Near misses - mod warning 22/04 - see OP/post 822

notmypants

This morning.

I see this far too often and it's incredibly frustrating.

Stuck at lights, most people line up single file at the lights. There is always someone who thinks the line is gonna take them too long and skips right to the front.

This morning it was some lad who looked like he was ready for the Tour de France. Head to toe in sponsorships.

Light's go green and this dude can barely cycle, he's incredibly slow and everyone starts flying by him.

Next set of lights and BOOM, who decides to come right to the top! Only this time he sits behind person at the front. As he takes off the top person is incredibly slow, so he get's frustrated and cycles around them, waving his hands in their face....only to hit a pot hole.

He comes straight off his bike, knocks the lady beside him off her bike and forces everyone out into traffic. A bus nearly ploughs through 5 or 6 people. It was mayhem.

CramCycle

My partner had a not near miss. Walked out of a shop and a guy on a BSO slammed into her. He cycled off but then came back a minute later to inform my other half that she didn't look where she was going. She offered back that she was a pedestrian. To which he replied, suppose so, my brakes don't really work either so I should get them sorted and off he went. no sorry, nothing. Alot of people could have fallen quite badly.

mloc123

notmypants wrote: »

Stuck at lights, most people line up single file at the lights. There is always someone who thinks the line is gonna take them too long and skips right to the front.

This drives me ****ing mad... always the slowest people that do it, so you pass them 20m later... stop at the next light and they just jump the queue again.

RacoonQueen

mloc123 wrote: »

This drives me ****ing mad... always the slowest people that do it, so you pass them 20m later... stop at the next light and they just jump the queue again.

I guarantee you this is even worse when you are female. Just cycling along on the straight, or worse, uphill, some men will be disgusted when you have the audacity to overtake them and bust a gut to get ahead then die a death because "Grrr...I man. You woman. I faster. I go in front. I die. You wait behind slowly. I man. Grrrr...."

AndrewJRenko

mloc123 wrote: »

This drives me ****ing mad... always the slowest people that do it, so you pass them 20m later... stop at the next light and they just jump the queue again.

If I have to pass them a third time, I generally ask them not to make me pass them a fourth time.

Johnnycanyon

I have had so many near misses in the past few months I am thinking of giving up road cycling altogether and just sticking with mountain biking.. I am actually scared out on my road bike now! But just as a matter of interest to see what people think,,, I find if I cycle a bit more out near the middle of the road the cars vans etc tend to slow more when passing than when I am closer to the side of the road as this gives the loonies a better chance of getting between me and the on coming traffic.

tommythecat

CramCycle wrote: »

My partner had a not near miss. Walked out of a shop and a guy on a BSO slammed into her. He cycled off but then came back a minute later to inform my other half that she didn't look where she was going. She offered back that she was a pedestrian. To which he replied, suppose so, my brakes don't really work either so I should get them sorted and off he went. no sorry, nothing. Alot of people could have fallen quite badly.

Sorry what’s a BSO?

cython

tommythecat wrote: »

Sorry what’s a BSO?

Bicycle Shaped Object. Think what you might pick up in the likes of Smyths Toys in many cases, or indeed in large Asda or Tesco stores in the UK for adults.

jon1981

mloc123 wrote: »

This drives me ****ing mad... always the slowest people that do it, so you pass them 20m later... stop at the next light and they just jump the queue again.

This really gets my goat also. I will never do a punishment pass (it's not just cars that do this and it's just a d1ck move, don't do it.) but if it's persistent I'll make a point of saying it to them at the next opportunity, however often I get an ignorant response in reply.

Weepsie

This morning I was witness to one that was entirely the cyclists fault (IMO)

I was waiting for the filter light to go left from Amiens street at the Five lamps. Car beside me was clearly waiting too and indicating and some people behind me waiting. Some moron, decides to plough on through when the lights have gone green, and nearly got himself hit. The driver was quick to react. I nearly wanted to apologise to him as it's that kind of stupidity that gives folk the impression that allo on 2 wheels are eejits.

mr spuckler

Weepsie wrote: »

This morning I was witness to one that was entirely the cyclists fault (IMO)

I was waiting for the filter light to go left from Amiens street at the Five lamps. Car beside me was clearly waiting too and indicating and some people behind me waiting. Some moron, decides to plough on through when the lights have gone green, and nearly got himself hit. The driver was quick to react. I nearly wanted to apologise to him as it's that kind of stupidity that gives folk the impression that allo on 2 wheels are eejits.

yeah I saw a similar one at Leeson st bridge, the driver was clearly paying full attention given how he waited but he also rightly sounded the horn at the few cyclists that just insisted on undertaking him, whether they were going straight on or turning left.

jon1981

Weepsie wrote: »

This morning I was witness to one that was entirely the cyclists fault (IMO)

I was waiting for the filter light to go left from Amiens street at the Five lamps. Car beside me was clearly waiting too and indicating and some people behind me waiting. Some moron, decides to plough on through when the lights have gone green, and nearly got himself hit. The driver was quick to react. I nearly wanted to apologise to him as it's that kind of stupidity that gives folk the impression that allo on 2 wheels are eejits.

