something has to be done about f***ing white van drivers

skullthaw

i decided as it is the first nice day in weeks that i would go out for a ride on the roadie .... good get to a set of traffic lights near the spider island in derby and filter up through the traffic where they are maybe ten cars and a WHITE VAN, this kind driver decided to drive close to the curb to cut me up, the curb was about a foot high so couldnt bunny hop up it and had spds on so hit the curb at bout 15 mph rolled landed on my head and elbows and skidded for 10feet before colliding headfirst into a the railing ... anf the the TW£T just drives off :evil:

so now i got an evil headache, sore coller bone and shoulder and my elbos and knees are burning :evil:

and a heart felt thankyou to the man in the focus that stopped and went to see if i was ok

i have to get a new bl@@dy helmet now any sugestions

oh and pics!

Agent57

Maybe he hadn't seen you, or pulled in to make room for something coming the other way. I reckon 15mph is too fast to be riding up the inside of stationary or slow-moving traffic.

Glad you're not more seriously injured though (although that said, maybe you should have the collar bone checked out for a fracture).

whyamihere

Filtering up the inside is always dangerous. Filtering at 15mph is pretty dangerous without an escape route. Doing both is completely moronic. Maybe he was moving left to allow another cyclist more room on the right, a lot of drivers do it, even white van men. You're not as visible on the left.

Don't do it.

snig

sorry about your fall,
but it does sound like if the white van hadn't got you then one of the ten cars would have,you lived and learned!

Anonymous

why not just wait your turn in traffic like everyone else? and as for undertaking other vehicles :roll:

i love riding my road bike but im not a roadi in the same way as i can lay bricks but im not a bricklayer. i fuckin hate road riders, they cut about like charlie big potatoes getting in the way. if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

snig

sheepsteeth wrote:

why not just wait your turn in traffic like everyone else? and as for undertaking other vehicles :roll:

i love riding my road bike but im not a roadi in the same way as i can lay bricks but im not a bricklayer. i fuckin hate road riders, they cut about like charlie big potatoes getting in the way. if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

way too harsh,road tax payers don't have the right to undertake!

AndyManc

sheepsteeth wrote:

why not just wait your turn in traffic like everyone else? and as for undertaking other vehicles :roll:

i love riding my road bike but im not a roadi in the same way as i can lay bricks but im not a bricklayer. i fuckin hate road riders, they cut about like charlie big potatoes getting in the way. if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

Sarcasm I assume ? :roll:



.

AndyManc

snig wrote:

sheepsteeth wrote:

why not just wait your turn in traffic like everyone else? and as for undertaking other vehicles :roll:

i love riding my road bike but im not a roadi in the same way as i can lay bricks but im not a bricklayer. i fuckin hate road riders, they cut about like charlie big potatoes getting in the way. if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

way too harsh,road tax payers don't have the right to undertake either!

Filtering on the inside is a legal manoeuvre.


.

Agent57

sheepsteeth wrote:

if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

Can't; road tax was abolished 70+ years ago. Most road funding comes out of council tax and income tax.

That pedantry aside, I for one pay what you're probably calling "road tax" anyway, as I own a car as well as being a cyclist.

bigflangesmallsprocket

wot they sed, well, not the bit about hating roadies or paying car tax etc, that sounded just a tad aggressive. I do filter, but at not much more than walking speed max, I check ahead, head high to make it easier to check for peds crossing before they step in front of me from behind a vehicle, keep checking vehicles themselves for signs of sudden movement in case a passenger gets out or even just opens the door to dump their rubbish or attempt to push you into the kerb even at walking speed, it does happen to us all eventually.

Stay alert and check whats happening ahead as well as directly in front and even beside you. Move slowly so that you can avoid situations. If you feel confident then go to the outside of the lane and overtake that way, there may well be more room in the middle of the road than the side (and before anyone starts, I'm not talking about riding on the other side of the road into oncoming traffic). When the traffic moves again most drivers, as long as your body language is polite and confident without being aggessively assertive, will be happy enough for you to slip back into lane and take a vehicle space as long you can move at the same speed as the traffic. If you were going at 15mph on the inside of heavy slow moving traffic then you sooner or later you will come to grief.

You'll always get road wanderers and some of these may be malicious, but some are just a bit numpty and not particularly good drivers, the last type being enough reason itself for you to be careful.

White Line

AndyManc wrote:

Filtering on the inside is a legal manoeuvre.

Filtering on the inside is a stupid manoeuvre.

