I cycle into work as/when I can, and I will say that generally I try to be as courteous a cyclist as I can..
However there seems to be absolutely no pleasing some people...
I take a detour when cycling to get me off the main road, it's quieter, it's slightly longer, but far more relaxing (or so you'd think).
Anyway, there is one part of the journey that is a bit odd..
There is a road through an small estate that they closed off a few years ago to stop 'through' traffic from using it as a cut-through, but just put bollards in the way which allows cyclists etc to get through..
Obligatory Images:
The view as I approach on the cycle.. I am the white line going straight on along Sandycroft Road, the issue is cars coming from the road on the left (Leacey Crescent)(cars path shown in blue).
Obviously you can see that as a cyclist, there is a bit of a risk point if you want to carry on through the bollards, and you have to be very mindful of cars coming out of Leacey Crescent.
As a rule, I naturally give way to cars coming out that road, primarily as ignoring any highway code rules, it'd hurt if we clashed! So I slow down, wait for them to pass, then carry straight on..
However, there is one driver who 3 times now that absolutely is the most miserable sod I've come across that just being on that stretch of road on a cycle has them on the horn and getting all irate..
This morning, I had enough, I was overtaking parked cars before the junction when they screamed out Leacey crescent pretty quickly , I slowed down but being already 3/4 the way alongside a load of parked cars, clearly I have nowhere to go, but they still tried to squeeze me into the cars, and blasted the horn..
I turned around and went after them, knowing the traffic is backed up, they couldn't get away too quickly!.. It turns out to be a youngish woman who clearly is quite a miserable git, trying to blank me at first, but I wasn't being overly aggressive, just wanting to know what their problem actually is.. in the end she engaged in conversation which was not unsurprising, she just quoted that there are no give way lines as some justification for being belligerent.. I know that in the past if you arrive at that junction just as a car approaches, there is a bit of uncertainty and I've had to swerve away to the right to ensure I don't get in their path, or stop dead and move far left as they don't always see you, so I understand it's not always so easy from either party..
So, what say OCUK?
My own feeling is, that since I don't assume right of way going straight on, and can see that it's a conflict of each road users intentions at that 'junction', that some common sense should be used, the mere fact the road has been left open and only bollards have been placed there is clear indication its meant to be used by cyclists, which means that with no giveway markings, that doesn't absolve everyone from blindly driving along, both parties need to show caution and when you can't see clearly if cars or cyclists are approaching, slow down and be sensible.. if I am just crossing that junction as you approach, slow down and let me by, as I do when it's reversed..
I'm more shocked that rather than show some common sense, there are people that would happily run you over and go out of their way to make a point just because they feel you are in the wrong and they are in the right.
However there seems to be absolutely no pleasing some people...
I take a detour when cycling to get me off the main road, it's quieter, it's slightly longer, but far more relaxing (or so you'd think).
Anyway, there is one part of the journey that is a bit odd..
There is a road through an small estate that they closed off a few years ago to stop 'through' traffic from using it as a cut-through, but just put bollards in the way which allows cyclists etc to get through..
Obligatory Images:
The view as I approach on the cycle.. I am the white line going straight on along Sandycroft Road, the issue is cars coming from the road on the left (Leacey Crescent)(cars path shown in blue).
Obviously you can see that as a cyclist, there is a bit of a risk point if you want to carry on through the bollards, and you have to be very mindful of cars coming out of Leacey Crescent.
As a rule, I naturally give way to cars coming out that road, primarily as ignoring any highway code rules, it'd hurt if we clashed! So I slow down, wait for them to pass, then carry straight on..
However, there is one driver who 3 times now that absolutely is the most miserable sod I've come across that just being on that stretch of road on a cycle has them on the horn and getting all irate..
This morning, I had enough, I was overtaking parked cars before the junction when they screamed out Leacey crescent pretty quickly , I slowed down but being already 3/4 the way alongside a load of parked cars, clearly I have nowhere to go, but they still tried to squeeze me into the cars, and blasted the horn..
I turned around and went after them, knowing the traffic is backed up, they couldn't get away too quickly!.. It turns out to be a youngish woman who clearly is quite a miserable git, trying to blank me at first, but I wasn't being overly aggressive, just wanting to know what their problem actually is.. in the end she engaged in conversation which was not unsurprising, she just quoted that there are no give way lines as some justification for being belligerent.. I know that in the past if you arrive at that junction just as a car approaches, there is a bit of uncertainty and I've had to swerve away to the right to ensure I don't get in their path, or stop dead and move far left as they don't always see you, so I understand it's not always so easy from either party..
So, what say OCUK?
My own feeling is, that since I don't assume right of way going straight on, and can see that it's a conflict of each road users intentions at that 'junction', that some common sense should be used, the mere fact the road has been left open and only bollards have been placed there is clear indication its meant to be used by cyclists, which means that with no giveway markings, that doesn't absolve everyone from blindly driving along, both parties need to show caution and when you can't see clearly if cars or cyclists are approaching, slow down and be sensible.. if I am just crossing that junction as you approach, slow down and let me by, as I do when it's reversed..
I'm more shocked that rather than show some common sense, there are people that would happily run you over and go out of their way to make a point just because they feel you are in the wrong and they are in the right.
