Cars Overtaking

Lowride

What`s the deal with people in cars having to go really close when they go past you even though there`s no other cars on the road? There`s no reason why they can`t get right over and give a decent amount of space..

A car came really close when it went past me earlier so I gave him a hand signal which consisted of my middle finger, he then held his hand up as to say 'sorry'.

hambones

Just out of interest what do you consider 'really close'? I only ask as this topic crops up quite often but people rarely include distances so I wondered what the consensus was on what constitutes 'a decent amount of space'.

Paul E

Outstretched arm and you can touch the car easily I would say

Applespider

Depends on the size and speed of what's passing.

But in general, I'd say anything less than a foot feels a bit close and if it's an HGV or going at some speed, several feet can feel too close.

Sometimes I don't think people mean to squeeze you - they're just not aware of how vulnerable you can feel. If I've spotted people that have passed close by later in the journey at lights, I have occasionally mentioned to them that it had felt a bit close then they passed by and they have without fail apologised... and given more space next time. Whether or not that applies to every cyclist they see after that I'll never know.

Anonymous

I think somewhere in the highway code it says minimum save passing distance is 3 feet, but I could be wrong.

stuj15

hambones wrote:

Just out of interest what do you consider 'really close'?

Really close

'Scuse the swearing. :oops:

Mr Plum

hambones wrote:

Just out of interest what do you consider 'really close'?

Close enough to see her wedding ring? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iah_XezkkS0

bunter

feckers with trailers on that are wider than the car keep trying to kill me on overtake...

mybreakfastconsisted

Some drivers hate cyclists so much they deliberately pass close. Some drivers are just stupid.

bails87

I've had much worse, but still: http://contour.com/stories/andy-1st-driving-instructor
From a driving instructor :roll:

Initialised

Two things bug me about being over taken.

1: The ones who sit on your ar$3 for ages when there's plenty of room. Usually women

2: The ones who barge past when there's not really space. Usually men

All comes down to body image dysmorphia. Women typically think they are fatter than they are. Men typically think they are thinner than they are. These false views of them selves manifest themselves in driving style as the car becomes an extension of their ego.

redvee

RichardSwt wrote:

I think somewhere in the highway code it says minimum save passing distance is 3 feet, but I could be wrong.

Rule 163 states, give vulnerable road users as much space as you would a car.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_070314

bails87

redvee wrote:

RichardSwt wrote:

I think somewhere in the highway code it says minimum save passing distance is 3 feet, but I could be wrong.

Rule 163 states, give vulnerable road users as much space as you would a car.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_070314

Not move over as far as if you were passing a car, which would be much better.

bails87

bails87 wrote:

I've had much worse, but still: http://contour.com/stories/andy-1st-driving-instructor
From a driving instructor :roll:

Edit, the second car shows how it should be done, and got a wave of thanks

graham.

My driving instructor allways told me to "Give them room to fall off", sounds reasonable to me.
Graham.

Gussio

mybreakfastconsisted wrote:

Some drivers are just stupid.

This.

notsoblue

Mr Plum wrote:

hambones wrote:

Just out of interest what do you consider 'really close'?

Close enough to see her wedding ring? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iah_XezkkS0

Er, I don't think Hambones would mind...


From reddit:

kurako

notsoblue wrote:

Mr Plum wrote:

hambones wrote:

Just out of interest what do you consider 'really close'?

Close enough to see her wedding ring? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iah_XezkkS0

Er, I don't think Hambones would mind...


From reddit:

That bike is ridiculous. I mean just look at that mud flap!

cee

Paul E wrote:

Outstretched arm and you can touch the car easily I would say

I wouldn't call that really close. To me, really close is when you can touch the car with you knee....without unclipping.

redvee

One morning I slapped the passenger window of a LR Discovery, the following morning he gave me a wide berth.

CarlosDSanchez

Being overtaken by tractors with sharp pointy pronged things on the back of them frighten me, think they feel closer than they actually are though.

EX DH

Wait till you get over taken doing 30mph round a blind 90deg right hander by a feckin van. That wakes you up on a morning!!

Clever Pun

stuj15 wrote:

hambones wrote:

Just out of interest what do you consider 'really close'?

Really close

'Scuse the swearing. :oops:

pushed yourself to catch up until you passed out...kudos

jimmypippa

bails87 wrote:

bails87 wrote:

I've had much worse, but still: http://contour.com/stories/andy-1st-driving-instructor
From a driving instructor :roll:

Edit, the second car shows how it should be done, and got a wave of thanks

I liked the bit where it was overtaking whilst an oncoming car was easily visible.

bails87

jimmypippa

Like I said, I've had far worse, but I could have touched the car, there was another car coming the other way, I had to move over to be sure he could get through....and he's a driving instructor!

stuj15

Clever Pun wrote:

pushed yourself to catch up until you passed out...kudos

Yeh I gave up when I realised he'd (i'm guessing it was a he) undertook everyone waiting at the lights and sped off.