yet another "angry cyclist" helmet cam video...
Discussion
I know cycling threads make most people's hearts sink on here, but felt the need to vent.
I was left shaken and shocked by this, and now I'm feeling more than a bit angry, and was wondering if it was worth trying to take this further...
I usually aim to try and cycle to work a couple of times each week - it helps me feel a bit fitter and it saves a couple of days' petrol which I can burn off on a drive at the weekend. :-)
As it's darker on an evening now, my bike is lit up like a Christmas tree, I wear reflective clothing, have 3m reflective spoke strips etc etc. I know how annoying it is when you're driving and see some idiot wearing dark clothes cycling at night without lights, so I make sure I'm seen!
Anyway, I bought a really cheapo helmet cam a bit ago second-hand, just to mess with really (I had it strapped to catherine wheels a couple of days ago!), and last night it happened to be on my bike whilst I cycled home.
I was overtaking some parked cars, and other cars overtaking me were being considerate and giving me a safe distance.
Until some bell in a Toyota Yaris (registration number T5 PJD) decided to swing in so close I had to swerve the handlebars out of the way to avoid getting swiped.
My colleague who was cycling behind said it was literally centimetres from taking me out - I'm not sure how this couldn't have been a deliberate and calculated move to intimidate and scare me, which it did as I was left pretty shaken.
So here's my "angry cyclist" video, although hopefully it's well-deserved this time.
I've watched it back and although it looks close, it doesn't look hideously close. However, on the road at the time, it was *very*, dangerously close - you can't see my handlebars and how near to knocking me off he was from the video unfortunately.
Is it worth me reporting him, or should I just chalk it up to an angry 50+ man stuck driving a Toyota Yaris?
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTWu2XvMqJI
I was left shaken and shocked by this, and now I'm feeling more than a bit angry, and was wondering if it was worth trying to take this further...
I usually aim to try and cycle to work a couple of times each week - it helps me feel a bit fitter and it saves a couple of days' petrol which I can burn off on a drive at the weekend. :-)
As it's darker on an evening now, my bike is lit up like a Christmas tree, I wear reflective clothing, have 3m reflective spoke strips etc etc. I know how annoying it is when you're driving and see some idiot wearing dark clothes cycling at night without lights, so I make sure I'm seen!
Anyway, I bought a really cheapo helmet cam a bit ago second-hand, just to mess with really (I had it strapped to catherine wheels a couple of days ago!), and last night it happened to be on my bike whilst I cycled home.
I was overtaking some parked cars, and other cars overtaking me were being considerate and giving me a safe distance.
Until some bell in a Toyota Yaris (registration number T5 PJD) decided to swing in so close I had to swerve the handlebars out of the way to avoid getting swiped.
My colleague who was cycling behind said it was literally centimetres from taking me out - I'm not sure how this couldn't have been a deliberate and calculated move to intimidate and scare me, which it did as I was left pretty shaken.
So here's my "angry cyclist" video, although hopefully it's well-deserved this time.
I've watched it back and although it looks close, it doesn't look hideously close. However, on the road at the time, it was *very*, dangerously close - you can't see my handlebars and how near to knocking me off he was from the video unfortunately.
Is it worth me reporting him, or should I just chalk it up to an angry 50+ man stuck driving a Toyota Yaris?
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTWu2XvMqJI
Edited by shandyboy on Thursday 8th November 12:02
PHmember said:
To be fair, at the point where the Yaris passed you he had cars coming the other way & you had LOADS of room on your left that you hadn't bothered to use. I'd say you were both to blame.
Yeah, if a vulnerable road users are taking too much of your space, plough into them, that's what I say.PHmember said:
To be fair, at the point where the Yaris passed you he had cars coming the other way & you had LOADS of room on your left that you hadn't bothered to use. I'd say you were both to blame.
It looks like the car driver was surprised the cyclist seemed to be coming back out early just as he was being overtaken.Cameras have been shown to work both ways, improving awareness for both parties
PHmember said:
To be fair, at the point where the Yaris passed you he had cars coming the other way & you had LOADS of room on your left that you hadn't bothered to use. I'd say you were both to blame.
sc0tt said:
Why are you cycling in the middle of the road?
