Cutting corners

Totalnewbie

Sorry, I need to vent.

Why do drivers think it is their God-given right to cut corners when making a right turn, thus taking them onto the wrong side of the road? I'm pretty sure, when I learned to drive, that you were supposed to take the corner at a right angle.

I cross over Harley st on my way to work. I pull up to the junction give way lines in the middle of my lane, to check for traffic, and every day some eejit comes screaming down the the road and tries to cut the corner except oops, they can't, because I'm waiting there, on MY side of the road.

But this is what gets me: they give me filthy looks as though I'm the one in the wrong! One van driver even shook his head at me the other day.

Adamskii

I get abuse every single day. It's not worth arguing with motorists. Just smile in the knowledge that you are probably fitter, are saving money and are not getting stuck in traffic.

I pitty them I really do.

Clever Pun

cyclists do it to...

I've nearly hit a few of the tits as they cut a corner as I'm heading up the road

phil_ss1

At least if you get hit by a numpty cutting a corner on a bike you'll probably live to punch them!

If they cut the corner and run into a car then its their tough t*tty!

My worry is the the cars doing the cutting!

For info: 2 x days = 2 x left hand turn chop ups !

Phil

Totalnewbie

Oh for feck's sake...just had an HGV do it to me on the same spot. I saw him coming, saw him indicating, looked at his face...and he wasn't looking at me, he was looking at a spot six feet above my head as he turned onto my bit of the road. I quickly moved to the kerb as I would have been squashed if I'd remained where I was, I don't think he even realised. Nice.

Adamskii

There must be a reason why you're not being seen. What colour are your jacket, helmet and shoes?!

Totalnewbie

I don't think it's that...it's a bright sunny morning and I get seen the rest of the time (eg, ample opportunity on my commute for drivers to pull out on me but no one did this morning, they all saw me and waited). My helmet is pale blue and my cycling top has a fetching pink swirly pattern if you think it makes a difference. And my road position is fine.

The drivers cutting the corner yesterday saw me, they just gave me an evil look for being in 'their' way. I have a hiviz pink fluoro tabard that I wear sometimes and it doesn't make a whole lot of difference so I only tend to wear it in dull conditions now.

The HGV driver just now just was not looking my way and I don't think hiviz would have changed that...I have no idea what he was looking at but it wasn't the road.

Adamskii

Only asking becasue I see alot of cycilists out dressed in dark clothes with only a pathetic little flashy rear light and they wonder why motorists don't see them.

graeme_s-2

I've had this happen a few times. On one occasion I was waiting to turn right at a t-junction, when a driver made a right turn into the road I was coming out of. He cut so much onto my side of the road, that he actually passed down my left hand side! I tried to shuffle sideways to the right to get out of his way, and ended up falling over. If I hadn't fallen to the right he'd have hit my left leg.

He did stop and get out of his car, at which point we had a frank and open exchange of views, where he was very apologetic and kept saying "I j-j-j-just didn't s-s-s-see you", and I was mad with rage and kept screaming "well use your f***ing side of the road then" while refraining from punching him in the mouth.

In his defence he was white as a sheet at this point. Lucky for him that it wasn't a Tuesday morning when the bin lorry is often parked there!

Totalnewbie

I promise I'm not one of them, Adamskii. At night I've got good lights and reflective bits on my clothes...but it's gorgeous this morning, you couldn't ask for better visibility (it was 9.15 so very light).

Graeme - down your left hand side?! What an idiot.

whome

I find that in the car too. Often other car drivers are trying to cut the corner as I roll up to the junction. They do seem to expect you to let them cut the corner rather than accept that they have done anything wrong.

Of course in a car it isn't an issue of not having seen me!

Random Vince

standing there, both feet down and arms folded on the bars waiting for them is amusing

especially if they then have to reverse slightly to make the corner.

fossyant

Very good - that's the way to do it !!! So long as they see you...smile and wave - I must learn the latter, as it's usually expletives :?

ChrisLS

...you don't sound like a total newbie any longer totalnewbie...you sound like a battle scared old veteran now...

Totalnewbie

Yes, the username is no longer relevant it would seem! My colleagues called me 'hardcore' the other day, but I'm not really. The new bike helps. And I overtake at least as much as I'm overtaken now.

Gavin Weeks

Cutting corners can prove hazardous to cyclists, i wouldn't suggest it