mad drivers

tapscrew

So I went for a spin out today, round the lanes in the country. There I was cycling down a nice hill, I heard a car coming up behind so I pulled closer to the edge of the lane. Suddenly the car speeds by me like a maniac so close he almost ran me into the hedge and when he was right next to me blasted his horn the b******d. Granted the lane was pretty narrow, but blimey it was like he was trying to run me off the road, I was wearing all the hi viz gear too, even had flashing lights on as it was a dull day! Don't know what I did to p***s him off?!!! Anyone else had this type of experience?

nweststeyn

I bet nearly everyone else on here has...

Don't let it get to you, is the best advice I can offer... I let it get to me and it ruined riding for me until I got over it.

sloppyschleckonds

Sounds like the OP must have upset the driver in some way...

nweststeyn

oh you cheeky schleckond...

dave02

you have to come to terms with and overcome the reality, that not all people, whether they are bikers or motorists,are nice, move on and enjoy your time on this planet, its a journey

kajjal

Since I got a road bike recently I have nearly been taken out by four cars minimum. Seems that is just the way it works. The latest was a car charging out from behind several parked cars in a row to engage me in a mad max style game of chicken ! I was doing about 25mph at the time so no idea what she thought she was doing

No wonder road bikers are so fed up

rhext

Yep, everyone gets that from time to time. Maybe a mistake to pull over in the first place.....

Schoie81

Yep, i've had them too, but to be honest, they are pretty few and far between in my experience. I don't understand it in the slightest though. Last week, on a wide straight stretch of road and with nothing coming the other way, two cars overtook me, the first can't have missed my elbow by much more than an inch, the car right behind him gave me so much room he was almost touching the curb on the opposite side. I can't work out if they are just idiots who don't realise how stupid it is, they're just naturally aggressive people, or if they're simply incredibly bad drivers...?

petepete1969

Sadly there are a number of idiots who think that you shouldn't be on the road, I've had simpletons overtaking to close, cars speeding up when approaching from the opposite way on tight lanes and taxi drivers doing U turns as your going past. Seems the latest fashion is young d**kheads shouting at you as they are overtaking or using the windscreen washers whilst overtaking you. I've noticed that drivers are more courteous on roads that have the think bike signs up, the worst are work vehicles or citroen xara picaso drivers dunno why, spose you realise you have a cr*p car and have to take it out on somebody.

Initialised

Note the registration, call 101 from a payphone, remain anonymous, tell the cops you saw them stagger out of the nearest pub and nearly run someone (old, dog or child) over then saw them try and run a cyclist off the road and you think they are over the limit due to their erratic driving. Don't tell them you are the cyclist.

With any luck they'll get pulled over and breathalised and Pavlovian conditioning will alter their approach to road manners. A driving ban, no insurance or MOT etc is a potential bonus.

Alternatively, chalk it up to experience and move on.

wavefront

petepete1969 wrote:

using the windscreen washers whilst overtaking you.

I had this a couple of days ago on my commute home. Saw red, and hammered it after the guy to have a word. I chased all the way home, but never got closer than a car length away. In the end I really wish I could have spoken to him and thanked him for 'inspiring' me to achieve my fastest time home, and a whole bunch of PB's on Strava - amazing what you can do when you have focus!!!

StillGoing

Initialised wrote:

Note the registration, call 101 from a payphone, remain anonymous, tell the cops you saw them stagger out of the nearest pub and nearly run someone (old, dog or child) over then saw them try and run a cyclist off the road and you think they are over the limit due to their erratic driving. Don't tell them you are the cyclist.

With any luck they'll get pulled over and breathalised and Pavlovian conditioning will alter their approach to road manners. A driving ban, no insurance or MOT etc is a potential bonus.

Alternatively, chalk it up to experience and move on.

Brilliant, get the police running around after made up crap stretching already understaffed resources even further. Your end suggestion however, is the correct answer.

hatch87

Some drivers are nobs. Heck I get flashed and overtaken for doing 30 in a 30 driving my car. I just smile to myself wondering how stressful their life must be if 10 seconds is so damn important then carry on singing to Celine Dion

blinddrew

nweststeyn wrote:

I bet nearly everyone else on here has...

Don't let it get to you, is the best advice I can offer... I let it get to me and it ruined riding for me until I got over it.

