Would this be a better response to left hooks?

[jefmcg]

I had another left hook yesterday. I was in on Leadenhall. We had had words.

He: "I saw you. I knew you were there. I indicated. You slowed to let me turn"
Me: "<incomprehensible shouty rage>"

So, I've been thinking of a better way. I guess I speak to a heinous left-hooker once a week and they often don't know they are in the wrong. I've decided to print this and hand it to the driver in such circumstances. What do you think?

PDF attached to cut into 4 if anyone wants to do the same.

View attachment highwaycode.pdf

Edit: should I laminate it?

 

[summerdays]

Not knowing where you are talking about, is it an actual junction where the car is turning left or a stretch of multilane road and they are changing into your lane?

If it is a problem at the same place each time is it worth looking at alternative routes?

 

[jonny jeez]

Jeff, I know the road, but not the situation. I’m pretty sure you are not going to like my next question but I ask with all the best intentions.

...if it keeps happening (you say once a week?), could YOU be the common denominator?

Perhaps ask yourself if you ever run up the left of vehicles that ARE indicating left. Only you can answer that…if this guy was indicating…(and I don’t know if you thought he was or not), then you are both have a responsibility for the incident.

I’ve been properly hooked (like with no signal or any form of indication such as wheels turning or slowing down etc) twice in around 4000 miles of riding through town. So for it to happen once a week to you and twice in the same location …begs the question.

also, your leaflet refers to lane discipline (dual carrigeways etc), the section you really need is section 183 (Road Junctions sections 170 to 183)...which reads

"Turning left

182
Use your mirrors and give a left-turn signal well before you turn left. Do not overtake just before you turn left and watch out for traffic coming up on your left before you make the turn, especially if driving a large vehicle. Cyclists, motorcyclists and other road users in particular may be hidden from your view.

183
When turning

• keep as close to the left as is safe and practicable
• give way to any vehicles using a bus lane, cycle lane or tramway from either direction"


What is not clear is whether that "give way to" means " allow them to travel up your left" after you have signalled.

one last thing...(I'm pretty sure Fossy posted this somelace once) if you are approaching a hot spot for hooks then give a really good "eye to eye" life saver as you approach the junction...looking drivers in the eye works wonders. Of course if you are behind them and travel up there left as they turn this wont help.

Hope you get those hooks down.

 

[Brains]

I'm a London commuter,
I have in the past 'had words' with a van driver who did exactly the same thing on Leadenhall (the left turn into Lime St) (He was annoyed that I had hit the side of his van !)
I probably get at least one ill advised, badly executed left hook turn that forces me to change direction and speed per week, so about 2 per hundred London commuting miles
I had a very civilised conversation with a couple of lads in a car who did a classic left turn to Tower Bridge on Monday. The driver was at least apologetic, he knew what he had done.

So I think the hand out is a good idea - any chance of putting the two together ? 133 and 182 ? and any other bits so it a neat A4 or A5. No need to laminate, just print on 100gm paper

 

[PpPete]

Cars waiting at junction... you have two options:

a) stop behind them in a strong primary which indicates to anyone following you are going straight on.
b) overtake on right

NEVER EVER go up the Left hand side.

Personally I don't care if the law says I have to use the bike lane on the left to get to the ASL..... Going up the left is just dangerous, bike lane or not.

No cars waiting at junction - take a strong primary as soon as it is safe to do so and increase your speed as you get to the junction. The speed increases tends to prevent any silly overtaking, and the road position gives you room to manoeuvre out of danger from any real idiots (who would not be at all impressed or educated by a cyclist handing them bits of the highway code)


Or buy a really crappy "step-through" style bike, and practice jumping off fast, and throwing it at the offending vehicle as you do so.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Would it reinforce the message if you had the written thing as a secondary text, with the main body being in braille?

Mind you, I've this image of a crash at the next set of lights with the driver explaining to the downed cyclist that they were distracted by a piece of paper someone had thrown through the window.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I am pretty sure the next person to get a leaflet through the window, is going to throw it back out automatically (even if it was a winning lottery ticket).

 

[gaz]

Rule 133 doesn't apply to left hooks, as has been previously mentioned.

I'm not sure if it's actually worth your bother handing stuff out, i've tried it before and never got anywhere.
I just record, upload, and report to the police.

 

[jefmcg]

Thanks for the feedback.

My assumptions:

1. The horse always kicks
2. The gun is always loaded
3. The vehicle in the left hand lane is always turning

If I didn't assume this, I'd be left hooked 10 times on every journey.

