Institute of Advanced Motoring giving cycling tips!

I'm sure we all have positive days, mostly when the sun shines. Then just as you're riding along at the recommend distance from the curb, a taxi driver pulls in to your lane cutting dangerously close in front of you. Unperturbed, you carry on, still in a better mood than other days, then another taxi driver, cuts you up badly as he suddenly takes the right turn.
Or some such story.
No amount of optimism can negate those aholes out there.
This is London my friend.

saw a guy in his 40s this morning cycling along kew road, well not really cycling, one foot padding along the kerb edge the other still on the pedals

i said to him, "you'd be much safer cycling in the middle or outside of the road, not filtering down the inside"

his response "fuck you, i know how to ride a bike"

i thought to myself "yes but you know how to ride fucking dangerously"

hard to feel sympathy if he gets hit cycling in that manner

I had a nice chat with a guy in his 50's heading towards Kew Bridge this morning, he was riding a very nice orange Pinarello Prince (not seen on in this colour before).

He asked me if I'd seen "the bearded twat who rides the titanium bike" I told him I generaly try to avoid the cunt.
Then we bid each other good day.

Yes, in the middle of the lane. You have a right to use the primary position, when its hazardous to be close to the kerb, for instance where there are road narrowings and refuges, at junctions, pedestrian crossings, or when signalling to turn right.

Most car/lorry drivers will respond well to a polite wave over the shoulder from the cyclist that gestures 'I know you are behind me and I thank you for your patience'.

^ sound advice.
@Arducius, yes good actions, why would any vehicle overtake you on a bike, if they wouldnt overtake any other vehicle?
IAM website has some good looking people on the cycling page.

saw a guy in his 40s this morning cycling along kew road, well not really cycling, one foot padding along the kerb edge the other still on the pedals

i said to him, "you'd be much safer cycling in the middle or outside of the road, not filtering down the inside"

his response "fuck you, i know how to ride a bike"

This is pretty much the response I've got from people when I suggest they do some free training. It's like you want to charge them £. :(

Telling some subsequently that they're the daily mail dream cyclist[0] and thanks for the support, do they want mandatory cycle training has helped in 1 case :)

Oh dear, crossover to the training thread, thanks DJ :)

[0]they read the guardian.

To be fair, telling a complete stranger something like that is very difficult to do without sounding like a patronsing idiot, regardless of the situation.

this morning i said to a fellow cyclist who was hugging a kerb going northbound on london road with a massive bus behind him:

"hey it might be safer for you in future to ride on the right side of that lane, i had a bus almost kill me last week because he was impatient. luckily that bus driver then was good enough to just follow you. if you get a bad driver and you're in the kerb and they try to overtake you, the traffic coming the other way will force him back into you. "

"he said thanks mate, glad you're ok"

not all take it the wrong way

A lot of "I didn't see you" accidents with cyclists happen at junctions. I think you'll find the main reason for this isn't that the motorist wasn't looking, but that they weren't looking where you are. Off to the kerb side of the road you don't come up in their field of perception because they're looking for a motorised vehicle, and they are coming down the middle of the lane. If you're in that position, you will be seen and registered in their perception.

Obviously if there is a lot of motorised traffic then you needn't bother, you will have cars acting for you as an inhuman shield as it were.

Also look at enlarged a post around windscreens and also ook that movement is percieved in periferal vision if you are going straight you are not seen. Same with motorcycles.

Ok does that make sense?

^ sound advice.
@Arducius, yes good actions, why would any vehicle overtake you on a bike, if they wouldnt overtake any other vehicle?
IAM website has some good looking people on the cycling page.
Because cyclists don't pay road tax and all get in the way, weaving all over the road, jumping red lights and killing pedestrians! They shouldn't even be on the road! Why should I have to wait behind when I can overtake and almost crash because I'm impatient and ignorant?

Also look at enlarged a post around windscreens and also ook that movement is percieved in periferal vision if you are going straight you are not seen. Same with motorcycles.

Ok does that make sense?

No.

;)

No.

;)

+1

I'm sure we all have positive days, mostly when the sun shines. Then just as you're riding along at the recommend distance from the curb, a taxi driver pulls in to your lane cutting dangerously close in front of you. Unperturbed, you carry on, still in a better mood than other days, then another taxi driver, cuts you up badly as he suddenly takes the right turn.
Or some such story.
No amount of optimism can negate those aholes out there.
This is London my friend.

out of curiously, why it's always taxi?

it's a lots easier to ride preparing to slow down than to speed up, this way an incident like those are less unexpected once they occur.

Two in less than 10 secs. A right mood dampener.

No.

;)

+1

Also look at enlarged a post around windscreens and also look that movement is percieved in periferal vision if you are going straight you are not seen. Same with motorcycles.

A post is the term for the side of the car where the windscreen is attached, to comform to higher crash test standards simply put one of the ways is larger A post so increased blind spot.

That clearer

Or the lack of movement in peripheral vision thing?

I get what you mean now although it is usually best referred to as an A-post rather than an a post. I wouldn't bother looking for an enlarged A-post though. Too much time trying to resolve something that may not be there.