Left a gap..

palinurus · June 2007

about the size of two 4x4s in front of me while taking primary in traffic moving at around 15 mph. I'm going 15 mph too. There's a gap so when the traffic slows or stops so can I. I do this pretty much every day along this section, unless it's unusually fluid. It's only a few hundred metres long- there's shops and junctions, pedestrian lights, even when pretty clear most drivers don't get to go over 20.

Anyway, the gap: this 4x4 tried to overtake and fill it, moving left while alongside, the driver giving me a hard stare through the window. Ugly bugger he was. Held my line and he slowed and dropped back. The traffic slowed up more after that so I didn't see him again.

Hackbike 6 · June 2007

You are my hero.[:X]

Hackbike 8 Commuting Debut 09/09/2006Dawes Audax 2006 New 20/09/2006 

 Cycle Commuting since 1981 

Cycling Proficiency Test 24 May 1977 (30 years ago)

 Ride to work part 1 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/ypjapc
Ride to work part 2 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jfagu
Ride to work part 3 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jcldv 

How not to lock a bike. http://i14.tinypic.com/52355zr.jpg

MICHAELCYCLES · June 2007

As a car driver and an occasional cyclist I wonder where some drivers get their ideas from: either trying to squeeze into gaps that dont really exist or putting their foot down to overtake you just so they can get to the next queue of traffic 50 yds away before you and then they sit there stewing in their pride and joy while someone on a œ200 bike goes past them....again.

Hackbike 6 · June 2007

Yeah it's a silly foot on the accelerator job only to be caught up in another traffic jam 50 yards up the road.

Hackbike 8 Commuting Debut 09/09/2006Dawes Audax 2006 New 20/09/2006 

 Cycle Commuting since 1981 

Cycling Proficiency Test 24 May 1977 (30 years ago)

 Ride to work part 1 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/ypjapc
Ride to work part 2 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jfagu
Ride to work part 3 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jcldv 

How not to lock a bike. http://i14.tinypic.com/52355zr.jpg

domtyler · June 2007

Same thing happened to me this morning by a black cab. I stopped 10 feet or so behind a bus in a trackstand and he decides to go round me into this gap. I just overtook him again and called him a fool through the window which is exactly what he was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Porridge not Petrol
________
Marijuana Hemp

urrrrrrrrrs · June 2007

please be assured Dom that it wasnt me as A) i live just to the north of london and

who the hell works on a monday morning,certainly not moi[:)]

P.S they call the area around where you live green badge valley

i'd rather have a bottle in front of me,than a frontal lobotomy

cannondale_boy · June 2007

A similar thing happened to me last week. A 4x4 was trying to get past me in a 20mph zone, i was doing 22 at the time...cars parked on the left of me and a truck coming the other direction. Now this 4x4 thought he could squeeze past me, yeah i know i was just over the speed limit, [;)] but this guy was breaking all the rules.

So all i see was flashing lights coming from the truck, then i hear the screeching of the 4x4 tyres. I think he narrowly missed me, the truck, & the parked cars. I hate 4x4's, they are meant for off road, quite literally, they are big, mean, and ugly looking things. [:(!]

"In 1949, 34 per cent of miles travelled using a mechanical mode were by bicycle"

Hackbike 6 · June 2007

Chelsea tractors you mean.

Hackbike 8 Commuting Debut 09/09/2006Dawes Audax 2006 New 20/09/2006 

 Cycle Commuting since 1981 

Cycling Proficiency Test 24 May 1977 (30 years ago)

 Ride to work part 1 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/ypjapc
Ride to work part 2 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jfagu
Ride to work part 3 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jcldv 

How not to lock a bike. http://i14.tinypic.com/52355zr.jpg

The Endorser · June 2007

There's nowt worse than leaving a safe gap or zone, only for some numbty to fill it. Duh!

Taking the moral high ground since 1969

Aidocp · June 2007

What scary is when a HGV mis reads you're speed and tries to get into that Gap thats too small for a estate car let alone a HGV!

If I had a baby elephant, who would take it for walks?

Cakey · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by The Endorser

There's nowt worse than leaving a safe gap or zone, only for some numbty to fill it. Duh!

Taking the moral high ground since 1969
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

When I used to commute, by car, out of London to Reading I came up with the following related to this:

The closer you get to London the shorter the 'safe' distance between you and the car in front becomes, tending to less than 1 car length, and even then someone may well try to get into it... I call it 'Cake's Law' [;)]

Edit - made it clear wasn't pulling a 40 mile commute on my bike!!

rgisme · June 2007

If I leave a gap, it's only big enough for a bicycle to fit in it, drafting. Otherwise I'm lurking on the offside waiting for the overtake. [:)]

Jacomus-rides-Gen · June 2007

Aido - they don't misread your speed, they just don't give a f**k. The odd truck driver is decent, waits, gives enough room etc, but most see you as little more than a fly only slightly larger than the ones squished on their windscreen.

How come HGV drivers can stop on a narrow London street and in one move reverse round a corner and into an archway with about 2 inches clearence on wither side, but they have no idea when it is safe to pull in?

_________________________
Quote: "25mph is pretty fast when you aren't wearing a car..."

el_presidente · June 2007

I got clipped by a motorbike this morning as he overtook between me in primary and a cab in the next lane over. He brushed my arm fairly solidly, I was amazed he tried to go for the gap.

I caught him up at the next set of lights, what a waste of time.

hevipedal · June 2007

I had a classic from a cabbie this morning (sorry urrrrrss) I entered Constitution Hill from Hyde Pk Corner, I had a decent run at the corner so got to speed quickly. I love powering down this stretch. There was a mini in front of me and I followed him down the road, slowly he pulled away from me. I was doing close on 50kph as the mini pulled forward there was another cyclist ahead and I was getting ready to move out slightly to pass. But the cabbie behind had different ideas, he pulled along side me and would not give me room even though he must have seen the cyclist ahead. And the at Victoria monument he had to stop at the red lights while I went to the front of the queue. No point to what he did, gave him no advantage, and didn't really slow me down. On top of everything this is a 30mph limit so if I'm doing 50kph what are they doing to overtake me?