If you'd care to watch that again, he'd just passed some parked cars, there is a van parked over the kerb up ahead, and there is also quite a vicious looking deep drain cover to the left.I'd also like to point out that a cyclist has just as much right to use a whole side of the road as any other road user. The driver of the Yaris does cut it far to close, and shouldn't have passed our 'angry cyclist' until he had ample space to do so. With a little bit of patience on his part, both him, the oncoming vehicle, and our cyclist would have one clean pair of underwear more than they do now.
chongwong said:
If you'd care to watch that again, he'd just passed some parked cars, there is a van parked over the kerb up ahead, and there is also quite a vicious looking deep drain cover to the left.
I'd also like to point out that a cyclist has just as much right to use a whole side of the road as any other road user. The driver of the Yaris does cut it far to close, and shouldn't have passed our 'angry cyclist' until he had ample space to do so. With a little bit of patience on his part, both him, the oncoming vehicle, and our cyclist would have one clean pair of underwear more than they do now.
Looking at it again - the cyclist is a fair distance out from the drainI'd also like to point out that a cyclist has just as much right to use a whole side of the road as any other road user. The driver of the Yaris does cut it far to close, and shouldn't have passed our 'angry cyclist' until he had ample space to do so. With a little bit of patience on his part, both him, the oncoming vehicle, and our cyclist would have one clean pair of underwear more than they do now.
The car driver thinks the cyclist is going to move over to the left. Just as the car is overtaking the cyclist the cyclist begins to move out again early and the car does a good job of balancing the cyclist moving out vs the cars coming the other way.
We all have as much right to use the road as anyone else but common courtesy says when we're walking, riding or cycling (or driving slow vehicles) we keep over to one side to allow others more progress.
Due care for other road users.
No collision occured so all was ok
Yikes - I winced for you when it came past.
The more I cycle on the road, the more I realise that it has nothing to do with me what so ever. There are simply some utterly incompetent, ignorant fools on the road.
Just look at what happened last night - Bradley Wiggins was knocked off his bike by a woman pulling out of a petrol station.
To those asking why he was in the middle of the road - a few points to that. He certainly wasn't in the middle, but even if he was; that is 100% legal and quite ok. It forces cars to overtake properly (rather thank squeeze past) so can be a good thing. Also, the left hand side of the road was noticeably full of drains, a heavy camber, and inevitably lots of rubbish too as it had been raining. It's the most horrid place to ride.
The more I cycle on the road, the more I realise that it has nothing to do with me what so ever. There are simply some utterly incompetent, ignorant fools on the road.
Just look at what happened last night - Bradley Wiggins was knocked off his bike by a woman pulling out of a petrol station.
To those asking why he was in the middle of the road - a few points to that. He certainly wasn't in the middle, but even if he was; that is 100% legal and quite ok. It forces cars to overtake properly (rather thank squeeze past) so can be a good thing. Also, the left hand side of the road was noticeably full of drains, a heavy camber, and inevitably lots of rubbish too as it had been raining. It's the most horrid place to ride.
It's just one of those things. Error of judgement by the driver, happens all the time.
Us cyclists need to be more aware. If i'm cycling along and someone's behind me and can't get past safely, i'll check the path, if it's clear, hop on the path, let them past, then get back on the road. If it's not, i'll move to the middle of the road to ensure they don't try to pass as it wouldn't be safe.
Hard work, but looking after number 1 when on a bike is paramount.
Us cyclists need to be more aware. If i'm cycling along and someone's behind me and can't get past safely, i'll check the path, if it's clear, hop on the path, let them past, then get back on the road. If it's not, i'll move to the middle of the road to ensure they don't try to pass as it wouldn't be safe.
Hard work, but looking after number 1 when on a bike is paramount.
sc0tt said:
Why are you cycling in the middle of the road?
I thought the same I have to admit.I think people with head cameras are knobs, and most ride like knobs that cause the knuckle draggers to swerve in to "your space" or worse fill you in.
Every couple of weeks I run in to a t
t with a head camera on, this is the entrance to my estate:
The red line shows my route, this road has come off the A465 which is a very busy/fast dual carriageway, this roundabout is very busy with the vast majority of people either taking the first left, or the third, my route takes me in to a dead end housing estate. I stick to the left at the rounabout and then indicate immediately after the junction (blue mark) showing I am heading in to the estate, the vast majority of cars and motorbikes understand this and theres very rarely any issue.
