Your rants here.

Peacenik

90% of all car drivers NEVER indicate at roundabouts.
Why is that?

downfader

Peacenik wrote:

90% of all car drivers NEVER indicate at roundabouts.
Why is that?

Because they dont know what they're doing. Many have forgotten and need a refresher... I can name atleast 2 RABs here in southampton where you need to be blimmin psychic :x

And thats in a car.. I would never use them on the bike.

Eau Rouge

Peacenik wrote:

90% of all car drivers NEVER indicate at roundabouts.
Why is that?

Guilty.
There are times I do, but in general, no. From my experience, I don't see that an indicator tells me anything I needed to know about a car on a roundabout that I shouldn't have already been able to tell, and frequently enough the flashing amber light outright lies, telling me the car is going in completely the other direction (user fault, an extremely common problem with indicators in this country). I'd rather not rely on an indicator to tell me it's ok to drive out in front of another car, especially not on a bike.

That not an absolute, I do sometime use indicators on roundabouts. Maybe I just get to use those well designed ones that don't really need them.....or maybe it's the BMW badge, though I'm sure I didn't use them when it said Toyota or VW either.

CiB

The ones that do my ead in are the ones that are still signaling right as if heading for the next exit who then divert to the exit straight ahead of where their car is pointing, without canceling the right signal and then indicating left. Drivers that don't do this are assuming that every other road user waiting on the roundabout has correctly identified where the numpty came from, which isn't really practical on a busy morning. It leaves other road users - not just cyclists, but everyone - doing the safe not safe dance, which is how the guy behind nudges into you. Cars have indicators for a purpose. If the advice is to ignore them, they may as well be ripped out and replaced with a bunch of daffs or something. Incorrect info is a sight worse than no info in my book, but indicating right whilst turning left is just nuts.

rolf_f

Justifying not using indicators on roundabouts because some drivers use them incorrectly is pretty warped logic and not at all helpful. Whilst misusing indicators, as per above post, is extremely annoying you can usually spot in advance the dimwits who misuse their indicators anyway. Those who use them correctly do enable other road users to react accordingly and help keep the traffic moving.

Not using indicators on a roundabout is simply inconsiderate - just because an individual doesn't find others use of indicators helpful doesn't absolve him of following the highway code and nor does it mean that other road users aren't capable of usefully using such information.

cee

when driving i indicate to the point of insanity. overaking on the motorway...indicate. pulling off a motorway...indicate, roundabouts....indicate

I don't understand why people do not use a tool that is a very simple way of communicating your intent to those around you.

always_tyred

cee wrote:

when driving i indicate to the point of insanity. overaking on the motorway...indicate. pulling off a motorway...indicate, roundabouts....indicate

I don't understand why people do not use a tool that is a very simple way of communicating your intent to those around you.

Wow - someone who indicates on the motorway in Scotland. I understood that it wasn't required once the M6 turns into the M74. I mean, once you've drifted more than half way into the next lane, your intentions are pretty obvious, surely? It also removes the element of surprise.

Eau Rouge

Rolf F wrote:

Those who use them correctly do enable other road users to react accordingly and help keep the traffic moving.

Like I said, it's not an absolute rule, there are times when it is helpful to indicate, but, again in general, I don't think people should go driving onto roundabouts in front of traffic on that roundabout just because of a flashing orange light. That to me smacks of dangerous driving. If you can't tell from it's lane speed and direction where a car is going, you really shouldn't be driving out in front of it.

Indicators can be wonderfully useful things, but all they do is show intent in a very basic way. On a roundabout, that intent should be clear anyway to a reasonably observant driver. On those roundabouts where it isn't, I might use an indicator if it's called for. I have no problem using them. Far more worhty of scorn are those drivers who indicate after they have already started braking for the turn. They have already started braking, they have no further need to indicate!

cee wrote:

I don't understand why people do not use a tool that is a very simple way of communicating your intent to those around you.

It's a bit like the "road tax" debate in the 30's. They stopped calling it "road tax" because people were taking it to imply it meant they somehow were paying to use the road and so had some special privilige to it. (and idea that persists today)
Far Far Far too many drivers see indicators not as a means of showing their intent to do something, but as giving them right of way to do it, and that is not something that should be encouraged.

Dog Breath

I'm 'Cee' and other like minded people regarding signalling. I signal every manoever that I make as it is the RIGHT thing to do, letting other road users know my intentions. Only yesterday at my local RAB, I was waiting to enter the RAB when a car from my right turns left without signalling. It's just plain inconsiderlate, bad mannered, lazy and sloppy driving. But that basically sums people up in general. These people should be forced to take a refresher test.

Feltup

Not really a rant as such because the driver was trying to be considerate. Typical A road and a few cars over take me but the last one decides to give me even more space but in doing so plaants his left tyres squarely on the very wet cats eyes.

Result? I am drowned from the cat eye water! Ho hum.

downfader

This one is entitled "YOU STUPID COW!!"

