Cyclists - what annoys you most about motorists?

no.10

I'm not talking about the ones who try and mow you down so they can add another cyclist sticker to the side of their vehicle!

More of the subtle unthinking actions that come from assuming the roads only belong to them.

My personnal annoyance is a queue of traffic, and the obligitory 1 in 4 that position themselves 6 inches from the kerb. You sit there with the choice to go into the middle of the road or around them on the pavement (wonder how many of those who moan about cyclists on pavements do this?)

To be fair I think most of them do it because they are in a world of their own as opposed to spite. Usually once they have spotted you they do move over.

I have seen more aggressive cyclists than me bang on car windows though!!

Johno100

no.10 wrote: »

My personnal annoyance is a queue of traffic, and the obligitory 1 in 4 that position themselves 6 inches from the kerb. You sit there with the choice to go into the middle of the road or around them on the pavement (wonder how many of those who moan about cyclists on pavements do this?)

You have a third option, wait behind the vehicles in the queue. Anyway you do know you are supposed to overtake on the right? Why should drivers aid and abet you in dangerously undertaking?

corbyboy

no.10 wrote: »

My personnal annoyance is a queue of traffic, and the obligitory 1 in 4 that position themselves 6 inches from the kerb. You sit there with the choice to go into the middle of the road or around them on the pavement (wonder how many of those who moan about cyclists on pavements do this?)

Are cyclists allowed to undertake?

no.10

'dangerous undertaking'

Please explain how it is more dangerous to cycle past stationary traffic than moving traffic?

All the steps I take to avoid danger in moving traffic I apply equally when its stopped

System

no.10 wrote: »

that position themselves 6 inches from the kerb.

I didn't realise that it was mandatory to leave room for a cyclist. i understood that a vehicle was quite free to position themselves where they wish within their lane. If they are only 6 inches from the kerb then that should give ample room to overtake them on the right. if there is insufficient room on the right then that is why they are only 6 inches from the kerb.

It's rather paranoid of you to think that 25% of drivers do it intentionally to thwart cyclists

thelawnet

no.10 wrote: »

I'm not talking about the ones who try and mow you down so they can add another cyclist sticker to the side of their vehicle!

More of the subtle unthinking actions that come from assuming the roads only belong to them.

My personnal annoyance is a queue of traffic, and the obligitory 1 in 4 that position themselves 6 inches from the kerb.

You could pass on the right, although to be fair if everyone else is positioned to the right of the lane it can make life difficult.

I see lots of things I don't like from motorists.

Last time I went out:

* I am cycling along a 30mph residential A-road. There is a car in the side road on the other side waiting to enter the road. It is unclear if he is turning right or left (not signalling I think).

I'm trying to assert my position because I don't want him turning right into my path.

He doesn't.

BUT, a motorist behind uses this moment to overtake me, exactly adjacent to the junction. The Highway Code tells you not to do this, but IME few motorists care.

* I am cycling on a 40mph country road, a route signed for cyclists. A car is parked on the offside fully in the carriageway and I see a car approaching at speed. I have barely passed the parked car when the oncoming vehicle swerves round it without braking and passes very close to me.

* I am cycling along a 30mph road leading out of a town. I am overtaken by a truck, who passes close. I catch up the the truck half-a-mile up the road at a traffic light. He is turning right, the light is presumably red but he is completely blocking my view of it so I don't know. The light to go ahead is green. After about a minute I wonder whether he can't make it round the corner because he is so long, so I move into the straight ahead lane to check what's going on. Of course at this point the truck starts to move - the light had only just changed.

It's my experience that in urban areas a majority of overtakes of me by motorists don't achieve any purpose in terms of getting to their destination faster - you get people overtaking when I'm signalling left, 100 yards from a traffic light where I will pass them, etc.

JQ.

Johno100 wrote: »

You have a third option, wait behind the vehicles in the queue. Anyway you do know you are supposed to overtake on the right? Why should drivers aid and abet you in dangerously undertaking?

Could you provide a link to that piece of legislation please?

V_Chic_Chick

Parking across the cycle lane. In some cases, I have seen them "double parked" .... except there is space at the kerb, they just can't be bothered to parallel park, and so block the cycle lane.

Random diagonal parking because there isn't enough space to park with the side of the car parallel to the kerb (I kid you not...)

Car drivers who believe that just because there is a segregated cycle path, I should be using that, and that if I am on the road they have a right to act dangerously around me and then shout "get on the cycle path" when I express my displeasure. What they don't consider is that the "segregated" cycle path is infested with idiot pedestrians who wander out into the path of cyclists without looking. I've hit one so far this year, and I'd prefer not to hit more.

TBH though, cycling around here you encounter a disproportionate number of dangerous idiots, so the ones who are just a bit inconsiderate pale in comparison!

skivenov

Highway Code Rule 167

DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example... where traffic is queuing at junctions or road works

Handsome90

skivenov wrote: »

Highway Code Rule 167

But Highway Code 88 states:

"When filtering in slow-moving traffic, take care and keep your speed low."

Therefore, cyclists and motorcyclists can filter if it's safe to do so.

andyrules

V_Chic_Chick wrote: »

Parking across the cycle lane. In some cases, I have seen them "double parked" .... except there is space at the kerb, they just can't be bothered to parallel park, and so block the cycle lane.

Random diagonal parking because there isn't enough space to park with the side of the car parallel to the kerb (I kid you not...)

Car drivers who believe that just because there is a segregated cycle path, I should be using that, and that if I am on the road they have a right to act dangerously around me and then shout "get on the cycle path" when I express my displeasure. What they don't consider is that the "segregated" cycle path is infested with idiot pedestrians who wander out into the path of cyclists without looking. I've hit one so far this year, and I'd prefer not to hit more.

TBH though, cycling around here you encounter a disproportionate number of dangerous idiots, so the ones who are just a bit inconsiderate pale in comparison!

If there's a cycle path, use it. Some of the road width may have been taken to create that path, so in that case cyclists on the (narrowed) road are a nuisance.