[Closed] Are you over cautious when overtaking cyclists? Road rage content

Don't overthink it, he was a dick, move on.

I overtake every cyclist as if they were my 12 year old son.

He sounds like a cock and you don't.

I suppose the question is does being an active cyclist make you alot more aware and possibly make the wrong decision when overtaking other cyclists?

You didn't make the wrong decision though.

You made the safe decision and everyone got to go home.

I'd much rather have to phone the cops for some road raging arsehole than phone an ambulance for an injured cyclist.

The stupidity of this is that, if he was in such a rush, why did he feel the need to stop, get out, shout etc. That must've delayed him more than waiting for a safe overtake..
He's a ****!

+1 for not the wrong decision, and I think being a cyclist makes me more considerate to cyclists - I always cross the road fully and only when it's safe to do so, if it annoys Nigel bloody Mansell behind me, then tough shit. That sounded pretty horrid, though - I think (he says, with the benefit of a calm environment, zero adrenalin and masses of hindsight), if that happened to me, I'd just get a phone, start recording his rant, then submit to the old bill. No-one should have to put up with that.

I am far from the perfect driver, but try to think further down the road than the next 2 seconds.
I think this is (part of) the problem with these boneheads. They don't or can't foresee what MIGHT happen & choose to take the safe option, so everything to them becomes 'must do now'...

You see the same thing where a car overtakes a cyclist & then immediately catches a parked car and has to stop so blocks the cyclist, or wants to do a left turn.

Just this morning there was a bloke waving his fist at me apoplectic with rage because my being on the roundabout (and indicating my intentions) meant that he couldn't enter the roundabout at his preferred 50mph. Morons as far as the eye can see.....

Sounds like you did the right thing though.

Just another dick. I think the only overtaking cyclists thing that irritates me as a driver and a cyclist are people that overtake really slowly. Get on and get past with a wide gap. Don't creep by extending the danger time accelerating very slowly.

overtake every cyclist as if they were my 12 year old son.

He sounds like a cock and you don’t.

This x1000 (my sons not yet that old but same applies).

OP if it makes you feel any better I have many times endured the same.

I had to come to a stop in an NSL recently as some neanderthal oxygen thief did what the driver behind you had intended round a semi blind bend but I was the car coming the other way. He'd have been able to see me as he pulled "out" but just came anyway. Luckily for all of us I was having one of those "he wouldn't would he, actually he might" moments and the foot was already headed for the brakes. The car behind me wasn't a tailgating retard as otherwise we'd have had an accident of our own.

So to your Mr Road Rage **** you and to you op happy and continued safe motoring.

IHN is right he was just being a dick, it happens unfortunately. I don’t own a road bike and only rarely ride anything other than local quiet roads, but I still try to do what you do and give bikes plenty of room, and also time. It’s only a few seconds to wait, what difference will it really make.

I feel your pain. I am extremely cautious when overtaking cyclists, and wait until I can overtake safely, giving them maximum room - often to the discontent of the impatient folk behind me who probably consider me to be a dithering fool. My partner was killed while cycling on the road - enough said I'm sure.

You did the right thing. Bellend was a bellend. Forget it and move on.

Definitely very much aware when I overtake cyclists as I know what its like on a bikes so go for load of space and usually move right across to the other side of the road ("treat the bike as a small car"...)

I always follow the simple advice that only overtake where safe to do so and the idea of you have to do several stages of checking before you finally commit to the manoeuvre and even then, you are moving the car to the wrong side of the road so you still need to be able to move back behind the over road user if anything goes wrong.

Also the car, sorry, driver you encountered is 100% end of a bell as he was obviously in such a rush he had to then stop and explain his limited driving ability, mental situation, flawed outlook on society, terrible music taste, poor life choices and general lack of sexual prowess to you, so...BMW? Audi?

BTW, kudos for staying calm. always the best thing to do when in that kind of situation.

I suppose the question is does being an active cyclist make you alot more aware and possibly make the wrong decision when overtaking other cyclists?

I think one would have to be particularly mentally-challenged not to carry the awareness learned whilst cycling over into one’s driving (+ vice versa). As for making ‘wrong decisions’ - I’m not quite sure what you mean?

My not overtaking a cyclist (or horse, or tractor, or runner, etc, etc) because it’s clearly at that moment unsafe to do so is not being ‘overly cautious’ regardless of the prick behind me who decides to endanger everyone because entitlement/impatience/anger-issues.

Although I’ve met a few people in my life and ‘one rule for me, another for thee...’ is a common (mostly unspoken) rule for a surprising percentage of folk.

Arguably much has to do with concepts of courtesy and entitlement (this is also cultural), and whilst knowledge and adherence to the Highway Code/regulations/laws should be close to being ‘sufficient’ in itself, this all breaks down (beyond unfamiliarity with said codes) where entitlement, impatience and anger-issues (sic, sic, sic!) overtake a road-user‘s mental-processes.

So he's in such a rush he's got to make a dangerous overtake, yet he's got time to **** around brake checking and getting out of the car? He's a ****, ignore.

Soon as the car had stopped phone should have been out videoing tool. Then uploaded to YouTube and shared on here to brighten our amusement on a Friday morning.

He's used to his intimidating driving forcing people to go faster/make riskier overtakes. You should take a perverse satisfaction that you had the discipline to drive properly, despite this. The fact that he blows a gasket and makes a tit out of himself is the cherry on the cake.

Lot of angry idiots out there at the moment. Current situation isn't helping calm them down.

Teaching my lass to drive at the moment, and keep having to tell her to stay calm and not to change her driving to make the moron two feet off her bumper happy.

I suppose the question is does being an active cyclist make you alot more aware

I think it has to help. Went out this morning at 08:00 at commuter time on B roads which I haven't done this year. The driving was horrendous, blind bend overtaking, overtaking and immediately stopping to indicate right and so on. I think the dream of it being a better cycling environment after Covid with more cyclists is well and truly over.

OP, re-reading your post it seems that your road/driving-awareness is on-point but you’ve let an utter weapon make you doubt yourself? Would that be a fair assessment?

I think the dream of it being a better cycling environment after Covid with more cyclists is well and truly over.

Did they put the traffic cones away already? And yet...

Coronavirus pandemic is ‘still accelerating’, WHO director-general warns

One advantage of being a cyclist is knowledge of the folly of overtaking cyclists to save time in traffic. I’m always happy to sit behind cyclists until it is completely safe to overtake properly. I don’t worry about cars behind me. My driving instructor used to say there is nothing you can do about them. He was right.

I overtake every cyclist as if they were my 12 year old son.

He sounds like a cock and you don’t.

Basically this.

Is it wrong to admit I take great pleasure in holding up the traffic behind to ensure I give the cyclists I am about to over take sufficient space and exaggerate my overtake to demonstrate a safe pass? In these covid times and because I drive a diesel I like to allow 2m + 1.5m. I can spend many happy miles following behind a group wishing i was with them.

Echo all the comments above, doesn't sound like you did anything wrong and doesn't appear to me that you were over cautious either.

It's not the same as pulling over to the other lane to go around a stationary object. Its a person, you have to be on the safe side of the line when making decisions because if you get it wrong, it could be far worse than just a dented bumper, it could be an injured person. So if you have doubt over if the manoeuvre is safe then you have to abort and wait for a better opportunity.

I think drivers today are very impatient and short sighted, I see silly moves being made for almost zero gain. They don't really think ahead of what might might happen and only focus on the 2 metres in front of their bumper. The number of times I'm approaching a red traffic light and some idiot driver will overtake me and slam on the brakes because of the stop line.. great! what was the point of that?! Or overtake me and then immediately stop because they want to turn right and the path is not clear, FFS!

He probably went home and knocked one out thinking about how he "showed you "

Forget it, he's a dick.

I agree with harry

You did the right thing a d yes being a cyclist makes you a more aware driver

He sounds like a cock and you don’t.

Very much this. You handled all aspects perfectly. Hard not to take it personally but try not to make his problems your problems.

I'm possibly over cautious when I overtake cyclists compared to most other drivers ie I try and do it properly and safely. I'm also human, there are still occasions when I misjudge it, but at least I've given myself a much wider margin of error than most

Dashcams were made for situations like this.

