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I think the act of being in a car is quite disassociating so that drivers don't really understand the implications of their actions, and combined with the very particular mentality of London/British 'my car is my castle' drivers it creates a really fucked up situation where they feel entitled to bully and abuse people they perceive as a nuisance. I remember waiting at a junction on my bike and a driver behind me literally pushing me into the road by edging forward against my back wheel-it wasn't until I turned round and stared into his eyes that he seemed to come round from whatever violent reverie he was in and he looked immediately embarrassed (and possibly fearful as I was about to get off my bike and drag him out the car/beat him to death with my D-lock) . I genuinely think he just didn't see me as a real person but just another object to get around like a parking bollard.
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I turned round and stared into his eyes that he seemed to come round from whatever violent reverie he was in
Indeed the look back does really change how drive interact with riders. Riders often don't look back enough. These are simples changes in behaviour that reduce risk without loads of additional protective kit....
branwen
skydancer
All of which is entirely negated by drivers just not bothering to look
I totally agree with you, but find it depressing that no matter how hi viz you are, or how assertive, all it takes is someone deciding that their phone is more important than looking ahead