Cars Wont Pass - Weird Week

[Psamathe]

(On tadpole recumbent) This last week has been really "weird" with loads of cars approaching from behind just wont pass. I pull over so bouncing along one wheel in the potholes and debris in the gutter loads of passing space, loads of visibility yet they just hang back. Sometimes even articulated oncoming lorry passes without slowing (no problem) highlighting how much space yet the following small hatchback still hangs back and wont pass.

Eventually they wait for a blind bend and then decide to pull across the road and pass.

And I refuse to pull into a driveway and stop just because they can't realise how much space and visibility there is.

Always happens occasionally but this last week it's been really terrible.

(Afternoon rides).

Ian

 

[I like Skol]

I pull over so bouncing along one wheel in the potholes and debris in the gutter loads of passing space,

There's your mistake! Take more room, not less. They clearly think you are nervous and don't know what you are doing if you pull into the gutter and grids..... Hence the hesitation.

 

[Psamathe]

There's your mistake! Take more room, not less. They clearly think you are nervous and don't know what you are doing if you pull into the gutter and grids..... Hence the hesitation.

It's a 3 wheel recumbent to already in primary. Not quite the same as two wheels where similarly I would also stay in primary. ie even "pulled over" still in primary.

Normally not an issue (or very rare). This last week has been the big change.

Ian

 

[notmyrealnamebutclose]

Recumbents make me shudder however would it not be a good idea to wave traffic on to encourage them to overtake you

 

[I like Skol]

It's a 3 wheel recumbent to already in primary. Not quite the same as two wheels where similarly I would also stay in primary. ie even "pulled over" still in primary.

Normally not an issue (or very rare). This last week has been the big change.

Ian

Maybe your idea of primary and mine differ?

 

[Psamathe]

Recumbents make me shudder however would it not be a good idea to wave traffic on to encourage them to overtake you

Sometimes I sort of do so but now waving on. I feel that waving on and you are arguably telling the car that it's clear for them and you take a degree of responsibility. But sometimes I will gesture that I'm happy for them to pass (difficult distinction typing on a forum) but I sometimes hold a hand out low and forwards a bit like you might to directing somebody they can pass rg through foor in front of you.

If road is too narrow for them to safely pass I generally will pull in at a passing space (I'd rather have a happy driver in front of me than a frustrated driver behind me).

It's not a big deal and isn't a problem, just weird that there has been such a noticeable change in just the last week. After they've had an mote than adequate time to wake up and pass then I'll pull back out, maybe give them another opportunity- though a lot depends on the detailed nature of the road.

nb nothing to shudder about with a recumbent. good fun. Ignoring this week, I generally get more passing space on the bent than I do when on my upright.

Ian

 

[Psamathe]

Maybe your idea of primary and mine differ?

Is your 3 x wheel recumbent a delta or tadpole as I suspect drivers approaching from behind might see them differently.

After several years and many thousands of miles on the bent I suspect my road positioning is fine and certainly hasn't changed last Monday.

As you'll be aware from your own recumbent cycling but to make others aware, riding a 3 wheel recumbent is a bit different from riding a 2-wheel upright.

Ian

 

[Psamathe]

To clarify, roads I mostly cycle on are rural virtually none have any sort of white line down the middle. Quite a few single track lanes but clearly not talking about them when expecting cars to pass!

I didn't clarify the type of roads as I was more wondering about the sudden change in driver behaviour this week - very sudden and very noticeable.

Ian
Edit: Corrected toads->roads

 

[I like Skol]

Is your 3 x wheel recumbent a delta or tadpole as I suspect drivers approaching from behind might see them differently.

.......

As you'll be aware from your own recumbent cycling

Don't have a trike of either type, but gutter riding is gutter riding regardless of up-right or trike/recumbent.

Like many cyclists, I am also a driver. I prefer all road users to be road users and follow the conventions. Causes much less uncertainty for all involved. I have no problem traveling at the pace of the slowest vehicle, as long as they don't act unpredictability and stop unexpectedly for no reason.

