Near accident...who was in the wrong?

[kitchenman]

It is amazing how frequent incidents like the ones you describe occur. I suppose it all adds to the excitement of extreme commuting! ... Lots of video opportunities!

 

[Mussels]

I'm amazed I've survived so long without mirrors, I don't know how I do it.

 

[flecc]

I'm amazed I've survived so long without mirrors, I don't know how I do it.

Other road user's skill?

 

[morphix]

It is amazing how frequent incidents like the ones you describe occur. I suppose it all adds to the excitement of extreme commuting! ... Lots of video opportunities!

Absolutely! All the more reason to film your rides ;-) Any accident or dispute, you hopefully got it all there.

 

[Patrick]

To date, I've had van drivers try and come as close as possible to me in oncoming traffic while I'm trying to turn right. Had someone turn left before they'd actually finished overtaking me so I ended up down the same road they were turning down. Had people pull alongside me at a junction when we're both turning left so that I can't actually see when it's safe to pull out. Had people reverse out of their drives almost in to me but just keep going after seeing me and force me on to the wrong side of the road. Had pedestrians walk out in front of me and then keep walking after seeing me and force me on to the wrong side of the road. I could go on but this is depressing me. Just keep looking, use your mirror like crazy and don't get angry. Nothing gets someone madder than getting caught in the wrong!

Out of curiosity how far away from the kerb do you ride? I find that these kinds of problems happen when I'm close enough to the kerb for reckless drivers to act as if I wasn't in the same lane as them. For example, if someone pulled alongside me when I was waiting to turn left at a junction they'd put themselves in the way of oncoming traffic.

I've tried using a mirror in the past and found it more a distraction than a help. When I'm about to manoeuvre looking over my shoulder gives me a much better view than a mirror, and as a rule of thumb when it's not safe for cars to overtake me I make sure that there's not enough room for them to try to squeeze past. If cars get stuck behind me then they stay stuck until I find a safe spot to pull over and stop to let them past. I do get beeped occasionally (maybe once every month or two) but I just choose to interpret that as the driver behind me acknowledging that they have seen me and slowed down accordingly.

This approach might not be practical for city riding; my commute is between two towns.

Patrick

 

[Caph]

Out of curiosity how far away from the kerb do you ride? I find that these kinds of problems happen when I'm close enough to the kerb for reckless drivers to act as if I wasn't in the same lane as them. For example, if someone pulled alongside me when I was waiting to turn left at a junction they'd put themselves in the way of oncoming traffic.

Very good point Patrick. Until the incident in question I always stuck to the left when turning left, now I'm slap band in the middle of the lane when turning left. It wasn't even a concious decision, I just sub-conciously started doing it after that incident, so I guess I'm learning from other people's mistakes.

As for normal riding, I stick closer to the left on long stretches in high speed traffic, but as the road gets windy and/or traffic slows to my speed then the further out I go until I effectively occupy the same space as a car. Also, where I feel it necessary I move to the middle of the lane to deter wanabee Grand Prix overtakers but clearly this doesn't seem to work on white van man.

I don't think distance from the kerb would have helped with the person who turned left while overtaking me, it was on a quiet side street with no oncoming traffic and the driver was a young girl who I assume had just passed her test. The trouble is that no matter how good a driver/cyclist you are, you are always going to come up against no-win situations through no fault of your own. All you can do is keep your eye on everything around you as much as possible to maximise your chances of minimising the damage when these situations occur. Oh and also keep your fingers crossed!

 

[fatts]

I have only read the first couple of posts so appologise if this has already been suggested.
I find for new and cyclists returning to the road after a period off and even those of us who know it all, a read of Cycle Craft by John Franklin
I refer to it for cycle training at schools and it was part of my reading when learning the National Standards to be a cycle instructor.
I hope this is of help... off to bed for me now
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Patrick]

I second that Cyclecraft recomendation, it was reading that book that got me out of the gutter and out into traffic.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0117037400/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_g14_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-4&pf_rd_r=1DK4G9V00Q647Z9QYZE0&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128133&pf_rd_i=468294

 

[daudi]

Absolutely. Cyclecraft strikes me as eminently sensible and is written very eloquently and clearly. It could easily have been a very dry and dull book with lists of "do this... don't do that" but it is an enjoyable read by someone who is clearly passionate about cycling.