Whats the best thing to do in this situation ...

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Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
magnatom said:
But Cab, I would say that even in this situation your risk of an accident is very small. If you have been careful overtaking when it is safe to do so, the traffic starts moving and one driver doesn't let you in then there should be nothing coming towards you (or at least they are far enough away to see you and react accordingly). You could just wait until the next driver let you in. The chance that two or three drivers wouldn't let you in would be 1 in 125000 at worst (using Bentmikey's worst case figures for three drivers)

You're proably right of course, the likelyhood of no-one letting you in is much slimmer than the likelyhood of one or two people not letting you in. I'm just seeing myself being stuck between the first couple of motorists being tits on my side, and the last bits of oncoming traffic trying to get through as the lights have just changed.

The last resort could be to take a primary position in the oncoming lane. Thus the traffic would have to stop, but if you had overtaken correctly they should have plenty of time to react to your presence. Of course you would become peoples enemy no 1, but you would be safe.

I suppose this is another reason when overtaking like this to be sure nothing is coming towards you in the other direction. That's a lesson I have learned recently myself.

Yep, I think thats your escape route should you need it. But all the same, I think I'd sooner avoid the need for that and stick in the traffic. I dunno, seems more polite, seems safer (allbeit the risk isn't huge, never said it is), and a more sure way of getting where you're going.
 
I previously posted my overtake

.

Looking back on it I probably shouldn't have been overtaking with the car coming towards me. (Although she did over-react!!)

However, I will continue to overtake on this road, when safe, because waiting causes a significant delay. The lights at the end of the road have a very short green phase. Starting at the back of the queue can result in a delay of 5 minutes, which for a journey that takes me 20 minutes normally is quite significant.

I'm not suggesting that I would push forward regardless, but when it is safe for me to do so, and I am not inconveniencing any other road users, then I will pass down the right hand side. With care maneuvers like this cane be very safe.
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
Magnatom, thats not a good analogy to the section under discussion. You've got no temporary traffic lights that you're trying to avoid the queue at, and you've also got no solid white lines.
 
It's perfect, because we were discussing the safety of the maneuver, not the legality. I think it has already been discussed that overtaking is legal if the traffic is stationary. The real concern is safety when overtaking from vehicles you are overtaking and vehicles coming in the opposite direction. The video covers that.

There isn't much difference between temporary lights and permanent lights. They both function the same.
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
magnatom said:
It's perfect, because we were discussing the safety of the maneuver, not the legality. I think it has already been discussed that overtaking is legal if the traffic is stationary. The real concern is safety when overtaking from vehicles you are overtaking and vehicles coming in the opposite direction. The video covers that.

There isn't much difference between temporary lights and permanent lights. They both function the same.

Thing is, the safety and legality aren't entirely seperable. I'm reminded of the number of times I see cyclists going the wrong way down one way streets literally run off the road by oncoming motorists here in Cambridge (literally happens all the time). What the cyclist is doing isn't dangerous in itself, but because it is perceived to be illegal theres a sub-set of motorists who will just go right at them, safe in the knowledge that the bike will find somehow to get the hell out of the way.

This scenario strikes me as rather similar; yes, you can legally overtake there (although whether it would be considered 'overtaking' as such when the traffic isn't moving at all is an interesting question), but the oncoming motorist doesn't necessarily agree with that interpretation, and while most will be cool with that theres the odd one who will go right at you and run you off the road. I am in no way a mild mannered, submissive cyclist, but I'd still refrain from going around the outside where there are temporary traffic lights and where theres a solid white line. While yes, you can keep a sharp eye for oncoming motorists to get back inside if you really need to, that also seems to be asking for conflict with other road users (namely the motorists in the queue of traffic who then have to keep a sharp eye out for your manoevres).

Just doesn't seem worth it to me.
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
Thanks, yep they are my current skates. Bit more battered now, I've done two summers in them. Bit of an extravagance though, I could have bought two langsters and still had change for the price of them. Worth it to me though, the comfort and control from them is awesome. It's a full custom carbon boot, made to a mold of my feet.
 
BentMikey said:
Thanks, yep they are my current skates. Bit more battered now, I've done two summers in them. Bit of an extravagance though, I could have bought two langsters and still had change for the price of them. Worth it to me though, the comfort and control from them is awesome. It's a full custom carbon boot, made to a mold of my feet.

They look great.No good for me though i'd only end up going arse over ballcocks.;)
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
;):blush:

That's what I did after the Freewheel whilst showing off. We all fall, no matter how good a skater. I'm still nursing the road rash on my knees atm.
 
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