 

[Psamathe]

Don't have a trike of either type

That explains it. Gutter riding on two wheels is very very different from pulling over to allow space for a car to pass (or an oncoming articulated lorry) on 3 wheel bent.

Gutter riding on two wheels moves you right over whereas on the roads I'm discussing one wheel in the potholes/debris puts your centreline at least in secondary and outer wheel probably primary. Stay out properly in primary in such roads and cars not passing on such roads would be no surprise.

Though I wasn't going into detail on my riding position, roads, etc. as none of that would account for the sudden noticed change.

(I've been riding uprights and bents long enough and for enough miles to be well aware of primary, secondary and benefits of taking the lane, etc).

Ian

 

[Anthony-C]

Drivers are very considerate around here but I've noticed this increasing lately, although on an upright. To avoid 'beckoning on' I tuck quite sharply into the kerb and wave a 'thank you' at the same time, then always a shoulder check before moving back out to primary. That usually works.

 

[Conrad_K]

I've noticed something similar where I live, even though I try to minimize the amount of time I spend on the road.

Two things come to mind:

First, this isn't a bicycle area at all, and in 65 years I've seen exactly one (1) trike on the road. Tadpoles are definitely strange-looking things. I expect manyt drivers are just trailing along staring at the weird thing on the road for a while.

Second, the Highway Department, in its endless War Against Things Moving, has begun painting "no passing" lines (here; designated by two solid center lines, as opposed to a single intermittent line or nothing at all) all over the place, in areas where there is no sane reason to do so. Most of the "portage" sections in the capitol are "no passing" now.

A few years ago the Legislature acknowleged bicycles exist and passed various laws concerning their use on public roads. (formerly, "must not impede motorized traffic", meaning "bicycles don't have the right of way here", something visitors often found out in the Emergency Room) Now bicycles have some legitimacy on the road... and since they're recognized as "vehicles" now, that means a car passing a bicycle at a double yellow line is in fact making a pass in a prohibited zone, which is a $500 fine. So the car is trailing along with tons of room to pass, but isn't allowed to by law.

 

[grldtnr]

I can't offer any explanation, apart from seasonal/ or GMT / BST changes ,it's pretty common to get close passed by motorists if your on an Upwrong, but like any right minded recumbentist know , you are shown and given more attention if riding on roads, amply proven should you ride with 'upwrongers' in a club peloton, many the time of watched motorist move out to pass my trike yetvmove in to uprights,ci have no evidence for soloist.
Are you a rural rider Psmanthe? The hedge rows may be 'denuded' so that they see you earlier, with leaves ,hedges will obscure the view.

 

[grldtnr]

I live in a busy city, sometimes I am on roads, that are dense with traffic , I do not give way , or concede road position to motorist whatever i am riding motorist or other traffic, I get more close passes on the upwrong than I do the trike. We are not obliged to pull over if we are holding up traffic, it's just a courtesy that some of us do.
Saying that if I am triking,vi do try to find quieter routes, but invariably I share those roads with impatient motorist trying to avoid the main roads.
I take the view that if they overtake me, then they will be held up by traffic in front, so better to trundle on and be perceived inconvenient ,than being forced into the gutter.

 

[Psamathe]

... Tadpoles are definitely strange-looking things. I expect manyt drivers are just trailing along staring at the weird thing on the road for a while.

Several years ago cycling along (on tadpole bent) and hatchback starts to pass then once alongside matches my speed and drives along beside me passenger gawping out of window. Bad road surface where potholes extend well into road and I'm boxed in frantically waving car to finish passing but driver/passenger wanted to examine this weird vehicle oblivious to impact on me. So I ended up stopping too quickly for them to match, then quickly pulling out to follow same centre line as them ie matching their road position, initially on wrong side of road.

They were not being malicious or trying to interfere, just oblivious to their inquisitive behaviour impacts.

Ian