pedelecs: the new danger on the road

antikythera

Ok, a 88 gear inch fixie, may not be the best gear choice for a quick get-away from city lights, but....

<rant>
Had my first encounter with a d*ickhead on a pedelect riding away from the lights. In the first few meters he started passing on the right (under power assist). The problem for me was that as soon as I was passed his eye-sight (my judgement) he started drifting across to the left cutting me up. I had just clipped in and was starting to wind it up and matching his speed, under any other circumstances he was never going to complete his over-taking manoeuvre.

I had to slow down to avoid him riding into me, clearly he has no awareness of other cyclist around him, their position or speed. The power assist clearly providing an inexperienced and clueless pedestrian with delusions of grandeur on a bike.

Starting to think that pedelecs should be even more legislated than they are now. Pedelecs may get more people on bikes..... but what kind of people?
</rant>

The Rookie

Highway code Rule 168 wrote:

Being overtaken. If a driver is trying to overtake you, maintain a steady course and speed, slowing down if necessary to let the vehicle pass. Never obstruct drivers who wish to pass. Speeding up or driving unpredictably while someone is overtaking you is dangerous.

Written for car drivers I know, but the same principle applies, you should have let him make a clean pass, you were accelerating in a manner he couldn't predict, your bad?

Fixies - the new danger away from the lights perhaps.

Ok that was harsh, but I think you have to bear at least 50% of the blame.

Simon

antikythera

The Beginner wrote:

Fixies - the new danger away from the lights perhaps.

I'm writing from a desktop not a hospital (I know that's an over-reaction), as I did let him pass safely.

To be honest it was a text book move if he was racing, but he wasn't and he didn't do it through his own talent... so no respect for that (more a*se than class).

Secondly his moving across was erratic considering it was an extremely busy inner London road at peak hour. As a cyclist there are other "rules" we should (must (IMO)) consider such as holding your line!

Finally it wasn't just me that he had cut up. Come to think of it, does that mean Brompton: the danger on London roads

will3

The Beginner wrote:

Highway code Rule 168 wrote:

Being overtaken. If a driver is trying to overtake you, maintain a steady course and speed, slowing down if necessary to let the vehicle pass. Never obstruct drivers who wish to pass. Speeding up or driving unpredictably while someone is overtaking you is dangerous.

Written for car drivers I know, but the same principle applies, you should have let him make a clean pass, you were accelerating in a manner he couldn't predict, your bad?

Fixies - the new danger away from the lights perhaps.

Ok that was harsh, but I think you have to bear at least 50% of the blame.

Simon

this.

Have you heard of the modern technology that allows you to have more than one gear ratio fitted to your bike at the same time? Apparently it allows you to change ratio on the move which can come in handy for things like accellerating from a a standstill.

Crazy.

antikythera

Madness I say, call the UCI.... they'll set 'em straight

Next you'll want little rubber blocks to squeeze against the wheel to slow you down.... MTFU. :roll:

The Rookie

How quaint, wearing out your wheel to slow down instead of using a smaller and cheaper disposeable piece called a brake disc......even trains have moved on from wearing out the wheel to slow down!

If he was erratic (not clear in your original post) then yes he has to take some blame (I did get to 50:50 anyway) but if he's on an ebike your spidey sense should detect and inexperience level and take appropriate precautions, its not survival of the fittest, but survival of the cautious out there!

Simon

andrewlwood

He needs to look before he moves to the left - you both need to be aware of each other.
But if you were trying to accelerate past him on the inside, weren't you undertaking (public offense number one on a bike in traffic)?
If you don't want to have to wait for him, get a bike that lets you pull away more quickly in future, or position yourself to his right before the lights change.