In this case, I was cycling alone on a stretch of road with an advisory cycle lane, approaching side road to the left. A van came from behind me and immediately started indicating left after passing me, moved across me and turned in front of me, forcing me to come to a stop, which there was time to do. He would have been delayed about 3 seconds if he had stayed behind me, and while I was put at risk and held up by much longer. So, it wasn't a life threatening move because I was paying attention, it was just yet another driver thinking that because he was in a steel box, he can force me into the gutter. And the really annoying thing was he thought he was in the right - to the extent that we were both waiting for the cycle cops who were just behind us to catch up and adjudicate - unfortunately, they disappeared somewhere.

Being in primary wasn't appropriate here. There is plenty of room for safe passing on this stretch of road. It would not be reasonable for me to block him if he was turning - and he only started indicating after passing me.

(sorry, street view isn't much good for this, as there are building works on Google that are now finished, so the road is different)

If I am the common factor, it must be my appearance that made him think that he can ride rough shod over me. I'm riding a bike with 16" wheels and I'm a woman (my username is based on initials).

Rule 133 doesn't apply to left hooks, as has been previously mentioned.

I'm not sure if it's actually worth your bother handing stuff out, i've tried it before and never got anywhere.
I just record, upload, and report to the police.

I searched here and in google for "highway code 133" and can't find that discussion - though I can see why it's probably true. Can you post a link?

I'm a London commuter,
I have in the past 'had words' with a van driver who did exactly the same thing on Leadenhall (the left turn into Lime St) (He was annoyed that I had hit the side of his van !)
I probably get at least one ill advised, badly executed left hook turn that forces me to change direction and speed per week, so about 2 per hundred London commuting miles
I had a very civilised conversation with a couple of lads in a car who did a classic left turn to Tower Bridge on Monday. The driver was at least apologetic, he knew what he had done.

So I think the hand out is a good idea - any chance of putting the two together ? 133 and 182 ? and any other bits so it a neat A4 or A5. No need to laminate, just print on 100gm paper

+1.

I do about 160-200km per week (100-125 miles), most of those between Twickenham and Canary Wharf or Waterloo and Canary Wharf. So I'm only getting half the incidents that Brains is seeing.

Ah, just checked google maps. Mine was heading east passing St Mary's Axe (what a great street name!) which is just opposite Lime Street. Maybe it is a hot spot. I've pretty well tried every East-West route across London, this is better than most.

 

[gaz]

I searched here and in google for "highway code 133" and can't find that discussion - though I can see why it's probably true. Can you post a link?

My reference was to a post that Johnny jeez made earlier in the thread, can be found here.

Note that highway code rule 133 is about duel carriage ways and lane discipline

Multi-lane carriageways (133-143)

Lane discipline

133

If you need to change lane, first use your mirrors and if necessary take a quick sideways glance to make sure you will not force another road user to change course or speed. When it is safe to do so, signal to indicate your intentions to other road users and when clear, move over.

 

[Number14]

I had another left hook yesterday. I was in on Leadenhall. We had had words.

He: "I saw you. I knew you were there. I indicated. You slowed to let me turn"
Me: "<incomprehensible shouty rage>"

So, I've been thinking of a better way. I guess I speak to a heinous left-hooker once a week and they often don't know they are in the wrong. I've decided to print this and hand it to the driver in such circumstances. What do you think?

PDF attached to cut into 4 if anyone wants to do the same.

[attachment=3989:highwaycode.pdf]

Edit: should I laminate it?

No, don't laminate it. Print it on sticky labels with permanent adhesive and, when required, stick it smack in the middle of their windscreens.

 

[TheDoctor]

No, don't laminate it. Print it on sticky labels with permanent adhesive and, when required, NAIL it smack in the middle of their windscreens faces.

FTFY!!

 

[davefb]

167 is also appropriate when the vehicle has got past then slams on to turn...


167
DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example

• approaching or at a road junction on either side of the road
• where the road narrows
• when approaching a school crossing patrol
• between the kerb and a bus or tram when it is at a stop
• where traffic is queuing at junctions or road works
• when you would force another road user to swerve or slow down
• at a level crossing
• when a road user is indicating right, even if you believe the signal should have been cancelled. Do not take a risk; wait for the signal to be cancelled
• stay behind if you are following a cyclist approaching a roundabout or junction, and you intend to turn left
• when a tram is standing at a kerbside tram stop and there is no clearly marked passing lane for other traffic

 

[nilling]

Magnetic business cards from Vistaprint?

 

[SportMonkey]

My assumptions:

1. The vehicle in the left hand lane is always turning

That relies on the vehicle actually being enough past you that you can avoid the incident. I know from my recent hit I didn't stand a chance and I'd done nothing wrong.