Why you should give cyclists a wide berth when passing.
Discussion
Finally, a video that demonstrates the point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD8-yHFEKhY#t=0m41...
Now the silly old sod shouldn't have fallen off, but occasionally it happens just like that. You need to leave enough room to clear the poor sod's head if someone is unfortunate enough to poleaxe off their bike in front of you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD8-yHFEKhY#t=0m41...
Now the silly old sod shouldn't have fallen off, but occasionally it happens just like that. You need to leave enough room to clear the poor sod's head if someone is unfortunate enough to poleaxe off their bike in front of you.
WinstonWolf said:
Finally, a video that demonstrates the point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD8-yHFEKhY#t=0m41...
Now the silly old sod shouldn't have fallen off, but occasionally it happens just like that. You need to leave enough room to clear the poor sod's head if someone is unfortunate enough to poleaxe off their bike in front of you.
This nearly happened to me a few years back: I was overtaking a cyclist, and as I drove alongside her, she adjusted her backpack and nearly fell off. I gave her loads of space, but if I hadn't ... it would have changed my life .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD8-yHFEKhY#t=0m41...
Now the silly old sod shouldn't have fallen off, but occasionally it happens just like that. You need to leave enough room to clear the poor sod's head if someone is unfortunate enough to poleaxe off their bike in front of you.
Edited by RedAlfa on Friday 19th August 18:45
RedAlfa said:
WinstonWolf said:
Finally, a video that demonstrates the point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD8-yHFEKhY#t=0m41...
Now the silly old sod shouldn't have fallen off, but occasionally it happens just like that. You need to leave enough room to clear the poor sod's head if someone is unfortunate enough to poleaxe off their bike in front of you.
This nearly happened to me a few years back: I was overtaking a cyclist, and as I drove alongside her, she adjusted her backpack and nearly fell off. I gave her loads of space, but if I hadn't ... it would have changed my life .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD8-yHFEKhY#t=0m41...
Now the silly old sod shouldn't have fallen off, but occasionally it happens just like that. You need to leave enough room to clear the poor sod's head if someone is unfortunate enough to poleaxe off their bike in front of you.
Edited by RedAlfa on Friday 19th August 18:45
I was riding along with the missus and she didn't spot a car at a junction. I grabbed her shoulder and stopped her, but I momentarily forgot I was clipped in. Cue me going down in a nice controlled arc in front of everyone.
Finlandia said:
Maybe the cyclist shouldn't be drunk or steer under the car. The car gave plenty of room, the drunk on the cycle is the problem here, not the lack of space given by the car.
If he'd given plenty of room he wouldn't have gone over the cyclists head.It's the cyclists fault, but would you honestly want to kill someone when giving them a little space could prevent it?
The OP makes a good point. Drivers give horses plenty of space but frequently blast past cyclists leaving us no margin for error.
I was nearly wiped out by an Audi-driving tosser last weekend while out cycling with my club. In his rush to get ahead he cut us up while overtaking at the last possible moment while a large tractor was approaching from the opposite direction, taking up more than half of the road. Missed me by inches and nearly lost the front of his car as the space ahead was barely wide enough for him to get through.
Later on the same ride, a Discovery driver towing a sizeable boat overtook on a blind bend on a country road, narrowly missing an oncoming car.
This sort of thing is becoming almost a daily occurrence, and often more than once a day.
It's odd that drivers are apparently content to sit for hours in traffic jams but won't wait even a few seconds until it is safe to pass a cyclist. The levels of hostility and aggression on the roads are just continuously increasing.
The British used to be known for their courtesy but these days being polite and considerate towards other people seems to be considered a sign of weakness. No sense of community or society any more, just 'me! me! me!' and 'f
k you'...
I was nearly wiped out by an Audi-driving tosser last weekend while out cycling with my club. In his rush to get ahead he cut us up while overtaking at the last possible moment while a large tractor was approaching from the opposite direction, taking up more than half of the road. Missed me by inches and nearly lost the front of his car as the space ahead was barely wide enough for him to get through.
Later on the same ride, a Discovery driver towing a sizeable boat overtook on a blind bend on a country road, narrowly missing an oncoming car.
This sort of thing is becoming almost a daily occurrence, and often more than once a day.
It's odd that drivers are apparently content to sit for hours in traffic jams but won't wait even a few seconds until it is safe to pass a cyclist. The levels of hostility and aggression on the roads are just continuously increasing.
