A clown takes a pratfall

[Johnnytheboy]

heebeegeetee said:

Artey said:

Why does this seem to only apply when cars overtake cyclists but not when cyclists filter please. Why do cyclists assume that it's ok to cycle past and between cars with sometimes less than 1cm gap. Can someone provide me with a sensible answer.

This has to be explained surprisingly frequently, given how easy it should be to understand.

A small thing slowly passing a big thing is ok. A big thing passing quickly by a small thing is not.

Think of how perhaps, you might walk past cars parked in a car park - you might be walking very close indeed to those parked cars, and that's fine. Now imagine the car passing you at the same distance to you, but the car is travelling at a speed - one mistake and you get hurt, possibly even killed.

That's the difference.

In other words, when it suits cyclists to be allowed to behave differently from cars, they want that.

When it suits them to say they want to be treated the same as cars, they want that.

[RicksAlfas]

heebeegeetee said:

RicksAlfas said:

doors opening and so on...

Which brings us round neatly to the subject of this thread.

Whether the cyclists is in door zone or stays well away, he's vulnerable to thick tts in cars.

Why there is such strong widespread support for thick tts in cars on this forum though will remain the mystery to me. Why aren't we all joined condemning them?

That's a lovely bit of selective quoting!


Look, we're all vulnerable to thick tts wherever we go, irrespective of how we get there. I nearly got hit by a thick tt on a bike the other day, but there was no risk of damaging my car as I walking on the pavement at the time... Sadly if the thicko is in two tons of metal and you're on 20lbs of carbon and aluminium it's not a good combination. There is no one on this forum who would disagree with that.

BUT... the modern cycling ethos does seem to be that the cyclist can put himself where he wants, using theoretical logic as a kind of protective forcefield. A cyclist might be in his right to steam down the inside of a queue of traffic at 30mph, but it doesn't make it a good idea to do put themselves in such an unexpected position. The risk is high of a vehicle turning across them, or turning left into them, or as you mention - opening a door.

[anonymous-user]

heebeegeetee said:

Which brings us round neatly to the subject of this thread.

Whether the cyclists is in door zone or stays well away, he's vulnerable to thick tts in cars.

How does the door zone apply when cyclists are passing with cars on the right waiting in traffic and parked cars on their left and not enough door room ?

Should they do this ? Is it in the Highway Code ?

[CoolC]

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/watch-the-mo...

This nicely demonstrates the potential of passing closely quickly.

[Mave]

Ghibli said:

heebeegeetee said:

Which brings us round neatly to the subject of this thread.

Whether the cyclists is in door zone or stays well away, he's vulnerable to thick tts in cars.

How does the door zone apply when cyclists are passing with cars on the right waiting in traffic and parked cars on their left and not enough door room ?

Should they do this ? Is it in the Highway Code ?

It doesn't matter in the context of your original desire for Mr cyclist to move further to the left. If he wants to increase the risk to himself of a dooring by squeezing down a narrow gap then that's his call. If however he wants to decrease the risk to himself of a dooring by leaving more space when passing parked cars that's also his call. It's not for the motorist doing the overtaking to demand the cyclist takes increased risk just to facilitate the overtake.

It's also worth noting that, in my experience, people are much more wary opening their doors when there is busy traffic alongside them then on a quiet residential road. Also I doubt many cyclists genuinely do 20mph filtering through narrow gaps.

Edited by Mave on Wednesday 5th August 09:59

[anonymous-user]

Mave said:

Ghibli said:

heebeegeetee said:

Which brings us round neatly to the subject of this thread.

Whether the cyclists is in door zone or stays well away, he's vulnerable to thick tts in cars.

How does the door zone apply when cyclists are passing with cars on the right waiting in traffic and parked cars on their left and not enough door room ?

Should they do this ? Is it in the Highway Code ?

It doesn't matter in the context of your original desire for Mr cyclist to move further to the left. If he wants to increase the risk to himself of a dooring by squeezing down a narrow gap then that's his call. If however he wants to decrease the risk to himself of a dooring by leaving more space when passing parked cars that's also his call. It's not for the motorist doing the overtaking to demand the cyclist takes increased risk just to facilitate the overtake.