Tino4444

skullthaw wrote:

i decided as it is the first nice day in weeks that i would go out for a ride on the roadie .... good get to a set of traffic lights near the spider island in derby and filter up through the traffic where they are maybe ten cars and a WHITE VAN, this kind driver decided to drive close to the curb to cut me up, the curb was about a foot high so couldnt bunny hop up it and had spds on so hit the curb at bout 15 mph rolled landed on my head and elbows and skidded for 10feet before colliding headfirst into a the railing ... anf the the TW£T just drives off :evil:

so now i got an evil headache, sore coller bone and shoulder and my elbos and knees are burning :evil:

and a heart felt thankyou to the man in the focus that stopped and went to see if i was ok

i have to get a new bl@@dy helmet now any sugestions

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your fall mate and hope you will be back on your bike soon.

I was once in two minds as to what the best method of getting past slow moving/stationary vehicles was. Going on the inside seemed the safer option as you are out of the way of on coming traffic, but I now know that this is not the best method from my own experience.

I was once weaving through staionary traffic and went for a gap between a car and the curb side. At the last second I reaslised that I was not going to make it, braked, but forgot to unclip my feet from the clipless pedals and it resulted in my first clipless moment (laying on back at side of road with bike attached and wheels still spinning).

From this date I now always go past slow moving/stationary traffic on the RHS. I however do go at a slow pace (5mph approx) and always ensure that my right foot is un clipped in case I need to brake suddenly and put one foot down.

You live and learn.

Cheers,

Tino

bigflangesmallsprocket

Nearly forgot to mention...hope that head and leg gets better soon

skullthaw

there is a metre wide cycle path here to a cycle point at the lights i was in this doing about 10 he cut into this when i came paset!!

skullthaw

oh yeah it was on the left hand side and in the cycle choote thingy
so legal!

Eau Rouge

Agent57 wrote:

sheepsteeth wrote:

if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

Can't; road tax was abolished 70+ years ago. Most road funding comes out of council tax and income tax.

That pedantry aside, I for one pay what you're probably calling "road tax" anyway, as I own a car as well as being a cyclist.

It could be argued that a bicycle is entitled to use the road by right, while a car is only allowed us it by licence.

I *tend* to filter on the right if I'm going to do it at all, but I so rarely come across queued traffic it's a bit of a moot point. Nobody sees you on the left unless they passed you within the previous 20 yards.

Aidy

White Line wrote:

AndyManc wrote:

Filtering on the inside is a legal manoeuvre.

Filtering on the inside is a stupid manoeuvre.

Depends on the situation.

If all the cars are hovering near the centre, there are cars coming from the other direction, and there's a good three feet clear on the inside, what do you do? (This is not a rare occurance.)

Aidy

Oh, and to the OP, if you've not done so already, and particularly if you have a headache - get yourself to a hospital to be checked out for concussion.

snig

AndyManc wrote:

snig wrote:

sheepsteeth wrote:

why not just wait your turn in traffic like everyone else? and as for undertaking other vehicles :roll:

i love riding my road bike but im not a roadi in the same way as i can lay bricks but im not a bricklayer. i fuckin hate road riders, they cut about like charlie big potatoes getting in the way. if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

way too harsh,road tax payers don't have the right to undertake either!

Filtering on the inside is a legal manoeuvre.


.

as far as I understand it undertaking is not legal,as a car would not be "filtering" on the inside as you put it,and as a cyclist is already on the inside it can hardly be seen as undertaking or filtering,anyway what a strange point to be picking up on! loads more in this thread you could have passed comment on.

Porgy

Passing on the inside is legal - and often backed up by a marked cycle lane.

Both ways are potentially dangerous left or right - usually i feel safer on the left.

but obviously care is required - i wouldn't ride at 15 mph in these conditions unless it was a very wide space - and you should always be wary of the unexpected.

doog442

sheepsteeth wrote:

why not just wait your turn in traffic like everyone else? and as for undertaking other vehicles :roll:

i love riding my road bike but im not a roadi in the same way as i can lay bricks but im not a bricklayer. i fuckin hate road riders, they cut about like charlie big potatoes getting in the way. if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

the most sensible post I have *ever* read on this forum

biondino

I've done a lot of thinking about filtering and in my three or so years of commuting experience, 15mph is about the max speed at which, in good filtering conditions, it's safe for an observant rider with good brakes to filter.

benneally

im just going to say glad u were wearing a helmet. looks like you would be much worse off if you hadnt been wearing it, looking at the damage to it.

always_tyred

sheepsteeth wrote:

why not just wait your turn in traffic like everyone else? and as for undertaking other vehicles :roll:

i love riding my road bike but im not a roadi in the same way as i can lay bricks but im not a bricklayer. i fuckin hate road riders, they cut about like charlie big potatoes getting in the way. if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

Good point. I'll pay as much vehicle excise duty as a Toyota Pious. Oh, I do already.
Given that I'm not going to be filtering, I think I'll give myself a couple of extra wheels for stability, and a roof to keep the rain out.
That'll be a bit heavy, so I might treat myself to an engine.

