Appalling Road Sense

[slomax]

Okay,
Maybe not everyone but recently there have been a few incidents that make me believe that a few people have crap road sense. Let me enlighten you to some of these experiences me and my family have had recently.

First incident:

Firstly, approximately 4 or 5 weeks ago my brother was cycling home from work on a saturday lunchtime. The cycle ride is about a 5 minutes from door to door. Let me just build up the story a little, He works in a restaurant and has done for several years now while he has been setting himself up as a professional photographer. He was in on his usual saturday shift. 12-3 and 6-12 split shift. On his way home, about 400 yards down the road from where he works he sees a family of three by the side of the road, about 1 and a half car lengths. So he starts to slow down and they walk out into the road. "Not to worry, i'll ring my bell so they know i'm here", so he rings his bell and continues to slow down. They look at him and continue to cross the road. By this time there was no room to stop and not enough time to steer around. The only option is to slam on the brakes and come off. Rather valiantly he does so (i think i would have ploughed into the bds). So, over the handlebars he goes.

A trip to the hospital later and he has a very broken wrist meaning a 3 hour operation and 2 procedures, a metal plate and about a dozen screws to hold it all together. No apology from the woman, not a phone call to see if he is okay, nothing. She has his details, and he has all of their details plus witnesses. This means that he has had about 4 weeks of physiotherapy and he isn't expected to be able to drive for another 2 months, he can only move his hand a tiny bit and can't move his wrist at all, he has no strength in his hand and cant even open a clothes peg. He wont be able to hold larger or heavier items for a while, so he cant do photography for another 2 or 3 months. It also means that he can't get any money through waiting on either and he is due to do his final year of Photography at uni starting mid to end of September.

Below i have posted a link to a photo of his right wrist... (don't click if you're really squeamish)

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/3783/1008051444...



Second Incident:

Just the other day (saturday) we were in the Lomax going for a spin. So, heading down the main road we have this dark blue Ford Focus tail gating us. What a cock, we thought, but thought nothing much of it. For the turning we wanted we put the indicators on, as usual, allowing for plenty of time and room for the guy behind to know where we were turning. So we start decelerating and he gets really close and then we stop for oncoming traffic to turn. At this point he nearly hits us and gives a lengthy blast of his horn and winds down his window shouting and swearing. Im Sorry, but is there really any fking need? There was plenty of notice.... knob. It kind of ruined otherwise a nice run out.



Third Incident:

This happened today and prompted me to write about the previous other incidents. I needed to get a few bits for the car and decided it was a nice enough day to cycle down rather than walk and save myself 10 minutes or so. So, all was well and i was on my way back to my house when a white Ford Focus ST pulled out in front of me. He was on his mobile, there is no excuse for that, bellend. So I hold my arm up un the air to show my displeasure of nearly being killed. His window was wound down. I thought, fair enough, sometime you can miss a cyclist, if he acknowledges me or apologises, or even just gives me a little wave, fair enough, but no. He leans out of his window, still on the blower, i don't think he was wearing a belt either, and shouts at the top of his voice, "fk off you ginger wker!" now at this point i felt like throwing my bike at his car, but decided to let it go with a simple "fk off"


So, to all drivers, please remember to drive carefully.

Rant over.

Edited by slomax on Friday 3rd September 14:49

[DrTre]

slomax said:

He leans out of his window, still on the blower, i don't think he was wearing a belt either, and shouts at the top of his voice, "fk off you ginger wker!"

That actually made me properly laugh.


Edit: but yes, it's a shame, it's people not being able to acknowledge their own failings. Sad really. And very very irritating.

Edited by DrTre on Friday 3rd September 14:45

[mercfunder]

Unfortunately this is the standards of most of the dross that inhabits our island nowadays.

Selfish people concerned only with their own self importance and too many years of immediate gratification on easy credit.

Soon as I can I'm out of here.

[slomax]

Yes, i think this is the basis of the issues. I think if you made everyone cycle in a city or a busy town centre for 2 weeks then everyone would actually be much more aware of stuff going on around them.

[idge]

I know that wasn't meant to be entertaining but i quite enjoyed reading it. Good rant

You've got to be brave to cycle on main roads these days. When i was a lad...

[carter711]

DrTre said:

slomax said:

He leans out of his window, still on the blower, i don't think he was wearing a belt either, and shouts at the top of his voice, "fk off you ginger wker!"

