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As above I think a lot of near misses are deliberate. The rest are poor drivers, misjudged overtake etc.
The other week when cycling home from Exeter, a convertible merc cut me off at a roundabout exit nearly taking my front wheel off. Forward a mile later in traffic jam and I pull next to the convertible with its roof open and said to the driver he was close and can be just give more space for bikes. His reply was "I ride bikes too". I nearly laughed but just rode off. He was fat too so maybe it's a lifestyle thing!
I was driving to Llandegla on Sunday - on the narrow road between Coedpoet and Llandegla road. In a line of traffic doing 40. On the other side of the road (which is cresting a hill at this point) is a straining roadist.
The A4 (possibly A6, they do all look the same to me...) behind him is obviously not best pleased with being held up and performs one of the worlds worst overtakes giving the rider about 3.2mm of room*
Audi had an MTB on the roof... FFS man, same team!
*possibly an exaggeration for effect.
to those having a pop at the cyclist note this:
The 51-year-old motorist from Henley-on-Thames was cautioned by Thames Valley Police after he admitted committing a public order offence, assault, and making threats to commit criminal damage.
[url= http://road.cc/content/news/159864-police-caution-pratfall-road-rage-driver-video ]Driver admitted charges and was cautioned[/url]
He admitted the offence and the Police gave him a caution.
You would assume this came about after the Police saw the full video, the driver admitted he was at fault, the Police agreed, and the cyclist received no admonition whatsover - not for his road position, not for his approach to the driver, nor for riding on the pavement...
No-one involved, nor the Police have found the cyclist to be at fault...
FFS man, same team!
Uh... no. A step too far, methinks.
Reported!
No-one involved, nor the Police have found the cyclist to be at fault...
[i]Legally.[/i]
I don't think there was anything wrong with his road position, or him being narked at a stupid close pass, but giving chase to the driver so he could have a word was a daft thing to do.
Not illegal, just daft.
And here's exactly why that cyclist was riding in the "middle of the road" outside the door zone:
http://road.cc/content/news/159991-video-doored-cyclist-falls-path-black-cab
As ever, a tragic series of events:
1. Driver doesn't understand why the cyclist is riding so far from the parked cars - afterall, a car wouldn't do so.
2. Driver blasts past, infuriating the cyclist.
3. Cyclist, full or righteous indignation, decides to pursue driver and educate him as to his failings.
4. Cyclist clearly hasn't through through how this "conversation" may progress before engaging the individual, nor has he considered the fact that an individual driving a 16 year old Peugeot, [i]might[/i] not be at the point end of the intelligence spectrum yardstick...
5. As it turns out, the driver is seemingly uninterested/incapable of being educated by the cyclist...
6. Inevitably, what should've been a conversation, descends into an argument between two irritated individuals. This is where the wheels really fall off the wagon....
7. ...at this point the cyclist should've realised that there was absolutely [u][b]NO[/b][/u] point in taking to the man and simply said, "okay fella, no worries, have a good day" and been done with it.
8. what we're left with is another driver who (and assuming he didn't before) [b]HATES[/b] cyclists...nice job there, Video boy!
and now Nick Freeman wades in with
"The time has come for motorists to fight back and film cyclists breaking the law or riding irresponsibly,” he told Motoring.co.uk, adding: “How often do we see cyclists at night without any lights, jumping red lights, cycling the wrong way down one way streets, undertaking, cycling on the pavement or simply cycling down the middle of the road etc? Plenty!
“And these illegal actions challenge road safety by becoming a danger to themselves, to other road users and to pedestrians.”
No, the time has come for presumed liability, 5 yearly driver retests, more vehicle inspections and serious sentencing for petrol-crimes...
teasel - Member
FFS man, same team!
Uh... no. A step too far, methinks.Reported!
Eh? Really?
"The time has come for motorists to fight back and film cyclists breaking the law or riding irresponsibly,” he told Motoring.co.uk, adding: “How often do we see cyclists at night without any lights, jumping red lights, cycling the wrong way down one way streets, undertaking, cycling on the pavement or simply cycling down the middle of the road etc? Plenty!