As that is what I ended up screaming at a woman today. I finally lost my rag after about the 20th driver came too close.. this morning I had some plant pull out on me as I'm turning right and signalling to turn onto a bridge. For some reason he thought it was fine to pull out - in the wet and with me being less than 8 feet from his car. I let that slip, shook my head and tried to make a disatisfied look but he blanked me. I let the other mass of drivers, even one HGV, that came waaay to close.

Then this stupid woman decided to overtake me on a hill I'm ascending, cutting back in about 2 inches from my front wheel due to oncoming traffic. I just lost my rag and bellowed out "FINE!! GET AS CLOSE TO ME AS YOU WANT!! YOU STUPID COW!!"

Braking on a hill and trying to regain momentum is nigh on impossible. :evil: :evil: :evil:

Roastie

My pettest hate. Cyclists who cut up other cyclists:

Idiot on a Scott Hybrid forces his way past me at Monument heading onto London Bridge. The gap clearly isn't big enough and it is either call his bluff and both of us come down as we're wedged in by a taxi (me on the taxi side) or brake hard. I do the latter - shouting my most sarcastic "Nice!!" to which I get a response that sounds something along the lines of "F&@% You!". I easily pass him again over the bridge - he catches up (quite a bit) later at the red right. At the next red ped crossing said d1ck jam jumps the red - sadly with all the reds on Borough High Street it was the last I saw of him.

Probably a good thing, because of the RLJ (my 2nd pettest hate), I was ready to punch him - so intense was my irritation.

F&%kwit.

downfader

Roastiecp wrote:

My pettest hate. Cyclists who cut up other cyclists:

Idiot on a Scott Hybrid forces his way past me at Monument heading onto London Bridge. The gap clearly isn't big enough and it is either call his bluff and both of us come down as we're wedged in by a taxi (me on the taxi side) or brake hard. I do the latter - shouting my most sarcastic "Nice!!" to which I get a response that sounds something along the lines of "F&@% You!". I easily pass him again over the bridge - he catches up (quite a bit) later at the red right. At the next red ped crossing said d1ck jam jumps the red - sadly with all the reds on Borough High Street it was the last I saw of him.

Probably a good thing, because of the RLJ (my 2nd pettest hate), I was ready to punch him - so intense was my irritation.

F&%kwit.

Guilty secret.... I cut up another cyclist here in southampton on a bridge the other day.. :oops: I completely misjudged his speed going up hill. I should have hammered the pedals harder tbh.

Sorry mate, who ever you were! I did try to mutter it at the time but was breathless.

benno68

Approaching a roundabout today, tried to time it right so I didn't have to slow down too much, a car approached from my right indicating left and driving at a speed to suggest she was taking the next available exit meaning it should have been safe for me to pull out.

But no - I should have realised the signal didn't mean that she wanted the next available exit but the one after, I missed the side of her car by inches.

OK, people make mistakes and, some may say that I shouldn't rely on a car indicating left.

What really got me annoyed was her male passenger waving his finger at me and making some inaudible comment (no doubt derogatory) - stupid tw@t!

Do Cateye make crystal balls - if they do I'd probably get one

always_tyred

Benno68 wrote:

Approaching a roundabout today, tried to time it right so I didn't have to slow down too much, a car approached from my right indicating left and driving at a speed to suggest she was taking the next available exit meaning it should have been safe for me to pull out.

But no - I should have realised the signal didn't mean that she wanted the next available exit but the one after, I missed the side of her car by inches.

OK, people make mistakes and, some may say that I shouldn't rely on a car indicating left.

What really got me annoyed was her male passenger waving his finger at me and making some inaudible comment (no doubt derogatory) - stupid tw@t!

Do Cateye make crystal balls - if they do I'd probably get one

Assume that everyone else is an idiot who is insufficiently coordinated to cope with all of the controls of a car, and you will stay safe.

cat_with_no_tail

Benno68 wrote:

What really got me annoyed was her male passenger waving his finger at me and making some inaudible comment (no doubt derogatory) - stupid tw@t!

Perhaps he was pointing his finger shouting at the driver "You nearly hit that cyclist! use your indicators you bloody stupid woman, and you just missed our exit."

Then again......

benno68

Cat With No Tail wrote:

Benno68 wrote:

What really got me annoyed was her male passenger waving his finger at me and making some inaudible comment (no doubt derogatory) - stupid tw@t!

Perhaps he was pointing his finger shouting at the driver "You nearly hit that cyclist! use your indicators you bloody stupid woman, and you just missed our exit."

Then again......

Nope - definitely pointing at me, I was about 2 inches away from him with just the car's side window between us. Difficult to explain, but I knew full well that his anger was directed at me. Good job I've got a thick skin

Eau Rouge

Cat With No Tail wrote:

[ use your indicators you bloody stupid woman, and you just missed our exit."

She was using her indicators. There would not have been an close shave had she not bothered.

benno68

Eau Rouge wrote:

Cat With No Tail wrote:

[ use your indicators you bloody stupid woman, and you just missed our exit."

She was using her indicators. There would not have been an close shave had she not bothered.

If this were the situation I would have stopped at the junction, personally I think a misleading signal is worse than none at all!

always_tyred

Benno68 wrote:

Eau Rouge wrote:

Cat With No Tail wrote:

[ use your indicators you bloody stupid woman, and you just missed our exit."

