TF d'you think you're doing?

[swee'pea99]

Nothing wrong with a cyclist taking priority on the narrow road thru' the heart of our London 'village', but I have to admit I was taken aback to see him simply stop in the middle of the road, having given a cursory wave to indicate that he wanted to go over to the opposite pavement, leaving half a dozen cars backing up behind him while he waited for the traffic coming towards him to also stop, enabling him to cross at his convenience. He got away with it, this being trendy north London, but I do wonder what makes someone think it's ok to make everyone else reorient themselves around him, rather than, say, pull over to the left and wait for a gap.

 

[TheDoctor]

The sure and certain knowledge that a car driver would have done exactly the same?

 

[Globalti]

Nowadays you can get away with manoeuvres that would have got you lynched twenty years ago because people are accustomed to shoddy and thoughtless behaviour by drivers who never took lessons and paid for their licences.

 

[the_mikey]

Nothing wrong with a cyclist taking priority on the narrow road thru' the heart of our London 'village', but I have to admit I was taken aback to see him simply stop in the middle of the road, having given a cursory wave to indicate that he wanted to go over to the opposite pavement, leaving half a dozen cars backing up behind him while he waited for the traffic coming towards him to also stop, enabling him to cross at his convenience. He got away with it, this being trendy north London, but I do wonder what makes someone think it's ok to make everyone else reorient themselves around him, rather than, say, pull over to the left and wait for a gap.

What would a London Taxi Driver do if he wanted to stop on the other side of the road?

 

[I like Skol]

Nothing wrong with a cyclist taking priority on the narrow road thru' the heart of our London 'village', but I have to admit I was taken aback to see him simply stop in the middle of the road, having given a cursory wave to indicate that he wanted to go over to the opposite pavement, leaving half a dozen cars backing up behind him while he waited for the traffic coming towards him to also stop, enabling him to cross at his convenience. He got away with it, this being trendy north London, but I do wonder what makes someone think it's ok to make everyone else reorient themselves around him, rather than, say, pull over to the left and wait for a gap.

I don't get what your point is? If I was cycling and wanted to turn right or pull over to the right I would do the same, just as if I was in a car.

 

[swee'pea99]

I don't get what your point is? If I was cycling and wanted to turn right or pull over to the right I would do the same, just as if I was in a car.

Ok, maybe I didn't explain myself clearly enough. Imagine a narrow two way main road. Cyclist wants to get up onto the opposite pavement. If it was me, I'd pull over to the left, by the kerb, and wait for a gap in the traffic - both ways - then cross. To me, stopping in the middle of the road and expecting all traffic to organise itself around me would be like a pedestrian simply deciding to cross a main road at a random point, and expecting traffic to stop, treating his/her preferred point as though it was a zebra crossing. It would be different if you were in a car, because a car has no option. But a cyclist does. And to me, behaving as tho' everyone else should defer to my preferences is the kind of behaviour that does cyclists no favours, and can serve only to exacerbate tensions between us and other road users. But hey, each to their own.

 

[ColinJ]

If the roads were busy then it could take 5 or 10 minutes for there to be a suitable gap in the traffic both ways at the same time. It would only take one considerate motorist coming the other way to slow down for a few seconds and the problem would be solved, so I vote - WAIT AND BLOCK!

 

[TheDoctor]

Frankly, I believe that car traffic should treat pedestrians crossing the road as though they're on a zebra crossing. I don't see that someone gets preferential treatment just because they're taking two tonnes of metal, airbags and four empty seats with them everywhere.

 

[Smudge]

If he stopped in the middle of HIS side of the road, then it is obstructive to traffic behind wanting to go ahead.
I've done this manoeuvre many times on my bikes and my motorcycle, and will indicate right and sit in the centre of the road waiting to turn. Most of the time, cars can get around me on the inside. If the road is too narrow for that, then they just have to wait.

 

[winjim]

So cyclists should reorient themselves around drivers, not drivers around cyclists. Got it, cheers.

 

[Drago]

Why should he not do so? How often have we all been stopped behind a car for an age while they're sat there indicating to turn right? It's alright for tin box pilots to act with self entitlement, so i find it hard to get too excited when cyclists also do the dame, just so long as no one is being endangered.

 

[I like Skol]

Ok, maybe I didn't explain myself clearly enough. Imagine a narrow two way main road. Cyclist wants to get up onto the opposite pavement. If it was me, I'd pull over to the left, by the kerb, and wait for a gap in the traffic - both ways - then cross. To me, stopping in the middle of the road and expecting all traffic to organise itself around me would be like a pedestrian simply deciding to cross a main road at a random point, and expecting traffic to stop, treating his/her preferred point as though it was a zebra crossing. It would be different if you were in a car, because a car has no option. But a cyclist does. And to me, behaving as tho' everyone else should defer to my preferences is the kind of behaviour that does cyclists no favours, and can serve only to exacerbate tensions between us and other road users. But hey, each to their own.

I got it first time. The cyclist was in the right (although sounds like maybe he could have been a bit more purposeful and indicated clearly) and what you describe as your preferred option is wrong and does cycling and cyclists no favours at all! Your method only gives motorists the impression that cyclists do not belong on the road and should always concede to the vehicular traffic.
I think I will stick to my method of behaving like a road user and following the rules of the road whether I am driving or cycling. I wish other cyclists would too. It is quite frustrating when cyclists stop at a junction where they have right of way, and try to wave the cars that should give way to go ahead of them. Causes confusion and uncertainty which creates danger for all concerned.

 

[mjr]

Pull in and wait for gaps both ways used to be the NZ rule IIRC, even for cars, but I think they've stopped this ludicrously inconvenient and dangerous practice now. You'd need to be some sort of sadist to recommend it somewhere as busy as London.

 

[swee'pea99]

If the cyclist had been looking to turn right, that would have been entirely different. But he wasn't. He was effectively looking to cross the road. I would absolutely expect traffic to wait behind me if necessary if I was turning right. But if I wanted to cross the road, I'd do it in such a way as to avoid putting other people out. Why should you expect drivers to stop for you just because you decide you want to cross the road here, now, regardless of anyone else? I wouldn't. I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I would have done the same as that cyclist. Stopping on the left kerb then attempting to cross the whole road when there's busy traffic is dangerous. Stopping between the 2 lanes and having traffic whizz past me in both directions is dangerous. In other words, my safety takes precedence over others' convenience.