Women Drivers!

[Spasspecker]

Oh really?! Thats a bit rude isn't it? Some women (myself included) are very good at judging the gaps at passing right down to cms rather than inches!

Just out of interest how close is too close then in your opinion? I know it's quiet possible to deliberately pass within a cm or two but it's not very clever is it?!

 

[BrumJim]

A lot of this perception can be down to inherent prejudice. My boss swears blind that the majority of middle-lane hoggers on Motorways are Asian men, whereas in my estimation they are 50-70 year old white males. We can unkowingly filter information to justify our own beliefs.

 

[Robson3022]

I'm really not saying men are better drivers as I don't believe that is the case at all, men are far more likely to overtake on a bend or whatever and play chicken with oncoming traffic so I guess it all balances out in the end

This sounds like back tracking to me and you said you weren't scared

 

[Robson3022]

Where is the big wooden spoon stirring the pot emoticon!

 

[Spasspecker]

This sounds like back tracking to me and you said you weren't scared

I'm not scared.....unless my wife reads this.......erm, sorry darling, my account must have been hacked!

 

[4F]

I'm not having a go, .

LOL

 

[MissyR]

Just out of interest how close is too close then in your opinion? I know it's quiet possible to deliberately pass within a cm or two but it's not very clever is it?!

I'm not saying for a second I pass that close to anyone.... but I drive for a living and know the size of my vehicle and the width of the road I am on. If men are as bad as women then why does the title say women drivers!


Sorry just an obvervation

 

[Spasspecker]

I'm not saying for a second I pass that close to anyone.... but I drive for a living and know the size of my vehicle and the width of the road I am on. If men are as bad as women then why does the title say women drivers!


Sorry just an obvervation

So why do you think this is just about you? the fact that YOU drive for a living is nothing to do with it! My original point was that in my opinion in most cases when I feel a car has passed too close to me there is a female behind the wheel. I later made a point that men are more likely to overtake in a stupid place but that takes nothing away from the original point.

 

[lulubel]

The thing I have noticed is they seem to try to stay within the white line down the middle of the road even when there is no oncoming traffic and they would rather squeeze a cyclist than go over the line.

The reason they're doing this is because you allow them to. The majority of drivers will pass without crossing the white line if they can. Your job is to position yourself on the road so they have to cross the white line to pass. Once they're forced to enter "scary other side of the road" territory, they'll figure they might as well move over and pass you properly.

As for women drivers being bad .... bad women drivers are most often bad because they're nervous. Bad men drivers are most often bad because they're aggressive. There are the same number of bad drivers within both sexes, but we see it differently as cyclists because different kinds of bad driving affect us in different ways.

 

[Spasspecker]

The reason they're doing this is because you allow them to. The majority of drivers will pass without crossing the white line if they can. Your job is to position yourself on the road so they have to cross the white line to pass. Once they're forced to enter "scary other side of the road" territory, they'll figure they might as well move over and pass you properly.

I do try and put myself out there a bit, I'm guessing the longer I cycle the more confident I will get and the further out I will go! People will end up undertaking me!

 

[MissyR]

So why do you think this is just about you? the fact that YOU drive for a living is nothing to do with it! My original point was that in my opinion in most cases when I feel a car has passed too close to me there is a female behind the wheel. I later made a point that men are more likely to overtake in a stupid place but that takes nothing away from the original point.

I never said it was about me! It was a generalization not to tar everyone with the same brush

 

[Spasspecker]

I never said it was about me! It was a generalization not to tar everyone with the same brush

I never said it was about me! It was a generalization not to tar everyone with the same brush

I wasn't trying to tar everyone with the same brush, I really do know there are good and bad drivers whatever sex, colour or religion but it was just something I have noticed in my brief cycling effort so far.

 

[Minotier]

In my experience over the past 40 years women are no worse than men as drivers, apart from the hesitation that can sometimes unnerve you as a rider that some women have a tendency to.
I have never had a woman driver;
Aim directly at me from the other direction forcing me to pull up.
Spit in my face.
Throw objects at me including, bottles, cigarette butts, and even fish and chips once.
Reach out of the passenger side and grab the bike while at speed.
Try to tap me on the right shoulder with their van!
Yes women do hesitate and sometimes seem wary, but they are not aggressive, so let's be thankful for that.

 

[compo]

I travel a lot by bus and coach and without a doubt female bus drivers are far better than most male drivers. Their driving is smoother and they are generally more couteous than their male counterparts. As for car drivers there are crap women drivers and crap male drivers whatever they are driving. Thankfully most drivers, male and female, whatever they are driving, are pretty much OK.

 

[jonny jeez]

I dont thinks its a sex issue, its an experience issue.

Mrs Jeez is fluent at moving about the mean streets of chislehurst and has an unnerving skill of getting our big 7 seater into some of the tightest parking spots about....in one sweep. However, put her on the motorway or in a congested city road and she'll freely admit to feeling over cautious and out of her comfort zone. As a result she'll misjudge gaps and (to my frustration) close pass riders frequently. She just has no experience of how to handle town, or them.

Me on the other hand, I'm over confident on motorways (almost lived on them for a few years) and ride too close to the driver in front as I tend to "look through them" and the car that is 4 cars ahead. I am also probably overconfident in heavy traffic and move about a bit too much, but am happy that my awareness is spot on (benifit of motorcycle and cycle use).

Now, given that the higher ratio of drivers in town are men, surely they will have more experience (or numbers) than their female counterparts in that area.

As such if you experience a rusty female driver she could just be out of her comfort zone and not a "bad" driver at all

Many male drivers (especially professional ones) are over aggressive, unaware and frankly dangerous because of the fact that they have had so much experience, the feel fireproof and become apathetic.

I think I'd prefer rusty and slow to apathetic and fast.