Stopping a daft overtake

[zacklaws]

I had a similar incident last week, crossing a small humpback bridge, controlled by traffic lights and only wide enough for one vehicle to pass. Lights went to green and I set off about a yard off the kerb, just got onto the bridge, when I suddenly became aware of a car along side my back wheel when I looked down at my rear mech just under my armpit trying to squeeze past me which would have left me no place to go except into the kerb, I stuck my hand out to slow them down, moved farther into the road to prevent them trying it again, turned around and then gave them the finger and a few choice expletives, I was fuming.

All they had to do was wait for about 5 secs for me to clear the bridge but they seemed to be too impatient to wait.

 

[beastie]

[QUOTE 1166101"]
Why use a signal that is not in the highway code? This just leads to disambiguation.
[/quote]

Can you please disambiguate your post?

 

[benb]

[QUOTE 1166101"]
Why use a signal that is not in the highway code? This just leads to disambiguation.
[/quote]

You mean it makes things clearer? That's what disambiguation means.

 

[magnatom]

[QUOTE 1166101"]
Why use a signal that is not in the highway code? This just leads to disambiguation.
[/quote]

Mmm. How many drivers actually know the signals in the highway code?

I think the hand out, palm back signal is pretty clear, and certainly worked on this occasion. The only situations where it hasn't worked for me are where the driver obviously didn't give two hoots, and just kept going. This is usually obvious by the abuse given by hem as they squeeze past.

 

[benb]

[QUOTE 1166105"]
Cheers for that - my own persoanl dictionary you are Ben.

[/quote]

Well someone has to correct your abuse of the English language.

 

[Howard]

Mmm. How many drivers actually know the signals in the highway code?

I think the hand out, palm back signal is pretty clear, and certainly worked on this occasion. The only situations where it hasn't worked for me are where the driver obviously didn't give two hoots, and just kept going. This is usually obvious by the abuse given by hem as they squeeze past.

Worked for me last night, but had to augment with a good "duck off, mate" - it is the east end, afterall, and I find that kind of language clears things up no-end

 

[magnatom]

[QUOTE 1166105"]
Cheers for that - my own persoanl dictionary you are Ben.




I think they know what the right hand signal is, thus are confusing this with your don't overtake signal. Your ops and position should dictate everything that happens on the road around you and allow room to manoeuvre should you have a close overtake.
[/quote]

If they mis-interpret the signal as a right hand signal then that is fine. It will have the same effect in dissuading the driver from overtaking. I've never had a problem using the signal except in the situations I described earlier. Anyway the glare and shout I give at the time tends to leave them in no doubt.

As for road position, was my road position not correct here? I think it was, and yet you will still get muppets trying to squeeze past. The space opened up because of van edging ahead not because I was submissive.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Ideally if you don't know what a sign is you should proceed with caution.

Sadly, this doesn't help and you have cars making close passes with the excuse "but they were wobbling all over the road!!" - yea, then wait you peenarse.


And you don't mean a car giving a wrong signal - you are talking about just a conflicting signal which would cause confusion ie left indication when they go right, although if someone puts hteir hazards on - which pretty much means nothing - then its best to be cautious. You cant go "oh I don't know what that means, I won't back off... it obviously means nothing".

 

[magnatom]

[QUOTE 1166109"]
No it's not, it leads to confusion. Would you say that a car giving a wrong signal is fine? Course not.
[/quote]

Lee, you are talking utter utter pants! I reckon that one of your aims on this forum is to get people to reply to you in such a way that you get a new signature line to use.

Oh dear, I may have provided one!

 

[BentMikey]

I think a hand held back like Magnatom's is quite unambiguous, which is fairly evident when you see just how many people out there instantly understand what it means.

 

[benb]

So if, at a junction, I wave on a car who is waiting to turn, that's causing confusion because the signal is not in the highway code. What rot.

If the meaning is obvious or even fairly easy to guess, then it's fine to use it.

 

[magnatom]

Anyone who confuses my signal in the video as a right turn shouldn't be driving a car. Simples.

So Lee, what else apart from the hand signal could I have done to prevent the stupid overtake?

 

[magnatom]

[QUOTE 1166117"]
But they will though because that it what is taught in the HC.

I'm at work at the moment so can't watch the vid again to give a comment but watch this space - Lee's school of safe and resposible cycling will be along this evening to give it's opinion.
[/quote]

Again you're making the assumption that drivers actually read the HC any time after passing the test. How many drivers would know what the signal for slowing down is? I wonder....

 

[DrSquirrel]

Ask someone to show you a stop sign with their hand.

They will all do the same thing.

Even if the driver thinks you are turning right - surely this should stop them overtaking?

 

[benb]

[QUOTE 1166114"]
They probably think you are turning right, motorists don't actually understand 'it' they just think you are going to do something else and this is bad practise out on a bike. If you maintain constant checks and maintain a good position then you should not need to make any wild hand gestures.

I'm not saying that Mag didn't but promoting what he done in his vid is bad for cycling overall. We'll end up like the Masons out on the road making dumb arse hand signals. Where only other cyclists with a nudge-nudge wink-wink will understand, whilst motorists think we are turning right when we are not.

For reference I have never put out my hand.
[/quote]

Not as bad practice, and not as bad for cycling overall, as running red lights though Lee.