The British used to be known for their courtesy but these days being polite and considerate towards other people seems to be considered a sign of weakness. No sense of community or society any more, just 'me! me! me!' and 'f
k you'...BGarside said:
The OP makes a good point. Drivers give horses plenty of space but frequently blast past cyclists leaving us no margin for error.
I was nearly wiped out by an Audi-driving tosser last weekend while out cycling with my club. In his rush to get ahead he cut us up while overtaking at the last possible moment while a large tractor was approaching from the opposite direction, taking up more than half of the road. Missed me by inches and nearly lost the front of his car as the space ahead was barely wide enough for him to get through.
Later on the same ride, a Discovery driver towing a sizeable boat overtook on a blind bend on a country road, narrowly missing an oncoming car.
This sort of thing is becoming almost a daily occurrence, and often more than once a day.
It's odd that drivers are apparently content to sit for hours in traffic jams but won't wait even a few seconds until it is safe to pass a cyclist. The levels of hostility and aggression on the roads are just continuously increasing.
The British used to be known for their courtesy but these days being polite and considerate towards other people seems to be considered a sign of weakness. No sense of community or society any more, just 'me! me! me!' and 'fk you'...
We get a lot of the cycling clubs out together around here. All dressed up in their maching Lycra and taking up the whole lane in their imaginary peloton living the dream.I was nearly wiped out by an Audi-driving tosser last weekend while out cycling with my club. In his rush to get ahead he cut us up while overtaking at the last possible moment while a large tractor was approaching from the opposite direction, taking up more than half of the road. Missed me by inches and nearly lost the front of his car as the space ahead was barely wide enough for him to get through.
Later on the same ride, a Discovery driver towing a sizeable boat overtook on a blind bend on a country road, narrowly missing an oncoming car.
This sort of thing is becoming almost a daily occurrence, and often more than once a day.
It's odd that drivers are apparently content to sit for hours in traffic jams but won't wait even a few seconds until it is safe to pass a cyclist. The levels of hostility and aggression on the roads are just continuously increasing.
The British used to be known for their courtesy but these days being polite and considerate towards other people seems to be considered a sign of weakness. No sense of community or society any more, just 'me! me! me!' and 'f
k you'...The problem I have is the roads are narrow country roads and it's really difficult to pass them and leave plenty of room. It seems some cyclists can put themselves in harms way, or at least increase their chances of a close shave by some of the more impatient drivers or old biffs.
WinstonWolf said:
If he'd given plenty of room he wouldn't have gone over the cyclists head.
It's the cyclists fault, but would you honestly want to kill someone when giving them a little space could prevent it?
How do you know he went over the cyclists head, it doesn't mention that anywhere I can see? It looks like the cyclist probably hit his head on the car, but very unlikely his head was run over.It's the cyclists fault, but would you honestly want to kill someone when giving them a little space could prevent it?
I agree with the others, riding a pushbike whilst so pissed you can barely stand up is the fundamental problem here. The car driver moved over more than enough to cope with the usual wobbles and weaves you get from cyclists who are unable to maintain a straight path. If everyone had to drive as though every cyclist was suddenly going to topple over, many places would just grind to a halt.
Mr2Mike said:
WinstonWolf said:
If he'd given plenty of room he wouldn't have gone over the cyclists head.
It's the cyclists fault, but would you honestly want to kill someone when giving them a little space could prevent it?
How do you know he went over the cyclists head, it doesn't mention that anywhere I can see? It looks like the cyclist probably hit his head on the car, but very unlikely his head was run over.It's the cyclists fault, but would you honestly want to kill someone when giving them a little space could prevent it?
I agree with the others, riding a pushbike whilst so pissed you can barely stand up is the fundamental problem here. The car driver moved over more than enough to cope with the usual wobbles and weaves you get from cyclists who are unable to maintain a straight path. If everyone had to drive as though every cyclist was randomly going to topple over, many places would just grind to a halt.
WinstonWolf said:
Finlandia said:
Maybe the cyclist shouldn't be drunk or steer under the car. The car gave plenty of room, the drunk on the cycle is the problem here, not the lack of space given by the car.
If he'd given plenty of room he wouldn't have gone over the cyclists head.It's the cyclists fault, but would you honestly want to kill someone when giving them a little space could prevent it?
BGarside said:
The British used to be known for their courtesy but these days being polite and considerate towards other people seems to be considered a sign of weakness. No sense of community or society any more, just 'me! me! me!' and 'fk you'...
I fully agree with this, but don't be under any illusions that cyclists are the masters of civility and consideration.k you'...Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff