Why did you have to spoil everything?

[Matthew_T]

I was back to riding today after a 5 day stint of having a rest. I made some good averages and the weather was positively balmy.

It was about 4pm and I was literally around the corner from my house. I had to stop at some traffic lights at a junction behind a car. I had a car behind me who had remained there through a pinch point just before the junction.
I saw the lights were on red so slowed down about 50 yards behind the car and tryed a little bit of trackstanding. I still knew that there was a car behind me but he slowed down with me as well.

I was now about 20 yards from the car ahead and realised I would have to stop for the lights. But as I was preparing myself to do so, the car behind me started to overtake. I suspected he was going into the lane besides me to turn right.
What he actually did was pull along sides me and stop behind the car in front, blocking half my lane and half of the other.

The following convo insued:
Me: What are you doing? There is a car there and a red light.
Him: (muffled)

When the lights changed and we set off, I remained in primary. But that didnt stop him from overtaking straight away. He did give me a lot of room though.

Unfortunatly my camera has broken so all I can provide is the below video.

Link to vid: http://s1132.photobucket.com/albums/m562/monkeysnutscom/?action=view&current=q.mp4

 

[Hip Priest]

I wouldn't worry too much about that. Happens all the time. Ignorance on the part of the driver, rather than malice.

 

[simon.r]

If I'm reading this right, you started to slow down and trackstand some 50 to 20 yards from the red light / stationary car? Why didn't you just cycle up to the lights / car and then stop? Surely good practice (driving or cycling) is to gently decelerate in advance of a red light and come to a halt reasonably close to it?

 

[fossyant]

Happens all the time and if you leave a gap someone will take it - chill out. You'll find this happens all the time on motorways - you leave a safe gap, some idiot will fill it.

Get on with the cycling and less worrying about other road users.

 

[gary in derby]

Happens all the time and if you leave a gap someone will take it - chill out. You'll find this happens all the time on motorways - you leave a safe gap, some idiot will fill it.

Get on with the cycling and less worrying about other road users.

think its called the IDIOT GAP

do appolgise for the shouting but gets my goat.

 

[BSRU]

It is the "must get in front of cyclist"/"must get in front of someone going slower than me" syndrome, leave a gap big enough for a car and some idiot will try to fill it.

 

[Arjimlad]

Never ever look beyond the cyclist when overtaking him. All that counts is getting past.

I take it as a compliment to how my backside looks in lycra. After all, it is mainly ladies who seem to carry out this manoeuvre when I'm on the road.

 

[gambatte]

I had similar last night. Slow overtake, on chevrons. No thought as to why chevrons were there. I was at the right hand side of my lane as there were also parked cars.
Guy got alongside me.
Luckily he backed off rather than just moving across as it became obvious the chevrons were a precursor to the pedestrian traffic island in the middle of the road.

 

[Matthew_T]

I didnt get irate or shout at him, I just said calmly that there was a car in front of me so he couldnt go anywhere.

The car was full of 3 very old men, which probably explains the moronity of his manouvre (not knowing how to drive around cyclists).

It didnt get me annoyed or anything because I was in a positive mood and wasnt going to let him ruin it. It was just a bit silly what he did.

 

[Matthew_T]

If I'm reading this right, you started to slow down and trackstand some 50 to 20 yards from the red light / stationary car? Why didn't you just cycle up to the lights / car and then stop? Surely good practice (driving or cycling) is to gently decelerate in advance of a red light and come to a halt reasonably close to it?

I thought the lights were going to change relatively quickly because the traffic in the other direction had already gone, unfortunatly some pedestrians wanted to cross so I didnt have enough room to stay at the pace I was going.

 

[Wankelschrauben]

If you keep confronting people, you are going to end up seriously hurt.

 

[Norm]

You keep saying that you were aware there was a car behind you, but not that you ever looked. I think I'd be looking backwards a fair amount in those circumstances.

 

[Mugshot]

I have nothing to add except to state that I believe that is the greatest video ever posted on the internet, thank you

 

[mr_hippo]

I didnt get irate or shout at him, I just said calmly that there was a car in front of me so he couldnt go anywhere.
He could get in front of a youth who was attempting a trackstand in traffic

The car was full of 3 very old men, which probably explains the moronity of his manouvre (not knowing how to drive around cyclists).
As one of the older generation, we served our 'apprenticeship' on bicycles, then motorbikes and finally cars. You, by your selfishness, decided to block the traffic

I thought the lights were going to change relatively quickly because the traffic in the other direction had already gone, unfortunatly some pedestrians wanted to cross so I didnt have enough room to stay at the pace I was going.

Whilst it is nice to time your run to the lights so that you do not have to stop; it does not always work so always be prepared to stop.
Have you ever thought of doing less 'dangerous' hobbies? I was thinking about knitting but those needles can hurt you and you can forget about cooking because of all of the sharp tools and fire.

 

[hennbell]

A cyclist does not block the traffic, they are the traffic.

And no road user should leave excessive gaps it allows stupid people to to stupid things. As for the track stand, if there was no gap it would have been no big deal.