As always, the 'anti' lobby have to use ignorance and made-up facts to justify their position:
1. Cycling the wrong way down one-way streets - may be (not always) a contra-flow cycle lane - quite a few of these in central London at least
2. Undertaking - as in, riding in the cycle lane provided by the council
3. Cycling in the middle of the road - as per Bikeability
Pretty worrying that he's trying to mobilise support based on this kind of ignorance - he's so wound up in the hatred that he's clearly not thought it through
Anyway, has pratfall man been named? I want to twitstalk him and ruin his life like we did with sweary-range-rover-and-plastic-jacket-cafe-owning-small-dick dude...
I regularly ride home over a hilly blind crest rat run, most car give plenty of space to me but are oblivious to the car coming the other way, many many times there's been locked up wheel or ABS judder and its just through utterly piss poor driving ability, nothing else.
I'm getting constant training to go onto construction sites safely, but once someone passes a driving test (even 60 years ago), off they go merrily about their business. No follow up anything until they get 12 points.
All getting predictably silly again with all sides wading in for more confrontation.
I ride in London every weekday and do a long ride back to the Essex heartlands via the East End once or twice a week. I regularly see some quite shocking behaviour from everyone and some of it downright dangerous. People are people. Some are nice, some are utter arses. Whether they be on a bike, moped, motorbike, driving a car, taxi, bus, truck, coach, lorry or even on foot.
I regularly see all the above jumping red lights (crossing at red for pedestrians). I also see them cutting each other up, being aggressive and generally being arses.
This morning there were notably more arses out. This is probably due to the impending tube strikes due to start later. On the cycling front there were more RLJs and generally selfish and arrogant riding, putting others and/or themselves at risk. I think these people hardly ever ride Bikes, but think they are road wise and are showing off that they are an awesome London cyclist. Well, they stick out like sore thumbs. Clueless idiots just waiting to be smeared over the road.
Anyway, the goading cyclist with a camera or the goading legal man with the ear of the media. Both as bad as each other and both doing nothing to make everything just a bit nicer
Driver admitted charges and was cautionedHe admitted the offence and the Police gave him a caution.
You would assume this came about after the Police saw the full video, the driver admitted he was at fault, the Police agreed, and the cyclist received no admonition whatsover - not for his road position, not for his approach to the driver, nor for riding on the pavement...
No-one involved, nor the Police have found the cyclist to be at fault...
A ****ing caution? Give me strength. That is why it is shit to commute by bike. Police and prosecutors need their arses kicked.
[i]most car give plenty of space to me but are oblivious to the car coming the other way[/i]
Happens so so often I hardly notice it...
Last week...
Ooh, a sign -
[img] 
[/img]
What's that for then? This narrow bridge? on the blind bend? What are those pretty lights?
[img] 
[/img]
Ugh. Bike. Must. Get. In. Front.
[img] 
[/img]
Duh
[img] 
[/img]
But of course, that only happened because I had my camera on and was looking for confrontation. 😆
[quote=hilldodger ]and now Nick Freeman wades in with
Yeah, well he's a **** who doesn't know the first thing about good driving. If you click through to the motoring article you'll find he's also asking for the usual full house of anti-cycling legislation
[quote=a ****y lawyer]The Government should consider introducing a raft of legislation which deals with identification, visibility, compliance with road traffic regulations, insurance, cycle excise licence and compulsory use of a helmet. This list is not exhaustive.
“The goal is to improve the quality of driving and cycling by both parties, thus increasing accountability and enhancing road safety.”
It's almost as if he has no understanding of the law at all
As a follow up to DezB's latest - I'm sure I've mentioned this on here before (probably in response to one of his previous posts): Approaching a local pinch point on a country lane I had a Rangy overtake me. Or rather it attempted to. Got alongside me before realising it wasn't actually going to get past before running headlong into the car coming the other way. Fortunately it didn't put me in the hedge, but both cars ended up having to stop. I took primary all the way from there to the next junction, though I think it was just stupidity rather than anything malicious and the driver was shocked as she hung well back rather than getting aggressive towards me.
