Why did you have to spoil everything?

[Matthew_T]

I never suggested otherwise.

Well some people on here could have misread what I originally put.

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

 

[Matthew_T]

I guess it isn't foolproof then. But it works more often than not, I'm sure.

Yes it does. Since I started doing it from some advice on here, it has prevented many close and stupid passes from happening.

 

[Crackedheadset]

I thought the point of a cycling related forum was to encourage people to cycle, not the opposite.

If this is your attitude towards cycling then I dont think you should be on here.

It is, and always will be to embrace the love of the velo, it is also to educate and one must strive to not ignore other road users and start to brake around 50-20 yards from a red light.

Looks like your anticipation was out of sorts a bit, but you have the right idea about adopting a good position. But be mindful of what other road users needs are and adapt accordingly.

Needless to say, the old 'Must get past cyclist' verbatim makes me chuckle when I see fellow cyclists filtering to the front of a traffic queue that consists of two cars.

Me? I'm coching wit the I and I in primary, knowing that I'm getting through the bulbs when they go the colour that appears when you mix blue and yellow, and it's within the 1st phase.

 

[Norm]

HA!! Well that didnt stop some tit in a van overtaking me at a pinch point after I had my arm out for ages today.

If you had your arm out for ages, then you might well be trying to take a position for no obvious reason.

There aren't many circumstances that have me in primary for more than a second or two. If you are out for ages before the pinchpoint in primary, you'll get that sort of overtake as you'll just be viewed as blocking traffic.

 

[Matthew_T]

If you had your arm out for ages, then you might well be trying to take a position for no obvious reason.

There aren't many circumstances that have me in primary for more than a second or two. If you are out for ages before the pinchpoint in primary, you'll get that sort of overtake as you'll just be viewed as blocking traffic.

This is the sequence of going through primary I take:

1. Shoulder check regurlarly for a suitable time to indicate.
2. Once there is a suitable gap and there is time for someone behind you to slow down safely, indicate with a straight arm, palm facing backwards.
3. When you can see someone slowing down, move into a strong secondary, still indicating.
4. When in secondary, stop indicating and take a strong primary position through the pinch point.
5. Straight after the pinch point, move over as soon as possible to refrain from annoying other road users.
6. (Optional) Show gratitude towards those who have been patient.

 

[Crackedheadset]

This is the sequence of going through primary I take:

1. Shoulder check regurlarly for a suitable time to indicate.
2. Once there is a suitable gap and there is time for someone behind you to slow down safely, indicate with a straight arm, palm facing backwards.
3. When you can see someone slowing down, move into a strong secondary, still indicating.
4. When in secondary, stop indicating and take a strong primary position through the pinch point.
5. Straight after the pinch point, move over as soon as possible to refrain from annoying other road users.
6. (Optional) Show gratitude towards those who have been patient.

If there is a suitable gap as described in point 2, then you don't need to wait to see if someone will slow down.

Just move out and then a quick shoulder check to see what the traffic behind you is doing. Make the decision, don't play some waiting game with other motorists with you hanging your arm out.

 

[Matthew_T]

Just move out and then a quick shoulder check to see what the traffic behind you is doing. Make the decision, don't play some waiting game with other motorists with you hanging your arm out.

This is what I did with the van, there was a large gap and even on a 40mph road, he had time to slow. He just decided to overtake and then had to cut in at the pinch point. It didnt save him any time as he was held up by other vehicles ahead as well.

 

[400bhp]

What were the aproximate size/weights of these 3 men and the make of car? Just curious as to how 3 people can make a car 'full'?

Were they all wearing hats too?

 

[endoman]

Dude, get a girlfriend, you have way too much time to get worked up about the most innocuous of things, let alone make cartoon videos.
Just cycle to enjoy it, seems like every one of your rides is a battle.

 

[gambatte]

Probably preaching to the converted, but....
I try to remember to anticipate and do 2 or 3 'lifesavers' prior to the manouver. Preferably I'll make these bigger movements than they need to be. Try to make eye contact or at least bring the drivers attention to the fact that I am checking behind me. Hopefully, they'll then sus I'm doing it for a reason and not as a prompt to close the gap with the car infront of them

 

[Norm]

This is the sequence of going through primary I take:

It's difficult / impossible to judge without having been on your shoulder, as every situation needs to be handled differently. However, I think that you might be moving early if there is time for a van to overtake even after you've had your arm out for ages. I'm not saying / can't say that for sure, just suggesting that you might want to cogitate upon the timing.

The other thing, and I know it's contentious as it has been discussed here before, is that I (nearly) only signal if I am changing speed or course. Moving around within my lane is neither so I will very rarely signal. It's something that I was taught during my motorbike test and has been reinforced in advanced bike training, from the police, the IAM and private tutors. That said, of course, I move faster on the motorbike than I do when cycling, so I do understand the circumstances are not the same, but I still very rarely signal to move within my lane.

Lifesavers, though, I do them lots.

 

[Matthew_T]

It's difficult / impossible to judge without having been on your shoulder, as every situation needs to be handled differently. However, I think that you might be moving early if there is time for a van to overtake even after you've had your arm out for ages. I'm not saying / can't say that for sure, just suggesting that you might want to cogitate upon the timing.

The other thing, and I know it's contentious as it has been discussed here before, is that I (nearly) only signal if I am changing speed or course. Moving around within my lane is neither so I will very rarely signal. It's something that I was taught during my motorbike test and has been reinforced in advanced bike training, from the police, the IAM and private tutors. That said, of course, I move faster on the motorbike than I do when cycling, so I do understand the circumstances are not the same, but I still very rarely signal to move within my lane.

Lifesavers, though, I do them lots.

I think not signalling would just encourage close passes and people trying to get past more often.

I might be moving over too early but that is what some people on here have said to do.

 

[Norm]

I think not signalling would just encourage close passes and people trying to get past more often.

I'm not telling anyone how to ride, just that's the way that I ride and I can't remember the last time I had a problem.

I might be moving over too early but that is what some people on here have said to do.

And that is exactly why I have such an issue with Cyclecraft and the way that people try to "teach" it to others.

You cannot dictate how another person should ride unless you are on their shoulder. You've seen (as much as anyone) how a video can be interpreted in a million ways, yet you take on faith "what some people on here have said to do" in situations that they have never experienced for themselves.

If you try something and it doesn't work, then try something else. There isn't a single solution that will work in every situation and there is a time that you just need to, IMO, sit back and think to yourself "I had my hand out for ages, the van still overtook and had space to do so without hitting me. Why was my hand out? What was I trying to accomplish? Did I achieve it? If not, was there another way that would have worked better?"

 

[HLaB]

I think not signalling would just encourage close passes and people trying to get past more often.

I might be moving over too early but that is what some people on here have said to do.

Not signalling can result in driver confusion causing them to hangback, whereas a positive signal can present a clear image to them, encouraging a close pass. The key word there is 'can', who knows what (if anything) is going through an individuals head at any moment, all we can really do is be alert and expect the unexpected. The original manoeuvre shouldn't have been unexpected though, muppets will try to squeeze through, just be pleasantly surprised when they don't. Most importantly of all don't let them spoil what was otherwise a good ride.

When it comes to moving over, there's not a hard and fast rule to when to do it. I find it better to look early and make an estimate when to based on traffic conditions, slotting into the traffic as appropriate.

 

[Matthew_T]

In the incident with the van, I probably moved over too soon. I misjudged what was behind him (nothing) and could have probably waited until he had passed.

I used to have a habbit of moving over too late, so I seem to hve overcompensated a bit.
I still believe I should indicate when moving out though.