That actually made me properly laugh.


Edit: but yes, it's a shame, it's people not being able to acknowledge their own failings. Sad really. And very very irritating.

Edited by DrTre on Friday 3rd September 14:45

It didn't make me laugh.

[Jerwatt]

slomax said:

Firstly, approximately 4 or 5 weeks ago my brother was cycling home from work on a saturday lunchtime. The cycle ride is about a 5 minutes from door to door. Let me just build up the story a little, He works in a restaurant and has done for several years now while he has been setting himself up as a professional photographer. He was in on his usual saturday shift. 12-3 and 6-12 split shift. On his way home, about 400 yards down the road from where he works he sees a family of three by the side of the road, about 1 and a half car lengths. So he starts to slow down and they walk out into the road. "Not to worry, i'll ring my bell so they know i'm here", so he rings his bell and continues to slow down. They look at him and continue to cross the road. By this time there was no room to stop and not enough time to steer around. The only option is to slam on the brakes and come off. Rather valiantly he does so (i think i would have ploughed into the bds). So, over the handlebars he goes.

Never assume they're going to stop and let you pass - so many people don't care and assume the person will stop. I always either slow down enough to stop if needs be, or position myself to avoid them if someone looks like they might cross. Doesn't make it right, but need to do it to avoid things like this. I also notice people assume because you are on a bike you will be travelling 5mph or so - I've lost track of the amount of times I have almost gone into the sides of cars when they think this and pull out, when I was actually travelling 30mph or so.

Sorry to hear about your brother.

And as posted above, too many people never look at what they are doing, and just assume the other person is in the wrong.

[slomax]

idge said:

I know that wasn't meant to be entertaining but i quite enjoyed reading it. Good rant

You've got to be brave to cycle on main roads these days. When i was a lad...

It was meant to be a good rant, with a pinch of humour. You have to have humour, otherwise it's boring.

[DrTre]

carter711 said:

It didn't make me laugh.

I wasn't laughing out of disrespect for people with ginger hair, just at it being used as a childish insult. And the fact that the other bloke got the insult in first...just tickled me.

[audidoody]

You're not alone.

Borrowed SWMBO's MX5 this a.m as the sun was shining. Took all of 10 minutes for some old bat in an Astra to start 'parping" the horn behind me. Somehow she had failed to notice the slow-moving crawl of urban traffic in front of me stretching down the road. Was tempted to get out the car give her the good news but thought 'what's the point''?

Thing is - I know it wouldn't have happened if I'd been in the allroad with the darkened rear window.

[audidoody]

You're not alone.

Borrowed SWMBO's MX5 this a.m as the sun was shining. Took all of 10 minutes for some old bat in an Astra to start 'parping" the horn behind me. Somehow she had failed to notice the slow-moving crawl of urban traffic in front of me stretching down the road. Was tempted to get out the car give her the good news but thought 'what's the point''?

Thing is - I know it wouldn't have happened if I'd been in the allroad with the darkened rear window.

[Poledriver]

Coming up the A3 to work this morning there was a Golf in the outside lane, doing about 65-70 with ample opportunity to pull in. He was being tailgated by a small white van (about 2-3 ft off his rear bumper!). When the Golf finally pulled in WVM accelerated, very gradually, up to 75. Between him and me was a new VW beetle (). The WVM carried on between 70-75 in the outside lane despite the fact that there was absolutely nothing in lane 1. Finally the Beetle indicates left and performs a pretty safe undertaking manouvere, just as he gets alongside WVM indicates left but makes no attempt to pull in. I then moved up into position and still WVM refuses to pull over. I signalled and pulled into lane 1. Again WVM indicates left but does not move over so I continued past and stayed in lane 1 for a good 1/4 mile before pulling out to overtake another vehicle. Looking in my mirror I saw WVM flashing his headlights at me! tt!!!!

[audidoody]

You're not alone.

Borrowed SWMBO's MX5 this a.m as the sun was shining. Took all of 10 minutes for some old bat in an Astra to start 'parping" the horn behind me. Somehow she had failed to notice the slow-moving crawl of urban traffic in front of me stretching down the road. Was tempted to get out the car give her the good news but thought 'what's the point''?

Thing is - I know it wouldn't have happened if I'd been in the allroad with the darkened rear window.

[audidoody]

You're not alone.

