Yet another reason for being in Primary

[Pete]

...yes I know I'm one of those who's argued against too much 'primary' at times, but, in my commute there's a short downhill past the station which I normally take at moderate speed in primary ...
... except that today I move across briefly to secondary to let a following car overtake (it must be my kind-hearted soul... ) whereupon a parked car on the left a bit further down, decides, after letting the car which overtook me pass, that now is the time to pull out into my path...

Ah well, no matter, I thinks, we get this all the time, and I've got brakes ...

...except that I haven't . In the light drizzle, greasy roads, my front wheel stays put. My back wheel doesn't. One of those heart-thumping moments when you don't know where you'll end up...

I manage to stay upright and regain control a few inches from the emerging car. What this means is that the wretched driver (and nearby train commuters) gets an earful of my invective: words mostly beginning with C and W ... If I'd just held primary and stopped the other car overtaking he'd have seen me and the car behind me...

Ah well.

 

[JamesAC]

Glad you're ok!

It's a situation I find myself in. You try to be reasonable, and move to secondary to oblige a following driver.

But at the end of the day, you are then depending on other drivers to be reasonable too. And so often they are not. The consequence in your case was a heart-wrenching buttock-clenching moment: it could have been a lot worse.

Having endured several such moments recently, I have resolved that primary position is my first choice. If, and only if, I am completely sure that it is safe for me, then, if necessary, I move into secondary.

On a more cheerful note - a few weeks ago I had occassion to yell at a van which almost totalled me. Today, same van came past me, with a reasonable amount of room, and only pulled back in when well past. When I caught up with him at the TLs, he caught my eye and grinned and gave a little wave. So I did the same.

One lives in hope..

 

[Maz]

woh glad youre ok pete!

 

[BentMikey]

Pete, yes, I too often feel like I need to be nice to let a driver past, so sympathies. I've often let someone through when I shouldn't have for the sake of my own safety, so nowadays I'm a bit more selective.

On a more cheerful note - a few weeks ago I had occassion to yell at a van which almost totalled me. Today, same van came past me, with a reasonable amount of room, and only pulled back in when well past. When I caught up with him at the TLs, he caught my eye and grinned and gave a little wave. So I did the same.

That's so awesome!!! I occasionally get something like this, and it makes my whole day!

 

[Arch]

On a more cheerful note - a few weeks ago I had occassion to yell at a van which almost totalled me. Today, same van came past me, with a reasonable amount of room, and only pulled back in when well past. When I caught up with him at the TLs, he caught my eye and grinned and gave a little wave. So I did the same.

Excellent!

 

[Pete]

It's the 'dillos that did for me - notoriously poor grip in these sort of conditions. A pity, but I'm going to stick with them: nothing works better at banishing the 'fairies' back to Fairyland where they belong. And who knows whether any other tyre would have held grip any better, in the circumstances?

 

[domtyler]

It's the 'dillos that did for me - notoriously poor grip in these sort of conditions. A pity, but I'm going to stick with them: nothing works better at banishing the 'fairies' back to Fairyland where they belong. And who knows whether any other tyre would have held grip any better, in the circumstances?

I bought Armadillos a few years ago. They went into the bin in under a week.

They are the worst tyres you can buy imo.

 

[fossyant]

Pro Race 2's they are the ones.....not so sure about a commuting tyre though.... great wet grip....

Glad you are OK...

 

[yenrod]

There are certain situations on the road, when things will go to plan not many - once it was going to be on of those times, and I wasnt going slow, I HAD TO BRAKE ~ 'cept I found a reason why steep head-angled bikes arent too good ! under hard braking and a downhill section = fish-tailing bike...!

 

[HLaB]

Glad you are OK Pete, I've made a simalar mistake before thankfully with a less hazardous out come. I've had quite a reasonable driver sit behind me for a while on bends, etc but when the roads widen I gratefully moved to a secondary. The sensible driver still does not overtake but some idiot tries to pull out of a side road or parking space. I dont think (at least I hope its not) malicious, the idiots just don't realise a bike can travel faster than walking pace .

 

[Tynan]

yes, had a couple like this lately where someone pulled out almost right in front of me and gave me a sheepish look when I appeared a few inches from their door snarling

 

[JamesAC]

<snip>..the idiots just don't realise a bike can travel faster than walking pace .

And that is another problem. I think a lot of motons believe that all cyclists are like Miss Marple, trundling along on an old sit-up-and-beg with a wicker basket on the front, at 8 m.p.h.

I'm no young fit chap (I've got a freedom pass!!) but a maintain 15 m.p.h. with 20 on the down hill bits.

The motons poke out of a side turning, look at you, see you, then pull out. When you screech (hopefully) to a halt 1" from their paintwork they look bemused: "where did he come from" sort of expression. Same when they try to overtake in silly places. They assume that you're almost stationary, not travelling at a significant fraction (like 80%) ot their speed. Then, when they can't complete their misjudged manouver safely, they hoot and shout at you!!

Silly people.

 

[fossyant]

I find the lack of anticipation of speed a major problem, especially as specific junctions - but you learn to anticipate that.

Had an old fool stop me getting into primary tonight - right near home, heavy slow traffic. I pulled up behind a HGV - just in front of Mr Fool, OK I'd ridden up on the inside lane in primary then saw the space in the right hand lane and nipped in for my right turn - but stayed behind the truck.

We all make the right hand turn, so I stay behind the HGV - quickly up to 20mph for a nanosecond, before we all stop again. I stay in secondary behind the big truck at this point. As we edge forward, Mr Fool is trying to bully / push past me, to where I don't know as big truck is 3 feet from my front wheel - Mr Fool's bonnet is level with my rear wheel - could have sat on his bonnet if I tried.... This goes on, stop start, stop start, so I edge over to primary slowly........then he beeps - that it - "F Off" and I immediately go for primary - still behind big truck...... A little later I turn off and give him the big "Banker" sign...more beeps from him and off I go - sorry if I've ruined rider/driver relationships.....

 

[Terminator]

No problems for me although I was a bit nervous...Also tons of peds around to keep my eye on.Lots of bendy buses.

 

[col]

If it was slightly damp,and i had tyres i knew to be not that sticky,perhaps a slower speed on hills would be the order of the day?Just a thought