Tales from today's commute....
- Thread starter martint235
- Start date
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Sorry to hear you had to get the train.
Oh yes, hope the stair fall hasn't done you too much damage.
Take it easy guv.
Don't use your skateboard in the office then!....... and gws
I only do small trips back and forth but this morning I had a small van wander into the cycle lane in heavy traffic . I was going slow incase people where crossing between the cars . Its a strava TT aswell grrrrrrr . As soon as I got along side the van he cut me off to the point of unclipping and having to hop on the pavement with one leg and the bike on the road . I gave the van a one knuckle tap on the side and he shot out of the way and put his hazard lights on to say sorry . I gave a friendly wave and got on my way but im not sure why he did it . I watch drivers in their wing mirrors just to give me any clues as to what they may do before they decide but this fella just didn't see me and did what he did for no reason 
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
Forecast for Coventry aint good either so it looks like I'll be in the car, mind you since I brought the car last year I've been in the habit of driving Fridays most weeks, gives my legs two days rest before the Sunday ride.
Nigeyy
Legendary Member
- Location
- Massachusetts, USA
OK, so let's be clear, my commute today wasn't on a bicycle -it was in the car as I'd run in the morning, and I was meeting friends in the evening to go mountain biking.....
Anyway, nearly got involved with a cyclist. I was coming up* to a set of traffic lights where a road came in from the right. The road that came in from the right had a marked right turn and left turn lane. In the right turn lane was a cyclist and about 4-5 cars waiting to turn right. Straight away I thought the cyclist was ill positioned as he was way over to the right side of the marked right turn lane. Sure enough, when the light turned green, he set off to take the right, and the driver behind him accelerated and cut right in front of him taking the right. Cue the cyclist shouting unpleasant things and the raising of a single digit.
Don't get me wrong, what the car driver did was unnecessary and wrong, but I can't for the life of me understand why the cyclist didn't take the lane instead of positioning himself way to the right -and take charge at the junction. Even after this, his positioning meant he was always going to have to move over to the left side of the road after taking the turn (or during it) additionally putting himself in danger (should add there was no way he was positioning to take another right as the road went immediately under a bridge followed by another bridge as it went under a motorway). The light eventually changed for me, and I drove by the cyclist -I was so tempted to stop and explain to him that if he gave car drivers the opportunity to do something stupid... well... inevitably they will! Again, undue care and attention by the car driver, but really, I felt like the cyclist just gave him the opportunity to do so -almost to the point where the cyclist was at fault.
In the end I didn't bother -I didn't want him to think I was being confrontational. But it could have so easily been prevented.
*for sake of clarity, I've reversed everything so driving on the left
Anyway, nearly got involved with a cyclist. I was coming up* to a set of traffic lights where a road came in from the right. The road that came in from the right had a marked right turn and left turn lane. In the right turn lane was a cyclist and about 4-5 cars waiting to turn right. Straight away I thought the cyclist was ill positioned as he was way over to the right side of the marked right turn lane. Sure enough, when the light turned green, he set off to take the right, and the driver behind him accelerated and cut right in front of him taking the right. Cue the cyclist shouting unpleasant things and the raising of a single digit.
Don't get me wrong, what the car driver did was unnecessary and wrong, but I can't for the life of me understand why the cyclist didn't take the lane instead of positioning himself way to the right -and take charge at the junction. Even after this, his positioning meant he was always going to have to move over to the left side of the road after taking the turn (or during it) additionally putting himself in danger (should add there was no way he was positioning to take another right as the road went immediately under a bridge followed by another bridge as it went under a motorway). The light eventually changed for me, and I drove by the cyclist -I was so tempted to stop and explain to him that if he gave car drivers the opportunity to do something stupid... well... inevitably they will! Again, undue care and attention by the car driver, but really, I felt like the cyclist just gave him the opportunity to do so -almost to the point where the cyclist was at fault.
In the end I didn't bother -I didn't want him to think I was being confrontational. But it could have so easily been prevented.
*for sake of clarity, I've reversed everything so driving on the left
Frood42
I know where my towel is
- Location
- Magrathea, Horsehead Nebula
OK, so let's be clear, my commute today wasn't on a bicycle -it was in the car as I'd run in the morning, and I was meeting friends in the evening to go mountain biking.....
