What’s should I do?

dudley72

Ok, I live in an area which is popular with cyclist, I have no problem with this and would prefer if we could make the road safer in our area so my kids could cycle the roads

Anyway this has happened a few times but today got a really nasty response so just wondering what am I supposed to do

I was driving, came around and found a single cyclist, the road is a typical back windy road, no real white lines

This spot is very windy so from my point of view is not safe to pass but I have seen other drivers do it. I kept maybe 5m back from cyclist and just followed, he kept looking back over his shoulder but I was in no rush and still wasn’t safe IMO, I must have followed for maybe close to 1km before it was safe and I passed out, as I did I got lots of hand gestures etc towards me.

As I said it’s not the first time but normally not so long a distance but lots of looking over shoulder etc

My question in this case what would cyclist prefer? I wasn’t close or anything(I think but at least 5m if not more) I maybe could have floored and went past maybe twice but I wasn’t in a rush and it was a risk(kids in car with me)

Please note this is not a bash the cyclist thread, I am just wondering am I doing the wrong thing or what exactly is expected.

Wildly Boaring

Doesn't bother me when a car is behind giving space.

Was the overtake safe?

Luxman

Sounds like you just can't win. if I know a car is behind me and its not safe to overtake (in my opinion) then Im thankful for their patience and give them a gesture acknowledging it. The cyclist might have thought you 'could' have overtaken them but its not their decision when you should overtake and you shouldn't take their signal to make a move you're not happy making.

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118030656#Comment_118030656

In my opinion no, as said I could have floored and sweep out and back in but if anything came around the bend it would’ve close

Now as I said I see people on the road do it all the time and I have met people on the wrong side passing cyclist at least twice in last 6 months, so I need to hit the brakes to let them go past

As I was in no rush and had the kids I don’t really care, I was just trundling along and talking to them.

Im not trying to paint a picture of me been a perfect driver, far from it.

hesker

You did the right thing. You waited until you believed it safe to overtake. If only more people would do the same.

I have seen this same thing happen before while abroad with a cyclist reacting similarly. Only assumed that the cyclist became nervous of having a car follow them for so long. But that is far more preferable to the alternatives.

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118030715#Comment_118030715

It’s not the first tiMe I got strange looks over the shoulder from the cyclist

Maybe you are right with the nervous with car behind so should I keep a larger distance ?

magicbastarder

i'm not going to speculate what was going through the mind of the cyclist, but as you weren't holding him up in any way or placing him in danger, whatever issue he had was in his mind only.

I think there is a lot of tension built up between cyclists and drivers by the media. The cyclist may have pre-empted that you were intimidating by following behind for so long, and might have thought you may be irritated.

You did the right thing, but its probably so few and far between that the cyclist may not have realised your concern.

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118030742#Comment_118030742

I'd say it may have been better to leave a larger distance (especially as you know the road and that there would be little opportunity to pass safely). Sounds like the cyclist over-reacted all the same. Unfortunately there are dickheads in every walk of life.

(It bugs me on club rides when I see colleagues gesturing to motorists to pass when it is clearly unsafe to do so.)

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118030762#Comment_118030762

Ok let’s leave this guy out of it, I did meet a group of cyclist very soon after so maybe he was part of that and pi**ed he wasn’t keeping up(joke)

Ad mentioned a few people have looked over shoulder at me, it’s almost as if they want me to pass but I won’t unless safe

magicbastarder

i'll often look back in a 'i think it's safe for you to overtake and i'm letting you know that i know you're there in case you were worried that i did not' way, but i would rarely make any gesture to a motorist to overtake, as the decision is theirs.

the exception would usually be if i've spotted a place to pull in, i'd gesture that i'm pulling in with the explicit intention of giving them an opportunity to pass.

