Undertaker Cabbie - Why?

[TrafficDroid]

Well.. what can I say?

 

[Hip Priest]

Maybe he was trying to chase down someone who'd cut him up.

 

[GrasB]

I duno what that cabbie thought he was doing. Undertaking in free-flowing traffic is a no-no & their looked to be clear space on the off side. That said, you were kind of wandering to the near side with no shoulder check to see what was going on behind you.

 

[ManiaMuse]

Well.. what can I say?

All those cameras seem to be slowing you down. What do they weigh total?

 

[TrafficDroid]

its immaterial.. happy to cruise at 15 mph

 

[TrafficDroid]

Maybe he was trying to chase down someone who'd cut him up.

no.

 

[Cyclopathic]

It was a bad move. Don't the local council investigate taxi drivers who are reported? In London it seems like they can act with impunity. They seem to have no fear of being reported and treat any direct complaint in a semi aggressive and dismissive manner at best.
I live in Leicester and mini cab and hackney cabs do not seem to have the same level of disregard for the safety of cyclists. It seems to me that here most professional drivers are pretty good and generally better than the general population. This is of course only my own impression. London seems very different and dangerous. Not only are they willing to nearly knock you over but also seem to have no qualms about using threatening behaviour and language when confronted. I'm glad I don'[t live there.

 

[TrafficDroid]

believe you me.. they are reported and the Police do something about the bad cases.

 

[Boris Bajic]

When cycling in London and other cities, I look behind a lot. I mean... A lot!

The cabbie in this clip was driving poorly, taking space that wasn't really there and being a bit Jack in his attitude to other road users.

One sees it all the time (particularly from LTDA drivers) and it is not good.

So look out for it. Turn your head. If there is space to your right or left, give some thought to who or what might fill it. City traffic abhors a vacuum.

I fear that cycling in Italian cities might not suit the OP. If the length (or most of the length) of a car is left, a car will take it. London is a sort of cadet version of Rome, Brescia or Turin.

If you are well over to the right, be aware what is going on in your left-rear three-quarter. The cab took the OP by surprise. If you look more, you may be surprised less.

My approach to city cycling (and to interaction with other road users) is starkly different to that of the OP. He may be right. I am sure I am the happier cyclist.

 

[fossyant]

its immaterial.. happy to cruise at 15 mph

15.... Ditch the cameras, and go out and enjoy your cycling rather than start having verbals with all the naughty drivers. You'll live longer ! It's much better for your heart and weight loss to ride faster ! You can't talk to idiots, so don't raise your stress levels.

Mate of mine tried to 'talk' to someone last week - ended up with a stand off, mates bike got thrown by a passenger, then my mate kicked the wing mirror off the car. Had my mate just shrugged it off, then there would have been no conflict ?

Just not worth it. I can just see CC forum now being filled with your videos - can you leave them on your channel and those that want to look can find you !

 

[ManiaMuse]

its immaterial.. happy to cruise at 15 mph

See that yellow cyclist in front? Why didn't you scalp him?

Ditto blue cyclist?

They destroyed you off the lights as well (I know you waited behind the traffic in the right lane and stopped, but you still let them jump you).

Seriously though, you might find cycling faster is safer as you are closer to the speed of traffic flow and less of an obstacle. Your road position and cycling gear says "I'm a serious cyclist, give me space", but your speed says "I'm a slow cyclist in your way" which might be a bit confusing to some drivers.

 

[MaxInc]

You must be new to London traffic. Legal or not, that sort of move is a normal occurrence in London, and if you are betting your safety by relying on other drivers / riders's obedience to the highway code, you may run out of luck at some point. I don't think there is a single journey into London, not even on a Sunday morning, when someone doesn't cut me off, pushes me to a side or slows me down. Cycle lanes are not respected, neither are solid white lines, chevroned areas or speed limits. And cyclist are amongst the worst offenders that I constantly have to dodge and avoid knocking them down for my own sake. It's a bit of a jungle and quite dangerous place to be a cyclist.

The only way to increase you safety is to ride defensively and be aware of you limitations. Apart from being visible, alert and aware of traffic around you, you should be expecting this kind of move and be prepared for it. I didn't know when the cab driver was going to undertake you by watching the clip but I anticipated the moment by a few good seconds when I noticed the gap developing. It was large enough for a car to squeeze through and it did. Regardless of your fitness level, no driver will be happy to cruise at 15mph behind a cyclist so they will try to over / undertake you, especially in central London. It doesn't matter who was wrong or right when you end up in the hospital or worse.

Confrontation it's always a bad choice. The odds are against you as a cyclist vs. any other vehicle. If it were to end badly, it's easy to guess who would suffer more.

 

[AndyRM]

Is that camera mounted on your head, or is this the chest one? If it's on your head, why don't you look around you? I cycle on far quieter roads than you and check over my shoulders regularly.

If it's the chest one, I just think that's weird...

 

[TrafficDroid]

15.... Ditch the cameras, and go out and enjoy your cycling rather than start having verbals with all the naughty drivers. You'll live longer ! It's much better for your heart and weight loss to ride faster ! You can't talk to idiots, so don't raise your stress levels.

Mate of mine tried to 'talk' to someone last week - ended up with a stand off, mates bike got thrown by a passenger, then my mate kicked the wing mirror off the car. Had my mate just shrugged it off, then there would have been no conflict ?

Just not worth it. I can just see CC forum now being filled with your videos - can you leave them on your channel and those that want to look can find you !

Droids do not do combat. Thats for Thugs.
As for the videos.. you are a free man..you can ignore them. They make up for words

 

[TrafficDroid]

You must be new to London traffic. Legal or not, that sort of move is a normal occurrence in London, and if you are betting your safety by relying on other drivers / riders's obedience to the highway code, you may run out of luck at some point. I don't think there is a single journey into London, not even on a Sunday morning, when someone doesn't cut me off, pushes me to a side or slows me down. Cycle lanes are not respected, neither are solid white lines, chevroned areas or speed limits. And cyclist are amongst the worst offenders that I constantly have to dodge and avoid knocking them down for my own sake. It's a bit of a jungle and quite dangerous place to be a cyclist.

The only way to increase you safety is to ride defensively and be aware of you limitations. Apart from being visible, alert and aware of traffic around you, you should be expecting this kind of move and be prepared for it. I didn't know when the cab driver was going to undertake you by watching the clip but I anticipated the moment by a few good seconds when I noticed the gap developing. It was large enough for a car to squeeze through and it did. Regardless of your fitness level, no driver will be happy to cruise at 15mph behind a cyclist so they will try to over / undertake you, especially in central London. It doesn't matter who was wrong or right when you end up in the hospital or worse.

Confrontation it's always a bad choice. The odds are against you as a cyclist vs. any other vehicle. If it were to end badly, it's easy to guess who would suffer more.

Good God..