Two bad SMIDSY's, did I do okay?

[Matthew_T]

Once again I had two incidents with drivers yesterday.

First one was at this roundabout: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.291...=KeTBSN82L8wT7p4JSKJNhA&cbp=12,303.68,,0,9.01
I was turning right and there was a steady stream of traffic coming from the left. As I had right of way, I made my way onto the roundabout but a car coming from the left failed to even bother to look, and nearly took me out. It was only my awareness of him that stopped me going under the wheels. I did yell "WTF are you doing?" but he just gave me a blank 'I don't give a f*ck' look.
I did pursue him but failed to catch up.

Second one was here: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.321...d=rO-zEShaNholnxTCVCLOlw&cbp=12,94.17,,0,8.36
I was continuing along the road and to the right up the bridge. A car overtook me just before the turning on the right where two other cars were waiting to pull out. One car started pulling out so I gave a little beep of the Airzound. The old woman continued on her course and came very close to me. She then started to push me into the kerb and down the junction on the left. I was telling her to stop and actually had to bang on the from wing because she kept going into me.
Eventually she slowed down and allowed me to pull in front of her. I then stopped and turned around. I asked her what she was doing and I think she was saying "I didn't see you". I just told her to look and use her indicators (I didn't swear) and then turned around to go in the direction I wanted (up the bridge). She said something as she passed me ("I didn't see you") so I just replied "get of the bloody road then you old crow".

I could have handled the second one better but on both occasions, I really thought I was going to be knocked off.

 

[vickster]

Why did you pursue the first driver - what is the point of doing that? You'll just get more wound up - not productive

 

[snorri]

so I just replied "get of the bloody road then you old crow".
I could have handled the second one better

Indeed you could, you missed an f from off.

Cycle defensively, all the drivers in North Wales are out to get you.

 

[Matthew_T]

Indeed you could, you missed an f from off.

Cycle defensively, all the drivers in North Wales are out to get you.

Well thats what it feels like.

@Vickster I pursued him mainly to just get out my anger by riding hard. Even if I had caught up to him, I probably wouldn't have had the time and room to manouvre myself to the drivers window so I wouldn't have been able to say anything anyway.

 

[HovR]

The old woman continued on her course and came very close to me. She then started to push me into the kerb and down the junction on the left. I was telling her to stop and actually had to bang on the from wing because she kept going into me.
Eventually she slowed down and allowed me to pull in front of her.

I'm not sure if I interpreted this wrong, but it sounds like you could have braked hard to fall behind her, and continued on your way - rather than forcing her to stop? If this is the case, that would have been a better option.

Sorry if I read this wrong.

 

[Matthew_T]

I'm not sure if I interpreted this wrong, but it sounds like you could have braked hard to fall behind her, and continued on your way - rather than forcing her to stop? If this is the case, that would have been a better option.

Sorry if I read this wrong.

I stopped pedalling straight away when I saw her pulling out. She didnt bother accellerating away so we slowed down together until she hit the brakes. I then hit the brakes after her so ended up in front (My hands were over the brakes but I was concerned with what she was doing).

 

[jonathanw]

Matthew

Personally, I have never known anyone to have so many "incidents" as you, with or without the video footage. I too get angry about close passes and apparent SMIDSY's, but counteract these by very defensive riding and high vis gear. After all, I want to come home to my family at the end of the day, not become another statistic, that although tragic and lamented in these fora, will all too quickly become just that.

Pursuing drivers and abusing them verbally will do more harm to how cyclists are perceived by motorists, especially the ones who feel we have no right to be on the road.

I wish you many years of enjoyable and happy cycling/commuting and getting your (airzound) horn off if it makes you feel better, but you need to calm down and adopt a more defensive rather than offensive approach, even though it is clear that you are in the right. The maths just do not stack up when it's you vs. 1-2+ tonnes of fast moving car/bus/lorry. Even if the drivers are idiots, they will still be idiots when you are dead or seriously injured.

Safe cycling mate

jw

 

[Matthew_T]

Just to clear things up: I do not want this to become another "Tell Matthew what he did wrong" thread. All I want is criticism on how I was actually riding and whether better positioning at these junctions would have changed anything.
I do not want people commenting on what I said and me 'pursuing' the driver. This is not what this thread is for.

