Was this cyclist bad?
- Thread starter magnatom
- Start date
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Crackle said:
Crackle the beep was from the cars that had just gone through the junction. I wasn't sure exactly what for, but it might have been a RLJing car or someone pushing across a lane. Nothing to do with me honest!
I cycle this junction coming the other way in the dark. It is slightly up hill so I do go a little slower. I do keep the primary position. If cars want past me they have another lane to take, although that is often full. Anyway once past the junction there is often another queue to join (in both directions).
gambatte said:Still, he wasn't on his ownsome, with nothing behind him and those painted lines are notorious for suddenly becoming slippy....
from when he crosses a stop line witha red light to where he stops, he's on his ownsome
as for slippery? at that speeds going in a straight line? not exactly skinny tyres either
this is another huge thread of some very unremarkable cycling for me
we need better material
Just to make things really annoying, when you're going north in the right hand lane, as soon as you get over the junction, you hit the back of the queue for Morrisons, which has a filter at the next light, but a woefully inadequate filter lane. It all gets a bit gnarly.... I can imagine cycling through it would be a tricky manoeuvre.
mrben said:
Going north the traffic is often tailed back from the lights. I turn left after the lights (onto Fulton street) so obviously I stay in the left lane. For that section I don't bother filtering. It just isn't worth it. I take a primary position going all the way up that hill (I am fairly slow here 12-15mph maybe) as it is quite steep in places.
If I am going to Morissons which I do on occasion
I take the primary in the right lane and remain there all the way up again. It wouldn't be safe any other way. I can honestly say, that I've never had problems there. I think drivers appreciate that the hill slows me down and that traffic ahead is probably going to hold them up anyway. I have many more problems before the junction (Crow Road) heading north. The road goes from 2 to 4 lanes and if I don't hold a firm primary I get squeezed. A few of my videos show this bit of road.
Tynan said:
I disagree (well I would wouldn't I!). What would be better footage for you? The cyclist being hit by the truck (I'm not serious about this by the way)?
I think it illustrates a point nicely and I am quite pleased to have filmed it and noticed its significance. I think it is almost as good as the film I took of the left hook!
Actually that has got me thinking. Maybe we should have a cycling video of the year award and the winner would get a new bike or something. Surely I would have a chance purely due to the number of videos I have posted!!
Hah! get this. Curious I thumbed back through my 'All new Complete Book of Bicycling' by Eugene A Sloane, 3rd Edition 1980. This the how to ride safely chapter (it's American so he's on the right)
"On a bike you are not the same size as a car. Don't ride as if you were. Most drivers fail to see anything smaller than a car on the road, because they are not used to looking for anything smaller. .............elderley drivers are considered to be dangerous to cyclists. They often have poor vision, poor depth perception, confused colour discrimination, slow reflexes and they are frequently terrible drivers to begin with."
There's also some class advice on junctions as well. He also advices not to drive on streets without parking as you'll get squeezed out. He recommends streets with parking because by law drivers have to leave a 30" gap to the parked car which a cyclist can take advantage of He recommends learning to ride in a very straight line
"On a bike you are not the same size as a car. Don't ride as if you were. Most drivers fail to see anything smaller than a car on the road, because they are not used to looking for anything smaller. .............elderley drivers are considered to be dangerous to cyclists. They often have poor vision, poor depth perception, confused colour discrimination, slow reflexes and they are frequently terrible drivers to begin with."
There's also some class advice on junctions as well. He also advices not to drive on streets without parking as you'll get squeezed out. He recommends streets with parking because by law drivers have to leave a 30" gap to the parked car which a cyclist can take advantage of
He recommends learning to ride in a very straight line 
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
gambatte said:Still, he wasn't on his ownsome, with nothing behind him and those painted lines are notorious for suddenly becoming slippy....
Sorry, but i cant agree based on my experiences. As stated, cycling for 35 years, often in the same position as this guy...i have NEVER slipped, skidded or anything else when riding that position.
Now i have slipped on manhole covers, but only when banking the bike round a corner.....
I should say, i dont generally ride ON the lines, rather just to the right of them. Inevitably, this means at times i will pass onto the lines and off them. But i have never had a problem.
I wouldnt recommend it for an inexperienced cyclist...but.
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
magnatom said:
Fair enough, no problem. No, its apparent therefore hes passed the lorry along its length.
To be fair, discussions like this can open your mind to alternatives.
Have i passed a static lorry on the left in the past...yes.
Would i consider it dangerous...no
Would i consider it safe...........no...but i'd proceed with caution.
That means have i got room on my left ?
Is the lorry stationary, or likely to move off as i pass ?
Are the lights red as i begin to make that decision. If they change, can i get safely past or not.
Can i pull out of the manoever safely if the lorry starts to move ?
Is the traffic at the front beginning to move...
You make all those and many more judgements in a few seconds. Ive been making those judgements and more all my cycling life. I have NEVER had an accident with another vehicle. (crosses himself
) Theres no doubt its really not very wise, not because i see it as outright dangerous, but as you cannot predict all eventualities, it MAY be wise to hold back. But if you apply that across the board...you just wont go out on a bike at all.
Christ, you guys want to go on youtube and look at the london and new york courier races. Its outrageous....but exciting.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Crackle said:Hah! get this. Curious I thumbed back through my 'All new Complete Book of Bicycling' by Eugene A Sloane, 3rd Edition 1980. This the how to ride safely chapter (it's American so he's on the right)
"On a bike you are not the same size as a car. Don't ride as if you were. Most drivers fail to see anything smaller than a car on the road, because they are not used to looking for anything smaller. .............elderley drivers are considered to be dangerous to cyclists. They often have poor vision, poor depth perception, confused colour discrimination, slow reflexes and they are frequently terrible drivers to begin with."
There's also some class advice on junctions as well. He also advices not to drive on streets without parking as you'll get squeezed out. He recommends streets with parking because by law drivers have to leave a 30" gap to the parked car which a cyclist can take advantage ofHe recommends learning to ride in a very straight line
That sounds like a terrible book with terrible advice, if I'm interpreting that correctly. I think he's telling you to ride in the door zone. Doorings cause the most killed and seriously injured cyclists in London, so I find it hard to imagine worse advice. What's more, that's America. Need I say more?
John Franklin, and proper technique, say to ride in the drivers' vision, which is one reason why you move out to take the entire lane through junctions.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Crackle said:
If you're talking about Daniel Cadden, then again, you're utterly wrong. John Franklin described his cyclecraft as absolutely perfect on that road, and he was overtaken by those motorists as he should have been.