It's also worth noting that, in my experience, people are much more wary opening their doors when there is busy traffic alongside them then on a quiet residential road.

Got it, this cyclist would rather take the risk of a car which he can hear approaching from behind either giving him a close pass or hitting him than take the risk of a parked car door opening.

I think I will stick to giving space. ( what a I must be ) living a hassle free life.

[walm]

Ghibli said:

Got it, this cyclist would rather take the risk of a car which he can hear approaching from behind either giving him a close pass or hitting him than take the risk of a parked car door opening.

There is also the risk that the driver isn't a complete tt and will just wait patiently.
Despite the strong evidence on this thread, many people behind the wheel can accomplish this.

[anonymous-user]

walm said:

Ghibli said:

Got it, this cyclist would rather take the risk of a car which he can hear approaching from behind either giving him a close pass or hitting him than take the risk of a parked car door opening.

There is also the risk that the driver isn't a complete tt and will just wait patiently.
Despite the strong evidence on this thread, many people behind the wheel can accomplish this.

Well it looks like I am getting that wrong as well.

I look at it that every driver is a tt and I don't rely on the ones that I can hear approaching from behind that I can't see being a good driver.

You are right that there are many good drivers and also many good cyclist. This bloke is an idiot and he has a YT channel to prove it. The car driver is a knob with anger problems yet he does have a point, had the cyclist not be a self centred tt and been more like the good cyclists I have come across over many years there would be no problems.

[walm]

Sorry but trying to avoid a dooring doesn't make you a "self-centred tt".

[anonymous-user]

walm said:

Sorry but trying to avoid a dooring doesn't make you a "self-centred tt".

Reading back on the thread someone local has said you can fit two cars down that road. Why can't you fit a cyclist and a car down that road ?

[heebeegeetee]

CoolC said:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/watch-the-mo...

This nicely demonstrates the potential of passing closely quickly.

The first comment when I looked was
>>A Londoner50 minutes ago
Would all have been avoided if he had been further from the parked cars. Expect the worst. Ride so no one can hit you even if they try.<<

So there we are. The cyclist is in the wrong if he rides too close, the cyclist is in the wrong if he stays out of the door zone. It's never the drivers fault when they hit a cyclist, it's never the drivers fault even when they're a frothing, raging violent mentalist like the subject of the thread or this man with a history of violence:
https://twitter.com/JeremyClarkson/status/42167671...

[jonny996]

walm said:

There is also the risk that the driver isn't a complete tt and will just wait patiently.

Well that blows the theory of cycling being the green form of transport, you might be eco friendly but all these cars having to slow for you are making up for that.
Do you have a go pro & you tube channel by any chance.

[walm]

Ghibli said:

walm said:

Sorry but trying to avoid a dooring doesn't make you a "self-centred tt".

Reading back on the thread someone local has said you can fit two cars down that road. Why can't you fit a cyclist and a car down that road ?

You can. The poster suggested the bad driving made the pass too close, not the cyclist avoiding doors.

bigandclever said:

For a little local perspective, the road is one-way and wide enough for 2 cars to pass each other (carefully) even with cars parked both sides. Even if the cyclist was wanting to avoid any suddenly opening doors, there would still be plenty of room for the driver to move into. In my book it's an easily avoidable near-miss by the driver.

[Mave]

Ghibli said:

walm said:

Sorry but trying to avoid a dooring doesn't make you a "self-centred tt".

Reading back on the thread someone local has said you can fit two cars down that road. Why can't you fit a cyclist and a car down that road ?

Irrespective of how much total width there is available, how does cycling to avoid a dooring make you a self centred tt?

[anonymous-user]

walm said:

Ghibli said:

walm said:

Sorry but trying to avoid a dooring doesn't make you a "self-centred tt".

Reading back on the thread someone local has said you can fit two cars down that road. Why can't you fit a cyclist and a car down that road ?