Bellend was a bellend.

They don’t really think ahead of what might might happen and only focus on the 2 metres in front of their bumper. The number of times I’m approaching a red traffic light and some idiot driver will overtake me and slam on the brakes because of the stop line.. great! what was the point of that?! Or overtake me and then immediately stop because they want to turn right and the path is not clear, FFS!

Must Get In Front.
Most common type of "dangerous" or inconsiderate overtake, there's absolutely nothing gained from it. I've had overtakes up to junctions, red lights, traffic jams and quite often I'll overtake again seconds later. Very few people are capable of looking more than 2m in front of their bonnet and planning for road conditions.

I do sometimes wonder how much of it is driven by impatient bellends behind the first driver. Cyclist - Driver 1 - Driver 2. D2 is 6 inches up the arse of D1 (as per the case in the OP) pushing for an overtake, D1 feels "pressured" into overtaking...?

If I had been in the OP's position, the only thing i'd I reckon i'd have done differently would be the bit at the end where I email the dashcam footage to the po-po.

Dashcams are so cheap and convenient these days that I genuinely can't understand why every car doesn't have one.

It's been my experience that fitting one in my car has moderated my driving to be better and safer as I always have that niggling awareness that anything stupid I might do will be captured.
It's like being followed by a police car, all the time. This is a good thing.

This is one of the reasons I love driving a van with a tow bar fitted. No rear window and mirror means it's easier to ignore the idiots when they get close. If they touch the back end of the van it will be their vehicle that comes off worst. I've become much more relaxed in these situations since getting rid of the car.

The problem is even the type of driver who would get angry (angry!) at a tractor will still not (normally) overtake said tractor if there is a risk of collision.

But given that a cyclist does not generally block the angry/impatient driver’s view of the road ahead then close/illegal passes are almost guaranteed because culturally (at least AFAIK in the UK/US/Aus) the cyclist is seen a ‘lesser’ life-form in the highway ecosystem.

Anecdotally, I have seen many impatient drivers pass me (me on my bike) on bends and hills only to narrowly miss causing a head-on with traffic approaching from the other direction.

You can guarantee that deadly driver sees the cyclist ‘at fault‘ for ‘holding them up’, whereas were the cyclist a tractor or horse then they they most likely wouldn’t have taken that same risk (or even be ‘angry’)

If that makes sense?

What annoys me is the over-cautious drivers who don't realise how wide the road / their car is, and then eventually overtake in a really bad place anyway.

Sure I prefer to be safe rather than sorry, but can't help think that their hesitation to overtake will fuel other impatient drivers to lose their temper, and they may well take it out on the cyclist, rather than the poor driving of the car driver.

Yeah he was a dick.

Unless you’re over 60 then clearly you’re not a typical Volvo driver or you’d be driving 40mph no matter what the speed limit.

I call myself a cyclist, a motorcyclist and a driver. I think the more forms of transport you have tried on our roads, the better your appreciation of other road users.

Never ridden a horse on the road, or driven a HGV. Honestly think if everyone was forced to try all forms of transport people would have more respect and time for each other on the roads we share.

do sometimes wonder how much of it is driven by impatient bellends behind the first driver. Cyclist – Driver 1 – Driver 2. D2 is 6 inches up the arse of D1 (as per the case in the OP) pushing for an overtake, D1 feels “pressured” into overtaking…?

Exactly this. Have witnessed this a number of times (as D3)

Your driving is definitely not the issue here, so I wouldn't put any more thought into it. The guy should probably be reported to the police imo, that's a massive over-reaction and the level of anger clearly makes him a danger to other road users.

I'd have had my phone out recording him, making funny faces to wind him up more then posted it the Internet hoping it went viral.

I overtake every cyclist as if they were my 12 year old son.

Definitely this. Also, I do believe that being a cyclist makes you a more aware driver*. For years now I have been advocating a requirement to log a set number of road miles as a cyclist as part of the process of gaining a full drivers' licence. Too many people think it is a right to drive a car. It's not, it's a privilege.

*Some cockwombles (making progress threads) on here are the exception.

Unless you’re over 60 then clearly you’re not a typical Volvo driver or you’d be driving 40mph no matter what the speed limit.

Volvo drivers have changed a lot since the days of the 240. Used to be a car for careful and conscientious drivers but I think the image has changed and many are driven in same way as a typical Audi or BMW.

as above, he was a dick.

See it all too often, recently I was following a cyclist away from some lights with a few cars behind me, couldn't overtake due to oncoming traffic (busy main road in a town), and when the road was clear, I had a 500ft distance before I would be turning right into my street. Indicated right earlier than I would normally, and sat behind the cyclist, rather than have to speed up, overtake, then brake sharply in front of the cyclist to turn right, gaining zero time.

Bloke in a white merc, despite me already indicating right, overtakes us both, because he cannot wait for 10 seconds.

Idiots.

The general standard of driving is shocking tbh, even basic stuff like staying on your side of the road when on a right hand bend seems to be impossible for most.

OPs Volvo:

🙂
RM.

You did nowt wrong and that's not even because it's a cycling forum where you'll get confirmed as doing nothing wrong when it comes to cyclists.....that's because you followed highway code and rule 1

One day the guy who took beef will come across someone without brake assist who's car doesn't stop as quick as his and he's gonna look a right dick waiting on the recovery truck - and the police.

Dash cams ftw.

I overtake cyclists the same way I would a car, plenty of space and only when its 100% safe. If other cars have to wait because its not safe, well tough shit.

You were in the right legally and morally. Case closed, rule 1 is being broken more often again. If his actions do bother you though, just think how shit his life must be to behave Like that.

i will often not overtake where i could if i know the bellend driving up my chuff will follow through

Playing devil's advocate, the one thing you did wrong IMHO is thinking it's your job to police someone else. The fact is, you don't know what they'll do and if they want to throw their car into oncoming traffic that's on them not you. Maybe a head-on with a semi (fnarr) would be a greater incentive to amend their driving style than a bloke in a Volvo playing the TCR jam car.

once his back wheel is level with my front wheels turns in and does an emergency stop.
My Volvo has emergency brake assist where it will apply maximum braking so with some steering i avoid a crash, was a close call though.

... which you reported to the police, yes? Dangerous driving, threatening behaviour, deliberately trying to cause a collision... Might be worth seeing if you can notify his insurers also.

if he was in such a rush, why did he feel the need to stop

All of the this. If he's got the time to have a stand-up row at the roadside for five minutes, he wasn't in so great a hurry that being delayed by a cyclist / Volvo for 30 seconds would be an issue. So what's the problem exactly? Bellend.

I drive alot. 400 miles a week so am used to seeing all manner of bellendery. I used to have a traffic officer as a friend and did a bit of road work with him, and some tuition with afire brigrade driving instructor.
Done loads of track days and used to instruct drifting as my friend ran a school for a while, so when it comes to a to b commuting i am normally confident and positive
So, yes this tool had me questioning if i maybe dither abit too much
Weirdly, i cannot recall the make of the vehicle, which is very unusual ad i have owned over 50 cars but for some reason my brain blocked it out

Playing devil’s advocate, the one thing you did wrong IMHO is thinking it’s your job to police someone else. The fact is, you don’t know what they’ll do and if they want to throw their car into oncoming traffic that’s on them not you. Maybe a head-on with a semi (fnarr) would be a greater incentive to amend their driving style than a bloke in a Volvo playing the TCR jam car.

equally boot on the other foot.

your that cyclist and the car does meet a semi (are you american>?) coming the other way who do you think is going to take the brunt of the impact ?

Being a cyclist as well you know what a close pass feels like, I'd imagine Mr "making progress" doesn't.

I'm all for an overtake of a slow driver if they are just dawdling, but if they are going slowly because of a cyclist (or for some other reason), then it's just time to relax and keep everyone on the road and safe.

If you can find his house, you know what to do with the frozen sausages!

So, yes this tool had me questioning if i maybe dither abit too much

His actions after passing you should have been enough confirmation that there was nothing wrong with your driving. If he thinks punishment passing, brake-checking and road-raging are perfectly OK, then chances are his judgement on your driving was a bit impaired.