Dude are you like one of those like mtb riders who gete big air at weekend but who are a f****ng liability within 10 yards of another bicycle or motor vehicle?

The Chingford Skinhead

Hope the OP gets better soon and isn't too shook up.

I understand the theory of RHS filtering but often the cycle lane is on the left and as it is a lane you are not technically undertaking. Where I struggle with RHS filtering is if the traffic ahead suddenly moves off you are often left stranded on the centre line with the car drivers you have just passed getting their "revenge" by not letting you back in so you can move to primary or secondary position. You're then caught between two lanes (one coming toward you) of fast moving traffic - not a place I like to be.

Northwind

Ok, as a long-time road cyclist and motorcylist- as soon as you filter fast enough that your stopping distance takes you beyond the next car, you're choosing to put yourself at risk. There's nothing wrong with making that choice- life is all about weighted risks- but sometimes, after you make the choice, it goes south and you end up in a bad situation. You either have to a) stop doing it or b) accept the risks of the situation.

I'm a b) incidentally I have been described as "Filtering like a ****ing axe murderer", whatever that means, by one of our couriers. But, I know the risks I'm taking, and dare I tempt fate, I'm good at it after years of practice. You develop the 6th sense thing, that bump of trouble that says "I'm not going in THERE" 2 seconds before someone hops lane. And needless to say, that 6th sense will often be going off when there are white vans around.

paul.skibum

I filter both sides as the occassion arises but I agree with Northwind - you pays your money and takes your choice. Pass inside a white van, stationary or not, cycle lane or not you are definitely rolling the dice of fate. Because you are behind or beside him you cant see that he might be cutting in to go round a right turning car or a car passing a cyclist in the other direction. His visability of you is shot and yours is of the rest of the road.

Cars are fine you can see through or over them and know what's going down - still gotta be careful of the random factor but at least you know all the other factors first.

Sorry about your stack though man - heal up and get back out there. The important question that no one has asked is......was the bike OK?

Aidy

paul.skibum wrote:

Pass inside a white van, stationary or not, cycle lane or not you are definitely rolling the dice of fate.

Generally, being in a 5 mile radius of a white van is enough to start those dice rolling

graeme_s-2

The Chingford Skinhead wrote:

Hope the OP gets better soon and isn't too shook up.

I understand the theory of RHS filtering but often the cycle lane is on the left and as it is a lane you are not technically undertaking. Where I struggle with RHS filtering is if the traffic ahead suddenly moves off you are often left stranded on the centre line with the car drivers you have just passed getting their "revenge" by not letting you back in so you can move to primary or secondary position. You're then caught between two lanes (one coming toward you) of fast moving traffic - not a place I like to be.

If you're paying attention and looking ahead, the situation you're describing simply shouldn't happen. You should be able to tell when the traffic your filtering past is going to move off, as the traffic ahead of it will start moving first. You can safely pull into a gap as you reach the point where a car has just started to move off and the one you've just passed hasn't yet moved.

I would filter down either side depending on the situation, but for me that generally results in me filtering on the right. I've never been stuck between two lanes of traffic as you describe.

Porgy

doog442 wrote:

sheepsteeth wrote:

why not just wait your turn in traffic like everyone else? and as for undertaking other vehicles :roll:

i love riding my road bike but im not a roadi in the same way as i can lay bricks but im not a bricklayer. i fuckin hate road riders, they cut about like charlie big potatoes getting in the way. if you want the same rights on a road as car drivers, pay some road tax.

the most sensible post I have *ever* read on this forum

i agree to an extent - however if i followed this to the letter during rush hour i'd probably double my commute time - and i don't really fancy spending 6 hours a day commuting.

Porgy

benneally wrote:

im just going to say glad u were wearing a helmet. looks like you would be much worse off if you hadnt been wearing it, looking at the damage to it.

sounds to me as if wearing a helmet becomes a license to act recklessly to many.