White van driver teaches me a lesson

[Origamist]

The terms primary and secondary have been in common usage with cyclists for years, I think I would have let the van past before the pinch point myself. It weighs enough to squish you so why press the point?

I think you would be surprised - the terms are not that widely used by many cyclists.

 

[Riding in Circles]

Not pressing any point at all. Just making good progress along the road. I would have had to slow considerably, and had to pull back into traffic afterwards (I'm not sure if anything was behind him of not, I was too busy keeping an eye on him). Pulling back into traffic is more dangerous that holding position.

He was already driving like an arse before the pinch point, you did press the point and in doing so made yourself vulnerable to a tard in a van, I know you were in the right but that would not have helped you if you ended up under the van would it?

 

[dodgy]

Spot on Origamist, I reckon I'm a pretty experienced cyclist, I've ridden most disciplines of the sport and have lots of friends who also ride. I frequent popular cycling cafés all the time and have never once, not even once, heard the term.
So by coming here I've learnt something

Dave.

 

[Riding in Circles]

By the way, you should report him to the police as he obviously a danger to others.

 

[Riding in Circles]

I think you would be surprised - the terms are not that widely used by many cyclists.

Really? I have used the terms for years, maybe it is coming from a motorcycle background, I have heard other cyclists and motorcyclists using the terms, maybe it's regional.

 

[magnatom]

Wooah, no need to get upset

Not really upset at you dodgy. I just get a little dismayed sometimes that people focus on where I should have been on the road. Remember, for a vehicle following behind, it is their duty to drive according to the conditions of the road. If they come across a cyclist, who they might feel is too far out, the correct way to react is to hang back and overtake when it is safe to do so. Not to sit on my wheel, overtake within touching distance and then brake to try and teach me a lesson.

Sure people will comment on my cycling and I welcome that, but, my positioning in this clip, is my positioning, and the following driver failed to deal with it appropriately. So, even if I was in the wrong (which I don't think I am, because I negotiate this roundabout and exit on a daily basis and very, very rarely have problems) I think the WVM was significantly more in the wrong than me.

 

[yello]

Really? I have used the terms for years, maybe it is coming from a motorcycle background, I have heard other cyclists and motorcyclists using the terms, maybe it's regional.

Must admit, I first heard it in relation to motorcycling. But whilst I've ridden a bike for years, it's only in, say, the last 5 that I've 'moved' in cyclist circles. It was just a bike before then!

 

[Riding in Circles]

Must admit, I first heard it in relation to motorcycling. But whilst I've ridden a bike for years, it's only in, say, the last 5 that I've 'moved' in cyclist circles. It was just a bike before then!

It may be that I have heard it a lot in motorcycling and having applied it to cycling have just assumed it was common use there as well, the mind does trick you like that at times. Anyway it is a good description of road position.

 

[Origamist]

Really? I have used the terms for years, maybe it is coming from a motorcycle background, I have heard other cyclists and motorcyclists using the terms, maybe it's regional.

Me, too. However, I promise you that if you sampled 100 cyclists and asked them to define each term - the vast majortiy would not know what you were talikng about...

 

[magnatom]

He was already driving like an arse before the pinch point, you did press the point and in doing so made yourself vulnerable to a tard in a van, I know you were in the right but that would not have helped you if you ended up under the van would it?

Also notice that there was a chap sweeping the road, so I needed to stay out past him, after that the pinch point was approaching fast, my only option would have been to pull over and stop. I think continuing as I was was a reasonable course of action.

In fact at the point before the pinch I have had drivers do what the WVM did. I have found, by holding my line, they notice that that space is disappearing fast and they generally pull back and pass later when it is safe. In fact on a number of occasions I have thanked drivers for pulling back, as they pass.

 

[magnatom]

Me, too. However, I promise you that if you sampled 100 cyclists and asked them to define each term - I assure you, the vast majortiy would not know what you were talikng about...

I agree, most would not know about it. However, probably a lot practice it and just don't know the terms.

 

[Riding in Circles]

Me, too. However, I promise you that if you sampled 100 cyclists and asked them to define each term - I assure you, the vast majortiy would not know what you were talikng about...

The vast majority would not know what I was talking about if I mentioned allen keys and chain lube either.

 

[Riding in Circles]

Also notice that there was a chap sweeping the road, so I needed to stay out past him, after that the pinch point was approaching fast, my only option would have been to pull over and stop. I think continuing as I was was a reasonable course of action.

In fact at the point before the pinch I have had drivers do what the WVM did. I have found, by holding my line, they notice that that space is disappearing fast and they generally pull back and pass later when it is safe. In fact on a number of occasions I have thanked drivers for pulling back, as they pass.

The guy was up your chuffer though, you can be in the right and still put yourself in danger, is it worth it?

 

[BentMikey]

It always makes me laugh how some victim-blaming chap or chapess will turn up on one of these topics and start to blame the cyclist for the incident, and then claim how they never have close calls. There's never a spot of blame on the driver, whose responsibility it all was in the first place - they are the ones making the overtake after all.

IME that sort of thing seems to be because either a) the cyclist has a higher threshold of "close calls", and effectively ignores all the similar-level-of-danger close calls or is genuinely oblivious to the actual close calls that do happen. When we do see video of their riding, it's usually filled with incidents that put the shitters on me and blandly ignored by them. Any criticism is then soundly ignored or berated.

 

[Riding in Circles]

It always makes me laugh how some victim-blaming chap or chapess will turn up on one of these topics and start to blame the cyclist for the incident, and then claim how they never have close calls. There's never a spot of blame on the driver, whose responsibility it all was in the first place - they are the ones making the overtake after all.

IME that sort of thing seems to be because either a) the cyclist has a higher threshold of "close calls", and effectively ignores all the similar-level-of-danger close calls or is genuinely oblivious to the actual close calls that do happen. When we do see video of their riding, it's usually filled with incidents that put the shitters on me and blandly ignored by them. Any criticism is then soundly ignored or berated.

I think it is safe to say that the number of close calls is directly proportional to the number of miles cycled and the number will increase exponentially if the majority of those miles are in a city environment.