rarely bother to indicate. So if I do choose to filter to get to the ASL box, I don't know which side.

Sometimes I despair. I feel tempted, when I get to the ASL stop line, to stick out both arms simultaneously (like an umpire signalling 'wide'), glowering at the driver, and then wait to see what they make of it...

 

[tdr1nka]

They might think you're a pedal powered micro light?

 

[thomas]

i nearly had a taxi driver cut me up on a mini roundabout on Thursday but he just spotted me in time, stopped and waved me on. as he passed me seconds later i gave a cheery "thanks/never mind" kinda wave and got one back in return.

OK, he make a mistake but he caught it in time and all was fine. as a motorist myself i know how easy it can be.

there are some good/fair motorists out there and we are all human (well most of us).

I think we've all got to remember that, we do all make mistakes and really it's how people react to their mistakes that matters.

It's much better when someone realises what they did wrong and are happy to admit they're wrong....rather than the ignorant person who thinks they're in the right.

 

[Mikesbike]

very interesting different tales of motorists in that most are okay but you get the odd few. new to here sorry what does ASL mean?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

very interesting different tales of motorists in that most are okay but you get the odd few. new to here sorry what does ASL mean?

Advanced Stop Line. The bits painted on the roads at traffic lights which allow a cyclist to legally wait in front of the line which cars have to stop behind.
Welcome, by the way.

 

[BentMikey]

very interesting different tales of motorists in that most are okay but you get the odd few. new to here sorry what does ASL mean?

Like the green bit here in this google streetview: