Dangerous driver

[Sir Brixalot]

I ride and drive. You get idiots in both forms of transport but the onus is on car drivers to be careful around cyclists. In London we've got loads of Boris/Barclay bikes with scroats and tourists wobbling around and turning unpredictably, neither know how to ride properly I give them plenty of space. Annoying as they are, I wouldn't want anything on my conscience

[tobydog]

I did have to pass a bike closer than I'd like on Satuday

But you still did, why did you have to? What was so imparitive?

[Da dan]

I cycle, I don’t wear Lycra, but I do find the middle aged man in Lycra are mostly bell ends on the road feeling they own it with no regard to others using it or protecting them selves. I also ride motor bikes and yes I am a Bell end there. I am better with age and the roads being far to busy makes me ride safer (slower). When in the van I seem to have more time less rush and time is different. We all need to take responsibility for our selves in these busy times but some of the cyclists really need to have more self awareness and a lot drivers need to chill out and slow down.


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[Mr Bean]

Well this thread rates up with cats, vegetarianism and women footballers in terms of extreme viewpoints.

Being a user of all three modes of transport plus a few more my belief is that for some, their personality is exposed in the ugliest way when on the road.
Providing they don't surprise me or contact my vehicle I have no problem with cyclists or motorcyclists maneuvering through queuing traffic. In fact when stuck in stopped or slow moving traffic I will keep an eye on my mirrors and if possible facilitate their passage. I am often thanked by a friendly raising of the fingers - all four - from the handlebar or a lifting of the foot from the footrest. The practice of motorcyclists passing between lane two and three is I believe, largely brought about by selfishness, ignorance or just plain cussedness on the part of car drivers who object to being overtaken at all and hog the right hand side of the third lane deliberately to hold two wheelers.

Regrettably I have had to give up riding two wheelers now due to back problems (can't get my leg over the things any more) But my practice has always been when on motorcycles to commit and stay in the middle/just right of middle of your chosen lane and keep station with the vehicle in front so offering no opportunity for a following vehicle - busses for instance - to attempt to squeeze past and run you up the kerb. He/she can then overtake when safe.

[itchyfeet]

I did have to pass a bike closer than I'd like on Satuday

But you still did, why did you have to? What was so imparitive?

As far as I know highway code says they should be in single file on a narrow road so they obviously thought it was wide enough for me to pass
if they are happy so.am I

The road is wide enough for cars to pass at some speed to probably fine

I said closer than I'd like not dangerously close.

[captain Byrne]

The recommended safe distance when overtaking a push bike is 1.5m. In many instances it's unlikely on country lanes you'll get that amount of space. If I think it's too dangerous for the vehicle to get past I will either cycle in the middle of the road until the roads widens enough for safe passage, or will pull in by the kerb to let them past. The most important thing here is for the driver to have respect for the cyclist and only overtake if you are sure you're not freaking out the cyclist. If it is tight, just wait a while, what's the rush? you're on a country lane - chill & enjoy the view for a couple of minutes.

[Born Too Late]

How much distance do you consider a safe distance from a cyclist to be? It's difficult to make a realistic comment with out details of road conditions & traffic flow. I would have thought those would be details the police would need in order to condemn the driver. If we go by the pic. then it looks like you were about 60cm from the kerb which I would have thought gave a safe distance for the bus to pass if you had moved over.

It's definitely not up to the cyclist to 'move over'. How the hell do you know what's rearing up you backside. The Police have recently started a campaign instructing drivers to give at least 1.5m distance between the vehicle & the cycle. Sorry Jeff but your assertion that if I'd have moved over to give the bus 60cm is ludicrous. You obviously don't ride a bike.

I was told by my driving instructor to allow enough room so that if a cyclist fell off their bike you wouldn't run them over; I try and leave about 6 foot otherwise I don't overtake. I had assumed it was the law until I realised hardly anyone else did it!

[Smcknighty]

Sadly the law around cyclists and cars isn’t clear. But to be fair it would be hard to enforce and would lead to some ludicrous problems I’m sure.. The guidelines are more important.

When driving we have a tendency to dehumanise people cycling.
In perspective, think of the experience of standing at a train platform close to the yellow line when a high speed train rushes through. The train didn’t hit you (or you wouldn’t be reading this), it feels scary though. Then imagine that happening without you expecting it when you are cycling along. So as a courtesy to those cycling it’s nice to not scare the crap out of them. You wouldn’t sneak up behind someone on a street and yell in their ear to make them jump when you pass them. But people rationalise doing the same thing to someone on a bike as acceptable, or just don’t even register what they do as having an impact on that person.

Cyclists do make it harder to progress down windy roads, they can legally ride two abreast which feels harder to pass (technically it’s meant to make it easier but only if you are able to pass safely and widely). Quite a lot like tractors and caravans which are equally annoying except people don’t rationalise tractors and caravans as deliberately making it hard for them to progress.

