Was this cyclist bad?

[Crackle]

Where did I mention 'my' positioning on the road?

I agreed with gbb's point about drivers sometimes having no respect for your positioning on the road. 99% of drivers are not cyclists and haven't read Cyclecraft or done a modern course. Most will respect a cyclist in primary position without having a clue why they are there and may well be thinking 'get out the feckin way'. Them I can cope with it's the ones who use their cars to get you out of the way I have problems with.

 

[Cab]

plenty on here seem to think crossing the stopline is rlj, 'going through a red light should never be your standard way of dealing with any junction' - I don;t consider what that cyclist did as 'going through a red light', as best that's ambiguous language

Ambiguous? He went through the red light. The red light means stop behind the white line. He didn't. The term used for crossing the white line when the light is red is red light jumping. There is nothing ambiguous about that language.

discussing cycling and judging it as wrong based on personal values is far from the same thing, this is everyone's forum not yours

You'll note that it wasn't me complaining about other people making comments. It was you. It would appear that you're all in favour of people saying what they want as long as it doesn't contradict your views :?:

As for 'personal values', rubbish. Really. I've put forward my view based on reasoning, not values. I've said that the bloke in that video is a terrible example and I've said why. You, on the other hand, have not made a counter argument.

what gutter hugging? there's no gutter inside that truck, that's the right place to be if he's going ahead in my opinion, correct lane and out where the traffic can see him

Keep watching the video. He gets past the junction and keeps cycling more or less on the outer one of the two yellow lines. Gutter hugging.

As for whether out ahead is a good place to be, why? I mean, if all you're going to do is assume a sub-secondary position, thus encouraging that traffic you've passed to overtake you dangerously close, how have you possibly made your journey safer? Would he not have been better waiting somewhere more like where Magnatom was?

likewise how close he was or wasn't to that truck, blind side as viewed and he'd have had plenty of room inside that truck, plus the truck had a car in front of it, it wasn't going anywhere

Except of course that the truck did go somewhere. Seems rather brazen, although I do accept that because we can't see him start that manoevre we can't really make any bold statements about it. But of course, I've already said that...

 

[Cab]

Riding too close to the yellow lines...no big deal IMO. The yellows are at the edge of the drains, which are approx 300mm wide. He appears to be riding just beyond the yellows, so say 350 to 400mm from the kerb.
In all the years ive been cycling ive had less problems at that distance than riding ..say 500mm from the kerb.

You're right. 350mm (where the guys tyres are, not where he actyally starts!) can be better than, say 500mm. But then again, 350mm is way sub-secondary, and 500mm is little better, in fact a wider sub-primary position just encourages motorists to overtake even closer.

Neither of those positions is good practice. Get out into the lane properly, get into primary.

At that point, you can start causing problems
for the traffic, and i find they will frequently try to squeeze through an even smaller gap...ergo...more danger to me.

Yep, 'cos you're too close to the kerb. Get out properly, make them overtake you because you're not in the way of the traffic, you are part of the traffic.

Dont get me wrong, ive had close encounters my way...a few. But when you assume a more positive position and a car (or worse, van or lorry) squeezes even more closely to you...its even more daunting and dangerous IMO.

Your more positive (500mm) position isn't even a little but positive though. Its really rather timid. Its hardly surprising you get a few close encounters. Take primary, those close (dangerous) overtakes become extremely rare.

BentMikey will occasionally speak some dreadful rubbish, but on this point he couldn't be more correct. Get some advice from an instructor, and get hold of Cyclecraft and read it.

 

[Cab]

Seriously, I challenge you to take some instruction and report back. I know my own cycling improved as a result, and I thought I was one of the more assertive riders I see.

You probably were. Thing is, good cycling practice seems to be very, very rare.

 

[Tynan]

whatever cab, I stand by everything I've posted, everything, you seem to argue for the sake of it, you've been pulled up a couple of times on this thread for changing the original facts to suit your arguments

 

[Crackle]

..... Get out into the lane properly, get into primary.

What all the time anywhere, or are you qualifying that?

Sorry if you are riding in primary at 15/20 mph down a 60mph dual carriageway, you're a plonker (yes I remeber that oft quoted case - the guy was a plonker). If you are riding in primary in traffic doing a similiar speed to you, no issues.

 

[Cab]

whatever cab, I stand by everything I've posted, everything, you seem to argue for the sake of it, you've been pulled up a couple of times on this thread for changing the original facts to suit your arguments

*confused*

What facts have I changed?

 

[magnatom]

Well the only new thing I have to add to this is Magnatoms new strap line

______________________________
Magnatom's posts contain no generalisations about other road users but may contain a bit of pontificating and the odd 'tut' :?:

I'm not pontificating and don't think I tutted. A bit of head shaking maybe...

I think I need to post a few more of my mistakes to level the playing field.

 

[Cab]

What all the time anywhere, or are you qualifying that?

In the situation under discussion, get in to primary. Primary is your default position, although of course you're right when you say that there are places you should be doing otherwise.

Sorry if you are riding in primary at 15/20 mph down a 60mph dual carriageway, you're a plonker (yes I remeber that oft quoted case - the guy was a plonker). If you are riding in primary in traffic doing a similiar speed to you, no issues.

It rather depends on the dual carriageway :?: If theres good visibility, then taking a sub-secondary position is crazy. Secondary may be appropriate, although there are some sections of dual carriageway I've ridden on where anything but primary would be suicide. Depends, really.

 

[magnatom]

Just looking at the clip again Magnatom...
You have the lorry to your left.
To the left of the lorry are two lanes..i assume of course or traffic turning left. Those two lanes have come from somewhere....perhaps he came from that side.

Is it possible the guy came from the left and crossed those two lanes to get to the traffic lights..so didnt strictly ride alongside the lorry. Does that make sense ?

The two lanes at the left only begin about 20 meters back. It is a filter left lane. If he used one of them he would have had to swerve into it and back out of it. I doubt very much that he did that. Also if you look very closely on the video at where his wheels are as he passes the lorry I would estimate that he is within 1m of the lorry and going straight rather than swerving.

 

[Crackle]

I think I need to post a few more of my mistakes to level the playing field. :?:

That one where you undertook the lorry is still spasming my sphincter actually... I would criticise it if I hadn't done similiar things myself.

 

[Crackle]

It rather depends on the dual carriageway :?: If theres good visibility, then taking a sub-secondary position is crazy. Secondary may be appropriate, although there are some sections of dual carriageway I've ridden on where anything but primary would be suicide. Depends, really.

No granted: It's impossible to judge a described situation unless, as per Magnatom, you have it on video and even then it's hard to judge angles, speeds etc..

 

[magnatom]

That one where you undertook the lorry is still spasming my sphincter actually... I would criticise it if I hadn't done similiar things myself.

Aye, that was probably my biggest mistake so far. Especially with the railings at the side. However, I held my hand up and posted it in the hope that others wouldn't make that mistake. I certainly haven't done that since!!

 

[Crackle]

Quick question, well two.

First, who was beeping in that clip as you took off when the lights changed?
Second. In that clip you are obviously keeping up with the traffic, so in fact it almost doesn't matter where you are on the road. If it's not so busy though, perhaps dark, would you still take primary on that road or move to secondary?

 

[gambatte]

I was surprised it took so long for someone pointing out the gutter hugging.

Looked to be way too close to the kerb. According to CTC they were trying to get it written into the highway code that you shouldn't ride closer than 700/750mm to the gutter.