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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

The term "punishment pass" seems too flippant a description for behaviour which puts people's lives at risk.

true, it also implies that the cyclist has done something wrong that they are being punished for. road rage would be far more apt.

magicbastarder wrote: »

it was a northern reg car, so he can't even claim to pay it for the road he was on!

I had a northern reg Astra skim past me on the airport roundabout a few weeks ago. Gave a bit of a "Ah come on pal" shout. He jammed on the brakes and started screaming a fairly impressive list of expletives at me.

magicbastarder wrote: »

had a bizarre one earlier where a 'wtf are you doing' look and hand gesture from me earlier led the motorist in question to basically challenge me to a bout of fisticuffs.
he overtook me around a blind bend, which led to my exasperated throw of the hand, and within seconds was driving alongside me spewing profanity at me.

magicbastarder wrote: »

this was an angry builder in a land cruiser who was shouting at me.

at one point he seemed to be pulling in in front of me, and i was worried that he was trying to box me in, so i braked. he braked too, so i shot up his inside, and next thing had him alongside again shouting 'SO YE WANNA STOP, D'YE? YE WANNA STOP?' - in a clear 'i believe you are interested in a bout of fisticuffs, and i would be rude to refuse such a kind offer' manner.

going by the size of him, one single punch from him would have made me forget my own name.

Did you get a good look at him, could it have been Ronnie Pickering in a new vehicle? Hope you got the reg and reported him, maybe once they have 5+ reports against his plate they'll actually do something about him.

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

Did you get a good look at him, could it have been Ronnie Pickering in a new vehicle? Hope you got the reg and reported him, maybe once they have 5+ reports against his plate they'll actually do something about him.

who the f*ck's that? :pac::D

plodder wrote: »

Something similar happened to me recently and I think it happened because I had signaled to turn left. The problem was, it was on to a minor road with very poor surface and I normally would avoid all the crap by cycling in the centre of it. So, luckily I wasn't going fast. It made me think, why am I bothering to signal left turns at all, when this is what happens?

The only time i will now signal a left turn is... if there is a car waiting to move out from that left turn and nobody behind me.

So few cars bother to indicate, I wonder why I make an effort to on a bike

mloc123 wrote: »

The only time i will now signal a left turn is... if there is a car waiting to move out from that left turn and nobody behind me.

So few cars bother to indicate, I wonder why I make an effort to on a bike

I do try my best to indicate on the bike, like when pulling out to turn right, but there are situations where keeping your hands on the bars and near the brakes is the safest option.

benjamin d wrote: »

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.

That's probably true in some cases, but I just think some people just find women easier to bully purely because they know it’s unlikely they’re going to get a dig in the face.

I cycle one of my in to school every day. There’s a small part of the commute where there’s no cycle path and we go on the (massively wide) footpath. Nobody has ever said a word to me. Ever.

My wife has done it four times and twice she’s had men roaring at her to get off the footpath.

benjamin d wrote: »

I said it's one of the reasons.

Was your wife with the kids too? I've told both adult men and women to get off the footpath several times when they've barrelled towards me, but I don't mind if they're chaperoning kids.

If your wife was alone I'd say it's fair enough, if she was with the kids and therefore tipping along slowly then that's not good.

I may not have explained the situation properly Benjamin, when I said she "done it four times" I meant she's done the school run four times with our little boy on the bikes. That's her, and the six year old on the footpath traveling at about 6kph to 10kph max. She was with the kid each time. I actually know one of the men to see, I pass him every day and he hasn't a word to say to me when I cycle by with my son on the 10 metre wide empty footpath. He's not even on the path, he's some sort of car-park attendant for the local catholic church. He roared at her from the carpark.

rushfan wrote: »

Same thing happened me, sent to the shops by the mother, grabbed the sister's bike, tore down the road, mounting the footpath beside the shops. The Garda car was a Vauxhall Victor I think, showing my age.

One of the first Garda patrol cars, that I drove, was a Vauxhall Victor.
You're only a chap.

Had a taxi driver behind me yesterday as i was bringing my daughter home from creche. We right turned off the main road with him behind us patiently waiting as we crossed the main road and he followed and he waited as we cycled around parked cars etc and I was going to give him a big wave and thanks but then he proceeded to do the most dangerous move I could have imagined. On the next corner with parked cars on my left and and oncoming car he decides he wants to overtake me (despite being so patient earlier and if he waited another 4 seconds the road was completely clear). So the oncoming car has to jam on the brakes, the taxi swerves in on top of me and nearly takes my front wheel out. it was a matter of inches. I yell a few expletives and just cannot figure out his mentality. So he is driving slowly so i follow him instead of heading to my house in case i can catch him to ask what was he thinking. I see him park up ahead and proceed but he clearly must see me in his mirrors as he heads off again when I'm about 50m away. He obviously knew he was in for a bollocking. I was so mad, confused, frightened for my daughter. He risked her life for literally 4 seconds of time. Incredible stuff. Professional driver indeed.