Cyclists.

[Chippy_Tea]

Being a truck driver in the lakes can be frustrating especially in summer when tourists are everywhere, cyclists can be a real problem in the narrow lanes but being a considerate driver i always give them plenty of room and many wave (no not with clenched fists) or shout thanks as i pass leave them plenty of room (which for any cyclist reading is appreciated), when i see pictures like this it makes my blood boil too may impatient drivers on the road only thinking about themselves..

Cumbria Police
@Cumbriapolice

Here are some stills of footage sent to us by a cyclist in which a motorist doesn’t give sufficient room.
Luckily the cyclist wasn't injured.
Remember - give a cyclist or other vulnerable road users at minimum 1.5 m
#2WheelOperation

 

[phettebs]

I don't cycle but I run outside and it's the same thing. I run against traffic so I can see what's coming at me. The elderly are the worst. They would rather hit me than cross over the center line to give me space. Just today an old woman almost hit me because there was oncoming traffic and she couldn't be bothered to slow down, let it pass, and then move around me. Just blew right past me a couple feet away. They often get the 1 finger wave from me.

 

[Pezza24]

Used to cycle on the roads a lot but had to walk home from work last year as someone had been knocked off their bike on the SDR. Put me right off ever since I had to walk past the crime scene.

Really don't understand people's problem with it. Riles me when I hear people saying "one less on the road".

 

[marshbrewer]

I cycle, and have been clipped before by wing mirrors, slammed by the sides of transit vans, overtaken only to have the car then shove it's brakes on and slow down causing me to take avoidance actions, over and over again.

The funny thing is that, until recently, I used to do between 40 and 80k business miles a year, and have never, ever, been made late by cyclists, horse riders, runners, tractors or lorries.

I can therefore only assume that those who try and terminate my existence while I am on my bike must dislike me personally. I really must be a horrible person.

 

[cushyno]

I don't cycle but I run outside and it's the same thing. I run against traffic so I can see what's coming at me. The elderly are the worst. They would rather hit me than cross over the center line to give me space. Just today an old woman almost hit me because there was oncoming traffic and she couldn't be bothered to slow down, let it pass, and then move around me. Just blew right past me a couple feet away. They often get the 1 finger wave from me.

I get this regularly. Even on empty lanes some idiots won't cross the dotted white line to make space for runners. They may slow down but squeeze past without crossing the centre line even when they are the only car for miles around.
I've had to jump into the verge before now.

 

[Clint]

There are some idiots about not in cars though...
A farmer friend takes his cows across a lane from the farm to his pastures and was halfway through doing so when some chap came running down the lane...he asked him to wait a bit as he had nearly got them all through but the chap told him to ****off and ran through the cows causing them to spook and bolt off down the lane. He was lucky not to be trampled.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I try to give cyclists a cars width when overtaking as I'm a cyclist as well. However I saw an incident last week when a cyclist went through a red light on a humpback bridge not able to see the other side. Lucky to be alive as the lights are on sensors so if we're red then logically the other side has a vehicle.

 

[UKSkydiver]

...won't cross the dotted white line...

You can even cross the solid line in order to pass a cyclce* (assuming of course it's safe to do so)

*when it is travelling at 10mph or less

 

[UKSkydiver]

I am always totally surprised at the "them and us" mentality of some road users.

"They don't pay tax"
"They should be insured"
"Riding two abreast"

No one is perfect and there is room enough for everyone.

Everyone just be courteous and go about your business without hurting anyone.

"All we are say-ing,is give peace a chance" Lennon

Bloody hippy.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

"Riding two abreast"

I have to take issue with that, when the road is wide enough fine but when it isn't common sense should prevail unfortunately as we all know there are good and bad car drivers and there are also good and bad cyclists.

 

[jayk34]

Courtesy cuts both ways. Im regularly along stuck in a long queue of traffic behind inconsiderate cyclists on the commute to and from work. A simple glance behind them and pulling into the several parking laybays provided to allow some cars to pass would go a long way.

 

[chris-s]

Just today an old woman almost hit me because there was oncoming traffic and she couldn't be bothered to slow down, let it pass, and then move around me.

So you were going down the wrong side of the road and...

I don't want to be controversial as only you know the exact circumstances but...

Was there anyway you could have moved out of her right of way?

 

[phettebs]

So you were going down the wrong side of the road and...