As you point out, he was enough of a loon to do something that would most likely cause a massive stack, wrecking both cars.

Report to police if you can remember his number/description. He may have a history of it if a non-issue like this provokes this kind of reaction.

You weren't in the wrong OP, you did the right thing.

"Hurry up and overtake it's just a cyclist" far too many drivers have this attitude

I had to save a driver the other day from his own stupidity.

Cycling along a narrow B road with some blind crests, I crested a small rise and spotted a car coming the other way. At the same time behind me I hear a car going for an overtake, he's not got over the crest yet so hasn't spotted the car. I move over to the middle of the lane and hold my arm up.

The overtaking car pulls back in and now spots the oncoming car. I pull back and now the road is actually clear he overtakes. He holds up his hand to thank me!

If i'd let him overtake without me signalling he'd either have had a head on crash with the other car or, more likely, pulled back to the left when he saw the oncoming car and wiped me out.

People are idiots.

TCR jam car.

I was more of a Race & Chase kid myself.

I do believe that being a cyclist makes you a more aware driver*

The single best thing I ever did to vastly improve my driving was to pass my motorcycle test.

I was more of a Race & Chase kid myself.

A mate of mine had that. I was very envious.

If i’d let him overtake without me signalling he’d either have had a head on crash with the other car or, more likely, pulled back to the left when he saw the oncoming car and wiped me out.

+1. Had to do this on a hilly coastal road once. There wasn’t a queue of traffic behind me, but a car every 30 seconds or so. Approaching the crest after one near head-on impatient overtake I felt the need to block overtaking cars as I could see oncoming traffic (it was a dutch bike, I had a better view) AND it was a series of crests, terrible for overtaking. But they do. Time and again.

Got off and walked on the verge* as my nerves were shot, foreseeing that inevitable impact.

*Long-term response to dangerous section/issue = bought a monstercross for the same commute and instead took bridleways, farm tracks and cheeky SWCP. Slower, harder, longer, dirtier, but at least mostly enjoyable and not as frustrating/nerve-shredding as getting off and walking/dealing with dull-edged weapons driven by dull-edged, er, weapons 😬

"Anecdotally, I have seen many impatient drivers pass me (me on my bike) on bends and hills only to narrowly miss causing a head-on with traffic approaching from the other direction."

I've been in a car when someone did exactly this. Long straight road with sharp bend at the end, and they overtook just before the bend narrowly missing a car coming the other way, then complained "What an idiot! He shouldn't be cycling on a road like this". I had to bite my tongue, they were my partners friends. They were awful drivers, constantly stressed about the slightest thing. They were driving a tiny Peugeot then, you'll be pleased to here they've bought an enormous 4x4 Lexus to give them some confidence.

Thinking about it...

I tend not only to look where I'm going, but where the cyclist is going as well; potholes, rubbish on the road and so on.

Something that you can't do if you are following a car.

Yep guy sounds like a bell end. If I'm overtaking a someone on a bike I'll generally go over onto the other carriage way (Highway code rule 163 "give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car"), nice photo as well in case anyone is in doubt.

People do get frustrated if they're behind me but sorry that's part of the deal with driving and vulnerable road users. I do find it frustrating that you'll do that and then you see all the bell ends behind you either giving little or no room when overtaking or squeezing past round a blind bend etc.

On a slight tangent I don't get it when someone on a bike tries to wave you past when there may be an obstruction or you can't see round a bend. I understand they can probably hear things better than they can but that doesn't mean there aren't a bunch of bikes coming the other way, a horse or an electric vehicle. It's not like I'm right up their chuff either.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people will sit behind say a tractor until the heat death of the universe but will throw their car into oncoming traffic with gay abandon when confronted with a cyclist going twice as fast.

I don’t get it when someone on a bike tries to wave you past when there may be an obstruction or you can’t see round a bend.

Spoiler: car drivers don't have the monopoly on bellendery, I know we're biased but there's there's plenty of muppets on two wheels as well.

People do get frustrated if they’re behind me

This just made me think of something.