 Hevipedal 
Phrase of the week - I've got a bike. You can ride it if you like.
It's got a basket, a bell that rings and
Things to make it look good.
I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it.
 
51yrs old and Proud of it - Made it to 87kg 2 more to go for the target.
Pedal to Paris Sept 2007

BentMikey · June 2007

Hevi, just pull out earlier, or stay in the middle of the lane if you're doing that sort of speed. Add a bit of a wobble, and even a cabbie is unlikely to dare to come close to you.

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

urrrrrrrrrs · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by hevipedal

I had a classic from a cabbie this morning (sorry urrrrrss) I entered Constitution Hill from Hyde Pk Corner, I had a decent run at the corner so got to speed quickly. I love powering down this stretch. There was a mini in front of me and I followed him down the road, slowly he pulled away from me. I was doing close on 50kph as the mini pulled forward there was another cyclist ahead and I was getting ready to move out slightly to pass. But the cabbie behind had different ideas, he pulled along side me and would not give me room even though he must have seen the cyclist ahead. And the at Victoria monument he had to stop at the red lights while I went to the front of the queue. No point to what he did, gave him no advantage, and didn't really slow me down. On top of everything this is a 30mph limit so if I'm doing 50kph what are they doing to overtake me?

 Hevipedal 
Phrase of the week - I've got a bike. You can ride it if you like.
It's got a basket, a bell that rings and
Things to make it look good.
I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it.
 
51yrs old and Proud of it - Made it to 87kg 2 more to go for the target.
Pedal to Paris Sept 2007

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

well it werent me as i sit here at the computer at home not dressed in much[:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0][:0]

mind you,you were doing 50 k's ??? tut tut [V]

i'd rather have a bottle in front of me,than a frontal lobotomy

Cab · June 2007

Happens all the time. Morons see a bike in front of them and want past, either (a) they're just insulted by a bike being there, or (b) they believe that by being in front of the bike they'll get going more rapidly when the traffic speeds up, or (c) they're too stupid to leave a safe gap themselves and perceive the gap you've left as a sign that you're slower than the vehicle in front.

Whatever the reason, when they try to pass (illegally in thes situations I think) you either have to let 'em go or speed up and get in front. You have to make a judgement call when it happens, whichever is safer at the time.

Free baby elephants for every citizen
Vote Arch for Prime Minister

il_principe · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by urrrrrrrrrs

P.S they call the area around where you live green badge valley

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Do green badges denote licensed minicabs? These guys are, without exception, complete and utter nutjobs, I don't think I have ever been overtaken sensibly by one of these tools. And why to they all drive VW Sharan's and Ford Galaxy's? I've have words with a number of these muppets when they've cut me up, but they never respond. If these guys have taken their driving test in another country, are they required to take the UK test before getting a cab license, it's just that their driving is strangely reminiscent of my experiences in Africa and Jamaica.
[:0]

My Best Bike

urrrrrrrrrs · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jashburnham

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by urrrrrrrrrs

P.S they call the area around where you live green badge valley

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Do green badges denote licensed minicabs? These guys are, without exception, complete and utter nutjobs, I don't think I have ever been overtaken sensibly by one of these tools. And why to they all drive VW Sharan's and Ford Galaxy's? I've have words with a number of these muppets when they've cut me up, but they never respond. If these guys have taken their driving test in another country, are they required to take the UK test before getting a cab license, it's just that their driving is strangely reminiscent of my experiences in Africa and Jamaica.
[:0]

My Best Bike
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

firs things first ,they are MINISCABS[}:)]

all they have to do is speak one word of english,usually ugg,learn how to allegedly drive in a straight line,and know how to use the M4 from Heathrow back into London as their knowledge

another differance is they have a plastic green disc with a yellow diamond in the front and back windsceens, whereas,we have a green and gold metal badge with our number on it which is for life(albeit i lost mine 5 years ago and have a different number
now))

most of them are people carriers so that they can hold upto 7/8 people,but g-d forbid one of those is involved in an accident they are standard built cars at the end of the day ,whereas although we are charged œ36k,they are purpose built to withstand accidents and not roll over etc

i'd rather have a bottle in front of me,than a frontal lobotomy

joebe · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Palinurus

about the size of two 4x4s in front of me while taking primary in traffic moving at around 15 mph. I'm going 15 mph too. There's a gap so when the traffic slows or stops so can I. I do this pretty much every day along this section, unless it's unusually fluid. It's only a few hundred metres long- there's shops and junctions, pedestrian lights, even when pretty clear most drivers don't get to go over 20.

Anyway, the gap: this 4x4 tried to overtake and fill it, moving left while alongside, the driver giving me a hard stare through the window. Ugly bugger he was. Held my line and he slowed and dropped back. The traffic slowed up more after that so I didn't see him again.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Some guy in a Bentley tried exactly the same move on me the other week. A 'gentle' tap tap on the window and me mouthing F off seemed to do the trick though.

<hr noshade size="1">
<center>

pink is the new black

Doris hanging out by the river </center>

palinurus · June 2007

I don't know how keen he was to move into the gap (the traffic was slowing by the time he started the overtake, so the gap was closing anyway). Maybe he was one of those "you should be at the edge" types.

dondare · June 2007

A gap in the traffic with a cyclist in it is not a gap in the traffic.

This sig is under construction.

Left a gap..

Comments

Categories