My commute to work is all rural roads. The traffic isn't bad, and in the vast majority of cases, motorists are thoughtful enough to leave me plenty of space when passing.
But today I was passed by a car which was so close the mirror lightly brushed my jacket. The irony? The car had a bicycle carrier on the back. Someone who obviously either knows people who ride bikes or rides bikes themselves almost knocked me off to save all of two seconds. There was exactly one car coming the other way, and all they had to do would be slow down literally for two seconds!
The car that passed me a few minutes later by contrast - a boy racer XR3i, gave me the entire lane.
I don't condone the actions but the carrier might simply be there to take the kiddies bikes 500 yards down the road to the local park.
TR
Quoted message said:
But today I was passed by a car which was so close the mirror lightly brushed my jacket. The irony? The car had a bicycle carrier on the back. Someone who obviously either knows people who ride bikes or rides bikes themselves almost knocked me off to save all of two seconds.
But today I was passed by a car which was so close the mirror lightly brushed my jacket. The irony? The car had a bicycle carrier on the back. Someone who obviously either knows people who ride bikes or rides bikes themselves almost knocked me off to save all of two seconds.
In my experience there's no correlation between bike carriers on cars and courtesy to cyclists. My assumption is that they are off-road cyclists who rarely cycle on roads. I can't believe anyone who regularly cycles on roads would overtake you in the way you described.
But today I was passed by a car which was so close the mirror lightly brushed my jacket. The irony? The car had a bicycle carrier on the back. Someone who obviously either knows people who ride bikes or rides bikes themselves almost knocked me off to save all of two seconds.
In my experience there's no correlation between bike carriers on cars and courtesy to cyclists. My assumption is that they are off-road cyclists who rarely cycle on roads. I can't believe anyone who regularly cycles on roads would overtake you in the way you described.
Well, on the L2B yesterday, it was not the "wobblers" that were a hazard but the lycra clad speed merchants on expensive road bikes who came closest to knocking me off several times, by overtaking too close and brushing past, or diving through non existent spaces forcing others to brake to avoid them and when I mentioned this a the post ride bbq I was met by a chorus of "Me too!"
So, I would not be quite so sure that "I can't believe anyone who regularly cycles on roads would overtake you in the way you described" - some cyclists, believe it or not are selfish inconsiderate pillocks.
My commute to work is all rural roads. The traffic isn't bad, and in the vast majority of cases, motorists are thoughtful enough to leave me plenty of space when passing.
But today I was passed by a car which was so close the mirror lightly brushed my jacket. The irony? The car had a bicycle carrier on the back.
Well, on the L2B yesterday, it was not the "wobblers" that were a hazard but the lycra clad speed merchants on expensive road bikes [...]
Quoted message said:
So, I would not be quite so sure that "I can't believe anyone who regularly cycles on roads would overtake you in the way you described" - some cyclists, believe it or not are selfish inconsiderate pillocks.
That's one possibility: another is that they're used to riding in packs, and forget that other cyclists aren't necessarily also. Not that that's really any better, but it's easier to keep smiling when you can explain the behaviour in terms of unawareness than of malice.
Has to be said that L2B would not be my first choice of event if I were looking to ride 60 miles on a fast road bike. It'd be like trying to do a time trial on a shared-use path.
Oh well it's completely fine for them to be inconsiderate [censored] in that case ...
Oh please, don't read my post as a means of giving them good cause. If I had my way I'd slash the tyres* of every numpty that deigned to close the gap between us to the thickness of a [censored] paper. My post was there to rebuttal the assumption that the driver might not be such a cyclist as the OP hypothesised.
*I'm still working on the handlebar mounted EMP grenade launcher.
In article <[email hidden]>, p.k. [email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:
Well, on the L2B yesterday, it was not the "wobblers" that were a hazard but the lycra clad speed merchants on expensive road bikes who came closest to knocking me off several times, by overtaking too close and brushing past, or diving through non existent spaces forcing others to brake to avoid them
Club riders are used to riding close at speed, they will lean against each other, occasionally wheels will touch - it's fine if you're used to it, but I can see that it might come as a bit of a shock to people who aren't used to riding in tight groups.
