Stupid Cyclist

Sp00n · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:27

[DOD]Asprilla;18372408 said:
I dunno without actually having ridden the junction.

I use a similar junction every day; two lanes, both turning right with only the left lane able to turn left. I always turn right out of the right lane and then slowly move into the left lane but stay on the far right of it.

I do this because there is another junction shortly after and many drivers in the right lane actually want to turn left at it; so much so that they will badly bully and cut up cyclists to get to the back of the left turning queue. There is always a queue because of the phasing of the lights. My positioning stops them from left hooking me (moving left before they have completed their overtake) and forces them to pull in behind me. This costs them no time because of the second set of lights.

Could be something similar?

Probably not though, they are probably just taking the shortest route.

Yea thats fair enough, if you expect cars to be turning left after turning right you want to be in the right lane or in the middle filtering across after the junction (depending on how close the left turn is to the right turn junction).

That junction does has an entrance to a residential street but it is rarely used, to me the cyclists are just blind to the road markings. When I have used the junction on a bicycle, I stay in the far left side of the ASL and follow the left lane around to the right.

Nexus · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:27

scorza said:
Agreed, the two-abreast rule is intended for one cyclist overtaking another one too, not for them to have a good chin-wag while they're pootling along.

"never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends"

If it's a very busy fast A-Road then it's understandable and it's less likely that people would be riding two abreast , but at the same time a rider in single file shouldn't feel they have to ride in the gutter, it's the drivers responsibility to pass the cyclist safely and attentively.

In general though, most people riding two abreast for a considerable distance will be people on club rides or whatever at the weekend. In which case, are people really in that much of a rush when they aren't working? Secondly if it's a large group of cyclists, it's easier to pass two abreast than a big long line of individual riders.

Albo · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:30

What the hell!? The cyclist KICKED the van at 58 secs! The van driver even said "Do that ******* again". That cyclist is a tool with a big chip on his shoulder.

From the van drivers POV he left the cyclist tons of room, the cyclist started shouting instruction at him, then kicked his van! Of course he braked, got out and confronted the cyclist as you would.

[DOD]Asprilla · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:32

Albo said:
What the hell!? The cyclist KICKED the van at 58 secs! The van driver even said "Do that ******* again". That cyclist is a tool with a big chip on his shoulder.

From the van drivers POV he left the cyclist tons of room, the cyclist started shouting instruction at him, then kicked his van! Of course he braked, got out and confronted the cyclist as you would.

He kicked it? You saw that on the video? Doubtful. The stainless steel cleat on the bottom of his shoe would have made a hell of mark.

Your definition of plenty of room scares me a somewhat.

mrk · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:34

Albo said:
got out and confronted the cyclist as you would.

No, you would not.

Cosimo · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:36

Khaaan! said:
No, you would not.

Some would.

OpenToSuggestions · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:37

bam0 said:
It says that where in the Highway Code?

It says it on their gravestone -
"Died whilst cycling like a tit".

The highway code cannot specify every single situation.

From the video, the cyclist had enough room but the way the van driver acted was caught on camera and therefore was dealt with.
What kind of retard cycles around with a head-cam on?!

Albo · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:37

[DOD]Asprilla;18372467 said:
He kicked it? You saw that on the video? Doubtful. The stainless steel cleat on the bottom of his shoe would have made a hell of mark.

Your definition of plenty of room scares me a somewhat.

Why did the van driver brake and say "Do that again" then?

Khaaan! said:
No, you would not.

If someone kicked my car, I very much would.

Sp00n · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:38

[DOD]Asprilla;18372467 said:
He kicked it? You saw that on the video? Doubtful. The stainless steel cleat on the bottom of his shoe would have made a hell of mark.

I don't kick with the bottom of my foot >_<

EvilDreams · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:39

[DOD]Asprilla;18372408 said:
You think that because I own a bike I don't own a car? I pay about £600 a year in VED and around £35,000 in income tax, which also pays for road building and maintenance. If I pay more towards the upkeep of the roads than you overall, does that mean I get priority over you?

Are you every cyclist?

RDM · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:40

[DOD]Asprilla;18372408 said:
You think that because I own a bike I don't own a car? I pay about £600 a year in VED and around £35,000 in income tax, which also pays for road building and maintenance. If I pay more towards the upkeep of the roads than you overall, does that mean I get priority over you?

I still have to pay VED on both my bike and my car so the "I own a car!" isn't a good comeback to "Cycles should pay VED."

[DOD]Asprilla · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:40

Khaaan! said:
No, you would not.

