Am I being over cautious?

[Saracenlad]

My wife and I are very lucky where we live. Some really nice villages around and a couple of good cafes. The problem we get almost every ride is that someone will close pass or some other aggressive move.

Yesterday we had to ride on the A638 from Ranskill to Barnby Moor (It's the old A1) and through Torworth village they have installed some central reservations. Very good I thought until yesterday. We always ride single file on this road and we both wear HiVis and have lights front and rear. Yesterday as we approached a reservation a Van decided to close pass us and then very scarily there was another van driving very close to the first. He didn't see the reservation or us! we were very lucky to be missed (Just) but it really shook me up.

I am beginning to feel threatened more and more. We have a saying at the end of each ride :- The Idiots were out. The Idiots must be away.
Am I being paranoid?

 

[fossyant]

Fairly common issue with these 'islands'. I always move to a primary position (i.e. middle of the lane) to stop someone overtaking. One of my training routes has been ruined by a few of these - was a lovely wide road, then they put a few of these islands in - now drivers try and pass you unless you take the lane, then move back once past it.

 

[BrumJim]

My wife and I are very lucky where we live. Some really nice villages around and a couple of good cafes. The problem we get almost every ride is that someone will close pass or some other aggressive move.

Yesterday we had to ride on the A638 from Ranskill to Barnby Moor (It's the old A1) and through Torworth village they have installed some central reservations. Very good I thought until yesterday. We always ride single file on this road and we both wear HiVis and have lights front and rear. Yesterday as we approached a reservation a Van decided to close pass us and then very scarily there was another van driving very close to the first. He didn't see the reservation or us! we were very lucky to be missed (Just) but it really shook me up.

I am beginning to feel threatened more and more. We have a saying at the end of each ride :- The Idiots were out. The Idiots must be away.
Am I being paranoid?

We note patterns. Sometimes we just hit a patch of bad luck with other road users, and prescribe it to a general trend.

Not saying driving isn't getting worse, particularly if there is a local trend. But please don't let a couple of bad moments cloud your judgement.

Also, HiVis and lights make no difference if the driver is an idiot. People don't do close passes because they can't see you, it is because they don't care.

 

[All uphill]

I'm with @fossyant

Keeping to the left just encourages a minority of drivers to "squeeze through". We know who gets squeezed!

I take the primary position through pinch points and find drivers wait.

 

[markemark]

Take the lane. Sadly you might get some idiots a bit annoyed but that's better than being squished. Only leave space that you will accept a vehicle to pass into.

 

[wiggydiggy]

You're not being over cautious, but I'd be hesitant at taking the lane in all cases. Some islands I pass are on 50mph limit roads and I simply don't trust whoever is driving behind me not to hit me, I tend to try and time it that so they pass me before I get to the island.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Do you have to use that road? Can you figure out less stressful routes? I tend to keep away from roads where I've had a bad time or which I would class as no fun at all. But I'm a recreational cyclist and I can choose my own routes. If you're cycling to get somewhere for a purpose you have less freedom.

 

[Brandane]

Do you have to use that road? Can you figure out less stressful routes? I tend to keep away from roads where I've had a bad time or which I would class as no fun at all. But I'm a recreational cyclist and I can choose my own routes. If you're cycling to get somewhere for a purpose you have less freedom.

I'm with you on this @Dogtrousers . I avoid main roads whenever possible and take to the minor back roads. In this area that invariably involves more climbing and more distance, but so what? If I was in a hurry I would use another form of transport (obviously applies to recreational cyclists only!).

A mate of mine is more of a roadie type, always chasing PB's and trying to increase average speeds. He insists on using what to me are horrible roads in our area, including 70mph dual carriageways. He always has after ride tales of road ragers, close passes, near misses, shouts of "use the effin' cycle path", and other general driver nobbery.

He annoys me a bit when he condescendingly suggests that I should ride with him sometimes, to increase my confidence on such roads. As I tell him, I am perfectly confident in MY abilities, but not so confident of the abilities of drivers to do what they are supposed to do. To me, riding on these roads is simply not enjoyable, not necessary, and not worth the risk. Therefore I will avoid it whenever possible.

 

[Brandane]

Am I being paranoid?

No. A significant number are actively trying to discourage cyclists from using the PUBLIC roads. Scare tactics. And it is being quite successful.

 

[Webbo2]

My recent experience is that I have more incidents on minor/ single track roads than on major roads. My suspicion is that someone on a rat run is usually less tolerant than your average punter on the main road.

 

[Bristolian]

I sympathise with your predicament and count myself fortunate that I only rarely experience poor overtakes since I started wearing a PassPixi on my cycling shirt (passpixi.com). The presence of the little sign does appear to make drivers think (is that an oxymoron?).

 

[HLaB]

No. A significant number are actively trying to discourage cyclists from using the PUBLIC roads. Scare tactics. And it is being quite successful.

I wouldn't say it's a significant number but is eejits out there. If you ride assertively that avoid more than half of them but there's still vindictive eejits out there. I also find it seems to be very area specific. Of the places I have ridden, up north there's a lot of careless idiots (more than here) and the the closer you get to Glasgow the more vindictive they are. Down in Hertfordshire seems to have the most polite, sometimes to a fault. For instance, you can be approaching a roundabout and a driver already on it stops and gives way to you.