I do wonder if a portion of the ‘perception‘ problem is that cyclists are (to the dull mind) ‘neither fish nor fowl‘?

To use the tractor example again - even a particularly dull-witted driver is sure about the situation when ‘behind’ a tractor. They are quite literally behind it, not just in terms of ‘making progress’. They driver is not (generally) ‘angry’ at the tractor or the driver of tractor (usually obscured way up there behind a dirty cab)...

But then they of course finally pass the tractor in a safe and sensible fashion ...only to come across a C Y C L I S T.

Now (to the dull-witted) the rules all of a sudden seem all over the place.

The cyclist is either

1. Located near the edge of the carriageway, to the passenger-side of the approaching car. Therefore:

Not literally ‘in front/ahead’ of the driver, yet ‘ahead’ in ‘progress*‘.

So dimwit thinks is this an overtake or a slow-down? Does a dimwit speed-up or back-off?

And look at that, it’s a human. Moving. Unconfined. Not a ‘proper’ vehicle.

Dimwit finds this adds to confusion and mounting annoyance. So goes for

A. A close-pass at speed

or

B. Indecision, closing in fast on cyclist, mounting impatience followed by last-minute pass on a bend/hill into oncoming-traffic.

2. Cyclist in primary position. Therefore:

Dimwit’s head implodes. Now they see that cyclist is in front of them in every way possible. At the least very much more ‘in the way of me’ than a tractor or horse, or even runner in the same situation.

Dimwit assessment of situation: ‘Horrible cyclist in the way, in front, ahead of me/in the way of me/ahead in progress/blocking the road/in the MIDDLE of the road. They just have to be taking the piss?’

At this point the dimwitted driver cannot ever imagine the cyclist to be analogous to a tractor. This is war. Add another cyclist (two-abreast) and We’re talking a 30-second wait, then warp-speed last-minute overtake on crest/bend, plus hurled abuse/confrontation/altercation or at least an angry letter to the papers/Tweet to the terminally-Twittered. #notatractor

* ie ‘How can they be slower than me, while currently ahead, yet not in front, ie to the side, yet making more progress! ARGH ARGH! my dick head! My accelerator! My life!’

I don’t get it when someone on a bike tries to wave you past when there may be an obstruction or you can’t see round a bend.

Maybe the cyclist can see it's clear? (I don't think you're meant to do it anyway).

I suppose the question is does being an active cyclist make you alot more aware and possibly make the wrong decision when overtaking other cyclists?
Yes
You did the right thing
Well done. There’s always an apoplectic idiot about.

Maybe the cyclist can see it’s clear?

Or a psychopath who is waving you into the path of an articulated lorry... 🙂

I'm sure plenty of drivers get annoyed with me for the same reason. Sod 'em.

Now they see that cyclist is in front of them in every way possible. At the least very much more ‘in the way of me’ than a tractor or horse, or even runner in the same situation.

Yeah. Weird, isn't it. If they were behind a horse rider they'd be patient and give plenty of room when passing at low speed, rather than punishment-passing on a blind bend whilst bellowing "you don't even pay road tax!!" at them.

Perhaps we need to get tee-shirts printed up with "I'm on a horse" on the back.

Another vote for you doing the right thing, it's also what I do too. At the end of the day your actions in a car can seriously injure or kill other vulnerable road users. You recognised the risk and took actions to mitigate it.

Is it wrong to admit I take great pleasure in holding up the traffic behind to ensure I give the cyclists I am about to over take sufficient space and exaggerate my overtake to demonstrate a safe pass?

I definitely do this when at work in the delivery van. I've even had cyclists phone up the "How's My Driving?" number on the rear door and leave a good comment on how I gave them loads of room and didn't intimidate them. I do it too in the car when I come across a family out for a spin, don't want to discourage them! Overtaking regular cyclists, roadies etc, I'll just do a safe overtake if I can.

Seems you were right and he was a dick.

I'm not a rapid response driver. It doesn't matter if I'm a couple of minutes late at my destination.

I think cycling has influenced my driving. I ride more than I drive. But equally I try to interact with other road users as I would outside of my car. I'd hold a door for a stranger, not barge past someone in a tight space and generally be courteous and polite. So why not drive like that?

