Fookin car drivers part deux...
Discussion
Picture the scene,
A quiet B road at 6.30 this evening, I draw up behind a car which then gradually slows from 50ish, to something less than 40 miles per hour (this is in a 60 limit). The road was dry, and conditions generally very good, but a steady stream of traffic from the opposite direction made getting past chancy at best.
So, I'm getting a little close once or twice, as I have to abort two or three attempts to get by on this winding piece of road, to whit, the bird driving gets the hump and slams her anchors on two or three times.
What is the point of this insane trick - I see it happening more and more?
Surely she can't seriously want me to ram her car, the inference being it's my fault of course for being to close (which I admit I was momentarily, but for christ sake, she should have been doing something like the speed limit).
Do car drivers really hate us that much?
I kept my cool and asked her what she thought she was playing at when we reached the next junction. I shan't repeat the tirade of expletives from such an innocent looking female!
I retorted in exemplary fashion, with a number of colourful hand signals thrown in for good measure... :-)
A quiet B road at 6.30 this evening, I draw up behind a car which then gradually slows from 50ish, to something less than 40 miles per hour (this is in a 60 limit). The road was dry, and conditions generally very good, but a steady stream of traffic from the opposite direction made getting past chancy at best.
So, I'm getting a little close once or twice, as I have to abort two or three attempts to get by on this winding piece of road, to whit, the bird driving gets the hump and slams her anchors on two or three times.
What is the point of this insane trick - I see it happening more and more?
Surely she can't seriously want me to ram her car, the inference being it's my fault of course for being to close (which I admit I was momentarily, but for christ sake, she should have been doing something like the speed limit).
Do car drivers really hate us that much?
I kept my cool and asked her what she thought she was playing at when we reached the next junction. I shan't repeat the tirade of expletives from such an innocent looking female!
I retorted in exemplary fashion, with a number of colourful hand signals thrown in for good measure... :-)
ballon said:
Can't explain it, maybe it's jealousy.
on the daily commute apart from turning etc without looking, which is not deliberate just poor driving, the most annoying and deliberate action is closing gaps so you can't get past or through, makes me spit.
on the daily commute apart from turning etc without looking, which is not deliberate just poor driving, the most annoying and deliberate action is closing gaps so you can't get past or through, makes me spit.
So true. I can forgive most of the population the fact that they can't drive for toffee, but when someone DELIBERATELY tries to put you in danger. Why do people feel the need to close that gap. Why not just let me past, it's not affecting you.
I will end up having a fight one day.
Had one last night who decided he didn't like being following by a bike and emptied his screen wash all over me quite deliberately. Still - the visor needed a clean, the jacket and jeans had a nice rinse afterwards and then a blow dry, and no doubt I had more fun on my commute than he did, while also getting home quicker. Just a shame it wasn't in traffic so I didn't have the opportunity to remove a wing mirror, as he obviously did't like what he saw in them.
julianb said:
Picture the scene,
So, I'm getting a little close once or twice, as I have to abort two or three attempts to get by on this winding piece of road,
she should have been doing something like the speed limit.
So, I'm getting a little close once or twice, as I have to abort two or three attempts to get by on this winding piece of road,
she should have been doing something like the speed limit.
Sounds like impatience and poor planning for your overtakes, abort once, but two or three times? A bike tailgating and weaving around can be intimidating in your rear view mirror.
The limit is just that, a maximum, not a minimum.
Exige46 said:
Just a shame it wasn't in traffic so I didn't have the opportunity to remove a wing mirror, as he obviously did't like what he saw in them.
If you were to remove my wing mirror, you'd be at best reported for failing to stop, bikes bounce well off cars.
julianb said:
Do car drivers really hate us that much?
With behaviour like the above it gives them good reason to
Dave (biker and car driver)
Just a thought, some people react really badly if they think you're light is too bright/high or if they think you're flashing them, which for a lot of bikes can happen on bumpy road surfaces. Perhaps she may have become distracted or annoyed by this? Have to agree with you though, it does not warrant the brake testing!
I think Dave has it about right to be honest. It is annoying to have someone all over the back of you and it sounds like she was trying to allow you by. Doesn't justify the brake test but you must have been too close if it was a big deal.