I don't want to be controversial as only you know the exact circumstances but...

Was there anyway you could have moved out of her right of way?

No, over here in the US, pedestrians and runners are supposed to go against traffic. Cyclists go with traffic. So I was doing exactly what I was supposed to do. I was over on the shoulder of the road which I always move to when a car is oncoming. So I wasn't in her way. My issue was she didn't slow down to wait for the car coming past her. So to be fair, I wasn't in her way. She endangered me by not slowing down and not moving over as she flew by me.

 

[Rodcx500z]

There is no right and wrong in this being an x motorcyclist and car driver, when i was on the bike i had one thing on my mind, every thing on the road is out to kill me that was my mantra and i never got knock off i had a few near misses with DH gagers and after 42 years i called it a day, i drive now well i always have i look out for bikes and cyclists not just other cars, on the plus side i have never had a speeding ticket how i don't know because i used to go a bit on the bike but only when i deemed it safe, a very wise policeman once told me to get pulled you have to be doing something no one else is and that stuck with me over the years, the only thing that winds me up is 2 abreast and the pelonton boys who think it is their god given right to do as they please

 

[Clint]

When driving and I spot a motorcycle behind I try to make it obvious to the rider that I can actually see them...you usually get a nod of appreciation as they pass.

 

[chris-s]

Exactly Clint.

If the traffic is thick, make a point of moving to the left to let them know you have seen them. Many acknowledge with a wave. In Europe they do the leg out thing. Weird!

 

[UKSkydiver]

In Europe they do the leg out thing. Weird!

Pretty sure the reason is this.

When you pass a car in the UK you wave with you left hand / nearside.

On the continent, nearside would be the right and and if you did this you would decelerate quickly.

 

[Graz]

I don't cycle but I run outside and it's the same thing. I run against traffic so I can see what's coming at me. The elderly are the worst. They would rather hit me than cross over the center line to give me space. Just today an old woman almost hit me because there was oncoming traffic and she couldn't be bothered to slow down, let it pass, and then move around me. Just blew right past me a couple feet away. They often get the 1 finger wave from me.

So you were going down the wrong side of the road and...

I don't want to be controversial as only you know the exact circumstances but...

Was there anyway you could have moved out of her right of way?

No, over here in the US, pedestrians and runners are supposed to go against traffic. Cyclists go with traffic. So I was doing exactly what I was supposed to do. I was over on the shoulder of the road which I always move to when a car is oncoming. So I wasn't in her way. My issue was she didn't slow down to wait for the car coming past her. So to be fair, I wasn't in her way. She endangered me by not slowing down and not moving over as she flew by me.

Just for your information chris-s the same rules apply in the UK, if you're on foot (walking or running) on a road without pavements (sidewalk ) then you should be walking against the traffic. It's in the Highway Code (link). You also have right of way over other vehicles so they should slow down and even stop rather than try to pass you when there are other vehicles coming the other way or they can't see far enough ahead to pass safely. You don't need to move for them though obviously if it is a difficult spot then you could be courteous and hop up onto the verge if you can.

There's several reasons why you should walk/run against traffic. You're the most vulnerable so by going towards it you can see exactly what's coming and take evasive manoeuvres if the driver has failed to spot you / move out / slow down. It's often too late if they're coming from behind you. It also makes it easier for drivers to see you and decide what action to take.

That said the amount of people you do see walking with the traffic makes you wonder if this road rule does need reiterating somehow.

Anything with wheels or hooves though should be going with the traffic.

 

[Clint]

My mate drives HGV gas tankers through some very tight lanes.
One day he gets back to depot to a complaint that he had " run a horse and rider off the road,driving like a maniac.."police were there etc.
He said a woman walked a horse past when he was parked up and it trod on her foot..they checked his tachograph at the time and place...and he was static. Woman got a telling off.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

I have to take issue with that, when the road is wide enough fine but when it isn't common sense should prevail unfortunately as we all know there are good and bad car drivers and there are also good and bad cyclists.

I'm not a cyclist, but I have a feeling that the thinking on this is to make drivers with no common sense or an irrational hatred of cyclists think of cyclists as a vehicle, therefore having to pull out a car's width in order to overtake. I can see the logic in this, but in my opinion only works with cyclists travelling at speed.

On another note, I'm quite surprised at the lack of hatred for cyclists in this thread so far!