I pass that junction everyday on my commute. Sadly, there is alot of bad cycling behaviour at that junction. There are times I'd slow down knowing the car ahead has the right of way to turn (got to the junction first) but then a muppet cyclist flies by me and straight through the junction. Happens all the time!

notmypants

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I guarantee you this is even worse when you are female. Just cycling along on the straight, or worse, uphill, some men will be disgusted when you have the audacity to overtake them and bust a gut to get ahead then die a death because "Grrr...I man. You woman. I faster. I go in front. I die. You wait behind slowly. I man. Grrrr...."

Ah I reckon so. I see that so often.

I actually make a point to call out everyone who is slower than me and park themselves in front of me.

tommythecat

cython wrote: »

Bicycle Shaped Object. Think what you might pick up in the likes of Smyths Toys in many cases, or indeed in large Asda or Tesco stores in the UK for adults.

Aha! Thanks!

cdaly_

Johnnycanyon wrote: »

I have had so many near misses in the past few months I am thinking of giving up road cycling altogether and just sticking with mountain biking.. I am actually scared out on my road bike now! But just as a matter of interest to see what people think,,, I find if I cycle a bit more out near the middle of the road the cars vans etc tend to slow more when passing than when I am closer to the side of the road as this gives the loonies a better chance of getting between me and the on coming traffic.

This is probably the best thing you can do to improve your road experience.

ED E

Weepsie wrote: »

This morning I was witness to one that was entirely the cyclists fault (IMO)

I was waiting for the filter light to go left from Amiens street at the Five lamps. Car beside me was clearly waiting too and indicating and some people behind me waiting. Some moron, decides to plough on through when the lights have gone green, and nearly got himself hit. The driver was quick to react. I nearly wanted to apologise to him as it's that kind of stupidity that gives folk the impression that allo on 2 wheels are eejits.

IMO advisory "wishful thinking" cycle lanes encourage behaviour like that.

helimachoptor

it's the daily fail, but this is shocking

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5957869/Shocking-video-shows-driver-81-ploughing-cyclists.html

jon1981

helimachoptor wrote: »

it's the daily fail, but this is shocking

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5957869/Shocking-video-shows-driver-81-ploughing-cyclists.html

Even the anti cyclist brigade in the comments have sympathy for the cyclists...that shows how bad it was and how little justice was served.

ED E

ED E wrote: »

Yes, there is.



Separate study:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2586814/

The degree varies from study to study but a 24yo (about the fastest) is very significantly faster at reacting than a 75yo. Add that to GPs being soft on OAPs with recertification and you've doddery aul fellas driving the wrong way down the M50.

Graph is non sense to be fair. Less than 10% of a second difference top to bottom, and scaled to make it look shocking. Old people are probably not going as fast any way.

Pinch Flat

jon1981 wrote: »

Even the anti cyclist brigade in the comments have sympathy for the cyclists...that shows how bad it was and how little justice was served.

One commment I read on the Daily Fail FB page seems to fault with the cyclists. Suspect hi vis, “road tax”, insurance and red light breaking will appear in further comments as further motorists become triggered.

Johnnycanyon

cdaly_ wrote: »

This is probably the best thing you can do to improve your road experience.

Don't know if you are being sarcastic or not, but in case you are I don't literally mean cycling along the white line in the middle of the road.. I find if I do not totally hug the ditch but just move slightly out to the right (would be less than 2 cyclist cycling abreast)drivers seem to slow down more while passing.if I stay tight to the ditch it gives them extra space to fly past me and the on coming traffic.. It has happened to me numerous times and specially by trucks. I am definitely not advocating cycling in the middle of the road.

John Hutton

Johnnycanyon wrote: »

Don't know if you are being sarcastic or not, but in case you are I don't literally mean cycling along the white line in the middle of the road.. I find if I do not totally hug the ditch but just move slightly out to the right (would be less than 2 cyclist cycling abreast)drivers seem to slow down more while passing.if I stay tight to the ditch it gives them extra space to fly past me and the on coming traffic.. It has happened to me numerous times and specially by trucks. I am definitely not advocating cycling in the middle of the road.

