Two bad SMIDSY's, did I do okay?

[Belfastox]

I agree with your reasoning, but the simple fact of pointing a mistake out to someone in what ever method you choose, in itself enflames an already embarrassed or annoyed driver, more so when you invade their personnal space (tapping on windows, putting hand on door while leaning in) The only time I feel this kind of pointing out is called for, is if there has been a blatent and purposeful action by someone which has seriously endagered others. Which is rare in comparison to the large numbers of normal activity on the roads. So no, dont roll over, but dont be pedantic to mistakes either. They were after all mistakes. I find a wave and smile, so letting the person know you understand whats happened, always ends in smiles and even apologies all round.

I must say that I agree with all of that, col. By far the most effective methods of 'behaviour management' are the wave and the smile, eye contact is also incredibly powerful and lets the driver see that you are a person too - sounds a bit new wave but it's absolutely true. To be honest the only time I've done a window-tap intervention was when the bloke in the Audi was pushing me into the pavement at lights because he was reading the paper! I did say some things too - not all of them entirely 'considered'. But that aside, it's all a bit of a fine line; we need to be assertive about bike safety and we need to be responsible and courteous to others when they make mistakes. I also thinks it's very important to validate good driving. I always try to remember to acknowledge it when a driver makes room for me or lets me into the flow of traffic etc. In summary then, it's nicer to be nice .

 

[col]

Exactly. Since when was it cool to tap on peoples' cars anyway? If I make a mistake on the road, a driver leans out of his window and slaps my bike to get my attention and have a go at me I'd be furious!

A good one is to tap the palm of your hand on your chest, to indicate it nearly gave you a heart attack, and a face pull with a smile. Always gets a sorry gesture, much better than shouting or having a go, which will make them go into defence mode and react negatively.

 

[caimg]

A good one is to tap the palm of your hand on your chest, to indicate it nearly gave you a heart attack, and a face pull with a smile. Always gets a sorry gesture, much better than shouting or having a go, which will make them go into defence mode and react negatively.

Not a bad idea, I'm intrigued as to what the 'face pull' is though? I wouldn't want to panic a driver into thinking they've caused me to have a genuine heart attack or stroke...

 

[col]

I must say that I agree with all of that, col. By far the most effective methods of 'behaviour management' are the wave and the smile, eye contact is also incredibly powerful and lets the driver see that you are a person too - sounds a bit new wave but it's absolutely true. To be honest the only time I've done a window-tap intervention was when the bloke in the Audi was pushing me into the pavement at lights because he was reading the paper! I did say some things too - not all of them entirely 'considered'. But that aside, it's all a bit of a fine line; we need to be assertive about bike safety and we need to be responsible and courteous to others when they make mistakes. I also thinks it's very important to validate good driving. I always try to remember to acknowledge it when a driver makes room for me or lets me into the flow of traffic etc. In summary then, it's nicer to be nice .

I spend most of my daylight hours, and even night time hours on the roads,work or cycling. In the beginning many moons ago I would shout and react as if they had tried to do something on purpose to me. But experience has taught me most times its unintentional. Not normally their fault either, as our attention is taken somewhere all the time. It only needs your attention to be taken at the wrong time for some unlucky person and you have an accident.This works both ways, the person on the recieving end of an accident wasnt being attentive in the direction needed at the time too. Not intentional, but it happens all the time and this is the norm on the roads. I now understand this and can feel for the person causing a problem. This is the real life reason for most incidents, and those who want to be aggressive towards the mistakee just make things worse. If we put ourselves in their position, and think or even remember how we felt when we made a mistake, and we all have, then we can understand whats happened and react in a friendly way.

 

[col]

Not a bad idea, I'm intrigued as to what the 'face pull' is though? I wouldn't want to panic a driver into thinking they've caused me to have a genuine heart attack or stroke...

Always with a smile after, it diffuses the situation and gets a relief smile from them

 

[gaz]

My opinion.... as long as you didn't get hit. Just forget about it and carry on. No point getting frustrated or annoyed.

 

[Matthew_T]

Well talking about getting hit, I had a driver confront me today.

It was on a single lane country road. It was slightly uphill so I was managing 15mph. I was nearly at a junction where the road becomes two lanes.
Suddenly I have a 4x4 bearing down on me sounding his horn immediately. I looked behind me to see him right up my bum. There was a small layby ahead where he passed me closely. I gave a little toot of the airzound as he passed and he carried on.
When he got to the junction, he stopped. I thought he might be getting out so stopped straight away quite a distance from the car. He got out and started strutting towards me. He got up to me and said "WTF are you doing". I replied "Why cant you be patient, it is a single lane road". Him: "I am not going to sit behind you at 15 f*cking mph".
I then didnt say anymore and he turned around and headed back to the car. When he set off from the junction, he cut up another car and then sped through some cross roads at the top of a hill.

I really thought he was going to hit me and it made me think even more about when my helmet camera is going to arrive.
His number plate was S77 MEK. It was a brown Land Rover Discovery.

What made it worse, was that it was on a country road with not many people about, so if he had hit me, I wouldnt have had any 'backup'.

 

[col]

You seem to be having bad luck with coming across some real idiots.

 

[PK99]

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.

Only having google map and your description it is not possible to pass comment - particularly as your interpretation of your own videos has in the past beeb sadly flawed.

 

[PK99]

Well talking about getting hit, I had a driver confront me today.

I gave a little toot of the airzound as he passed and he carried on.
'.

With the intention of achieving what???

 

[Matthew_T]

Only having google map and your description it is not possible to pass comment - particularly as your interpretation of your own videos has in the past beeb sadly flawed.

it was here: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.310...=fWcGWDWffIsMQ_lOf4WmpQ&cbp=12,176.49,,0,4.33

 

[Matthew_T]

You seem to be having bad luck with coming across some real idiots.

I have tried to alter my route so that I am not on town roads as much, but the country seems just as bad.

 

[PK99]

it was here: http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.310...=fWcGWDWffIsMQ_lOf4WmpQ&cbp=12,176.49,,0,4.33

a map/picture and your account are of zero value in judging the drivers behaviour - or yours, which has in the past not been good on yoyr own videos. But FWIW I ride roads like that frequently and would always indicate to a following driver i know they are there and slow and wave them through at a convenient passing place.

 

[Matthew_T]

a map/picture and your account are of zero value in judging the drivers behaviour - or yours, which has in the past not been good on yoyr own videos. But FWIW I ride roads like that frequently and would always indicate to a following driver i know they are there and slow and wave them through at a convenient passing place.

Unfortunately I didnt have a camera on me, but I doubt that would have deterred his actions. I maintained my speed and was not going to let him bully me out of the way.

I was not taking the lane, I was to the left of the road, but there was no room to overtake safely. I didnt give any rude hand signals or gestures, but I did repeatedly shoulder check and get a good look of the driver and his son (who must have thought his dad was a numpty). I didnt want to go into the verge because there is a ditch there and I would be of risk of getting a p*ncture.

 

[PK99]

Unfortunately I didnt have a camera on me, but I doubt that would have deterred his actions. I maintained my speed and was not going to let him bully me out of the way.

I was not taking the lane, I was to the left of the road, but there was no room to overtake safely. .

The picture you show saying "it was here" is of a passing place on a single track road on a long draggy up hill: Courtesy between road users says you should have slowed to let him pass in the passing place. As a car driver in pootle mode on that sort of road i would wave a faster "local" through, same as a cyclist any car sitting behind me.