Taking the lane and hooting drivers...

notnot

I'm riding more on roads now I've got a road bike and also taking the lane more often when I do (because I'm going faster, I'm more careful to stay away from badly parked cars/opening car doors/big potholes at the side of the road). Some drivers still overtake too close, but at least I've got a bit more space.

Not sure what to do when people hoot at me to move over, though. If I stay where I am, I just have a big lump of heavy and quickly-moving metal stuck behind me along with an annoyed driver (normally going as close to my back wheel as they think is safe, and overtaking badly as soon as they think it's OK to do so). If I do move left, though, they almost invariably overtake badly - and I realise why I was taking the lane when I'm feeling pushed into parked cars etc. Hooting at cyclists seems a risk factor for overtaking badly (someone hooted at me to move over today, overtook, and then I had to brake when they turned left right in front of me :roll: ) so neither moving out the way nor staying in where I am seems especially safe

How do people deal with this type of thing? I did a cycling proficiency course many, many years ago, so wondering if it's worth looking at taking a more current course on road cycling...

compo

I usually slow down when they hoot and make them wait. If they overtake badly catch up with them and give them abuse at the traffic lights. If its that bad call the cops.

You have as much right as the cars lorries etc to use the full width of the road so do so. If youthink they will overtake badly then ride wide so that they cannot. You have to make sure that you aren't squeezed over. If it comes down to an arguement tell them to fark off, and like I say call the cops; cars have a number plate, bikes don't

mikebikemike

compo wrote:

I .................. give them abuse at the traffic lights.

If it comes down to an arguement tell them to fark off, and like I say call the cops; cars have a number plate, bikes don't

Yes, to controlling road space so as not being forced into parked cars and gutters
No, to giving abuse; a cheery wave and a thanks you will make most drivers reflect on their own impatient behaviour and for the tiny minority of psychopath drivers out there reduce the risk of them running you or a different cyclist off the road

nutter_bed

Make sure you acknowledge the drivers that wait for you.
I had one sit behind me for a while yesterday whilst I negotiated a roundabout so gave them a little thank you wave when they overtook safely.
If it helps people realise the have done good, then so much the better.

dylanfernley

you must hold your 'corner', always attempt to make eye contact, that humanises the situation, carry on as you would normally, do not be deliberately obstructive, but do not be intimidated, its your safety, sure they will most likely be cursing, but they will be doing that at the next 'obstruction' to 'their' progress.

I too make a point of acknowledging good driving with regards to waiting back etc, same as any other interaction, it only does good. I have lost my rag in the past with 'road' hogs, but it doesn't make me feel any better , the cheery wave is much more effective, good for you and bad for them !!!


ps an old mate of mine, when being hooted would cup his ear at the vehicle, just to let them know he was not deaf, however he would never move over !

Cleat Eastwood

^^^ thats good advice

They mightnt be hooting to move over - it might just be to let you know they are there - if it is aggressive hooters (dont you just love that term) better to hold your line within reason.

notnot

Good advice - thanks. Will try the cheery wage approach Something about the riding position on the drop bars on a road bike makes it harder to turn round and make eye contact...but hopefully a wave will ameliorate things... I do say thanks when drivers drive patiently (thankfully, once I'm out of the city this tends to be the norm).

Unfortunately, I don't think these are "I'm here" hoots - this is a fairly busy city road, so there are almost always cars around you, rather than the type of rural road where you only see a car in a blue moon.

sungod

imho consideration and friendly acknowledgement works, it humanises you and helps counter the view of cyclists as red light jumping gits

there are times i give way to cars, pedestrians etc. when it's my right of way or when they really should have avoided blithely stepping out in front of me, with a nod/wave/smile, i figure that if we all try to treat each other a bit nicer, maybe over time the average standard of behaviour will go up

i have mellowed over time, but dangerous twats still get tend to the benefit of my extensive vocabulary and powers of gesture

roypsb

nutter_bed wrote:

Make sure you acknowledge the drivers that wait for you.
I had one sit behind me for a while yesterday whilst I negotiated a roundabout so gave them a little thank you wave when they overtook safely.
If it helps people realise the have done good, then so much the better.

Agree 100% with this. I always thank drivers for waiting.

Mikey23

I still think the advice to take the lane is a little dangerous as most motorists are not aware of why you are doing it and just think you are being anti social. Much need for education of motorists and cyclists alike methinks. A nod, a wave, a smile and a bit of common sense doesn't hurt. I held up folks on winding double white lines today on a busy road and made a point of thanking the patient ones

StillGoing

Hold your ground. If I encounter an aggressive hooter, I give them the continental gesture of what's your problem as they pass. I've had the odd one stick their brake lights on threatening to stop but never do, which is a shame as I'd love to stick my warrant card in their face.

snaphappyspen

I have always wondered this, for instance i was on a very narrow road and at the side i was on is a sheer drop. The only thing protecting me from falling over is an old wooden fence. That accompanied by the shit roads by me i find myself having to move into the middle of the lane to avoid flats, bent wheels, going over the handlebars etc.

I had someone beep at me as i was doing this, and zoom past me afterwards. I caught up with him, gave him a stare, he kicked off, i flipped the bird!

tiredofwhiners

If someone does get aggressive off the bike, you'll find that a squirt from your drinks bottle close to them is enough to make them back off. Most people will dodge a jet of drink naturally - you don't have to hit them.

You can of course go further if they get aggressive, and go for the eyes, and if they have actually been aggressive and try to jump back in the car go for their fuel cap. Opening it up and pointing the bottle at it will get their attention.

