Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

Anticipated cycling radius?

Seeing if she's eligible for free cycle training.

My 'bad cycling' moment.

This morning I was turning right onto a main road and had stopped in the middle of that main road as I could see a car slowing down for right turn into the road I had just left. Behind him was another car so I waited til that car had gone past, then I started to finish my right turn, only to hear a 'woh!' as a cyclist zoomed past.

Whilst I had clearly seen both cars, I really hadn't seen that cyclist. I should have checked again before moving out and I hadn't. That shook me up a little and reminded me of a LondonCyclist article about looking and not seeing. I made sure I triple checked before I did any more turns for the rest of my journey.

I wasn't as careful as I would normally be on a weekday commute. Not good.

an early call but...

my sister has been given a bike. this is the woman who destroyed a petrol station in the USA by crashing into a petrol pump and then left the country without attending the related court case. she also wrote off volvo because she was driving along and suddenly an oak tree "just appeared in front of her" despite it being 6 feet from the verge

Somewhat fortunately, new bicycle pumps are appearing in the streets of London just in time for her to be able to write one off by crashing into it on her new bicycle. Trees there have been aplenty from time immemorial (they take longer to grow than bicycle pumps).

Based on what the both of you are saying all cyclists coming to the lights should be in single file.

I'm not sure what you mean here. I don't think that cyclists should approach in single file, you're welcome to ride in the traffic if you want. Nor do I think that they have to wait in single file at the junction, anyone who's going straight ahead can move over to the right of the ASL box. The only thing that causes problems is left-turning cyclists being on the right of cyclists going straight on.

I don't have an objection to being on the left per se my concern is that on smaller tighter junctions sticking to the left is an invite to taxis in a rush/boy racers/motor cycle couriers and other inconsiderates to try and overtake on the bend. <- Do you think that is a good thing? If cyclists had the torque that motorbikes have then none of this is an issue but if you don't you should take a stronger position that obliterates that chances of SMIDSY being used against you. Once you're over/past/have turned the junction then drift to the left and allow faster moving vehicle to pass. But not ON the junction. As far as I knew, on most junctions only one vehicle should passing at a time NOT a royal rumble free for all...

...Unless you suggest I undertake along the straight of the bridge, at some point I have to try and get into position for my left turn early but unless you're fairly aggressive no one (on a bike) wants to give you way to get there.
I do see what you mean here. The problem is that you want others to take the lane and be a vehicular cyclist like you, while they want to make use of the cycle lane that's been provided. The merits of both positions have been discussed at length and in detail elsewhere, but I think it's worth reiterating that not everyone is comfortable being a vehicular cyclist and the lack of provision for them is one of the main things holding cycling back.

On your search did you see any compulsory give way for motorists to cyclists?
No, but I've not seen those anywhere. Do they exist?

If you ask motorists what they hate dealing with nowadays it's left turns due to the heavy streams of cyclists on their left usually going straight ahead.
Well if they motorist behind you in the situation described was going straight on, then I suspect his major irritation was sitting behind you when you could have moved over the left and made the turn with the other cyclists.

I fear too many place too much faith in cycle lanes and paint in general: Most aren't aware that a hatched line = anyone can go into it.
But the lane that the bloke (who you had a confrontation with) was aiming for is delineated by a solid line. I agree that it's scant protection but it's not an unreasonable thing to do to position yourself so that you can go straight into it. You've not answered my question about what he should have done: if he filtered down the left in the bike lane and was aiming for the equivalent bike lane ahead on the left, your suggestion is that he should pull out into the middle of the lane and then back over to the left again. This seems really convoluted. Nor have you dealt with the problem that, had you been there first, he would have had to manoeuvre round the back of you to let you turn left. Another really awkward move.

Again I think this comes down to crap design. It's slightly ironic that the design of the bike lane brings cyclists into conflict not only with cars, but also with other cyclists who are acting like cars.

Again I think this comes down to crap design. It's slightly ironic that the design of the bike lane brings cyclists into conflict not only with cars, but also with other cyclists who are acting like cars.

cyclists act like cars?

the cycle lane bring death, it make people think it's perfectly okay and safe to undertake as much as possible, until their untimely death at a junction/cause by bad driving.

cyclists act like cars?

