Was he being considerate or impatient?

[Accy cyclist]

On Thursday afternoon i was nearing the end of my ride when i approached one of those white and yellow plastic island/road divider things. I dislike them from a cyclist's point of view as i hate to pass them when a vehicle is also passing at the same time forcing me to nearly touch the kerb to avoid contact with the passing vehicle. Last week a very big wagon squeezed between me and a plastic island missing me by about 18 inches!! Anyway this Thursday i could hear the approaching wagon and i thought deja vu!! Not this time though, because the wagon passed the island ON THE RIGHT SIDE!!!! There was no oncoming traffic so he didn't put anybody at risk and he completed the maneuver in a matter of seconds. Funnily enough i waved at him to thank him for not buzzing me and he responded by putting on his hazard warning lights for a few flashes.
Was he being considerate,or was he being stupid? I'd like to think it was the first.

 

[summerdays]

I think he was being impatient (though at least considering that you as a cyclist needed some space). Would it really cost him that much time to ease off for 30 seconds to let you through the pinch point first.

 

[potsy]

Had the exact same thing yesterday morning, first time it's ever happened on my commute.
Not sure what to make of it myself either

 

[Accy cyclist]

I think he was being impatient (though at least considering that you as a cyclist needed some space). Would it really cost him that much time to ease off for 30 seconds to let you through the pinch point first.

That makes me as nervous as being buzzed. The sound of hissing brakes, grinding gears and sensing the bus drivers, wagon drivers etc wrath is very off putting! I don't like those white islands but i know they are sometimes necessary. When i see a mangled one i think "another near miss for someone there"!There is a 10 foot cycle lane near where i live, so that we can avoid the white island and narrow gap but the trouble is the lane isn't long enough and it takes you back onto the main road just slightly past the white island.

 

[summerdays]

That makes me as nervous as being buzzed. The sound of hissing brakes, grinding gears and sensing the bus drivers, wagon drivers etc wrath is very off putting! I don't like those white islands but i know they are sometimes necessary. When i see a mangled one i think "another near miss for someone there"!There is a 10 foot cycle lane near where i live, so that we can avoid the white island and narrow gap but the trouble is the lane isn't long enough and it takes you back onto the main road just slightly past the white island.

Less off putting than them squeezing through at the same time. I've had the pass the wrong side of a traffic island before - mostly at the same place in Lockleaze (they can't do it at the moment as it one of those places with permanent temporary traffic lights courtesy of Bristol Water).

I have had lorries who have waited behind for an extremely long time, or the other day in the car we were behind a very considerate Morrisons lorry driver who took a very long time to pass two cyclists, waiting until it was safe.

I'm not sure what the answer to traffic island pinch points are, because they are often on busy roads and provide a means for pedestrians to cross the road easier than trying to cross the entire road in one go.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Those things are there because drivers cannot be trusted to drive safely. Assuming you didn't force them to break the law just by being on the road, then I'd like to know what gave the driver the impression that they were entitled to deliberately ignore traffic calming features. Features which were put there because drivers cannot be trusted to drive safely. And so on.

 

[jdtate101]

I'd say he was being both, impatient 'casue he had to overtake NOW, but sensible enough not to squeeze you out, not that I condone passing on the other side of an island, it can be very dangerous as seen here:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtKUZ_SNK60

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'd say he was being both, impatient 'casue he had to overtake NOW, but sensible enough not to squeeze you out, not that I condone passing on the other side of an island, it can be very dangerous as seen here:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtKUZ_SNK60[/


Total scumball!!! I hope she got a 5 year ban(minimum) but i suspect she was let off with a slapped wrist!

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

I'd say he was being both, impatient 'casue he had to overtake NOW, but sensible enough not to squeeze you out, not that I condone passing on the other side of an island, it can be very dangerous as seen here:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtKUZ_SNK60

NUT. JOB.

 

[Boris Bajic]

It was poor driving in my book, but one does see it.

I don't imagine it was done to be polite, as the polite thing would be to slow gently and then speed back up and pass.

Passing one of thoe bollards to the right is wrong. Left is rigt and right is wrong.

It can be tiresome to slow and then accelerate again in an HGV because of the many gearchanges required to do so. The time lost is minimal. This mitigates but does not excuse the behaviour of the driver.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

The driver was being impatient. At any sort of pinch point I will look to get into primary, and not leave a gap a motorist thinks they can get through, till I'm past it, after I'm past it I will move over and wave traffic through if it looks safe. Some years ago I almost got forced of the road at a pinch point by a 40 ton artic so these days I try to not leave a gap.

 

[HLaB]

The driver was being impatient with their initial overtake but if their hazzards were in direct response to your 'thankyou', assume they were doing likewise, life's too short to worry about things like that.

 

[growingvegetables]

A big wagon? An HGV? On the wrong side of the road round an island? In the afternoon (not at a time of night when traffic is almost non-existent)? For a few seconds - long enough for lots in the situation to change?

It's lots of things - but "considerate" ain't on my list.

 

[MrJamie]

Reminds me of the drivers who overtake me on country roads kindly giving me the whole lane, just before a right hand bend bend, a few times now an oncoming car has fully skidded and scared the crap out of the driver Id even rather have a close pass than be first on the scene at a head on collision

 

[HLaB]

Reminds me of the drivers who overtake me on country roads kindly giving me the whole lane, just before a right hand bend bend, a few times now an oncoming car has fully skidded and scared the crap out of the driver Id even rather have a close pass than be first on the scene at a head on collision

I also worry that if there was a head on the aftermath would take me out and I doubt I'd have much chance