 

[jonathanw]

Just to clear things up: I do not want this to become another "Tell Matthew what he did wrong" thread. All I want is criticism on how I was actually riding and whether better positioning at these junctions would have changed anything.
I do not want people commenting on what I said and me 'pursuing' the driver. This is not what this thread is for.

Fair enough, I will retire from the thread, but I fear you have missed the point

 

[Matthew_T]

Fair enough, I will retire from the thread, but I fear you have missed the point

I have had that many points thrown at me, I could be in for a chance to win the Olympics.

I do know right from wrong and when I decided to pursue the driver, I had second thoughts so turned around. I understand everyones concerns and I agree that I need to improve (which I have done already) but I do not like it when advice becomes abuse.

 

[vickster]

You didn't say you turned around rather than pursue, you said you failed to catch up, which suggests he was simply too quick

If so, well done you for ignoring the red mist. Have you ever sought professional help to deal with your feelings / reactions which occur in these situations?

 

[caimg]

I've gotta agree with people recommending to cycle defensively. I don't have anywhere near as many issues because I respect that no matter what the highway code is or how important we are as road users, cars are infinitely more life threatening to use cyclists than anything else whilst we're out and about. You have to respect the danger, just like you wouldn't go to Africa and start shouting at a bunch of lions. Just ease off and accept that to avoid any impending hazards you have to concede ground, dismount or just hang back to the side of the road for a bit. I had a tanker behind me the other day on Finchley Road in London (bit evil when busy) and thought better of trying to negotiate certain hazards, and just pulled over for a bit. Saves time on having to edit and upload vids too

 

[Matthew_T]

You didn't say you turned around rather than pursue, you said you failed to catch up, which suggests he was simply too quick

If so, well done you for ignoring the red mist. Have you ever sought professional help to deal with your feelings / reactions which occur in these situations?

I didnt catch up because it was on country roads. Plus he was going in the direction I had just come from so I didnt want to just chase him for no reason. My mind changed anyway.

 

[Dan_h]

Once again I had two incidents with drivers yesterday.

First one was at this roundabout: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.291...=KeTBSN82L8wT7p4JSKJNhA&cbp=12,303.68,,0,9.01
I was turning right and there was a steady stream of traffic coming from the left. As I had right of way, I made my way onto the roundabout but a car coming from the left failed to even bother to look, and nearly took me out. It was only my awareness of him that stopped me going under the wheels. I did yell "WTF are you doing?" but he just gave me a blank 'I don't give a f*ck' look.
I did pursue him but failed to catch up.

For me the highlighted sentence in the quote above is the important one. Your awareness of the traffic and situations that you find yourself in are what is important here. Whatever you are riding / driving this awareness is what will keep you out of trouble and safe. Other road users will not always do what they are supposed to. You cannot rely on them to do so and you need to be aware of how they may affect you and how you can position yourself in order to be safe (which in some situations means just getting out of the way!).

To me this is the essence of defensive riding. It applies in cars just as much. You may think that drivers are ignoring you because you are on a bike, but I find just as many people ignore me when I am driving and although if I have an accident I am less likely to be hurt in my car it will still ruin my day.

Whether or not you decide to remonstrate with the drivers is your choice, you know the risks the same as the rest of us do. On occasion most of us will lose our temper and different people will deal with it in different ways. Personally I try to avoid confrontation as I find it makes me more wound up, but if you feel better pointing out the mistakes that others make that is up to you.

I think the best advice that I can think of is to concentrate on enjoying your ride and not worry about or analyse every incident or close call. Near misses happen in traffic but by developing a good awareness of the situation around you you can mitigate many of the mistakes of other road users by riding better yourself and making allowances for the shortcomings of others.

 

[bicyclos]

I think the best advice that I can think of is to concentrate on enjoying your ride and not worry about or analyse every incident or close call. Near misses happen in traffic but by developing a good awareness of the situation around you you can mitigate many of the mistakes of other road users by riding better yourself and making allowances for the shortcomings of others.

+1
Coming from a motorcyclist background I adopt the same principles on my bicycle and ride safe especially in rush-hour(s) traffic where I find traffic is more aggresive trying to get to work etc. You have got to make allowances in this concrete jungle full of apes, we are no different to our primates......Reminds me I need to buy a bunch of bananas.