This.

monkimark

hatch87 wrote:

carry on singing to Celine Dion

better than her singing to you I suppose.

markhewitt1978

There is a lot of aggression on British roads. You see it all the time, most of it directed at other cars, e.g. the typical BMW sitting an inch from your bumper. But it's also at anyone else on the road. Which is why it unhelpful and perhaps even criminal for the media to start talking about lycra louts etc as anything which makes cyclists 'fair game' will tip these idiots over the edge.

hatch87

monkimark wrote:

hatch87 wrote:

carry on singing to Celine Dion

better than her singing to you I suppose.

Well she can't sing to well being gagged in my boot :twisted:

Dorset_Boy

It really is time for the government to produce some TV ads about how to drive safely around cyclists, with a reminder about the gaps that should be left when overtaking. I've seen signs in France on narrow roads reminding drivers they must leave a 1.5m gap when overtaking a cyclist.

Won't stop the absolute d!ckheads, but may improve the practices of those who are just poor drivers.

hatch87

Dorset Boy wrote:

It really is time for the government to produce some TV ads about how to drive safely around cyclists, with a reminder about the gaps that should be left when overtaking. I've seen signs in France on narrow roads reminding drivers they must leave a 1.5m gap when overtaking a cyclist.

Won't stop the absolute d!ckheads, but may improve the practices of those who are just poor drivers.

Most drivers need completely re training, some passed such a long time ago they were lighting candles for their head lights. Its surprising we don't have to retake a test every 10 years or something as things change so much. Whats the point of having your eyesight tested at the start of a driving test at the age of 17, then never again until something happens

tapscrew

went out for another ride this morning and no mad drivers! yippee. I know some drivers are just jerks, it just make me mad as a hornet to think that they would risk your life in this way- nutters

navrig

Twice I've been passed by a couple of idiots in a small car and as they pass the passenger just screams in my ear as they pass. Scares the living daylights out of me.

I have all sorts of plans to follow them into town and then grab hold of them and ......... then I remember I am waering cycling shoes with cleats. I have no chance in starting an altercation and winning - I'll slide all over the place and end up flat on my face.

Let it go.......

and breathe....

Bucksspeedyboy

It's not just us cyclists that have problems with stupid motorists. Driving home tonight along a busy A road out of Milton Keynes there was a guy on a mod-type Vespa scooter two cars in front of me. He was going at about 55 mph, but still the two cars in front of me felt they had to overtake him. The first one did and then had to cut up the scooter guy to avoid a car coming the other way and I thought "that would annoy me if I was riding that scooter". I then watched the car in front of me (a woman in a Chrysler people carrier) do exactly the same thing!

I then sat behind the scooter knowing full well that we would catch-up the two overtaking vehicles in a couple of minutes at the next roundabout, which is what happened. I then turned off the main road and followed the Chrysler woman through country lanes at about 40 mph with her braking on every bend.

It just seems that some drivers feel they have to overtake 'lesser mortals' on the road who aren't driving a car regardless of their speed or what is coming the other way.

Mikey23

An interesting phenomenon. People seem to register the make and model of the car in front and decide they should be overtaking so they do. I drive an i10 which looks a bit like a fridge on wheels but is actually quite nippy so they try to overtake then realise they can't

sub4

I work in a bike shop & we've been selling quite a few bikes to noobs this year. Every driver who starts cycling is a driver who will be a little more understanding when they get back behind the wheel. Roll on more UK cycling success. It makes a difference!

noodleman

I was on my TT bike yesterday. Nice straight road with a petrol garage on the left. I saw a car waiting to pull out and turn left in front of me. As I got closer I saw it was an old woman looking straight at me as she continued to pull out straight in front of me. I had already moved onto the brakes as I predicted this would happen. I still had to lock the wheels, as part of me thought she wouldnt be so stupid as to pull out when I was fifteen to twenty feet away.
It's a shame to have to ride with the attitude that everyone hates you and sees you as an inconvenience not another human being, but that's probably the best way to stay safe.
Not really that this helps the op's situation much but another example of many drivers attitudes towards cyclists. Can't see it changing to be honest.

Mikey23

It's the way to stay alive though... Just assume that everybody else on the road is out to kill. I do the eye contact thing every time. If they haven't clocked me then it's possible they haven't seen me. Those heavily tinted windows are a pain though ...