Stupid inconsiderate cyclist

[catwoman]

Riding down Tufnell Park Road yesterday morning. On approach to Holloway Road I saw a securicor (or other) van facing me indicating he wanted to cross my path. One cyclist whizzed through and I gave way and the van made it's move and got off the road, mounting the pavement by the Odeon.
I cycled on to take the right fork at the end of the road in primary and another cyclist whizzed through undertaking me. It really startled me. Words failed me and I just gasped with shock.
The cyclist moved fully forward at the junction with Holloway Road (lights were red), eyes front, not looking back to say sorry for the fright or anything. he must have heard my startled sound. Lights changed and we both moved forward stopping at the next lights at the Nags Head. He moved forward again circling on the pedestrian crossing waiting for the lights to change, me waiting on the line, no eye contact from him, me glaring at him. He was obviously a skilled cyclist, his circling was perfect, he moved off with ease, feet not touching the ground when the lights changed with good positioning on the road.
The point is it doesn't matter how experienced you are (and I am with 25 years of city cycling behind me), an inconsiderate cyclist can give you a big fright if they take your space in the road. He should have overtaken not undertaken me. I was positioned correctly for the circumstances but there was plenty of room for an overtake.
If by chance he's reading this, please don't do that to me again or next time I shall have to remonstrate.

 

[yello]

I agree catwomen, the undertake is stupid.

 

[Arch]

Of course, the shock comes from not knowing they are there, but if you did know, you could always indicate left suddenly....

He sounds like the 'too cool to unclip sort'. Probably showing off. Sit back and enjoy the fact that all that's happened is that you and anyone reading this thinks he's w***er....

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

Of course, the shock comes from not knowing they are there, but if you did know, you could always indicate left suddenly....

He sounds like the 'too cool to unclip sort'. Probably showing off. Sit back and enjoy the fact that all that's happened is that you and anyone reading this thinks he's w***er....

I rarely unclip in London, and can often do a whole 15k trip without touching the road once. Standing up in a trackstand gives you such an advantage when the lights go green - both feet clipped in and your body in a position for delivering maximum power.

If I am feeling lazy / am after a slower ride I tend to sit further back in the queue and accelerate more slowly from a normal sitting stop.

That cyclist sounds like a jackass catwoman, someone whose brain is not trained to deal with the power his body can produce.

 

[mootaineer]

Trackstand...

I'd love to trackstand...but after many years of cycling I still can't do it!
I can "creep" and keep upright but as soon as I hit a deadstop my foot has to unclip
Cycling in the UK I've also grown very accustomed to unclipping on my left-side only. So much so that I now can't seem to start riding with my right foot loose.

 

[Maz]

I'd love to trackstand...but after many years of cycling I still can't do it!

You might need a single-speed to crack this one.

 

[Tynan]

if you're in primary then there's stack of room for a bike to undertake you surely?

how soon after you moved into primary did the undertake take place?

it sounds ok to me if the margin was wide enough and they were going that much faster, they might very well not have wanted to move that wide to pass you safely, presumably they would have had to move right out to the centre line, if I remeber that junction correctly, that's not a good place to be

 

[yello]

I think the reason an undertake is stupid is simply because it is not expected. It certainly surprised catwomen as, I expect, it would many people. I think the undertaking cyclist is putting both cyclists at risk. The undertaking cyclist may feel it is a safe manoeuvre, that there's enough space and has it all under control but they just don't know what the other cyclist will do. The other cyclist may have no idea that there's someone moving up behind them.

Personally, I wouldn't do it. I'd either go outside or wait until I could.

 

[Tynan]

I wouldn't unless the bike in front had left so much space that an undertake was safe, and an overtake wasn't

Especially if the speed difference is such that you can be happy that you;ll be through quickly enough not to worry about what they do, if there's enough space there's enough space seems to me, slow moving traffic and all that

hard to say without being there, just exploring possibilities

 

[yello]

hard to say without being there, just exploring possibilities

Yes, true. Point taken.

I wouldn't go outside a cyclist that was, say, sitting near the centre line... they could be about to turn off!

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

You might need a single-speed to crack this one.

An SS would be of no help at all Maz, I think you mean fixed!

An interesting aside, about trackstanding - I can't do it on a fixie. As far as I am concerned it is devilish trickery. Easy peasy on a normal bike though - as long as you have good brakes.

 

[Tynan]

indeed, but you're tearing down the road and a slower bike in front pulls out into a primary position on a two lane road?

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

indeed, but you're tearing down the road and a slower bike in front pulls out into a primary position on a two lane road?

I would be assesing the situation using the below system.

Information -> Position -> Speed -> Gears -> Action

^​

Take​

Use​

Give​

Information

Take

1. Rider ahead, travelling slower, primary
2. TL junction

Use

1. I can't overtake before the junction
2. I need primary for the junction
3. I might need to stop

Give

1. Rear obervation
2. Signal?

Position
Move to primary

Speed

1. Back off, to match cyclist in front
2. Cover brakes

Gear
Drop a couple to accelerate fast after junction

Action

1. Traverse junction
2. Re-assess

Thats what would happen in my head coming up to that junction, obviously I have assumed what the junction looks like etc, but there is no reason to undertake another moving vehicle unless you are riding beyond your ability.

 

[catwoman]

What's all this about a slower cyclist? I wasn't going that slowly! I'd just given way for a lorry to make a move across my path and then I was approaching a red light!!
I usually move into a more assertive position to take the right fork as there's a left fork there and if you are not positioned correctly a motorist may overtake and then cut you up at the last minute to turn left.
Slower cyclist indeed!

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

Oops! That was more a reaction to Tynans post, about steaming up on a slower cyclist!

My point about the guy being a moron still stands

And the system in my above post would have worked and left me probably next to you on your left at the line, ready to launch out of the lights.