What type of drivers make you tense up?

[XmisterIS]

Most people where I live tends to be courteous and give me plenty of room (at least a metre), except for chavs!

Whenever I hear the boom-boom-boom of a loud car stereo, accompanied by the WAAAAA sound of a sports exhaust on a Peugeot 106 or Vauxhall Nova, I get ready to be passed at high speed and far too close ...

These cretins are usually the same morons who try to race me off at the lights when I'm on my motorbike. Then we get to the next set of lights and they try it again, despite the fact that it should by now be abundantly obvious to them that a sports exhaust on a 1.0 litre Vauxhall Nova is NOT going to enable it out-accelerate a 650cc motorbike that can do 0-60 in under 4 seconds ...

Which begs the question - do they cut up cyclists because they are vicious little sh*ts, or is it actually because they are just f*cking stupid and don't realise how dangerous they are?

 

[jezhiggins]

Which begs the question - do they cut up cyclists because they are vicious little sh*ts, or is it actually because they are just f*cking stupid and don't realise how dangerous they are?

Stupid. Often, if you watch someone who's driven badly around a cyclist, then they drive badly around everyone else too. But they probably think they are the driving dogs bits. Because most people drive in a relatively sensible way, and are unwilling to crash when they don't have to, they make allowances for knobheads. They slow down so that Mr Sportsexhaust can complete his ill-advised overtake, for example, or let him into the queue he's just belted down the outside of. They know they're dealing with a prat, while for him it confirms his driving superiority. If everybody drove like twits, the streets would impassably strewn with crumpled cars.

 

[Windward]

It's BMW drivers for me, if I see one ahead of me prowling at a t-junction waiting to pounce, I go into full smidsy alert! As a group, the drivers of BMW's haven't always been the worst, but they are the most unpleasant and self important, and they should know better, they're rarely young lads like the boy racers.

 

[ComedyPilot]

It's always the same, they'll mouth off at you when passing (in the safety of their metal cage) but won't stop to 'discuss things further' with a 15 stone, almost 6 foot, thai boxing ex-copper.

 

[Dayvo]

It tends to be the younger male driver in dad's car that gives me an uneasy feeling - the 'boy-racer' mentality.

Also younger women putting on make-up or talking on the phone, even singing karioke-style whilst driving.

I'm not too keen on drivers who squish themselves naked up against their windows and gesticulate at you!

 

[PBancroft]

The only time I tense up is when I hear the low rumble of a skip struck coming up behind me. It's not so much them driving too close, they tend to be quite well behaved if my positioning is right... it's just they're so LOUD. What with the chains rattling about, I always think something is about to fall off on top of me.

 

[brokenbetty]

To be honest, even BMW drivers, taxis, buses and WVM are usually pleasant and considerate. Generally drivers only make me tense up if they have already done something dodgy and I encounter them again at the traffic lights, because I know they are likely to pass too close again.

The group of drivers I am most wary of is Hassidic Jewish men driving Volvos or Japanese people carriers in Stamford Hill. They don't drive fast or make unpredictable moves and they certainly never jump lights, but they absolutely will not accommodate other road users. When they overtake it won't be fast but it will be close enough to touch. As the roads in that area are often narrowed down to one lane by parked cars, a cyclist has to hold a very clear primary to avoid being forced into the car-door-opening zone.

Liz

 

[brokenbetty]

Also younger women putting on make-up or talking on the phone, even singing karioke-style whilst driving.

I sing on my bike! And dance to other people's music at traffic lights. Much safer than headphones.

Haven't tried putting on makeup while pedalling though...yet

 

[snorri]

I tense up when I see an oncoming car slow down and pull into their left. It's meant as an invitation to the vehicle behind to overtake me, and makes me feel very uncomfortable as it is likely to be a close overtake. If there is time I pull out further toward the middle of the road to block an overtake, which confuses the oncoming driver somewhat but ensures my safety!

 

[hackbike 666]

BMW's used to be quite bad but they seemed to have mellowed but I encountered BMW boy racers zooming up behind me yesterday. The class of drivers who now occupy top spot is "Pre Booked".

 

[Glow worm]

Around here no problems with the boy racers. In my experience anything people carrier- ish with those idiotic 'baby on board' stickers will normally do their best to knock me off, or pass by within inches. Taxis and buses are next (though obviously some of each are really good). Then its BMWs- always mental -why is that?. But By far the worst for me have to be Volvo drivers. No road sense, rarely indicate, always pull out at daft moments. I know a few motorbikers who hate Volvos too, so maybe Volvo drivers don't limit their muppetry to cyclists!

That's just my experience- before any Volvo drivers come after me with a sh*tty stick!

 

[addictfreak]

The ones that even when you look directly into their eyes, you just know they have not seen you.

 

[Gotte]

Which begs the question - do they cut up cyclists because they are vicious little sh*ts, or is it actually because they are just f*cking stupid and don't realise how dangerous they are?

Both.

 

[Downward]

When your hear the familiar rattle of an old knackered van driven by some middle aged bloke who thinks he is the worlds best driver and can pass you within a few inches of your handlebars.

 

[ron4322]

I tense up when I see an oncoming car slow down and pull into their left. It's meant as an invitation to the vehicle behind to overtake me, and makes me feel very uncomfortable as it is likely to be a close overtake. If there is time I pull out further toward the middle of the road to block an overtake, which confuses the oncoming driver somewhat but ensures my safety!

That's got me thinking. I sometimes move over if I think the driver coming the other is ABOUT TO OVERTAKE. I've never thought that by doing so I might actually "invite" someone to overtake dangerously close to a cyclist. I think I'll stop doing it.