Car and cyclist meet

[Donbot]

Julian Scott said:

It was sarcasm....the suggestion that the cyclist should have pulled in to let the driver past, and the anger that they didn't deserves sarcasm.

If..IF...IF...still dosen't explain how and why a driver would wilfully stay behind a cyclist for over 12 minutes on a road suitable to be a NSL/60 limit road.

People claim all the time that they are stuck behind cyclists for mile after mile and until I see some video evidence of it I assume it is BS.

Aside from traffic jams I don't think I've been stuck behind anything slow moving for more than a couple minutes.

[FourGears]

Julian Scott said:

SteveStrange said:

Julian Scott said:

FourGears said:

Julian Scott said:

You are right, no question. But the victim mentality is matched at least pound-for-pound by the entitlement mentality by some drivers.

Alas, the latter is more dangerous and has far greater chance to cause serious injury or death.

FWIW, I'm an avid cyclist that abhors the superiority complex some cyclist possess - often the helmet-cam brigade - but whilst they are a pathetic annoyance, the aggression mixed with dire driving we see on the roads is the aspect that is dangerous.

I did a 120km loop on Sunday, all on quiet roads. I got almost knocked off twice (my having to take immediate evasive action to avoid it) - both times I caught up with the driver, both times the driver simply hadn't seen me (and my 3 friends) - all friendlily addressed and apologised, but it does demonstrate the danger on the road.

I wonder what thr solution is to stop the driver and cyclist stand off?

I do get frustrated with cyclists at times as an example we were driving along a national speed limit country road and came across a cyclist. Now I was well under the limit and saw him well in advance. If I had rounded a corner at 60 and he was in front that would have been quite nasty.

Also I had the pleasure of following him at 15mph for a few miles as he didn't want to slow down at some of the passing points so I could overtake him. I was surprised by that as a little swere to the left a quick dab on the brakes and I would have been past. Perhaps he felt safer with a car behind him?

Two small points. If you'd rounded a corner, you have adjusted your speed to be able to stop in the distance you could see. What if around this mystical blind corner on a NSL road there has been a stationary truck. Or ambulance tending to an RTA?

Secondly, you followed the cyclist at 15mph for 'a few miles'? Really?? You wilfully sat behind a cyclist for over 12 minutes, with no opportunity to overtake on a road safe enough to be a 60/NSL? And a 60 limit/NSL road with passing places? Really?

I appreciate that your journey was more important, and that he should have therefore broken his cadence and effort to allow you past - but maybe he thought you would have the driver skill to pass a slow moving cyclist on a NSL single carriageway road, unless you were drivng a steam-roller?

Why are all the pro-cycling gang always so supercilious? Do you think using such condescending language helps your case?

And regarding the overtake, if the cyclist has adopted the "primary position" then they can pretty much dictate when someone can overtake, by removing/minimising the required 1.5m gap the responsible motorist is obliged to leave. Unless you're suggesting this gap should be reduced at will?

It was sarcasm....the suggestion that the cyclist should have pulled in to let the driver past, and the anger that they didn't deserves sarcasm.

If..IF...IF...still dosen't explain how and why a driver would wilfully stay behind a cyclist for over 12 minutes on a road suitable to be a NSL/60 limit road.

Hello sorry had not realised there had been replies.

It was a country lane so only wide enough for 1 vehicle aside from the odd spots where you can pull in to let another car past coming the opposite way.

Edit: i see my error from the previous post where I said road instead of lane. Apologies for the mis-description

Edited by FourGears on Wednesday 16th November 13:40

[CheesecakeRunner]

Julian Scott said:

If..IF...IF...still dosen't explain how and why a driver would wilfully stay behind a cyclist for over 12 minutes on a road suitable to be a NSL/60 limit road.

Loads of country lanes near me are narrow enough to warrant passing places, ie a single car width wide, but are also NSL. As NSL is the default limit.

On those lanes I’ll be riding in primary because the road is too narrow for any vehicle to overtake me safely. And I’ll decide when it’s safe for them to come past. Wouldn’t willing ride past a load of passing places though the best place for a car is in front of me where I can see it.

You get the odd dhead who comes screaming up behind at 60 ‘because NSL’ but fk ‘em. I’ve got radar so I know they’re coming and there’s a camera on the back of the bike.

[FourGears]

CheesecakeRunner said:

Loads of country lanes near me are narrow enough to warrant passing places, ie a single car width wide, but are also NSL. As NSL is the default limit.

On those lanes I’ll be riding in primary because the road is too narrow for any vehicle to overtake me safely. And I’ll decide when it’s safe for them to come past. Wouldn’t willing ride past a load of passing places though the best place for a car is in front of me where I can see it.