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118030804#Comment_118030804

Oh and the group did that, they stuck out hand and I waited, they pulled into a gap and stopped for a chat,

Maybe they felt it was safe to pass, could be why and I didn’t think of it that way but personally I know the road like the back of my hand so I prefer to stick to my own choice

Thansk

ted1

Wait till it’s safe and overtake . The same as overtaking a slow car.

if you are going slow be in the right gear. High revs can be seen as aggressive

If in doubt, there is no doubt as they say, you have no idea what is going on in anyone's head. Personally I'll only ever look back once in a situation like that to acknowledge the car if they are driving like a sane person, followed by a hand signal to wait or hold off while returning to looking ahead and I'll continue to give the odd hand signal to wait . Once I think it's Ok or I've room to move over I'll wave them round and get them out from behind me.

TheBlaaMan

@OP, Well done you. You did the right thing and while others have covered the reasons the cyclist may have been a bit pissy, your actions were correct and kept everyone safe.

If only it was always like this........and not like the knob in that other recent thread

MojoMaker

5m?

That's close enough to read the tax/nct disc comfortably!

Definitely didn't mean 15m?

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036292#Comment_118036292

I didn't take out a tape measure, lets say a car length and a bit behind the cyclist.

15m? really that would be at least 3 car lengths back. On a motorway it is supposed to be 2 lengths at high speed. I thought a car length and a bit was a safe distance.

Maybe its my eye site but if I stood a car length from my car no chance I would read the discs

magicbastarder

15m? really that would be at least 3 car lengths back. On a motorway it is supposed to be 2 lengths at high speed. I thought a car length and a bit was a safe distance.

it's supposed to be two seconds not two lengths. two lengths of a car at high speed would be near suicidal.

the two second rule would result in a 65-70m gap - so nearly 15 car lengths - at 120km/h.

30km/h grants about 17m based on the two second rule.

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036489#Comment_118036489

Try telling people on motorways in Ireland that. Another discussion anyway

So are you saying that you should stay 15m behind a cyclist?

magicbastarder

if you've nothing to gain from sitting closer, why not? as above, it's in line with the two second rule (many club cyclists would tool along at about 30km/h).

ARX

You have to keep enough distance to stop if the cyclist stops suddenly (they could get a puncture or - less likely - a dropped or broken chain, any of which would necessitate stopping quickly, or they might get a phone call). But you know that already. Whether that was 5m or 15m in these particular circumstances I don't know.

However, as alluded to earlier, I think many cyclists have been conditioned by persistent carping media coverage to feel that they are "in the way" if a motorist has to slow down on their account. And I think that this may make some cyclists feel intimidated if they are aware that someone is following them.

There is not a great deal you can do about that, other than perhaps keep a little more distance until the opportunity to overtake arises.

Thank you for not being one of the many aggressive incompetents that overtake around blind bends, or over humpback bridges, or into oncoming traffic.

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036827#Comment_118036827

You must know the road I am talking about :-) it has all of the above, the hump back bridge we actually have two

Anyway I will keep in mind my distance next time, safe cycling everyone!!

km991148

yeah probably a combination of a wee bit too close (5m is barely a car length - should really be about 12m @ 30 so maybe about 10m if going slower and feeling a bit nervous having someone behind. I also think a lot of modern cars sound "more aggressive" as they have 3 cyl engines and every little nudge of the throttle sounds louder - but I am guessing with this one!

Either way - it doesn't excuse the cyclist being a prick either - 2 "wrongs" (perceived or otherwise) never make a right...

mr spuckler

Personally I think 5m doesn't sound like a lot at all and I know I'd feel uncomfortable with a car following so closely behind me for an extended distance. In my case though I'd gesture for you to stay further back when I saw you rather than giving it all sorts as you eventually passed me!

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118036936#Comment_118036936

Sorry the 5m was an estimate in my head, it was at least a car length plus i have an electric car so its just road noise.

I will take note and keep the distance back more

dinneenp

Did the cyclist wave you to overtake him/her at any stage?

dudley72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118043493#Comment_118043493

No

Macy0161

I would just park it and move on. You were perhaps too close, but doesn't really sound like it.

fwiw I also hate it when others wave a motorist through on a club spin (especially when they're down the line and don't have much better view than the motorist). However, when I'm solo I would wave vehicles past if I have a clear view (and warn them not to go for it if I can see something coming!). I don't take offence if they don't though.