Drivers so bad that they don't know they almost hit you!?

Agreed on the comment above.
However it happens to a lot of us cyclists and we get on with it.

If you cycle on the same stretches you will be aware of such dangers. Potholes, cars turning, bus stops and manhole/drain covers.

Slow down a bit and get a better position on the road.

I meet a bus driver like her. He overtakes just before a mini roundabout with kerbs and central bollards that restrict road width to just wider than the bus. The space available to overtake would need me to be virtually stationary not 15 to 24mph. First time I got squeezed by the bus and had to lean against the bus with my arm. After that I'd hear the bus and sprint so I got to the roundabout before the bus. Now I've learnt to move out so cars and buses don't see a big enough gap. I've been riding further out from the e edge these days. I've read between 1 and 1.5 metres somewhere. I've noticed I've seen people holding back and not overtaking me where there are double white centre lines on blind bends. If forget and ride closer in I've found drivers see a gap where there shouldn't be one. Road position has been a recent revelation to me.

awavey wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Once or twice you can understand it ... but if it's a regular occurrence then perhaps you should look at how you could make yourself more noticeable.
Flashing front light - or two ...
Bright jacket/top ...
Position on the road?

no I dont agree with that because its not that people arent seeing you because they cant see you, its because they dont b****y look properly in the first place. and theres very little you can do about that, its a blindspot mindset some drivers simply have that says unless you are a car shaped object theyll mostly ignore you, but then still blame you for getting in their way.

I did say perhaps - as in a suggestion - not that it's the answer ... the answer is for the vehicle drivers to look properly and be more considerate. But even once they've seen you car drivers can make mistakes - so cyclists should also take appropriate measures.

Mikey23 wrote:

I assume that noone else on the road has seen me and everyone is trying to kill me. And i wouldnt be riding so that i couldnt react to unexpected things happening around me ie 35mph downhill in a residential area. So far its a policy thats kept me alive...

This ---^ ie ride defensively. If you see a car that might pull out, assume he/she will and slow down. They will not just do it in front of cyclists, but cars as well.

Its a fact of life, moron drivers are everywhere.

Sadly some people are just in their own little world, maybe listening to music on their car stereo, or whatever. Your description reminds me of a young female driver about a year ago. I was cycling through Brixton, riding in the bus lane. She cut out from the left (turning left), almost taking me out. Luckily I hit the brakes and avoided her. About 100m up the road a car was turning right, so she just swerved into the bus lane without any warning (or use of indicators), again very nearly taking me out. Unbelievably, about 100m further up the road she then decided to make a left turn, again with no use of indicator, cutting across the bus lane and almost wiping me out a third time.

Another cyclist actually came alongside me laughing because he couldn't believe she'd almost taken me out three times in the space of a few hundred metres. Clearly she was in her own little world, simply not paying attention to anything around her. If she hasn't done already one day she will hit a car/cyclist/pedestrian and come out with the "I didn't see you" phrase.

A guy in my office was actually knocked off his bike this week in central London. He was riding in a line of cyclists on one of the cycle superhighways and a guy in a car decided to turn right. Rather than waiting for a gap he just drove through them, taking this guy over his bonnet. The result was a destroyed bike and various injuries including broken ribs. Apparently the driver said absolutely nothing other than "is everybody alright". He didn't even respond to questions about why he made the turn.

Mikey23 wrote:

i wouldnt be riding so that i couldnt react to unexpected things happening around me ie 35mph downhill in a residential area. .

As that was the speed I quoted I guess that was aimed at me, as with all things the right speed is determined by a range of road 'conditions' and I can assure you it's safer doing 35 than 25 there as you then get a queue of cars desperate to overtake at all costs (mostly to you) behind you.......

While it has houses it is far from Urban.

Its nice when drivers admit their mistakes and those involved just don't go off on one.

I had a wee incident in London, 50/50 blame between me and the driver, and we had a very amicable discussion afterwards. Makes a potentially bad situation feel a bit better.

squired wrote:

A guy in my office was actually knocked off his bike this week in central London. He was riding in a line of cyclists on one of the cycle superhighways and a guy in a car decided to turn right. Rather than waiting for a gap he just drove through them, taking this guy over his bonnet. The result was a destroyed bike and various injuries including broken ribs. Apparently the driver said absolutely nothing other than "is everybody alright". He didn't even respond to questions about why he made the turn.

It's often given as advice in traffic accidents that you should enquire if everyone is ok, but otherwise say nothing.

Had a pick up driver beeping and swearing at me to move over last night and a motorbike, which really surprised me, shaking his head at me then looked to be slowing down to check my reaction

Tonight's driver award goes to a guy who have me an inch (maybe two) where there were three lanes.

His response? "Yeah but I didn't hit you" and "I was avoiding the cars in the other lane"

I'm getting seriously fed up of incompetent twats behind the wheel. Another recently nearly knocked me off while texting.

drlodge wrote:

patrickf wrote:

I'm getting seriously fed up of incompetent twats behind the wheel. Another recently nearly knocked me off while texting.

You shouldn't be texting while cycling.

Walked into that one didn't I?

Sad thing is I see plenty of people on BSOs texting while attempting to ride.

Gert big tractor pulled out in front of me last night on a country lane had those long spiky hay bale thingy on the front. Guy was on his mobile. Red mist and ranting moment from me and a futile attempt to chase it down the road before good karma returned...