Mikey23

Hmm interesting. Wouldn't pepper spray be more effective? Or acid, or ammonia, or tear gas? aK47 in your saddle bag?

dashik

The trouble is the the kind of drivers that get all tooty with cyclists are not reasonable people in the first place. Eight years as a Driving Instructor has left me with a very poor view of a moinor portion of british drivers.

This portion has the advantage, They are obviously stupid and the trouble with arguing with them is they drag you down to their level and then beat you with experiance......

Best bet is smile nicely, wave and let them get on with it. Keep your position in the road as per the British Cycling guidelines and common sense.

dylanfernley

The trouble is the the kind of drivers that get all tooty with cyclists are not reasonable people in the first place.

i agree, cocaine does not make for better driving

notnot

Nice easy ride yesterday - with drivers seeming more patient on a Saturday. A few motorbikes speeding past - on a weekend spin, I guess - but that's them risking their necks rather than mine...

On the other hand, today I got hooted by a sodding ice cream van as it passed. Granted, there were several cars behind me, but I was doing 20 in a 30 limit and the (narrow-ish but two-lane) road left plenty of space to pass when there was no oncoming traffic...but not enough space to pass me safely with oncoming traffic even if I were riding just by the hedge.

dashik

You sure he was not just trying to sell you a 99?

notnot

Dashik wrote:

You sure he was not just trying to sell you a 99?

Maybe the idea was that if I caught up with him I could buy a cone

wod1

I had one the other day on the way home from work. I was riding out from the kerb but not even close to as far out as taking the lane. A corsa pulled beside me hooting and indicating that I should ride further to the kerb. It was one of these roads with a white line about 0.5 meters out from the side of the road and I was riding outside of the white line. He then decided to show me that I should ride inside this white line and demonstrated this by driving his car into the kerb. Clearly a total idiot who should not be on the road.

NWLondoner

wod1 wrote:

I had one the other day on the way home from work. I was riding out from the kerb but not even close to as far out as taking the lane. A corsa pulled beside me hooting and indicating that I should ride further to the kerb. It was one of these roads with a white line about 0.5 meters out from the side of the road and I was riding outside of the white line. He then decided to show me that I should ride inside this white line and demonstrated this by driving his car into the kerb. Clearly a total idiot who should not be on the road.

The white line IS the edge of the road!!!

Sounded like a right bloody prat

Mr Will

If you are regularly getting hooted, I'd suggest you are doing it wrong - probably not in terms of actual positioning, but in terms of "body language". IME drivers rarely object to primary positioning if you act like you have a reason for being there. Move out more decisively, hold your line and then move back as soon as it is safe.

Taking the lane should not be your default position, a comfortable distance from the kerb in a safe secondary position should be.

MartinB2444

Had a lovely conversation with an old chap the other day. Had just turned R onto a short stretch of road and was keeping out a little way to avoid some pot holes. Car comes past a few inches away and then cuts in tight and gives a blast of his horn. 100yards later I came along side him at some traffic lights. This is near verbatim our exchange of words.

Me: Now that was a bit silly and unnecessary of you wasn't it

Driver: You bloody idiot, you should move over before someone knocks you down.

Me: I'm not an idiot, I was a little wide to avoid pot holes but thank you for your advice.

Driver: You're a bloody idiot.

Me: No, I'm not an idiot. Cutting me up was a very silly thing to do. Sorry if I disturbed your drive. The lights are changing now so we can go.

Driver: You bloody idiot

Mikey23

well i guess thats sorted then... youre a bloody idiot :-)

Wacky Racer

I was riding last weekend with the wife (yeah yeah), a car full of teenagers overtook her and tried to give her a nudge with hands out of the passenger window. I got the idiot right in the eye with ribena squirted from my bottle as they got alongside me. I prayed they'd stop, but they chickened out and sped off. I'm usually quite happy to have a civilised conversation with idiots who want to try to intimidate me with their tonne of steel, but I would have punched this clown without thinking about it had he stopped.

MartinB2444

Mikey23 wrote:

well i guess thats sorted then... youre a bloody idiot :-)

It must be true

DavidJB

wod1 wrote:

I had one the other day on the way home from work. I was riding out from the kerb but not even close to as far out as taking the lane. A corsa pulled beside me hooting and indicating that I should ride further to the kerb. It was one of these roads with a white line about 0.5 meters out from the side of the road and I was riding outside of the white line. He then decided to show me that I should ride inside this white line and demonstrated this by driving his car into the kerb. Clearly a total idiot who should not be on the road.

Lets hope he knocked out his tracking

Cookie91

I hold my lane in bristol where there is the occasional hoot and comment, but most of the time i have no problems. I won't hold my lane just for fun i do it mainly to avoid potholes, drains etc. however when I Think it is safe i will move over to let them pass. (Remember to check over your shoulder before pulling back out again though)

racingcondor

OP - As you've noticed people who overtake badly do it whether you are 2ft from the curb or 6 inches. The problem being that if you're 6 inches from the curb you have nowhere to go if there's a pothole/glass/crazed squirrel.

I hold my position while I'm riding but if I'm on a solo or ride with one other person and we're on a windy country road (i.e. no decent overtaking opportunity) I'll pull over and let people past if they're stuck behind. On windy lanes that usually just gets me stuck behind a slow moving car instead but keeps driver angst to a minimum.

notnot

Yep - the road I normally get hooted on may look to drivers that there's plenty of space for me to take a secondary position. The surface isn't good, though, so it's useful to have a couple of foot to the left if you need to avoid a pothole. Negotiating around double-parked cars is also an issue - if I'm in a secondary position with a parked car in front and a moving car to my right, the drivers frequently don't notice me needing to move right or don't care...

Very happy to move over to allow overtaking when it's safe, the problem is when cars are determined to do it when it's not