You bloody white van man

[Goffins]

Yesterday, soemone in a total heap of a white van decided to pass me {at about 40-50mph} within inches, horn fully depressed as I was cycling home.

Prey tell, what was the reasoning for this ear piercing and scary incident {made a little less shocking by the fact I was listening to some music}.

Well apparently {and presumeably going by the arm gestures} I should be on the beaten up cycle path on the A259 and not on the 50mph Dual carrigeway, I tried to get him to pull over just so I could explain to him the rules of the road but he just carried on like a white van Tw@t.

Why are there so many utter utter idiots in this world?

 

[swee'pea99]

Because their moronic parents breed like rabbits?

 

[Landslide]

There's only a finite amount of intelligence in the world to go around, and he's clearly been given short rations. As bonj further accumulates knowledge in his bid to be the supreme authority on everything, you can expect to meet more of these idiots on the road...

 

[thomas]

Why have you wearing headphones when you are going down a dual carriageway?

I can't really condone listening to music on a duel carriageway, not that I condone honking and pointing to crappy cycle lanes - There a cycle lane on the side road of the UNI and I sometimes get pointed to that...when doing 18-25mph on it...hmm, sensible. Always by men, who presumably have shrunken man parts.

 

[asterix]

My theory about white vans is that their drivers have to realise that the vehicle is not a car, bigger for a start, and many are too stupid to make the transition.

I drive a Toyota Hiace, like a small Transit but some white vans are huuuge. I think there should an additional driving test for van drivers even tho' I drive one myself.

 

[col]

Making tests harder or more frequent wont change attitudes.

 

[very-near]

Why have you wearing headphones when you are going down a dual carriageway?

What difference would it make to the way that the van driver behaved if he was wearing earphones ?

Do you also use a CB radio in the cab 10:4 'good buddy' ?

 

[very-near]

My theory about white vans is that their drivers have to realise that the vehicle is not a car, bigger for a start, and many are too stupid to make the transition.

I drive a Toyota Hiace, like a small Transit but some white vans are huuuge. I think there should an additional driving test for van drivers even tho' I drive one myself.

So you argue 'for' improvements in driver training on speed limited vehicles on this thread, and then argue 'against' this principle of improved training in favour of lower limits on the budget speed limits thread currently residing in the bin

I think you just like arguing for the hell of it Asterix as your logic is all screwed up

 

[Goffins]

Why have you wearing headphones when you are going down a dual carriageway?

I'll try and explain the way I personally feel, If a car is driving at 50mph behind me there is nothing I can do to prevent it from rear ending me so I have no use for 100% hearing on a busy road such as this, I don't want to hear the sound of that HGV that acted like I wasn't there.

This is the third time in my cycling lifetime that a driver has beeped me for no reason when on a Dual, 1 white van man and two chavved up cars who obviously thought it would be funny to see me jump out of my skin.

Both times my headphones have dulled the horrendous noise enough for me to carry on without feeling the need to actually kill them and I do mean actually.

As I've said before I think hearing is an overated road sense and those who rely on it at all are simply asking for trouble as it tells you nothing, if you can't hear anything do you presume you're safe? I would hope not.

Lifesaver, Lifesaver, Lifesaver it's the ONLY thing that matters.

 

[col]

What difference would it make to the way that the van driver behaved if he was wearing earphones ?

Do you also use a CB radio in the cab 10:4 'good buddy' ?

Years ago when the cb bug was well and truly big, a mate of mine got himself rigged up with one on his bike, it was a beaut, he had a big aerial (twig) on his rack and the cb had the same range as those in cars.

 

[very-near]

Years ago when the cb bug was well and truly big, a mate of mine got himself rigged up with one on his bike, it was a beaut, he had a big aerial (twig) on his rack and the cb had the same range as those in cars.

I did the same on a racer (roadie) with a small m/cycle battery on the rack and a tweaked Midland sideband radio running about 40watts IIRC. Used to crack the telly's up for miles. I used to take it up the hill to get a better reception.

 

[col]

I did the same on a racer (roadie) with a small m/cycle battery on the rack and a tweaked Midland sideband radio running about 40watts IIRC. Used to crack the telly's up for miles. I used to take it up the hill to get a better reception.

Ahaa yes we had a high point we all used to drive to too. It was great fun, more like an big outing than anything, and when we spotted each other all you heard over the air was EYEBALL EYEBALL great fun times those, Iv still got a couple of cb sets in my attic with a gp aerial too.

 

[Woz!]

As I've said before I think hearing is an overated road sense and those who rely on it at all are simply asking for trouble as it tells you nothing, if you can't hear anything do you presume you're safe? I would hope not.

...and it's going to get increasingly useless as a road sense as more almost silent electric vehicles populate the roads.

 

[Cubist]

Although I agree with the lifesaver principle, I have on many occasions been able to second guess a driver's intentions by hearing changes in the engine noise such as changing down prior to squeezing past. It prompts yet another look back and a rethink of my planned move.


Were the headphones clearly visible? It may have been a jolly jape to see if he could make you jump, or if he was sufficiently concerned about your safety to offer some misguided advice about cycling in the cycle lane. Have you thought that to some people, the sight of a cyclist with earphones on cycling away from what they have been conditioned to believe is the safest part of the road for cyclists, may simply lead them to believe you have lost concentration and are straying into danger?

I don't expect any serious replies to the above, just offering an alternative perspective.

 

[Woz!]

I think my motorcycle background has made the Lifesaver such a part of my behaviour on the road that I don't even notice it.
My driving instructor (LOOONG time ago) even noticed I was doing it when I was going for my car test!
Still do it to this day in a car (and on my Vespa PX and bikes )