What to do?

[davidtq]

Not sure how best to handle this one very wide lane two cars wide, but invariable cars parked on one side near the roundabout at the end.

I need to be towards the right to go straight on at the round about, but if I go too far right I get the impatient motorists undertaking me along the long stretch without parked cars in their rush to get to the back of the inevitable traffic queue , if I stay to the left theres no way in heck Im going to be able to pull out round the parked car safely, or get to my right lane to go straight ahead at the roundabout.

Heres a couple of examples of whats happening to me, bear in mind this round about is invariably blocked solid, they stand nothing to gain at all from their actions... The road leaving the round about is also jammed for ages afterwards... Not sure what to do here...

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9eoQXaxbqM

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcitvPfdRP8


The last one was last night and I left some of the waiting times on the end of the footage to show how little there was to gain by overtaking the cyclist...

Didnt notice any aggression from the driver, and when he eventually overtook half a mile later when we got to a lower traffic part of the route he did so leaving a very decent amount of road space, so no grudges held, just not sure what to do to help these motorists not make silly ill thought out decisions...

 

[magnatom]

You need to be in the position which provides you with the greatest level of safety. In this situation I think this would be a strong primary on the approach well in advance of the parked cars. That should dissuade most stupid overtakes. If they still decide to go then you at least have plenty of space to your left to escape into if need be.

Taking the secondary here on approach to the parked cars would mean that you would need to negotiate your way back into the traffic stream which for traffic that is racing to the end of a queue could be quite dangerous (IMHO).

To dissuade undertakers I find a wobble or holding your left hand out with palm facing them (if you sense something is about to happen) should discourage them. At best they would realise that you are asking them to hold back, at worst they would get confused and hold back due to the confusion.

At approaches like this it is never easy.

 

[biking_fox]

Your position in the second clip seems pretty good to me - a strong primary, leaving just not enough space for an undertake. Stay out and don't let them back in if they try and overtake. If you've got any umph in you at this point, the faster you can ride the less they'll try and overtake.

Not nice junction though.

 

[domtyler]

The only thing I could pick up on is your speed. Positioning seems as good as it could be really.

 

[davidtq]

I think I have trouble along a road as wide as this decideing what is primary and what isnt, the first clip im near enough on the central line the whole way along and the guy still overtakes, Im pretty sure thats as primary as anyone is going to get but still doesnt work against overtakes but started encourageing undertakers when I was out there without the parked cars.

The second one Im not quite so close to the white line because of recent undertakes whilst out near the white line, but still thought it to be pretty much centre of the lane . Thought it would be the "best of both worlds" control undertakes and overtakes... but apparantly not. I get about one bad pass a week at this point in the ride... So far these two clips are about as bad as it gets.

Where in the road do you think I should be in relation to the two clips? I dont think its possbile to get any more primary than I was in the first clip . Its just an awkward section of road because many of the drivers dont seem to think past the end of their bonnet, and its hard for a cyclist to find a way to control the whole width of the road... or at least it is for me...

I might try staying closer to the white line again and try the faux indication, (all my indications are palm back) to discourage undertakers although given how many drivers will overtake me indicating right when actually turning right I dont hold much hope (I really hate that particular bit of impatience)

 

[davidtq]

The only thing I could pick up on is your speed. Positioning seems as good as it could be really.

Hmm im nervous of using too much more speed at this point with the stopped traffic not far ahead and precious little warning if a car leaving the round about is going to turn right across my lane to get to the petrol station, thats what the lane the bmw tried to use to overtake me is meant for - traffic coming the other way to turn right across the lane to get to the petrol station.

Perhaps I do wuss out a bit there, I do like to have a good view and plenty of reaction time if things go wrong. I could push it a bit more there but I dont like approaching potential hazards too fast. Perhaps Im creating another hazard by not doing so.

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

When you sense the car going for the overtake, hold your right hand out, palm to them and shout "NO!" at them as loud as you can, it might well be worth throwing in a "fear wobble" at this point too.

 

[buggi]

ride along zig zagging from side to side.