Give 'em space.
L.F.
Biker (ex-courier) and car driver
Give 'em space.
L.F.
Biker (ex-courier) and car driver
I love all this stuff. You get Porsche drivers compaining we ruin their paintwork with all the stones we chuck up and bikers complaining that car drivers hate them.
Basically, as in life, their are courteous, respectful people and then their are chavved up, selfish tossers. Luckily I fall into the first camp and only come across the second category on very rare occasions. I choose my friends from camp one too!!
We're only hear for a short time so we might as well try to enjoy it and get on with each other without resorting to the generalisations and hatred of those who are not like us as that just makes us like them!!
Can you tell I'm happy and calm today?
Basically, as in life, their are courteous, respectful people and then their are chavved up, selfish tossers. Luckily I fall into the first camp and only come across the second category on very rare occasions. I choose my friends from camp one too!!
We're only hear for a short time so we might as well try to enjoy it and get on with each other without resorting to the generalisations and hatred of those who are not like us as that just makes us like them!!
Can you tell I'm happy and calm today?
lockhart flawse said:
I think Dave has it about right to be honest. It is annoying to have someone all over the back of you and it sounds like she was trying to allow you by. Doesn't justify the brake test but you must have been too close if it was a big deal.
Give 'em space.
L.F.
Biker (ex-courier) and car driver
Give 'em space.
L.F.
Biker (ex-courier) and car driver
Sadly I agree on this one. Roadcraft/Class 1 training will suggest that you time everything on the throttle and use anticipation to judge the best time to overtake. Thus, avoiding any tailgaiting and making smooth 'progress'. Also better road positioning may give you better vision to prepare for your timing.
I can understand why she may have felt annoyed/intimidated as I would if approached too close from behind by any individual (biker/car driver/ vicar).
An observation is that more and more car drivers recognise bikes approaching and move over to allow your progress. This is a nicety and should be taken in context and certainly not expected.
Buy a copy of Roadcraft for bikes. You will not regret it!!! All these points are purely for advisory information only and are not trying to tell you how to ride your bike!
Cheers
James -
Knee down merchant
Wheelie school instructor
Lover and worshipper of everything two wheels
_Dave_ said:
Exige46 said:
Just a shame it wasn't in traffic so I didn't have the opportunity to remove a wing mirror, as he obviously did't like what he saw in them.
But I never have, and never will, due to
_Dave_ said:
bikes bounce well off cars.
Dave (biker and car driver)
I recognise my position as among the more vulnerable of road users. But I do very occasionally feel like doing this. To be honest, I am used to car drivers being generally incompetent, unobservant, and on occasion being obstructive and deliberately endangering my wellbeing, so accept it all as being par for the course without getting particularly annoyed. But how do you deal with prats like this? Had it been in traffic, and at a slower speed, it would have been entirely likely that my visor was up due to crap conditions, spray not clearing from the visor and retards with their foglights on making it very difficult to see. The results of his actions had that been the case I don't really want to think about, as I can't imagine a face full of screenwash helps you to see where you are going.
_Dave_ said:
...failure to stop
Dave (biker and car driver)
But you veered into my lane mate. I was doing you a favour by not reporting you to the police
Exige46 said:
But how do you deal with prats like this?
But you veered into my lane mate. I was doing you a favour by not reporting you to the police
I don't know, I get wound up with folk all the time, you just have to laugh and let it go, the Spanish are more aware of bikes, and hardly any rain etc, but they never indicate and dont know how to use roundabouts at all.
I too have felt like knocking mirrors off or kicking cars at times, like yourself I would never do it though, did have one guy get out of his car and try and beat me up, me wearing god knows how much kevlar, leather, padding, helmet and gloves just laughed at him and pushed him on his arse, muppett, didn't like my style of filtering!
Dave
randlemarcus said:
Moral superiority works every time. Try the long slow headshake, make them feel as if they're up in front of the headmaster, and he's terribly disappointed in them. Makes me giggle, and seems not to spark off the tirades of abuse as much.
Yep,
my favourite as well, but this was deserving of soooo much more :-)
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