Maybe a head-on with a semi (fnarr) would be a greater incentive to amend their driving style than a bloke in a Volvo playing the TCR jam car.

I kind of agree with the sentiment, but in reality, faced with a head on with a truck and shoving the cyclist to the kerb to get back in, what will be the outcome?

I was kinda thinking the 'blind bend' bit but yeah, fair point.

your reaction to the situation is to be commended sir, only thing to add is that there are far too many people in prison, hospital and the cemetery due to the escalation of road rage incidents, stupid is as stupid does!

I've had a belly full of idiot drivers. I get at least one close pass per ride and spend most of my time riding not enjoying the event, but instead plotting revenge or imagining what kind of scum has just put my life on the line without a second thought.

However, I think that the intolerant behaviour towards cyclists is a symptom and not the cause of the issue. We've had little to no investment in cycle infrastructure, likewise little in the way of road upgrades for a long time. Meanwhile growth in vehicle sales and house building in metro areas is constantly supported by the state, leading to ever increasing levels of congestion and driver frustration. Angry man in the OP's post is still a bellend and deserves a slap at some point, but he's just reacting to the environment he's in.

Will our current government sort the problem? Unlikely. The next one? As unlikely, I suspect. Change will be a long time coming as public support and understanding for more liveable places just isn't part of our culture at the moment.

Perhaps we need to get tee-shirts printed up with “I’m on a horse” on the back

"Safer Scotland" actually ran a campaign a few years ago "See Cyclist, Think Horse" because someone had no doubt spotted the weird contradiction between how cyclists and horses are treated on the road.

The ASA tried to ban it as it featured a cyclist "not wearing a helmet" and riding in the "wrong place" in the road

He got it wrong. He was driving badly. So rather than suck it up, evaluate his driving and learn where the problems lie, he wants to use his one redeeming quality - being built like an ape - to vent his insecurities.

Well done on your actions. Now fit the dashcam.

I dun a Awareness Course the other day, and one of the takeaways was: If you do this (ANYTHING!) while driving, would you pass your driving test?
Well bell-end desperate to overtake wouldn't would he!? And your nicely considerate overtake of the cyclist sounds like how you would do it on your test. So it's pretty simple that you were right and he was wrong a ****

I’ve had a belly full of idiot drivers. I get at least one close pass per ride and spend most of my time riding not enjoying the event, but instead plotting revenge or imagining what kind of scum has just put my life on the line without a second thought.

Guilty of this too. Main reason I ride a gravel road alternative where ever I can as I actually enjoy the ride then rather than getting pissed off.

However, I think that the intolerant behaviour towards cyclists is a symptom and not the cause of the issue.

I had a Ford SUV squeeeeze by me today as the last car of a queue of traffic passed in the other direction. We were in a 50 limit and doing an estimated 25-30mph on a slight downhill. To the driver's credit she had been waiting for traffic to pass, but if she had waited another second the road would have been clear. However, rather than do that she passed so close I could almost touch the passenger window (and there was a passenger sitting there). I have to admit to losing my sh!t a little, and she did hear me judging by the rather shocked glance in the rearview mirror.

I've also had a discussion with two older ladies on FB who were joking about needing a tank to protect themselves from fast motorbikes, boy racers and packs of cyclists on a particularly long and picturesque stretch of national speed limit near here. I politely pointed out that an 80kg cyclist putting out half a BHP is hardly a threat to a car and its driver, and we continued to discuss deaths caused by motorised vehicles compared to those caused by non-motorised vehicles. Again, what it came down to was a perspective from inside a steel cage and the inconvenience caused by others, and probably even some lack of understanding to those that are 'different'.

However, where I'm going with this is that I don't think either of these examples were meant as malicious or even particularly intolerant, rather just thoughtlessness and impatience. To me the answer is education and understanding, both of which seem to be in short supply at the moment.

(And better infrastructure would be very nice too).

Angry man in the OP’s post is still a bellend and deserves a slap at some point, but he’s just reacting to the environment he’s in.

