don't beep a cyclist

bianchimoon

had a day off road riding to do some MTB'ing in the yorkshire dales, in the Dales MTB centre cafe after the ride got talking to another roadie, had a great chat, smashing lad, he finishes and sets on his way home. 15 mins later, bikes in back of car we pass him, my mate decided to give hi a friendy toot as we went past. I knew straightaway 'bad thing to do' I cringed as i we went past, the roadie was waving his fist at us, teeth snarling obviously not knowing it was the same guys who he had been chatting to 15 mins earlier. I'd guess most cyclist are not expecting a beep to be friendly, so first reaction is usually to go on the offensive. Sad way to end a good day

cyco2

When ever I get beeped for whatever reason I always wave or thumbs up like I know them.

shouldbeinbed

it took the Mrs a few stern words to learn not to beep as she passed me going to or from work.

RideOnTime

Not as bad as belling a pedestrian... God some of 'em get sooo annoyed...

Kieran_Burns

I made it clear to the guys at work NOT to give me a friendly beep as they go past - it scares the living sh*t out of you if the car is alongside.

Nowadays I get a beep AFTERWARDS and a wave

random man

RideOnTime wrote:

Not as bad as belling a pedestrian... God some of 'em get sooo annoyed...

They also get annoyed when you don't bell them, because you haven't got a bell, but shout to warn them you're coming through - there's just no pleasing some people :roll:

Kieran_Burns

random man wrote:

RideOnTime wrote:

Not as bad as belling a pedestrian... God some of 'em get sooo annoyed...

They also get annoyed when you don't bell them, because you haven't got a bell, but shout to warn them you're coming through - there's just no pleasing some people :roll:

You kind of have to remember shouting "get the fark out of my way, you fat tub of lard!" doesn't endear people to you... just saying....

Cleat Eastwood

we were behind a cyclist struggling up a hill so we stayed behind to let him go at hi space and if needs be veer of his line....as we pass him we get a cheery "Effing Ars*hole" - somedays you just can't win.

markos1963

cyco2 wrote:

When ever I get beeped for whatever reason I always wave or thumbs up like I know them.

+1 it doesn't half annoy them knowing they haven't wound you up.

CiB

So in what way does a friendly beep differ from an agitated beep, or a get out of my chuffing way beep, or any other sort of beep? My car has just one tone; the annoying and intrusive baaarrrppp. There's no variation for moods there.

The only friendly beep is the one you get on a clown car but even that's no good if the doors fall on your legs every tome Mr Clown gives you his friendly barp on the way past.

t.m.h.n.e.t

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

we were behind a cyclist struggling up a hill so we stayed behind to let him go at hi space and if needs be veer of his line....as we pass him we get a cheery "Effing Ars*hole" - somedays you just can't win.

Maybe that day there was no updates to "Cleats Munters" thread

ps: I got beeped yesterday for giving myself plenty of space outside the DZ, somewhat pushed out of the way then the fecker driving indicates into a carpark not much further up the road.

Sunday lunch must have been important.

bianchimoon

CiB wrote:

So in what way does a friendly beep differ from an agitated beep, or a get out of my chuffing way beep, or any other sort of beep? My car has just one tone; the annoying and intrusive baaarrrppp. There's no variation for moods there.

The only friendly beep is the one you get on a clown car but even that's no good if the doors fall on your legs every tome Mr Clown gives you his friendly barp on the way past.

A friendly beep would be waiting till you have gone past the cyclist and a stacatto 'bip bib' as opposed to a long beeeeeeeeeep as your going past

Yossie

I think that a lot of this is the patented British Cyclist Persecution/Paranoia/Rudeness complex: I actually quite like it when cycling on the Continent when people give you a quick beep beep as they are coming up to overtake you - lets you know that they are there.

Pross

Cleat Eastwood wrote:

we were behind a cyclist struggling up a hill so we stayed behind to let him go at hi space and if needs be veer of his line....as we pass him we get a cheery "Effing Ars*hole" - somedays you just can't win.

Had similar last week. The lane was too narrow to pass safely (and on a completely blind bend) so sat a few car lengths back, not revving. Didn't get shouted at but he kept waving at me to come through even though it wasn't safe in my judgement and he couldn't see if anything was coming the other way either. I wasn't putting any pressure on and was in no rush to pass. We sometimes don't help our own cause when riding (and I know I'm no saint when it comes to reacting to drivers).

amaferanga

Having a car sit behind you for ages can be really annoying. Preferable to dangerous overtakes, but when they miss opportunities to pass safely it can get annoying. Even if they're being patient, it's often the case that the muppets in cars behind them are much less patient and will give you the close that'll-teach-the-f*cking-cyclist-to-hold-me-up-for-30-seconds sort of overtake.

