Dangerous/stupid driving near cyclists

thelawnet

People are crazy. The penalties for dangerous driving need to be made more severe and more people punished, even if no accident is caused.

Things I've experienced:

* sports car overtaking on a blind bend at 60mph+ in a 40mph zone because there was a cyclist in front. I was coming the other way in my car and had to brake to avoid a collision. He could have safely overtaken within a few seconds round the bend, the road was not busy
* today I was driving into Guildford, speed limit 40mph, single carriageway constant traffic, there was a cyclist four vehicles in front, doing about 25mph (on a proper road bike), and a full-on articulated lorry was sitting on his back wheel even though it was clearly never going to be safe to overtake and there was a roundabout ahead within less than a mile leading to multiple lanes. The cars in front took the right lane at the roundabout to go straight ahead, I sat behind the bicycle and got there before one of the cars that had 'overtaken'. No need to even try overtaking in this situation why do people bother?
* was riding my bike down the hill just now, my GPS was showing 26mph, 30mph zone, residential street, cars parked on the left-side of the road, t-junction at the bottom within a couple of hundred yards (meeting a busier road). Got overtaken by a car which went hurtling down the hill on the wrong side of the road couldn't stop at the bottom and turned right across oncoming traffic.
* I was riding my bike a couple of weeks ago along the road (30mph limit, residential area through road, fairly narrow) and a car came up behind me and beeped its horn at me. There was traffic coming the other way and I needed to turn right, so I signalled right and moved over to the centre line, waited there about 5 seconds for a car to pass and then turned right. While this was happening the car driver that had beeped his horn was going psycho, revving his engine several times, beeping at me repeatedly and gesticulating when I looked round to take his numberplate (which I supplied to the police). He was behind me for under 30 seconds, and if it had been a car in front of him signalling right he wouldn't have got angry.

What is wrong with these people? If there is a bicycle in front, do not panic, it is not harmful, if you are in an urban situation and the bicycle is keeping up with traffic, don't bother trying to overtake, they'll only filter past at the light; otherwise you might need to wait 10 or 20 seconds for an appropriate point to pass - please do so, your arrival at your destination is not going to be significantly delayed by being courteous and your chances of dying/killing someone today fall substantially.

Car driving is for most people the only activity they take part in that carries a real risk of death/injury to others, but still people take it so lightly. Lock em up!

gozaimasu

I just wanted to say thank you for reporting drivers like this to the police. I had taken number plates before of people driving dangerously and had intended to give them to the police, but do they even do anything about it? What action can they take when it is one word against another? Drivers don't just do this to cyclists - they do it to other drivers, being deliberately agressive.

Strider590

Drivers have no patience for inferior road users.

It's the theory of big

gozaimasu wrote: »

I just wanted to say thank you for reporting drivers like this to the police. I had taken number plates before of people driving dangerously and had intended to give them to the police, but do they even do anything about it? What action can they take when it is one word against another? Drivers don't just do this to cyclists - they do it to other drivers, being deliberately agressive.

They take notice if you use a helmet cam and post the video's of the internet.

thelawnet

gozaimasu wrote: »

I just wanted to say thank you for reporting drivers like this to the police. I had taken number plates before of people driving dangerously and had intended to give them to the police, but do they even do anything about it? What action can they take when it is one word against another?

I don't think they do anything from one report of nastiness, but they told me that the drivers in question have normally done it before so it's a bit of extra evidence. If six independent witnesses say A123XYZ is a dangerous driver, that's compelling even without video cameras.

Drivers don't just do this to cyclists - they do it to other drivers, being deliberately agressive.

But when a driver revs at me on my bike that's basically a threat to kill. If he follows through, he can kill me easily. Car vs. car is at least an equal battle.

exil

I had an example the other night - "Michael Schumacher" whizzing past me and a car in front and nipping back in just in time to avoid a head-on. 2 minutes later I caught up with him at traffic lights. It goes without saying that I was doing 50 in a 50mph zone so he must have been going at 20-30 mph above the speed limit.

Overtaking is an extremely dangerous manoeuvre on 2-lane country roads owing to the limited visibility and frequent bends and yet people do it to save a couple of seconds. Why?

JonathanA

As someone who rides and also drives, I can share many of those frustrations, especially the car that overtakes me on a bike and then cuts in, almost forcing me off the road. But equally I get very frustrated when I see cyclists giving other cyclists a bad name by jumping red lights, riding with no lights at night and weaving between road and pavement to suit their needs.

I'm very tempted by a helmet camera, has anyone tried them and what is the quality like of the recordings?

Viper_7

Seeing vehicles overtake on blind bends on country roads.... really what are they thinking - clearly not.

Saw this happen the other day, but it was a horse and rider that was over taken. there was ZERO visibility around the bend/over the hedge.

As with most things it's just lack of patience and me, me ,me ,me.

Vipes

newfoundglory

I have seen stupid motorists overtake cyclists when there is traffic coming the other direction. I have been the "other direction" and had to brake hard or swerve to avoid a collision as another car crosses the white line.

Equally, I have seen stupid cyclists almost causing accidents. However, as cyclists they can get away with this - just as they can get away without lights at night. I have almost hit a cyclist that was driving down the middle of a 40mph dual carriageway, at night, with no lights and wearing a black hoodie of all things. They are completely clueless to the fact they are invisible.

If you punish drivers for dangerous driving, cyclists should be subject to the same punishments.

thelawnet

newfoundglory wrote: »

Equally, I have seen stupid cyclists almost causing accidents. However, as cyclists they can get away with this - just as they can get away without lights at night. I have almost hit a cyclist that was driving down the middle of a 40mph dual carriageway, at night, with no lights and wearing a black hoodie of all things. They are completely clueless to the fact they are invisible.

If you punish drivers for dangerous driving, cyclists should be subject to the same punishments.

Dangerous driving kills others, dangerous cycling kills yourself.

Very important difference. Suicide is not a crime, manslaughter is.

andy8442

JonathanA wrote: »

As someone who rides and also drives, I can share many of those frustrations, especially the car that overtakes me on a bike and then cuts in, almost forcing me off the road. But equally I get very frustrated when I see cyclists giving other cyclists a bad name by jumping red lights, riding with no lights at night and weaving between road and pavement to suit their needs.

I'm very tempted by a helmet camera, has anyone tried them and what is the quality like of the recordings?

GoPro Helmet Hero. £200-300 though. Amazing quality pictures. Lots of adaptors and mounts available, great fun.

newfoundglory

thelawnet wrote: »

Dangerous driving kills others, dangerous cycling kills yourself.

Surely you don't actually believe that? What about cyclists that have caused road accidents that have caused deaths? What if i swerve to avoid a cyclist at night, clip a kerb or have a collision with another car in another lane?

If I had a camera in my car we'd soon see that cyclists are not always the innocent party they are made out to be!