Roundabouts and other driving pet peeves

[ncurd]

Been cycling recently. Been a real eye opener. But a few things recently have peeved me off.

- A pedestrian just walking out into cycle lane to cross the road without looking, despite me ringing my bell forcing me to stop from crashing into her. Tell her off and she just looks gormless and doesn't apologise or acknowledge anything wrong.

- A Jogger in cycle lanes, plugged in, running in a contra flow cycle Lane, I am cycling in. Not paying any attention despite me ringing bell.
And despite there being a pavement for them to run on right next to the cycle lane. Forces another cyclist behind me to overtake potentially into oncoming traffic.

- Drivers not fully stopping at Stop signs behind the line and instead across a cycle Lane to join the main road; forcing me to stop from colliding into the car and having a go at her. Another one who is oblivious to her doing anything wrong.

Love how all road users hate other road users.

The joggers main mistake apart from not listening is not running in the opposite direction to the traffic flow. Which common as hell in both walkers/runners and drives me nuts as one. The key factor by being doing that not only can you move out the way you are protecting yourself by seeing traffic instead of being reliant on it seeing you. There are of course other factors for instance at corner or bends where you won't see oncoming traffic until its too late anyway but the key thing is forwards visibility coupled with your general visibility.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Love how all road users hate other road users.

The joggers main mistake apart from not listening is not running in the opposite direction to the traffic flow. Which common as hell in both walkers/runners and drives me nuts as one. The key factor by being doing that not only can you move out the way you are protecting yourself by seeing traffic instead of being reliant on it seeing you. There are of course other factors for instance at corner or bends where you won't see oncoming traffic until its too late anyway but the key thing is forwards visibility coupled with your general visibility.

Yeh thankfully this road is pretty much straight, being a high street and restricted access to certain vehicles coming in the opposite direction. So can clearly see any oncoming traffic. But it was more the total lack of consideration on this Jogger's part and not needing to run on the contraflow cycle lane, as well as being oblivious to it because he was plugged in that annoyed me.

Being a driver, pedestrian and occasional cyclist, it's this lack of consideration for other road users, which can cause collisions that annoys me most. Yes, road space is at a premium and users are fighting for their space, but I find it can bring out the worst in certain people.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

What an absolute knob!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Spat at, abused and run off the road: why do some people hate cyclists so much?

Bike riders have always faced aggression from car drivers. But they now find themselves on the latest front in the culture wars – with anger whipped up by the rightwing press

www.theguardian.com

Don't condone what she ultimately did,
But still there are absolute scum bags out there that will harass female cyclists. Swift justice indeed!

 

[Which Tyler]

Don't condone what she ultimately did,

I do.
Wouldn't even have blamed her if she'd smashed the windscreen with it (though I would have withheld support for that)

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Yeh the only thing is that Motorcyclist had video evidence of the sexual harassment but also the criminal damage the girl did.

So, yes on the one hand totally don't blame her and even if it was reported police would then have to deal with both incidents and likely female cyclist would have gotten worse for punishment for what she did then those scumbags.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Highway Code: 61% of drivers have not read new guidance, AA survey suggests

The AA is urging motorists to read the rule changes brought in earlier this year as soon as possible.

www.bbc.co.uk

Doesn't surprise me. Cars passing by me no where near 1.5m allowing me space.

Even other cyclists and pedestrians unlikely to have read it. Caught another cyclist cycling the wrong way up a contra flow cycle lane and copped verbal abuse from him when pointed it out. Another pedestrian plugged in and walking in a cycle lane, and risking injury. *SMH*

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Panorama - Road Rage: Cars v Bikes

Why are there so many incidents of road rage between motorists and cyclists?

