Overly helpful
Phekdra
Posts: 137
Hi All,
It's nice when some driver lets me out at a junction or suchlike, but recently there have been a couple of incidents that suggest some people are trying too hard to be helpful. The first was somebody who actually stopped on a roundabout to let me out. :shock: This was a proper sized roundabout, too, not a mini-roundabout, and there were cars coming behind both her and me. The second was also at a roundabout, nothing about except me and a car with right of way. I waited - he waited, I started to go, he started to go, we both stopped and eventually he got on with it.
Now windscreen glare makes it difficult to see the person behind the wheel and whether they're gesturing to me, and I don't want to sound ungrateful, but these two examples are of somebody really confusing matters, and in the first case being downright dangerous, through trying to be too helpful.
Having re-read the above, it does sound very ungrateful! :? But I'd rather people were sensible and considerate and not treat me with kid gloves. Has anyone else encountered something similar or do I just look particularly incompetent when I'm cycling - not out of the question.
Phekdra
It's nice when some driver lets me out at a junction or suchlike, but recently there have been a couple of incidents that suggest some people are trying too hard to be helpful. The first was somebody who actually stopped on a roundabout to let me out. :shock: This was a proper sized roundabout, too, not a mini-roundabout, and there were cars coming behind both her and me. The second was also at a roundabout, nothing about except me and a car with right of way. I waited - he waited, I started to go, he started to go, we both stopped and eventually he got on with it.
Now windscreen glare makes it difficult to see the person behind the wheel and whether they're gesturing to me, and I don't want to sound ungrateful, but these two examples are of somebody really confusing matters, and in the first case being downright dangerous, through trying to be too helpful.
Having re-read the above, it does sound very ungrateful! :? But I'd rather people were sensible and considerate and not treat me with kid gloves. Has anyone else encountered something similar or do I just look particularly incompetent when I'm cycling - not out of the question.
Phekdra
0
Comments
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A few weeks back I was coming down a hill, in heavy rain (with the wind behind me) and was doing around 30mph approaching a roundabout. A car was coming the other way, indicating right, and with cars behind. He stopped on the roundabout and waved me through, but by that stage I had already slowed to less than 5mph. I think I would actually got through quicker and easier if he'd just got on with it 'cos it confused me quite a lot.0
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It's not wise to cede your priority except in exceptional circumstances. It just causes confusion and delay, and the FC will want to see you in his office.0
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BentMikey wrote:and the FC will want to see you in his office.
Fat controller....?
Agreed, people stopping in downright dangerous situations is not helpful, but it's probably not right to appear ungrateful in such circumstances, as in their eyes they are doing you a big favour - probably best to wave them on.
If I'm driving and waiting at some traffic lights near me, waiting to turn left, wuite often there will be a cyclist coming the other way wanting to turn right into the same road I want to turn left into - I will quite often flash them to let them go first, and if they are on the ball and paying attention all is well, but it's the ones who don;t expect it, or are just not on the ball, that it causes issues, and people behind wonder what the hell you are doing sat there with the lights on green :?
DanFelt F70 05 (Turbo)
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Daniel B wrote:but it's the ones who don;t expect it, or are just not on the ball, that it causes issues, and people behind wonder what the hell you are doing sat there with the lights on green :?
Dan
That's the problem. If I'm waiting at a roundabout trying to find a gap then the last thing I expect is for somebody to stop and wave me on, and I'm sure the vehicles behind the stopping car are taken by surprise too. Perhaps it's my fault for not being sufficiently aware, but I'm looking past the approaching car at the space behind it. I brought the subject us as those two incidents I mentioned, both on roundabouts, were so unexpected. I've been let out at junctions several times, and do my best to let out cars if I'm in a queue and feeling helpful , but roundabouts? Also, a flash of the lights is fairly unambiguous, but a barely discernible gesture through a dirty windscreen is not.
Right, after that little whinge my karma is right through the floor, and I shall probably be run over on Monday! 8)
Phekdra0 -
Causing "confusion and delay" is about the worst crime there is in the land of Thomas the Tank Engine, and usually results in annoying the Fat Controller. My all time favourite!!0
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Anyone already going round a roundabout and stopping unexpectedly for any reason is a danger to every road user.0