Some cyclists are belligerent, some drivers are belligerent. There’s a lady who rides a horse around lanes where I live, I give her acres of space, drive at 5mph past her, never a glance or a wave of gratitude everytime, it’s like she expects me to not kill her or something, everytime I think she is a miserable cow! However I don’t blast by her at 50mph next time as I know that isn’t the right thing to do to someone.




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[Mr Bean]

As it happens some time ago one of my grandsons took the intensive two wheel course and passed his test in what I considered uncomfortably quick time. Much to the horror of all and sundry he went out and bought a 130 MPH capable machine. My very firm advice was the previously mentioned "Command the middle of your lane" advice.

About three months into his motorcycling honeymoon period he still tended to ride to the left of his lane which gave a white van man the opportunity to squeeze past who promptly bottled it and ran him up the kerb where luckily he sustained only minor injuries. White van man dissapeared into the sunset. He has since started his family and is now a strictly four wheels on the ground and airbags man .

Safe biking is much more of a challenge now than when I was a Rocker all those years ago although we did have our moments.(Which reminds me about the story of the two beatniks discussing encounters with the police ) (Censor intervention alarm!) Hoot if you know it.

[Ant-t]

I've cycled and driven for years and I'm always careful around cyclists as I know what its like to be almost run over. But I can't blame some drivers being annoyed when you come across cyclists who hog the road and jump red lights.

[Jim San]

I've been passed 10 of 1000's of times without incidence - therefore most drivers know the score
However, idiots will be idiots and their lack of care is bloody frightening sometimes - All just to avoid being held up for a matter of seconds.

I was recently riding (on a wide country A road) and was passed by a huge tractor who was being followed by an Artic. The Artic began moving back over to the left way too soon - if I had not slowed down those rear wheels would have been in touching distance of my elbow And that was with me (like an idiot) riding pretty much on top of the edge of road white line (because its smooth!) - maybe if I had been riding 18" further out they would not have attempted the overtake

I expect cars to squeeze through - because a lot of cars are driven by idiots - the idiots that really annoy me are the ones who buzz by at high speed within touching distance when there is nothing coming the other way . If that was witnessed by a police car - or on a following car dash cam - it should be considered as dangerous driving - or driving without due care.

Re-an above comment about motorbikes on motorways - I saw a driver deliberately swerving at a bike to stop him coming by I followed the biker into the next services and offered my services as a witness. The biker thanked me but declined.

[scottbott]

I rode from Grantham to Guildford yesterday and joining the M25 from the A1 was horrific with 40 mph speeds nearly all the way to terminal 5 of Heathrow I did more filtering in one day than I have ever done, it was hot uncomfortable and to top it off my bike broke down 5 miles from where I was going!,got recovered and arrived home at 9.30 in the evening

[NicBeeee]

I commute to work through some quite country lanes and find the majority of drivers considerate, it's when you cycle closer to towns and cities attitudes seem to alter. One of the biggest problems I face is pheasants running out of hedgerows. Also agree to the lycra clad cyclists who think they are in peloton, give other cyclists a bad name. Had great pleasure last week passing some of these on my gravel bike whilst wearing my baggy mountain bike shorts and holiday walking sandals on the luz to col du tourmalet climb.

[itchyfeet]

it's when you cycle closer to towns and cities attitudes seem to alter.

you see this sort of thing so often in cities you don't even notice, I only noticed this because of this post, the attitude of all road users is different in cities.

(video click it)
City bikes by Paul_Barr, on Flickr

[Jeff J]

How much distance do you consider a safe distance from a cyclist to be? It's difficult to make a realistic comment with out details of road conditions & traffic flow. I would have thought those would be details the police would need in order to condemn the driver. If we go by the pic. then it looks like you were about 60cm from the kerb which I would have thought gave a safe distance for the bus to pass if you had moved over.

It's definitely not up to the cyclist to 'move over'. How the hell do you know what's rearing up you backside. The Police have recently started a campaign instructing drivers to give at least 1.5m distance between the vehicle & the cycle. Sorry Jeff but your assertion that if I'd have moved over to give the bus 60cm is ludicrous. You obviously don't ride a bike.

Please re-read my post especially the second sentence. 60cm plus 30cm equals 90cms I still think it would put you a safe distance from the bus & you could have avoided what you perceived to be a dangerous situation. Have you never swerved when driving a car to avoid another road user or animal that made a mistake. The police campaign you mention must be rather limited as I have never heard of the 1.5 metre advice, it would be nigh on impossible to follow on the roads in the area I live in. This is not a criticism but surely you have a need to ride defensively when the situation arises.
p.s the last cycle I road had a mirror so that I knew any danger approaching from the rear. They seem to be unfashionable nowadays.