So why don’t we all feel and act the same way towards cyclists? I don't react like him not because IANAB, but because waiting behind a car that is waiting to overtake another road-user is not normally an environmental trigger/disaster that deserves any reactions other than ‘make your checks, continue to read the road and situation, continue to drive safely’. Becoming an aggressive and dangerous tit is not a ‘reaction to the environment’ unless of course your environment is insanely aggressive. Would the OP say that the evirons/situation before Mr Beller kicked off were ‘insanely aggressive’? I see that could be a chicken vs egg discussion...yet...

I had to save a driver the other day from his own stupidity.

Cycling along a narrow B road with some blind crests, I crested a small rise and spotted a car coming the other way. At the same time behind me I hear a car going for an overtake, he’s not got over the crest yet so hasn’t spotted the car. I move over to the middle of the lane and hold my arm up.

The overtaking car pulls back in and now spots the oncoming car. I pull back and now the road is actually clear he overtakes. He holds up his hand to thank me!

I proactively manage traffic on my rides a lot of the time. It can be quite mentally wearing but it also buys you time and mitigates a lot of the anger if you can swing in / ease up / wave someone through. The trick is to actually mean it. Be assertive and most drivers will work out that you're actually trying to help them.

1. Located near the edge of the carriageway, to the passenger-side of the approaching car.
........
2. Cyclist in primary position.

During the early part of lockdown when traffic was way down on normal, I didn't get any close passes at all. All the overtakes were really wide and safe, no issues. The problem isn't "the cyclist". The problem is oncoming traffic. As soon as you put oncoming traffic into the equation, you get the situation that you describe where they can't decide whether to wait for a safe moment or squeeze through.

“See Cyclist, Think Horse” because someone had no doubt spotted the weird contradiction between how cyclists and horses are treated on the road.

Yes I have often thought this - why people on bikes aren't treated similarly to horse riders I'll never know. I have never, even during the lockdown, been on a road ride without someone doing something stupid.

A couple of weeks ago I had been down to my local wood for a quick blast on the MTB and on returning home, I was going through a set of lights. I deliberately rode towards the centre of the lane so people behind would know I was going straight on (or at least know I wasn't about to turn left). As I was passing through, the lights started to turn to red and I heard a car gunning its engine and accelerate through so they wouldn't have to wait a couple of minutes for the next green light. She then overtook me and immediately turned left, almost taking my front wheel off. Just why?

As soon as you put oncoming traffic into the equation, you get the situation that you describe where they can’t decide whether to wait for a safe moment or squeeze through.

Almost as if they have to remember how to safely overtake another vehicle or obstacle?

I have never, even during the lockdown, been on a road ride without someone doing something stupid.

Same, my two nearest-misses in over 12 months were during the quietest two weeks of ‘lockdown’. One boyracer not looking flew out of sidestreet nearly took me down, another one close-passed me at mad speed and then overtook slow car in front at warp speed nearly hitting another car oncoming. Arguably the nobbers were most prolific during ‘lockdown’ taking their ‘necessary’ ****chback journeys to nowhere by exploiting the empty streets like the Nürburgring

She then overtook me and immediately turned left, almost taking my front wheel off. Just why?

Because you’re

1. ‘In her way‘ and
2. ‘#notahorse/#notatractor

Yes I have often thought this – why people on bikes aren’t treated similarly to horse riders I’ll never know.

I've witnessed this numerous times. Driver will follow a horse along at 5mph for 2-3 minutes, pass ultra wide and careful, not revving the engine.
Driver behind a cyclist, even one doing 25mph and it's right up the arse, trying to squeeze through, hooting...

I suppose the question is does being an active cyclist make you alot more aware and possibly make the wrong decision when overtaking other cyclists?

In my experience I would say no. I commute to work so spend a fair bit of time on roads and the amount drives who tell me I can't ride in the middle of the road (despite legally being able to) is unreal, when I tell them otherwise its often met with I know the rules I cycle too. Which we all know is proper fraff.

I fully believe that a good 65% of drivers have zero clue of road rules when it comes to bikes and drive like absolute morons. This so called "golden age of cycling" needs a shed load of investment to education these idiots like in teh OP.