www.bbc.co.uk

Worth a watch if you're a driver or cyclist or both.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Pedestrian standing in a contra flow cycle Lane having a chin wag with someone standing on the pavement and despite ringing my bell at least twice refuses to budge.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Any elderly relatives you know who should no
Longer be driving. Thankfully this cyclist lived but not after breaking his pelvis, back and being on crutches for 12 weeks.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I've been cycling to work and back for just over 2 years. It's a relatively short trip (10 minutes) but I've seen so much idiotic driving. In those 2 years I've had:
- Drivers ignore "priority to oncoming traffic" numerous times because they seem to think and oncoming cyclist doesn't count and will pull out right into my path
- Attempting to overtake me when I'm going around a parked vehicle, as if somehow their desire to overtake takes priority over my need to get around a static obstruction in the road.
- Mounting the pavement to get around those priority single lane island buildouts rather than waiting for me to get through (she had been waiting a grand total of 3 seconds tops)
- Pulling out in front of me on a roundabout almost causing a collision
- Overtaking me on my right when I was turning right in a dedicated right turn lane and there was an empty straight ahead lane to my left. Almost caused a crash
- Overtaking on blind bends
- Overtaking me when I was just over 2m from the car in front in traffic moving at walking pace and then swerving into that gap, clipping the front of my bike
- Braking checking me
- Intentionally blinding me with main beam
- Numerous overtakes into the path of oncoming traffic
- Overtaking me then slamming on the brakes as I was approaching a roundabout so looking at oncoming traffic not traffic behind me.
- Generic honking and yelling abuse.

I cycle with full lights, high vis helmet, jacket, cover over my rucksack and I have never had any vehicle stuck behind me for more than a few seconds as I pull over if that happens yet many times I think I shouldn't bother. I've ever cycled defensively, eg putting my bike in the centre of the lane when approaching blind bends and a single lane approach to a roundabout to try to dissuade people from doing stupid ****, it doesn't work, they still put my life in danger for the sake of a few seconds. Many drivers have serious issues and the second you are on 2 wheels and peddling, your life becomes cheap. We have a serious cultural attitude problem in this country in which many drivers are not only apathetic to a cyclists safety but actively desire to see us harmed.

As someone who has also driven, I can understand the frustration being sat behind a cyclist but it does not merit treating all cyclists the same and taking actions that, if they go slightly wrong, could result in serious injury or death for very little gain. I've even been knocked off my bike by an HGV that overtook me on a blind bend (right after I had pulled over to let traffic through) and almost hit an oncoming coach. He decided to swerve and the trailer hit me instead. Fortunately I didn't go under the rear wheels but it was close. Our government instead focuses on extra punishments for cyclists who cycle like dickheads rather than clamping down on people using their vehicles as weapons. Cyclists can be idiots but I can't think of any that actually try to use their bike as a weapon for obvious reasons. The same cannot be said for motorists. It genuinely got bad enough I was going to get a camera. The fact I moved to an area which is beyond cycling commute is the only reason I didn't.

 

[dullonien]

Any elderly relatives you know who should no
Longer be driving. Thankfully this cyclist lived but not after breaking his pelvis, back and being on crutches for 12 weeks.

100% agree with this. I see elderly people unfit to be behind the wheel of a car all the time, driving at a snails pace in order to offset their lack of reaction time, swerving in and out of lanes, making basic errors etc. I think a lot of them think that if they drive slow enough they won't cause that much damage when they innevitably have a knock, but as this video shows, lives are always on the line when unfit drivers are behind the wheel of a car.

I hope I'm sensible enough to realise when I'm no longer fit to drive when I get older, but I'm sure it's always a difficult decision to make yourself.

 

[Which Tyler]

I hope I'm sensible enough to realise when I'm no longer fit to drive when I get older, but I'm sure it's always a difficult decision to make yourself.

Given the number of people who seem to think being asked to wear a bit of cloth on their face gives them the right to literally cough in peoples faces when they're ill - I don't have much confidence in people doing the responsible but inconvenient thing of their own volition.

 

[Scotty]

I not a hater of cyclists at all but a couple have annoyed me recently doing the same thing, im stuck behind them on a 60 road(fine they were there first) no issue at all, when safe i over take and then i get to the traffic lights rather than waiting in a queue they cycle past all the cars and are now holding up all the traffic again

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Cycling up my lower high street. Red car to my left waiting at the junction with nothing behind me just pulls out right in front of me forcing me to brake. Absolutely no need to and no patience. Wait literally 2 seconds and could have joined the traffic.

I can see why cyclists wear a camera on their helmet.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Viral Bradford zebra crossing crashes caught on CCTV

Residents near a crossing which went viral on TikTok after numerous accidents call for new measures.

www.bbc.co.uk

Hate car drivers when they don't give way at pedestrian crossings.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Second time within a few days I have seen mobility scooters riding the wrong way on a contra flow cycle lanes in my local town centre. They are seriously taking the ****.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Second time within a few days I have seen mobility scooters riding the wrong way on a contra flow cycle lanes in my local town centre. They are seriously taking the ****.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Vans/lorries/ taxis parked across dropped curbs and cycle lanes.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

2 cars passed me within half a metre today. MFs.