CiB

amaferanga wrote:

Having a car sit behind you for ages can be really annoying. Preferable to dangerous overtakes, but when they miss opportunities to pass safely it can get annoying. Even if they're being patient, it's often the case that the muppets in cars behind them are much less patient and will give you the close that'll-teach-the-f*cking-cyclist-to-hold-me-up-for-30-seconds sort of overtake.

I get this, drivers sitting just off my back wheel for too long even when there are ample opportunities to pass and when bigger vehicles ahead of Ms Slow have passed with with ease and no drama. I don't mind if someone wants to gawp at my awesome physique as I power my way along a main road, but the poor sods behind the blocker who don't have the benefit of the view or the opportunity to admire my awesome abilities must end up thinking the hold-up is all my fault, even if I've about blown a gasket keeping over 20mph for a while.

LeicesterLad

amaferanga wrote:

Having a car sit behind you for ages can be really annoying. Preferable to dangerous overtakes, but when they miss opportunities to pass safely it can get annoying. Even if they're being patient, it's often the case that the muppets in cars behind them are much less patient and will give you the close that'll-teach-the-f*cking-cyclist-to-hold-me-up-for-30-seconds sort of overtake.

Completely agree with this, gets on my nerves, obviously the safer the better, but when people in metro's convince themselves that they are driving a ten tonne truck it starts to grate...Still better than the 'almost smash your arm of with my wing mirror' brigade though...

bianchimoon

CiB wrote:

I get this, drivers sitting just off my back wheel for too long even when there are ample opportunities to pass and when bigger vehicles ahead of Ms Slow have passed with with ease and no drama. I don't mind if someone wants to gawp at my awesome physique as I power my way along a main road, but the poor sods behind the blocker who don't have the benefit of the view or the opportunity to admire my awesome abilities must end up thinking the hold-up is all my fault, even if I've about blown a gasket keeping over 20mph for a while.

Ha Ha

Pross

amaferanga wrote:

Having a car sit behind you for ages can be really annoying. Preferable to dangerous overtakes, but when they miss opportunities to pass safely it can get annoying. Even if they're being patient, it's often the case that the muppets in cars behind them are much less patient and will give you the close that'll-teach-the-f*cking-cyclist-to-hold-me-up-for-30-seconds sort of overtake.

Possibly, which is why I was sitting back a couple of car lengths with the engine gently ticking over but I'm not going to overtake in a single track lane, on a bend with high hedges either side (this is the spot in question - bear in mind I'm sat lower than the Google camera!) http://g.co/maps/aejds

dodgy

amaferanga wrote:

Having a car sit behind you for ages can be really annoying. Preferable to dangerous overtakes, but when they miss opportunities to pass safely it can get annoying. Even if they're being patient, it's often the case that the muppets in cars behind them are much less patient and will give you the close that'll-teach-the-f*cking-cyclist-to-hold-me-up-for-30-seconds sort of overtake.

I'm seeing more and more of this behaviour, and I've no idea why!

Yes, I prefer it to a careless overtake, but recently I've had to freewheel, look back and point to them (in a fairly robust way) and gesture to overtake. At least the following cars will 'get' that it's not me holding traffic up.

king_jeffers

When I'm driving I usually sit well back from a cyclist, maybe beep a couple of times just to let him/her know I'm behind. If its a cold day I drive really close and let the heat from the engine warm them up a bit. When they wave me by I usually try to pass them a drink out of the window, not many have caught it yet. It is a bit of a waste but I like to think its the thought that counts.

pipipi

I will try and avoid king Jeffers on his commute then!


It sounds quite difficult sometimes for a driver to get it right. Either they overtake in crazy places far too close, or they hang back when they could overtake.

If the driver isn't sure if they have room I'd rather they hold back. Don't forget that gives them even more time to have a drink, check their hair, turn up the radio, phone a friend, light a fag, read a map etc.

nwallace

Beeping as you pass was in the AA handfbook for years.


The only acceptable horn for use in the proximity of a cyclist is:

http://www.airhorns.co.uk/imgs/sounds/309.mp3

Although that's far too bloody slow.

campagone

The other one is the driver that passes like he's overtaking an articulated lorry, right into the other lane, theres no need to go that wide, Im not that bad at riding my bike

Pross

That's because you're a lazy sod and want my draft to help you along when I pass and I'm nasty so go as far as possible from you

I hate considerate artic drivers when I'm time trialling!!

amaferanga

campagone wrote:

The other one is the driver that passes like he's overtaking an articulated lorry, right into the other lane, theres no need to go that wide, Im not that bad at riding my bike

Ever read the highway code? As a driver, why wouldn't you give a cyclist as much room as possible?

ddraver

nwallace wrote:

http://www.airhorns.co.uk/imgs/sounds/309.mp3

Cripes that's loud! (but yes, too slow)

graham.

My driving instructor always told me to "Give them enough room to fall off!"
Graham.