Eye contact!

ince

So there I am on my way home along a nice open stretch of road. Up ahead there is a side road joining from the left. As I get closer a red punto pulls up to the line, driver looks left, looks right at me, I get the eye contact, driver looks left again and starts to move off .... and stalls just as I pass the front quarter of the car!

Someone was looking after me on that ride home.

kurako

I find a lot of people think eye contact means 'he saw me so it must be safe to pull out'.

Now when I see someone waiting to come out of a side road I move a bit further into the centre of the road and make a point of staring blankly into the distance (but cover the brakes and watch them out the corner of your eye for any movement).

If they think I'm not paying attention they're more likely to wait. Try it and see. Would be interested to hear how you get on.

Gussio

The habit of pulling out infront of cyclists and waving a cheery thank you (like that makes it OK that they have just cut you up) seems to be on the increase. Don't mind so much in the sunshine, but it can be quite fraught in the wet.

dabbleonabike

I purposefully keep riding and crash into the side of them if needs be, not too hard to hurt me or the bike but enough to give the doylem behind the wheel a shock and then maybe they'll think twice about pulling out.

My friend was once riding up a road with the chevron style speed control, it was his right of way and as he was 5m from the narrowed area, a bus driver lady decided she didnt have to give right of way to cyclists and started coming through, it has to be one of the most one-sided games of chicken in the world, my friend feigned a "my lifes flashing before my eyes!" look of horror and dived to the side of the road, the fat tw@t behind the wheel just kept on going. I believe there should be refresher courses for the driving test as i think this would help weedle out some of the pillocks who get a licence and then decide the rules of the road no longer apply to them.

Dave Done.

deptfordmarmoset

A quick look behind me (to check what's in the lane behind - how much room for manoeuvre you have - together with a move away from the kerb) seems to make them think twice. I think the reason it works is that the driver no longer has eye contact. Just don't look back for too long in case the driver really is a sociopath.

MonkeyMonster

If i get eye contact like that I shake my head which so far as worked in implying to them that no I am not going to stop for them and they must wait. Glad you're okay though!

davmaggs

Kurako wrote:

I find a lot of people think eye contact means 'he saw me so it must be safe to pull out'.

Now when I see someone waiting to come out of a side road I move a bit further into the centre of the road and make a point of staring blankly into the distance (but cover the brakes and watch them out the corner of your eye for any movement).

If they think I'm not paying attention they're more likely to wait. Try it and see. Would be interested to hear how you get on.

I've started doing more of that and it does seem to work when hazzard is in front of you.

I find that when changing lanes catching the eye of the driver (behind me) or at least doing a noticable head turn during my shoulder check and arm signal does usually mean I get given space to move.

kurako

davmaggs wrote:

Kurako wrote:

I find a lot of people think eye contact means 'he saw me so it must be safe to pull out'.

Now when I see someone waiting to come out of a side road I move a bit further into the centre of the road and make a point of staring blankly into the distance (but cover the brakes and watch them out the corner of your eye for any movement).

If they think I'm not paying attention they're more likely to wait. Try it and see. Would be interested to hear how you get on.

I've started doing more of that and it does seem to work when hazzard is in front of you.

I find that when changing lanes catching the eye of the driver (behind me) or at least doing a noticable head turn during my shoulder check and arm signal does usually mean I get given space to move.

Yeah. Agreed. If something is coming from behind best to make it look like you know what you are doing and have a bit of positional awareness. I tend to just go for a couple of quick glances though as making eye contact with the driver behind tends to make me crash into things in front :oops:

AndyManc

A recent phenomenon I've noticed happening when I'm about to turn right and moving into the centre of the road.

I take a quick look behind to check whats coming, if there's a vehicle too close I will continue cycling, BUT , on numerous recent occasions nothing passes me.

Taking a quick second look behind and the vehicle (Bus, truck, car) has come to a virtual stop and is flashing their headlights :shock:

WTF

I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing because it's forcing me to move when I've decided it wasn't safe to do so.

Either way, at least it's an example of how some drivers are appreciating how difficult cycling in traffic can be.

( I've been particularly surprised about how many bus/coach drivers are doing it)


.

alfablue

Yes, eye contact with the car driver in the side road is a bad thing, it transfers responsibility to you (the vulnerable one) to keep out of their way. I exaggerate a head down posture when I approach cars waiting at side roads to make them think I haven't seen them (I am looking though).

This works with pedestrians too, step out in the road without looking and cars stop; make eye contact and they won't - try it (or maybe not); it has worked 100% of the time for me so far . . .

fnegroni

dabbleonabike wrote:

I purposefully keep riding and crash into the side of them if needs be, not too hard to hurt me or the bike but enough to give the doylem behind the wheel a shock and then maybe they'll think twice about pulling out.

If they pull out just in time and thanks to me braking they manage to just about avoid me, I usually just extend my arm and slap the rear of their vehicle.

Somehow, the vehicle behind gives plenty of room after that.

jimmypippa

AndyManc wrote:

A recent phenomenon I've noticed happening when I'm about to turn right and moving into the centre of the road.

I take a quick look behind to check whats coming, if there's a vehicle too close I will continue cycling, BUT , on numerous recent occasions nothing passes me.

Taking a quick second look behind and the vehicle (Bus, truck, car) has come to a virtual stop and is flashing their headlights :shock:

WTF

I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing because it's forcing me to move when I've decided it wasn't safe to do so.

Either way, at least it's an example of how some drivers are appreciating how difficult cycling in traffic can be.

( I've been particularly surprised about how many bus/coach drivers are doing it)


.

Without the flashing, that happens virtually every day when I approach the roundabout on my commute and have to get into the right hand lane. Often before I have even looked behind or indicated. My sped is nearly the same as the traffic at that point, which probably helps.

I like it.

Headhuunter

I usually try to make eye contact and then transfer my gaze to the front wheel so that I can detect any sign of movement...

Flyingbogey

'm a bit different. I find holding a stern/threatening look usually does the trick. If however you have an uneasy feeling, you have probably noticed something that you haven't even consciously thought of.Sounds a bit Star Wars but trust your instincts, they will serve you well.

antfly

Eye contact works for me. The ones that pull out with their hand up as if that maks it OK, they always look so shocked when they get the finger back.