You might, in a similar why the the fact that the cyclist didn't back down in the first place. Sometimes the situation just gets to you.

I chased a bus down the other day after he decided to pull back in from overtaking me whilst I was level with the door in the middle of the bus. As usual, a pointless manouver in the first place since he was approaching red lights and he was going to stop at a bus stop 20m after the lights.

I banged on his drivers window and wished ill of his family and his children. I'd slammed the anchors on to get back behind him but he just hadn't noticed that he could have cost my little girl her father. God, I was angry and already full of adrenalin from the ride. I deeply regret what I did and what I said.

Russinating · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:40

Albo said:
What the hell!? The cyclist KICKED the van at 58 secs! The van driver even said "Do that ******* again". That cyclist is a tool with a big chip on his shoulder.

From the van drivers POV he left the cyclist tons of room, the cyclist started shouting instruction at him, then kicked his van! Of course he braked, got out and confronted the cyclist as you would.

I see you, like all the other idiots in this thread, have missed the point that the driver was convicted.

Enough room? Inches between the handlebars and the passenger door does not quantify enough room.

mufc802 · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:42

Moogman said:
Its a problem thats only going to get worse as my more people turn to alternative modes of transport other than car or public transport. I have seen a growing number of cyclist and moped/scooter and motorbike users in and around where I live.

The problem is we are not geared towards cyclists in this country, cycle lanes are ignored by motorists and pedestrians and are woefully narrow, not only is it a stressful experience but extremely dangerous given the state of the roads.

I don't see how more cyclists and less car drivers is a problem. This is a good thing and the more cyclists there are, the more money can be invested in cycle lanes, but if everyone chooses cars then of course their going to spend money on just infrastructure for cars.

It would be stupid to think all motor vehicles should be replaced by bicycles as many of them require to carry loads like tools around, but many cars are doing less than 3 mile journeys that are utterly pointless.

sammo62 · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:43

I cycle to work every day but even my first reaction was that the cyclist was being stupid.

Forget the highway code for a second, common sense as a cyclist is to let anything much bigger than you do what they are doing. Never cycle up the inside of something much bigger because chances are you will get squeezed in.

Technically I'm sure he was in the right, with regards to the van overtaking him dangerously, but once that has occurred I would think he has to yield to prevent an accident.

[DOD]Asprilla · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:45

Sp00n said:
I don't kick with the bottom of my foot >_<

You would if you were on a bike since you aren't swinging your leg forward like you are kicking a ball, you would be twisting your leg sideways from the knee. It's more of a stamping action that you can perform. I this case though he hit the side panel with his hand. That tends to be much easier, especially if you are clipped to the pedals.

EvilDreams said:
Are you every cyclist?

Nope. But do you have the tax details for every cyclist?

RDM said:
I still have to pay VED on both my bike and my car so the "I own a car!" isn't a good comeback to "Cycles should pay VED."

He said 'people who don't want to pay road tax'. I pointed out that I do. I'll happily put my bicycle on the VED table; emissions zero and axel weight 10kg. You do know that there about 100 models of car available in the UK that are exempt from VED don't you? Should these viehicles get off the road as well?

sammo62 said:
Forget the highway code for a second, common sense as a cyclist is to let anything much bigger than you do what they are doing. Never cycle up the inside of something much bigger because chances are you will get squeezed in.

I don't doubt for a second that the best thing for him to do would have been to brake, but sometimes you are just sick of being bullied and the red mist descends.

bam0 · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:47

mglover070588 said:
It says it on their gravestone -
"Died whilst cycling like a tit".

The highway code cannot specify every single situation.

So it doesn't say that you can only ride two abreast for overtaking, that's what I thought.

EvilDreams · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:49

[DOD]Asprilla;18372570 said:
He said 'people who don't want to pay road tax'. I pointed out that I do.

....and I pointed out that I knew I'd get attitude for that line.

This has been discussed to death in many other cyclist threads so there's no point in dredging it up again.

Albo · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:49

Russinating said:
I see you, like all the other idiots in this thread, have missed the point that the driver was convicted.

Enough room? Inches between the handlebars and the passenger door does not quantify enough room.

The cyclist said it himself, "asked for him to leave me more room, which he did". Right around the time he says "unfortunately he squeezed me off" is the time the cyclist kicks his van.

Nexus · 2 Feb 2011 at 11:50

RDM said:
I still have to pay VED on both my bike and my car so the "I own a car!" isn't a good comeback to "Cycles should pay VED."

Do you inflict this anger you have of people not having to pay VED at people driving low/zero emission cars which are also exempt from having to pay?