Defensive riding at junctions

[Chris71]

Came close to a really nasty accident this evening.

I was going straight on (with a green light and right of way) at a crossroads. A double decker bus was waiting to turn right ahead of me, but there was more than enough room to safely cycle down the left hand side.

As I emerged from the nearside of the bus an Addison Lee driver came round from the opposite direction (turning to his right - i.e. my left - in front of the bus). He missed me by inches but made no apparent attempt to swerve or slow down.

Technically it was my right of way - plus I was filtering through in the granny ring having finished a long hill, so I was only doing a fraction of his speed - but it's definitely something to watch.

It seems like common sense now, but even as a relatively cautious rider I didn't fully appreciate the risk at the time (an extra foot and I would have happily driven my car through the same gap). Watch out if you find yourself in the same situation - I know I'll be giving it a bit more respect in the future.

[Gizmoish]

I've had similar - people (drivers and peds) assume that the queue of stationary cars etc means the road must be clear.

Can't work out what it is about Addison Lee taxi drivers though. It's like they deliberately hire psychopaths: no other firm's drivers are as reckless/dangerous.

Speaking personally and touching wood, whenever I'm filtering or otherwise doing 'something that normal traffic can't' I have my senses out on stalks. Because you never know.

[BMWBen]

I always assume a car or ped is going to come flying across in that situation. And they often do!

[CoolC]

BMWBen said:

I always assume a car or ped is going to come flying across in that situation. And they often do!

This.

I'm fortunate that I do very little urban cycling, but when I do I treat every car and junction as the one that is trying to squash me. It probably slows me down, but :touch wood: haven't had any close shaves for a long time.

[Chris71]

Gizmoish said:

Speaking personally and touching wood, whenever I'm filtering or otherwise doing 'something that normal traffic can't' I have my senses out on stalks. Because you never know.

Yep, fair point.

My commute is suburban rather city centre and there's only really one junction big enough for this to take place so it's not something I've had to confront before.

Honestly thought I was going to end up on the guy's bonnet. What's more he was yelling something about 'fking hitting me' as he drove past. Which was nice.

[HereBeMonsters]

I had a great one on the commute home last night.

Traffic lights, one lane for left only, one lane for straight on only. I'm at the line, left side of the right hand lane as I want to go straight.

Double decker bus squeezes up alongside. Not really enough room, but I guess he didn't mind scraping the light with the right hand side of his bus.

He goes as soon as the red goes out, doesn't even wait for the green. I'm guessing full throttle as it covered me in a cloud of oily soot. Luckily the junction itself is quite wide, so I was able to swing left to avoid him.

As the road narrows after the junction, what does he do? Yep, stops at a bus stop. There wasn't anyone waiting so he must have been letting someone off. So he knew he was going to stop about 30 yards down from the junction, but still risked squashing me and raced me off the lights. What an absolute genius.

[IroningMan]

I'd report him to his employer - you have time and place, and probably make and model.

It may be a marginal case, but they're not going to do anything about the standards of their drivers unless they're put under some pressure.

[dundarach]

It's really interesting reading on here.

I have bike and have off the roads, ridden with children on the back, in a seat, so by no means an avid cyclist however do enjoy it.

However I've always given anything bigger and more solid than me the right of way, legal or not as don't want to die.

Problem is, as I see it, too many drivers don't care, often cyclists do = therefore cyclist loses.

Not right, but I'll live to fight another day.

[Deva Link]

Chris71 said:

Technically it was my right of way -

Technically, a road is a right of way. The concept as you've used it is more correctly 'priority'.

Emerging past a large stationary vehicle at a junction is asking for trouble though.

[tigger1]

Treat every junction as if it's not your priority to go - and only go when it is safe to do so. And yes, they *are* trying to get you.

[Chris71]

dundarach said:

However I've always given anything bigger and more solid than me the right of way, legal or not as don't want to die.

Problem is, as I see it, too many drivers don't care, often cyclists do = therefore cyclist loses.

Not right, but I'll live to fight another day.

Trust me, I have a very strong sense of self preservation and I didn't pull out for the sake of 'enforcing my right of way' or anything like that. I'll happily defer to yobs in taxis if it keeps me intact.

And, yes, with hindsight emerging past a large stationary vehicle isn't a great idea. But I'm a fairly cautious rider and I managed to make that mistake, so I thought I'd pass on the experience. I can't be the only person riding in the suburbs who hasn't encountered that situation before...

[BMWBen]

Chris71 said:

dundarach said:

However I've always given anything bigger and more solid than me the right of way, legal or not as don't want to die.

Problem is, as I see it, too many drivers don't care, often cyclists do = therefore cyclist loses.

Not right, but I'll live to fight another day.

Trust me, I have a very strong sense of self preservation and I didn't pull out for the sake of 'enforcing my right of way' or anything like that. I'll happily defer to yobs in taxis if it keeps me intact.

And, yes, with hindsight emerging past a large stationary vehicle isn't a great idea. But I'm a fairly cautious rider and I managed to make that mistake, so I thought I'd pass on the experience. I can't be the only person riding in the suburbs who hasn't encountered that situation before...

Pick your battles I think. There are times when you can enforce your right of way safely and when those times arise you should damn well do it.

For example riding in the primary position on a narrow road or taking up position at the front of an advanced cycle zone at traffic lights even if there's a car that has tried to ignore it.