"The time has come for motorists to fight back and film cyclists breaking the law or riding irresponsibly,"
In a way I welcome that because hopefully some of the antis will quickly learn that the "crimes" they are reporting are in fact perfectly legal and acceptable behaviour (as brooess pointed out).
The only issue is that they'll use it as a further justification for forcing cyclists to have number plates.
(because everyone knows that cars have number plates and as a direct result drivers never break any laws at all).
I'm sure the irony that if number plates prevented law breaking he wouldn't have a job is completely lost on him.
The time has come for motorists to fight back and film cyclists breaking the law or riding irresponsibly,
The level of whining from a privileged position you get from motorist on cycling related issues is absolutely extraordinary.
Motorists have literally billions of pounds poured into infrastructure for them, roads, lighting, fuel infrastructure. Huge swathes of land are given over to roads for cars to drive on and places for them to park. Most of the additional infrastructure added to roads like traffic lights, speed bumps, traffic islands is only there because motorist can't be trusted to obey speed limits or navigate through junctions without being told when to stop and go.
That's just the direct impact, lets also consider having to deal with shady regimes all over the world to get oil in first place. Or the huge impact of pollution from motor vehicles on the environment and human health. What about obesity due to inactivity and that cost to society?
And lets not forgot that thousands are killed and seriously injured by motor vehicles every year.
But "Oh no's a cyclist ran a red light"
Cry me a ****in river princesses
I ride bikes.
I stop at lights and other places I'm required to.
I ride on the road.
I give way.
I over take on the outside.
etc.
etc.
It ain't difficult to ride a bicycle sensibly and considerately.
Well said richmtb. Similar to what I was going to say, but couldn't be bothered in the end. Preaching to the converted (in most cases on here, but not all, obviously).
I'm sure the irony that if number plates prevented law breaking he wouldn't have a job is completely lost on him.
As is the irony of acting the guardian of all that is right and proper on the roads while spending his entire day trying to get rich piss-poor law-breaking motorists let off on technicalities.
People are people. Some are nice, some are utter arses. Whether they be on a bike, moped, motorbike, driving a car, taxi, bus, truck, coach, lorry or even on foot.
Sure, but
1). Driving turns some otherwise pleasant people into selfish nobbers
2). If someone is going to be an utter arse, I'd prefer it if they're on foot or bike rather than in 1.5 tonnes of metal.
cookeaa » Eh? Really?
Did that really require questioning? I mean, do I really come across as that kind of arsehole...
🙂
In case it didnt quite come across in written form correctly, what I was getting at was
1) Cycling gets a huge amount of investment these days in terms of infrastructure. That's great. It's not perfect and never will be, there is a danger that we come across as ungrateful for what we have and simultaneously expect too much without acknowledging how far we have come.
2) In the pursuit of a little balance on a naturally-biased biking forum I was highlighting that it is not black and white. That pass looked close, but not that unreasonable from the front camera. The reaction and subsequent elements were out of order
3) Some cyclists on the road expect unreasonable gaps to be left and this can sometimes affect the cyclist's reaction. Two cars on the country road was an extreme example for other road users and not something that would/should be appropriate, but for some drivers they might concede that they have already made some adjustment that they have given more room to a cyclist.
4) The driver was cautioned for his public order offences and assault, NOT for his driving or the pass.
5) Presumed liability for the larger road user is not going to happen until cyclists can be identified or be accountable. How on the one hand can we say 'dry your eyes' I only jumped a red light and not also dry our eyes if we get a bit spooked by a close pass. This might come across that I am defending the driver, which I am not, I am just mentioning that it will come across as slightly duplicitous from the cycling community.