Well, on the L2B yesterday, it was not the "wobblers" that were a hazard but the lycra clad speed merchants on expensive road bikes who came closest to knocking me off several times, by overtaking too close and brushing past, or diving through non existent spaces forcing others to brake to avoid them and when I mentioned this a the post ride bbq I was met by a chorus of "Me too!"
Perhaps what the should do is send the speed merchants off before everyone else, a bit like the London Marathon.
Perhaps what the should do is send the speed merchants off before everyone else, a bit like the London Marathon.
Martin.
It not being a speed merchant that is the problem - many in our group of 13 mtb riders are faster than most and spend a lot of time overtaking slower riders, but show consideration when passing. It was the selfish aggression shown by some lycra clad types on fast road bikes that was annoying - and in our observation significantly worse than in previous years.
What was not worse than previous years was Ditchling - it just gets easier every year. the battle is in the head not the body!
Not that that's really any better, but it's easier to keep smiling when you can explain the behaviour in terms of unawareness than of malice.
Ummmm, the same could be said about some motorists' behaviour?
I thought about that while writing, but no, not really. Club cyclists have the excuse that they know people - they themselves - who don't mind riding at close quarters and wouldn't object if it were done to them. I suspect that motorists who pass cyclists too close would be less likely to tolerate that behaviour were the positions reversed - i.e. if they were the cyclist. So the difference is that one of them is still "do as you would be done by" ...
(As I said before, that still doesn't justify it. I'm just saying it may not be deliberate rudeness and there's not much more point getting wound up about it than there is about, say, the novice cyclists who decide to stop and dismount in the middle of the road without checking behind them. They don't know any different)
<[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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Dylan Smith said:
But today I was passed by a car which was so close the mirror lightly brushed my jacket. The irony? The car had a bicycle carrier on the back. Someone who obviously either knows people who ride bikes or rides bikes themselves almost knocked me off to save all of two seconds.
In my experience there's no correlation between bike carriers on cars and courtesy to cyclists. My assumption is that they are off-road cyclists who rarely cycle on roads. I can't believe anyone who regularly cycles on roads would overtake you in the way you described.
It's not really possible though. Go anywhere other than a country park or foresty comission bike park and you'll need to do some road riding between bridleways...
But today I was passed by a car which was so close the mirror lightly brushed my jacket. The irony? The car had a bicycle carrier on the back. Someone who obviously either knows people who ride bikes or rides bikes themselves almost knocked me off to save all of two seconds.
In my experience there's no correlation between bike carriers on cars and courtesy to cyclists. My assumption is that they are off-road cyclists who rarely cycle on roads. I can't believe anyone who regularly cycles on roads would overtake you in the way you described.
It's not really possible though. Go anywhere other than a country park or foresty comission bike park and you'll need to do some road riding between bridleways...
It is really possible though. Go to a country park or foresty commission car park, and you'll likely see lots of cars with bike carriers.
My commute to work is all rural roads. The traffic isn't bad, and in the vast majority of cases, motorists are thoughtful enough to leave me plenty of space when passing.
But today I was passed by a car which was so close the mirror lightly brushed my jacket. The irony? The car had a bicycle carrier on the back.
Today I was buzzed very closely by a car that had a single bike on the roof. Both the cars before and after the bike car gave me plenty of room. The car two behind was also carrying a bike.
Unfortunately I cannot make out the registration plate on the movie file, although I will have a further play with it.
But today I was passed by a car which was so close the mirror lightly brushed my jacket. The irony? The car had a bicycle carrier on the back.
Today I was buzzed very closely by a car that had a single bike on the roof. Both the cars before and after the bike car gave me plenty of room. The car two behind was also carrying a bike.
Video, note intro has been adjust to get the correct icon for the film.