You get the odd dhead who comes screaming up behind at 60 ‘because NSL’ but fk ‘em. I’ve got radar so I know they’re coming and there’s a camera on the back of the bike.

Perhaps that's the answer. The rider I met did not deem it safe for me to overtake?

[Fastpedeller]

FourGears said:

CheesecakeRunner said:

Loads of country lanes near me are narrow enough to warrant passing places, ie a single car width wide, but are also NSL. As NSL is the default limit.

On those lanes I’ll be riding in primary because the road is too narrow for any vehicle to overtake me safely. And I’ll decide when it’s safe for them to come past. Wouldn’t willing ride past a load of passing places though the best place for a car is in front of me where I can see it.

You get the odd dhead who comes screaming up behind at 60 ‘because NSL’ but fk ‘em. I’ve got radar so I know they’re coming and there’s a camera on the back of the bike.

Perhaps that's the answer. The rider I met did not deem it safe for me to overtake?

Sometimes I've had a car behind me on narrow lanes. It's all very well stating there are passing places, but if a car is to close to my rear I'm reluctant to stop quickly to get into the space - it's difficult to see it's a safe refuge until the last second is travelling at 15MPH. If there is sufficient distance between the car and the rear of my bike then I'm more able to make the judgement and I'll gladly pull in (safely) to let it pass. I'd much prefer a vehicle is in front of me than behind me. Despite some motorist thinking cyclists are 'being awkward' or similar, in most cases it probably isn't.

[Julian Scott]

CheesecakeRunner said:

Julian Scott said:

If..IF...IF...still dosen't explain how and why a driver would wilfully stay behind a cyclist for over 12 minutes on a road suitable to be a NSL/60 limit road.

Loads of country lanes near me are narrow enough to warrant passing places, ie a single car width wide, but are also NSL. As NSL is the default limit.

On those lanes I’ll be riding in primary because the road is too narrow for any vehicle to overtake me safely. And I’ll decide when it’s safe for them to come past. Wouldn’t willing ride past a load of passing places though the best place for a car is in front of me where I can see it.

You get the odd dhead who comes screaming up behind at 60 ‘because NSL’ but fk ‘em. I’ve got radar so I know they’re coming and there’s a camera on the back of the bike.

On narrow lanes, yes - but in these cases, it might be a default 60 limit, but if visibility is poor, and there is not the room for two cars to pass without a passing place, it's pretty unacceptable to be doing 60mph!

One these roads, I agree. I've never met a cyclist that would make a car sit behind them for miles and miles/12-15 minutes.

[CheesecakeRunner]

FourGears said:

Perhaps that's the answer. The rider I met did not deem it safe for me to overtake?

Quite likely. If it's a single lane road with passing places, outside of those places it will not be safe for you to overtake.

Equally though, they could have been deaf. And I do mean literally deaf. They may not have even known you were there.

Or even hard of hearing. My Dad is losing his hearing and without his bike radar he'd often have no idea if something was behind him due to the wind noise.

[heebeegeetee]

FourGears said:

Hello sorry had not realised there had been replies.

It was a country lane so only wide enough for 1 vehicle aside from the odd spots where you can pull in to let another car past coming the opposite way.

Edit: i see my error from the previous post where I said road instead of lane. Apologies for the mis-description

Edited by FourGears on Wednesday 16th November 13:40

So what would have happened if you met an oncoming car as you rounded a bend, never mind a cyclist travelling in the same direction?

[Julian Scott]

CheesecakeRunner said:

FourGears said:

Perhaps that's the answer. The rider I met did not deem it safe for me to overtake?

Quite likely. If it's a single lane road with passing places, outside of those places it will not be safe for you to overtake.

Equally though, they could have been deaf. And I do mean literally deaf. They may not have even known you were there.

Or even hard of hearing. My Dad is losing his hearing and without his bike radar he'd often have no idea if something was behind him due to the wind noise.

In fairness, any rider, especially on a narrow road, should be looking behind them at least every minute of so - my hearing is perfect, and I still never go a minute without a quick glance behind, even if for my own preservation AND to acknowledge to anyone behind that I'm aware they are there. I'll always wave drivers past, especially if I can see further up a road than they can or when I know I hold a position even further to the left, and always wave thanks as they pass.

Aside from the odd driver when following me when riding in/leading a group beeping when we're riding 2-abreast, I've never had an issue with drivers 'stuck' behind me. I'll get the odd close pass (always when there is loads of space) but that's just some nob-heads!