Some responses if I may dufusdip:
1) Cycling gets a huge amount of investment these days in terms of infrastructure.
Ha ha ha Sorry? Where's that? Certainly not in the UK.
The 2015/16 Transport budget is £28 BILLION ([url= https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/443232/50325_Summer_Budget_15_Web_Accessible.pdf ]page 5 if you are interested[/url]).
How much of that will be spent on cycling? Difficult to say since the government refuse to have cycling in the budget, but we know [url= http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article4037945.ece ]past spending amounted to around £278 million a year[/url] for the whole of the UK.
Meanwhile [url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13924687 ]the M74 extension near Glasgow cost £138.4 million per mile![/url] [url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23744619 ]HS2 could cost £80 billion[/url]
2) In the pursuit of a little balance on a naturally-biased biking forum I was highlighting that it is not black and white. That pass looked close, but not that unreasonable from the front camera.
Bit late by the time he is past him no? Did you look at the still I posted from the rear camera. From that I'd say the clearance could be measured in inches.
[img] 
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3) Some cyclists on the road expect unreasonable gaps to be left and this can sometimes affect the cyclist's reaction.
Define "unreasonable". In countries that bother with laws about such things (e.g. France, Germany, Spain) generally agree that 1.5 metres is the minumum safe passing distance. That seems about right.
4) The driver was cautioned for his public order offences and assault, NOT for his driving or the pass.
Which is part of the problem.
5) Presumed liability for the larger road user is not going to happen until cyclists can be identified or be accountable. How on the one hand can we say 'dry your eyes' I only jumped a red light and not also dry our eyes if we get a bit spooked by a close pass.
Lost me there. What does getting a bit spooked by a close pass have to do with presumed liability?
Presumed Liability kicks in when someone is injured or property is damaged, not when they just get a fright.
I get the feeling that a lot of riders using cameras are just looking for someone to 'offend' them so they can try to take the moral high ground and initiate an argument. What was the expected outcome anyway - the car driver was hardly likely to offer his sincere apologies and mend his ways was he?
Either suck it up, have a bit of a moan and let it go or actually try and batter the guy and get arrested - your call. Don't ask the world to tell you how righteous you are just because you have a camera strapped to your head.
There can be little doubt that, like other forms of social media, many camera users are trying their damndest to get their like/view count up. Having something inflammatory or controversial up almost guarantees this.
I get the feeling that a lot of riders using cameras are just looking for someone to 'offend' them so they can try to take the moral high ground and initiate an argument.
The argument was initiated by the driver being nob.
Er, no. The driver was unaware that he had upset the rider. The rider initiated the argument by stopping next to the car and confronting him, regardless of whether that was the right thing to do or not...
No. There would be no argument without poor driving.
Circular argument. I am filming this you know, expect me to be outraged at any moment!
Bullet, next time you drive like a prick and I catch it on camera, stop and have a chat about it. Then I probably won't feel the need to upload to youtube.
teasel - Member
cookeaa » Eh? Really?
Did that really require questioning? I mean, do I really come across as that kind of arsehole...
Well if you have to ask... 😉
The driver was unaware that he had upset the rider.
He's not very observant then - I'd have thought the cyclist shouting at him as he squeezed past might have been a clue!
I get the feeling that a lot of riders using cameras are just looking for someone to 'offend' them so they can try to take the moral high ground and initiate an argument.
Yes everyone knows that you cannot initiate an argument with a car driver unless you have a camera on your head
Most CCTV is also used to encourage crime and those who fit it are asking to be robbed and in a very confrontational way
[i]Most CCTV is also used to encourage crime and those who fit it are asking to be robbed and in a very confrontational way[/i]
🙂 Likes.
...The driver was unaware
they usually are, pretty much of everything outside of their airconditioned metal bubble 😕
so we're saying that wearing a camera is some form of honey trap... and all drivers would be considerate, calm and reasonable were it not for those camera-wearing two-wheeled maniacs trying to be run down so they can create footage of purple-faced fat men falling over?