You can. The poster suggested the bad driving made the pass too close, not the cyclist avoiding doors.

bigandclever said:

For a little local perspective, the road is one-way and wide enough for 2 cars to pass each other (carefully) even with cars parked both sides. Even if the cyclist was wanting to avoid any suddenly opening doors, there would still be plenty of room for the driver to move into. In my book it's an easily avoidable near-miss by the driver.

Maybe the motorist could have gone closer to the parked cars ? It doesn't look like has left a massive gap to his right.


If you add 1.5 m door space 1.5 m passing space plus the width of the rider it will work out wider than a car.

There is room to pass and it's all about a bit of give and take. The cyclist could have made more space but it would not be good enough for his YT channel.

[anonymous-user]

Mave said:

Ghibli said:

walm said:

Sorry but trying to avoid a dooring doesn't make you a "self-centred tt".

Reading back on the thread someone local has said you can fit two cars down that road. Why can't you fit a cyclist and a car down that road ?

Irrespective of how much total width there is available, how does cycling to avoid a dooring make you a self centred tt?

When you ride around filming in the hope you will get a reaction rather than getting on with a trouble free life. That's what I call self centred.

If you want to defend this guy go for it, enjoy your cycling days, I hope they bring pleasure to you like they do this guy.

[Mr GrimNasty]

What evidence of a near miss is there - other than a nutjob cyclist ranting?

It didn't look close (as a cyclist myself), but the camera can deceive I accept.

As for avoiding a dooring - I tend to use my eyes, if there's no one in the car, the door won't open!

[SteveSteveson]

Ghibli said:

Maybe the motorist could have gone closer to the parked cars ? It doesn't look like has left a massive gap to his right.


If you add 1.5 m door space 1.5 m passing space plus the width of the rider it will work out wider than a car.

Really? You pass that close to cars, or are you willfully not including the space you give cars when you pass parked cars?

Ghibli said:

There is room to pass and it's all about a bit of give and take. The cyclist could have made more space but it would not be good enough for his YT channel.

You don't seem to understand, it's not up to the cyclist to make space. It's up to the cyclist to ensure their own safety. It's down to the driver to ensure that they leave space, both for their own safety and others. "a bit of give and take" has nothing at all to do with it and your attitude is exactly why so many people fell unsafe on the road, and the reason cyclists get people waving and shouting at them for "being in the way". How about a bit of acceptance of other people?

Do you pull right over to the left every time you see a motorbike coming up behind you?

Edited by SteveSteveson on Wednesday 5th August 11:43

Edited by SteveSteveson on Wednesday 5th August 11:44

[anonymous-user]

Mr GrimNasty said:

What evidence of a near miss is there - other than a nutjob cyclist ranting?

It didn't look close (as a cyclist myself), but the camera can deceive I accept.

As for avoiding a dooring - I tend to use my eyes, if there's no one in the car, the door won't open!

It rather depends where you position your cameras. Looking at the shadows in one of his clips, he has one sticking out the end of his handle bars the other on the rear frame neither are central.

[anonymous-user]

SteveSteveson said:

Ghibli said:

Maybe the motorist could have gone closer to the parked cars ? It doesn't look like has left a massive gap to his right.


If you add 1.5 m door space 1.5 m passing space plus the width of the rider it will work out wider than a car.

Really? You pass that close to cars, or are you willfully not including the space you give cars when you pass parked cars?

Ghibli said:

There is room to pass and it's all about a bit of give and take. The cyclist could have made more space but it would not be good enough for his YT channel.

You don't seem to understand, it's not up to the cyclist to make space. It's up to the cyclist to ensure their own safety. It's down to the driver to ensure that they leave space, both for their own safety and others. "a bit of give and take" has nothing at all to do with it and your attitude is exactly why so many people fell unsafe on the road. Do you pull right over to the left every time you see a motorbike coming up behind you?

Yes I do give space when I am cycling, driving or motor cycling. I am probably most at risk when cycling because I travel at slower speeds than motorised transport. If it had been me on that road I would given more space for the motorist I could hear coming from behind. Is that wrong ?

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 5th August 11:48