He's not being sarcastic at all.

I try and leave at least a metre to my left when cycling so I am about in the middle of my lane.

This way if a car is to overtake me they have to actually overtake me in the same manner they would a car. Much safer.

tommythecat

John Hutton wrote: »

He's not being sarcastic at all.

I try and leave at least a metre to my left when cycling so I am about in the middle of my lane.

This way if a car is to overtake me they have to actually overtake me in the same manner they would a car. Much safer.

Exactly. I position myself where I would place my front left wheel when i am driving. It seems like a good rule of thumb.
This also counts when passing parked cars etc, It helps stop you getting "doored" and people pulling out in front of you.

ED E

Brits out testing eyesight. AFAIK theres no process for AGS to do the same.
https://twitter.com/TISPOLorg/status/1019172645634535425

Deleted User wrote: »

Graph is non sense to be fair. Less than 10% of a second difference top to bottom, and scaled to make it look shocking. Old people are probably not going as fast any way.

TBH I used the wrong one, the proper one had issues with hotlinking (scaled like crazy). If you look at the studies though the delta is significant.

mr spuckler

Johnnycanyon wrote: »

Don't know if you are being sarcastic or not, but in case you are I don't literally mean cycling along the white line in the middle of the road.. I find if I do not totally hug the ditch but just move slightly out to the right (would be less than 2 cyclist cycling abreast)drivers seem to slow down more while passing.if I stay tight to the ditch it gives them extra space to fly past me and the on coming traffic.. It has happened to me numerous times and specially by trucks. I am definitely not advocating cycling in the middle of the road.

I didn't read any sarcasm from it and would echo the sentiment. you should cycle out from the kerb - my advice is to cycle as far out as you feel makes you feel most comfortable / safest. I always cycle a decent bit out and find that it discourages the majority of would-be close passes.

Alanstrainor

John Hutton wrote: »

He's not being sarcastic at all.

I try and leave at least a metre to my left when cycling so I am about in the middle of my lane.

This way if a car is to overtake me they have to actually overtake me in the same manner they would a car. Much safer.

I would agree here, generally it should be the centre of the lane in between the verge and centre line. But this can be variable and if you have a consistent route you'll figure out the best positioning soon enough. Too many cyclists cycle to the absolute left of the lane, leaving them open to close passing and without space to maneouvre around obstacles such as potholes and debris.

benjamin d

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I would agree here, generally it should be the centre of the lane in between the verge and centre line. But this can be variable and if you have a consistent route you'll figure out the best positioning soon enough. Too many cyclists cycle to the absolute left of the lane, leaving them open to close passing and without space to maneouvre around obstacles such as potholes and debris.

This is one of the reasons women report more close passes and bullying behaviour on the roads; they tend to cycle closer to the verge/gutter and are consequently more likely to be passed dangerously. I've seen figures for it but CBA digging for them.

It's interesting that this behaviour, which at its core is rooted in conscientious road use, encourages bad behaviour in drivers. To be safe you have to be assertive and appear to the uninitiated as an a*sehole.

Ray Palmer

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I would agree here, generally it should be the centre of the lane in between the verge and centre line. But this can be variable and if you have a consistent route you'll figure out the best positioning soon enough. Too many cyclists cycle to the absolute left of the lane, leaving them open to close passing and without space to maneouvre around obstacles such as potholes and debris.

I think when you are seen as blocking a lane by a motorist they are much more likely to punishment pass. See it regularly happen to people. Depending on the road it is a good idea to either be close to the curb or in the middle of the lane. if there is no room to pass position yourself to take the lane. It really doesn't take much to antagonize motorists but best to avoid it where you can whether right or wrong.

Felexicon

I tend to move out from the kerb more when I can see there is oncoming traffic to stop anyone behind me thinking, "I could squeeze through there".
There is also a short stretch on my commute that has about 20 manhole covers and drains over 50 meters so I always take the lane there.
The more I cycle the more I sense when I need to take the lane in order to avoid danger. I used to worry about holding people up but now I'm much more focused on getting home safely.

Chiparus

Ray Palmer wrote: »

I think when you are seen as blocking a lane by a motorist they are much more likely to punishment pass. See it regularly happen to people. Depending on the road it is a good idea to either be close to the curb or in the middle of the lane. if there is no room to pass position yourself to take the lane. It really doesn't take much to antagonize motorists but best to avoid it where you can whether right or wrong.

I believe the UK police recommend you cycle at least 75 cm away from the kerb.