I feel like I've fallen down a rabbit hole
Most CCTV is also used to encourage crime and those who fit it are asking to be robbed and in a very confrontational way
Excellent
...The driver was unaware
they usually are, pretty much of everything outside of their airconditioned metal bubble
Yep. And all cyclists jump red lights and knock toddlers down on pavements.
These are the facts 😉
Circular argument. I am filming this you know, expect me to be outraged at any moment!
If I aim 1.5 tonnes of metal at you, you'll have every right to be outraged.
Have we all seen [url= http://road.cc/content/news/159991-video-doored-cyclist-falls-path-black-cab ]the video of the cyclist getting doored in London[/url]?
That was filmed from a camera in a taxi cab.
Can someone explain who deliberately caused this one so they could post it on YouTube?
Or does that only happen when it is a cyclist that is filming?
[i]knock toddlers down on pavements[/i]
Yep, didn't I hear they sent that kid out onto the pavement in front of bikes cos they were short of CCTV footage?
I love this place.
Have we all seen the video of the cyclist getting doored in London?That was filmed from a camera in a taxi cab.
Can someone explain who deliberately caused this one so they could post it on YouTube?
Or does that only happen when it is a cyclist that is filming?
Shit, though. Have you seen the very first comment on that.
This all really is a losing battle and a waste of ****ing time. This country will never change.
At least the "door opener" looked apologetic, I suppose.
...This all really is a losing battle and a waste of **** time. This country will never change.
I fear you're right, petrol-crimes will always be dealt with leniantly it seems, and the apologists are numerous.
Have you seen the very first comment on that.
Yeah had the same discussion on a local cycling FB group.
A guy [url=
it on there[/url] saying [i]"I think cyclist should have been more competent and alert always make sure you're at least 6ft away from cars"[/i] and went on to say he needed a rider awareness course.
No suggestion that the driver needed was incompetent or needed door-opening awareness course!
Likewise the [url=
posted it on their FB feed[/url] and it got someone criticising the cyclist because he wasn't wearing high viz. 🙄
We just have to carry on riding in a defensive way, and maybe filming to catch the useless bastards that are the majority of drivers.
I'll keep using the camera and don't really give a toss if there are idiots that think I use it to try to find trouble. I know what it's there for.
My awareness - and mostly, I'd say [u]adaptability[/u] has kept me in good stead so far.
[i] maybe filming to catch the useless bastards that are the majority of drivers.[/i] Yeah, badly worded, but I know what I meant anyway!
The door-bike-taxi video
I ride that road once or twice a week. It's a nightmare along there - you'll notice all the cars parked in the mandatory bus lane!
Is this a southern problem?
All these angry bikers and drivers all have southern twangs to them... probably explains a lot.
Mr Cyclist riding down that road, although he is fully within his rights, he was picking a fight from the off. If I had cars behind me I would move in to the gap, but hay Im a chilled out northerner and lifes too short.
I hope the guy was ok when he fell that could have been very nasty
[i]Is this a southern problem?
All these angry bikers and drivers all have southern twangs to them... probably explains a lot.[/i]
It could well be. Maybe drivers are better up there, but they are mostly useless down this way.
Nice that your chilled out northern outlook allows you to point out what the cyclist is doing wrong, like most of the .. nah, can't be bothered.
DezB they were both tozzers.
Is that better 🙂
Mr Cyclist riding down that road, although he is fully within his rights, he was picking a fight from the off. If I had cars behind me I would move in to the gap
So would I if there were cars held up behind me for any length of time, but that's not what happened here.
At the start of the video the cyclist is just completing a right hand turn into that one-way street. The driver comes through the junction and then just drives past like the cyclist isn't even there, despite there clearly not being enough room for a safe pass. He starts to overtake before the cyclist even gets to the gap he could conceivably move in to.
(I agree that the cyclist chasing him down was a bad move by the way. That was never going to end well. But I can understand his anger).
And round and round it goes....