She was using her indicators. There would not have been an close shave had she not bothered.

If this were the situation I would have stopped at the junction, personally I think a misleading signal is worse than none at all!

No, no. For example, they actually TEACH bus drivers to pull out when indicating left. Didn't you know?

Greg T

Always Tyred wrote:

No, no. For example, they actually TEACH bus drivers to pull out when indicating left. Didn't you know?

I thought that they were taught to indicate right and move forward fractionally - just enough to have you wash off your speed and not overtake them only for them to then stop and have you planted by their back bumper whilst a great stream of traffic goes by....

downfader

To the little kid who threw a bottle at me whilst cycling over the bridge past St Denys: I dont care what you rights are, if you're mother is too stupid to install some discipline then perhaps a slap from a stranger might make you think twice about playing with traffic.

Sadly the little pleb was too gutless and ran off before I had a chance to turn. :x

Its been a day of crap. :roll:

georgio15

i have two. cycling past parsons green in fulham in a cycle lane. was going faster than usual (about 33km/h) and about 50 metres ahead is a guy standing waiting for the bus. i look down to check my speed and look up, to see a taxi pulling infront of me to stop and pick up the guy at the bus stop. i slam on the brakes. NO HOPE of stopping quick enough so look over my shoulder. luckily van driver saw and managed to basically stop before i hit the taxi with my pedal and veered into the path of the van driver.
the taxi driver got a right bollocking!!!

second one was on tuesday. mini cab driver stopped while i was trying to move from the middle of the road having overtaken a bus at a stop. smacked into the back with my
handle bar and broke his rear lights. asked for his license number and he sped off so
fast. IDIOT

peter_andrew

I was spat on today.
Absolutely no reason, car just slowed to pace with me and passenger leans out and spits on me.
I commute through rural area. Its not just the big cities that get the thugs.

Peter

cjcp

That's disgusting. :x

blu3cat

The man with the blue anorak who cycles at about 8 mph contiuosly across pedestiran crosings, T junctions, best one is a box junction I saw him on and he just went straight out in front of a car coming from his left (South Africa Road / Wood Lane).

Worst bit is, if I see him, I want to get as far in front of him as possible. He will then just keep going if I am less than about a complete cycle of lights ahead of him.

How he is still alive is a complete mystery to me.

I have tried communication wit him (a simple morning, through to snarling derision at him as he goes through a box junction), not even a flicker of recognition let alone a response.

Oh and he seems to travel virtually me entire route GRRRRRR :x

AndyManc

peter andrew wrote:

I was spat on today.
Absolutely no reason, car just slowed to pace with me and passenger leans out and spits on me.
I commute through rural area. Its not just the big cities that get the thugs.

Peter

Registration number ? , that's assault and taken very seriously by the police.

The police could easily do a DNA test , idiots like that are probably on record.



.

Mickey Eye

Just a quick note to the young woman in the citroen that used the cycle lane to overtake at the lights at the bridge in St Halvards Gate. And the note is "I was in it". That's all really. Please check your blind spots.

downfader

Saw two cyclists get beeped. I was actually on foot walking home this afternoon and there is a bottle neck where the road narrows sharply. First cyclist gets through and van behind him beeps his horn.

I'm too far to see why but the cyclist was already there, hadnt swung out or made any dangerous move.. just simply bad and impatient driving.

I get down to the crossing and I can still see the bottleneck from where I am. Lady cyclist almost in the same position almost, car driver cuts her up bad and fires on the horn angrily. Then about 3 other cars force their way past the cyclist who has had to brake. I watched as she shook her head and just got off.

Perhaps she had enough after that. This is why people dont keep it up here. :roll:

Cafewanda

Hi all. I'm a 46yo newbie commuter. Only been at it since September. New to cycling really as got my first ever bike 4 years ago and took 3 years to have lessons/build up my confidence. 'Chicken' was my first name

Anyway, my route is Balham to London Bridge and I've noticed over the past 2 or so weeks an increase in cyclists. Great BUT why is there a need to race? Hopefully I cycle with due care and attention, but am unnerved by those who feel the need to whiz by so close to me they could ride my bike at the same time and that's when the road has more than enough space! When there is abuildup of traffic, I join the line. Others will slide up the inside, go on the outside for squeeze down the middle. Are they all late for work, or I am a wuss for taking things easy? Sometimes I have to shake my head and hope drivers don't punish me for the actions of others, but I'm sure some of them do especially on my homeward journey

On Wednesday, a fellow cyclist managed to knock me off my bike at the lights. He was way too close, on my right side. Lights change and I slowly moved off. He appears, touches my bike and instead of stopping, carries on moving forward so I lose my balance and over I go. He did stop and saw that I was ok, as did others. No apology because that would be an admission of guilt right? I strongly advised him to refrain from getting so close and to stop moving if he tangles with another cyclist.

I have to admit to being one of those who do not use hand signals only because I'm still not comfortable taking one hand off the handlebars, but I'm getting there. However, my frequent head turns left or right seems to have the same effect and drivers, generally, slow down to let me do what I need to (thanks!).