Anyway, nearly got involved with a cyclist. I was coming up* to a set of traffic lights where a road came in from the right. The road that came in from the right had a marked right turn and left turn lane. In the right turn lane was a cyclist and about 4-5 cars waiting to turn right. Straight away I thought the cyclist was ill positioned as he was way over to the right side of the marked right turn lane. Sure enough, when the light turned green, he set off to take the right, and the driver behind him accelerated and cut right in front of him taking the right. Cue the cyclist shouting unpleasant things and the raising of a single digit.
Don't get me wrong, what the car driver did was unnecessary and wrong, but I can't for the life of me understand why the cyclist didn't take the lane instead of positioning himself way to the right -and take charge at the junction. Even after this, his positioning meant he was always going to have to move over to the left side of the road after taking the turn (or during it) additionally putting himself in danger (should add there was no way he was positioning to take another right as the road went immediately under a bridge followed by another bridge as it went under a motorway). The light eventually changed for me, and I drove by the cyclist -I was so tempted to stop and explain to him that if he gave car drivers the opportunity to do something stupid... well... inevitably they will! Again, undue care and attention by the car driver, but really, I felt like the cyclist just gave him the opportunity to do so -almost to the point where the cyclist was at fault.
In the end I didn't bother -I didn't want him to think I was being confrontational. But it could have so easily been prevented.
*for sake of clarity, I've reversed everything so driving on the left
While I would have taken the lane, some people are uncomfortable with "taking the lane" (or riding in the centre of the road).
While I am sure you did not mean it you're little blow off or rant comes across as somewhat victim blaming rather than being constructive.
However, this is a public internet forum and we all have our own view points on things.
Yes, some drivers will take advantage, but from your description there is no "almost to the point where the cyclist was at fault", and it was the driver that needed to be educated as to how to treat vunerable road users.
Rant over from me as well
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Dull and wet. That's all.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Well suprise, suprise the Armaggedon forecasts were well OTT, it was the perfect temperature and dry when I set off, if I left earlier or took one of my shorter routes I wouldn't have got wet at all but it was only light rain not the biblical storm everyone was talking about 
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Managed to get to work before the rain really started. Leicestershire road safety partnership were stopping cyclists on the GCW and offering them bells and reflective day packs.
Raining now and forecast to be set all day, so a wet ride home, at least it is Friday and there is no mist.
Raining now and forecast to be set all day, so a wet ride home, at least it is Friday and there is no mist.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Well suprise, suprise the Armaggedon forecasts were well OTT, it was the perfect temperature and dry when I set off, if I left earlier or took one of my shorter routes I wouldn't have got wet at all but it was only light rain not the biblical storm everyone was talking about
Snap apart from I set off late and did a few extra miles, thinking being, once I am so wet I can't get wetter, did carry spare kit for bugger all though.
First dark, wet and cold commute for a long time. The darkness did not last long, the rain turned to drizzle and the traffic seemed lighter than expected.
Bloody runners, running four abreast on a country lane with none of them paying attention to what's coming up behind
Bloody runners
, running four abreast on a country lane with none of them paying attention to what's coming up behindTwelve Spokes
Time to say goodbye again...
- Location
- CS 2
Missed the fun,no commute today.
Frood42
I know where my towel is
- Location
- Magrathea, Horsehead Nebula
No commute for me today, after doing 100.7 miles in two days (and being quite tired) I have decided to change around my "rest" day (or my do nothing at all day).
So as the forecast was poor I decided to have Friday as my rest day and to go out on Saturday (and maybe Sunday) instead, for a nice long pootle (hopefully 60-70miles).
So I took the bus to work, and had to listen to the inane chatter of east london school children, I would rather have gotten wet!
Highly doubt I will be hitting my 200mile target this week, as I had Business Object training on Mon and Tues and could not get there by bike (so had to use the Underground instead, ugh, hate the Underground during peak morning hours, like it off peak though).
So as the forecast was poor I decided to have Friday as my rest day and to go out on Saturday (and maybe Sunday) instead, for a nice long pootle (hopefully 60-70miles).
So I took the bus to work, and had to listen to the inane chatter of east london school children, I would rather have gotten wet!
Highly doubt I will be hitting my 200mile target this week, as I had Business Object training on Mon and Tues and could not get there by bike (so had to use the Underground instead, ugh, hate the Underground during peak morning hours, like it off peak though).
The forecast for Swindon today was rain all day but the rain stopped an hour ago and the rain radar shows nothing on it's way.
