Having seen the footage, CyclingMikey said the phrase that comes to mind
is that the driver would struggle to organise an alcohol-based festivity
in a brewery. Another viewer suggested they "can't resist the quick
glance in, the look of utter contempt, and then the shake of the head as
I cycle on" when this inevitability of cycling on British roads unfolds to them.
Admittedly not often as dangerous as a high-speed close pass or 'sorry
mate I didn't see you', the must get in front (MGIF) is a more confusing experience and will leave you questioning: 'why?' Whether it is to get
ahead at a junction, with a red light looming or, in this case, simply to
sit in traffic two seconds sooner.
Anyone got any theories? What is it about a person riding a bicycle from
A to B that requires a select few to feel the need to always get in front
no matter what's ten metres ahead?
https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-7-june-2023-301731#live-blog-item-46287
IanMSpencer | 1821 posts | 1 day ago
8 likes
"the shake of a head" - gotta watch those.
Had a 5 minute barney with a motorist who got upset at our group's riding along a narrow two lane road littered with potholes. He passed us
(without raising any reaction or apparently doing anything) but then one
of our riders had gone off ahead signalling left just before a junction
and I noticed a severe swerve out and around him. All of a sudden I see
the driver stopped, indicator on, about 2 foot front the kerb. Matey in
front hops on the kerb pops out in front and tries to continue. The
driver set off and promptly collided with the rider.
A long argument ensued (JLR driver - either garage employee or direct employee) of which the main points were a cycling bingo of all over the
road (but strangely able to pass).
I asked why the shake of the head (the reason he gave as to why he had stopped) gave him the right to use his car as a weapon. He replied we
were supposed to stay together, tried to use the highway code to support
this (of course it is silent on group riding protocol).
We were in fact riding single file due to the width of the road and
potholes. He specifically objected to my riding where I rode from the
back of the group to the front to make sure they made a turn. I did this noting that there was a car far behind, I completed the manoeuvre and was ahead for 30 seconds or more before the car interacted with the group. I listed the number of offences he was committing including assault and threatening behaviour and that he was on camera, but he continued with
his critique of our riding.
When he finally drove off I muttered "Idiot!" which he heard and stopped,
got out of the car, door wide open, blocking the road and started on "So
you are allowed to verbally assault me are you?" I think the arrival of
an elderly couple stopped him from lamping me as I silently rode off with
a mere withering look.
Why is it that motorists feel they are entitled to discipline cyclists
for their perception of our riding standards?
The ride was topped off by a MGIF in a 20 when I was doing 20, and a near head on with a driver doing a bit of cleaning and shaking out a duster drifting onto the wrong side of the road a 100 yards from home.
IanMSpencer replied to Cycloid | 1822 posts | 20 hours ago
6 likes
Oh, I forgot the Freelander driver who tried to overtake me coming up to
a junction near Chipping Camden, failed to complete and I was looking
down at his wing (not mirror) as it got closer and closer. I glared with
one of those "Do you think I'm going to magic out of the way?" looks, did some 1.5m hand signalling and set off left from the junction - with him
still parked alongside -, adding on a bit of pointing at my camera, he
then deliberately close passed me into a blind bend. As Brooksby says, drivers don't like being criticised, even when they know they are in the wrong.
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