One day I do exactly the same and unbelievably a cyclist has come straight on to the roundabout without looking, he is doing about 15mph and the point of impact is right in front of my turn off, I slam the brakes on and whack the horn, to my amazement the cyclist looks straight at me, sticks his middle finger up and shouts "f
k off" I pull in to the estate and think about doing an immediate U-turn round the small island to have it out with him. I take a few deep breaths and I slowly calm down. Few weeks later I spot him again and I'm ready for him, I have a moment of madness and think "hes fking having it here" before quickly coming to my senses, I cautiously carry out my maneuver knowing full well what hes going to do and he doesn't fail to deliver, he cuts me off, I smash the horn, he turns, gives me the finger and again "fk off". This time I caught a good look at his face and yes, he was wearing a head camera which conveniently probably wouldn't have picked up the finger, the horn or the "fk off" should anything have happened, it also would have failed to show that the tt does it every time he travels the route!.I really really don't get threads/videos like this. Yes I totally appreciate "bikes have as much right" etc etc but if you choose to take to the roads in the dark, on something that is hard to see regardless of how many lights and spokey dokey's you have at a time of year when driving conditions are even harder, people are a little less aware and then proceed to ride 'defensively' a 'safe' distance from a kerb then it's probably safe to say at some point, the law of averages dictates you're going to have a close on. Rest assured at some stage there will be a driver who misjudges distances, isn't paying 100% attention or indeed could have the "why are you on the road you tt" attitude and thus may do it on purpose.
But here's a concept. If you're cycling merely to keep fit and it's not a means of transport to/from your place of work then get your arse off the roads and take to one of the many MANY cycle paths, trails and so on around the country. You're exposing yourself to danger and yet whining when said danger arrives? It's not a case of if, it's when... that's your choice so you need to accept the consequences. And before I'm branded some road warrior, I cycle maybe 4 or 5 times a week, purely for pleasure but dicing with 44tonners and half asleep drivers does not = pleasure in my book so I take my lycra clad arse elsewhere and yes, some people don't have the luxury of a network of cycle routes to use nor a car then can chuck the bike in a drive a couple of miles to a recognised, traffic free route and so have no choice but I'm of the opinion that if you don't want to be eaten by a shark, keep your arse out the water.
t" attitude and thus may do it on purpose. But here's a concept. If you're cycling merely to keep fit and it's not a means of transport to/from your place of work then get your arse off the roads and take to one of the many MANY cycle paths, trails and so on around the country. You're exposing yourself to danger and yet whining when said danger arrives? It's not a case of if, it's when... that's your choice so you need to accept the consequences. And before I'm branded some road warrior, I cycle maybe 4 or 5 times a week, purely for pleasure but dicing with 44tonners and half asleep drivers does not = pleasure in my book so I take my lycra clad arse elsewhere and yes, some people don't have the luxury of a network of cycle routes to use nor a car then can chuck the bike in a drive a couple of miles to a recognised, traffic free route and so have no choice but I'm of the opinion that if you don't want to be eaten by a shark, keep your arse out the water.
sc0tt said:
Why are you cycling in the middle of the road?
Huh? I had just passed the parked cars and was moving back in, I wasn't cycling in the middle of the road, but I wasn't cycling over the grates either.Every other car that passed seemed to have enough room.
I didn't move in as far as I normally would after the overtake as there was a van on the left and I needed road position for that.
He looked straight on as I suspect he had no idea he had even come close to hitting you - Not saying that's an excuse but he obviously mis-judged how close he was to you and probably assumed as he was passing that you were going to head over to the left rather then stay out in the middle....
I think you have gone a bit OTT to put up the video calling him a Di**head and putting his Reg plate up there - You say Karma will come back round to get him but what's to say he isn't some psycho or has some very dangerous friends who now have your name and know the route you cycle etc??
I would remove the vid or at least any reference to him or his plate if it were me.
I think you have gone a bit OTT to put up the video calling him a Di**head and putting his Reg plate up there - You say Karma will come back round to get him but what's to say he isn't some psycho or has some very dangerous friends who now have your name and know the route you cycle etc??
I would remove the vid or at least any reference to him or his plate if it were me.
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