Borrowed SWMBO's MX5 this a.m as the sun was shining. Took all of 10 minutes for some old bat in an Astra to start 'parping" the horn behind me. Somehow she had failed to notice the slow-moving crawl of urban traffic in front of me stretching down the road. Was tempted to get out the car give her the good news but thought 'what's the point''?

Thing is - I know it wouldn't have happened if I'd been in the allroad with the darkened rear window.

[Mastodon2]

I was out today, stuck on a NSL road behind a doddering old fart in her Vectra, doing about 20mph and braking before every corner. Overtook her and left her bumbling down the road. Barely back up to pace when I come across and cyclist, swerving left and right in the road making it impossible to overtake. Stuck behind him into a 30 zone, where he continues to pedal at about 15mph, without even the courtesy to ride on the path for a few seconds, or at least stop bloody swerving about so the large line of cars stuck behind him could get past. Thankfully he turned off (without signalling), so as not to further spoil my journey when I arrived at one of my favouite NSL twisties.

I generally find cyclists to be a pain in the arse; they act like the highway code does not apply to them, and that just because their top speed is about 25mph (downhill) that everyone else will be fine stuck behind them doing the same speed, irrespective of the speed limit for the road. "Pull over and let the faster traffic pass, and avoid irration on everyone's part? Nah, I'll swerve around the road and block overtakes. Then, if someone does overtake, I'll act indignant like they were being reckless by not obeying my imposed speed restriction" - this seems to describe far too many cyclists these days. Once upon a time vulnerable road users would have accepted themselves as such, and acted accordingly. Far too often I get stuck in a line of traffic while some Lance Armstrong lives out his Tour de France fantasy.

[Poledriver]

Blimey Audidoody 3 times in one journey!

[slomax]

Mastodon2 said:

I was out today, stuck on a NSL road behind a doddering old fart in her Vectra, doing about 20mph and braking before every corner. Overtook her and left her bumbling down the road. Barely back up to pace when I come across and cyclist, swerving left and right in the road making it impossible to overtake. Stuck behind him into a 30 zone, where he continues to pedal at about 15mph, without even the courtesy to ride on the path for a few seconds, or at least stop bloody swerving about so the large line of cars stuck behind him could get past. Thankfully he turned off (without signalling), so as not to further spoil my journey when I arrived at one of my favouite NSL twisties.

I generally find cyclists to be a pain in the arse; they act like the highway code does not apply to them, and that just because their top speed is about 25mph (downhill) that everyone else will be fine stuck behind them doing the same speed, irrespective of the speed limit for the road. "Pull over and let the faster traffic pass, and avoid irration on everyone's part? Nah, I'll swerve around the road and block overtakes. Then, if someone does overtake, I'll act indignant like they were being reckless by not obeying my imposed speed restriction" - this seems to describe far too many cyclists these days. Once upon a time vulnerable road users would have accepted themselves as such, and acted accordingly. Far too often I get stuck in a line of traffic while some Lance Armstrong lives out his Tour de France fantasy.

Crikey, sounds like the cyclists you have round your way are dicks. The ones around here are pretty decent folk. I always try to keep within 3 foot of the curb, 2 foot if possible. I always indicate too. I hate it when cyclists don't indicate. Although to be fair, i do mostly cycle off road, only about 10-20% of my riding is on the road.

[Mastodon2]

slomax said:

Crikey, sounds like the cyclists you have round your way are dicks. The ones around here are pretty decent folk. I always try to keep within 3 foot of the curb, 2 foot if possible. I always indicate too. I hate it when cyclists don't indicate. Although to be fair, i do mostly cycle off road, only about 10-20% of my riding is on the road.

We do get some assholes around my way like. I've done some onroad cycling myself, and the way I see it is "car are bigger, faster and heavier than me, they will get past eventually, might aswell let them do it safely rather than get into a situation we both end up at risk".

People deliberately or recklessly endangering cyclists is obviously a terrible thing, but if car divers paid more attention and cyclists let the cars past then neither should pose the other a problem.

Edited by Mastodon2 on Friday 3rd September 15:20

[Chris71]

It's only getting worse now the parental units have come back from there summer holidays and are busy driving to work and ferrying the kids to school before they've woken up in the mornings.

I've noticed a huge rise in the traffic density and a more or less proportional fall in driving standards over the past couple of days. Joy.

[Nicholas Blair]

I'd be dyeing my hair if I was you. Seriously, there are some reall a**swipes about....