I regularly make Vroom Vroom noises whilst I ride.

Calling myself out for completely losing my shit with a taxi driver this morning.

Usual aggro with the driver beeping his horn at me in primary position going through a junction and then a stupidly close pass. A couple of hundred metres down the road I catch back up with him stuck in traffic. In my head I was preparing some devastatingly witty put down but instead let forth a stream of expletives and a wanker sign before almost ploughing into a traffic island - Not a good look. Maybe less coffee in the morning before I set off.

@ DJ: that all made sense, no further questions!

(FWIW, I have no particular issue with the pro-earphone argument when it comes with caveats. Still feels like a bad idea to me, but I can see where you're coming from..!)

Bit late to the party, however as I have mentioned before, overtaking a vehicle within the zig-zag lines at a zebra crossing is illegal.

http://www.motorlawyers.co.uk/offences/pedestrian_crossing.htm

If you read the link, it expressly says that motorcyclists, and thus I assume cyclists can overtake up until the car nearest the crossing. So if there is a queue of traffic and then a bus at a zebra crossing, you can over/undertake/filter up until the bus. I know this isn't helping the idiots who aren't reading this, but maybe next time you're 'calling out' a bad cyclist, you can add that on if they have committed that offence too.

TBH it makes sense to me, overtaking a vehicle that is obscuring your line of sight to pedestrians using the crossing is fairly stupid as you might hit someone. See plenty of bellends not bothering to follow that rule though.

No one follow that rules because they don't know it.

I know, I was trying to say that in my post, but I didn't make it obvious at all. What I was trying to say is, plenty of cyclists break that rule because I think they are not aware of it, but in my opinion, it seems to be a rule that shouldn't need defining as it is fairly obvious. You know, if you're not an inconsiderate bell end.

Ah I just don't notice the obvious is all, whether other can.

cyclists who are acting like cars.

I always act like a car. I'm 2 tonnes, painted in a metallic colour and I sit stationary outside until someone turns my key.

@ DJ: that all made sense, no further questions!

(FWIW, I have no particular issue with the pro-earphone argument when it comes with caveats. Still feels like a bad idea to me, but I can see where you're coming from..!)

This is not how internet debate works, it should escalate with much cunting, general abuse and veiled threats.

Are you new here?

^nerged

#openingsalvo

^nerged

#openingsalvo

retaliation has been unleashed

Tempted to nerg both of you for shits and giggles.

Calling myself out for completely losing my shit with a taxi driver this morning.

Usual aggro with the driver beeping his horn at me in primary position going through a junction and then a stupidly close pass. A couple of hundred metres down the road I catch back up with him stuck in traffic. In my head I was preparing some devastatingly witty put down but instead let forth a stream of expletives and a wanker sign before almost ploughing into a traffic island - Not a good look. Maybe less coffee in the morning before I set off.

Mate its the adrenaline. Common problem this with couriers (I was one). You have to learn to let it go. Easier said than done though. At least you have enough awareness to call yourself on it.

I would suggest that riding around looking is more important than listening, hence why deaf people can cycle and blind people don't. Of course hearing can help, but not as much as people think.

I would also advocate that music is at a volume where you can still hear what is going on. I would tend to suggest an experienced rider who does not look back enough may wish to try riding with earphones (not headphones) to encourage them to look around more. As you note some shit cyclists don't pay attention to what is said even if they are not wearing headphones. Personally I would not use noise blocking earphones or closed back headphones if they are particularly snug.

I used this as an example of how hearing is a very unreliable sense to indicate position and velocity of another vehicle. So it should not be relied upon for this purpose, your eyes are much more likely to give you more accurate information. Of course hearing helps alert you to the fact there is a vehicle responding to an emergency.

The level of immersion is down to the user, a car with its windows up, and music on is a very closed environment. I can hear other peoples conversations when riding along, but can't hear them when in a car. I also consider not just the risk i pose to myself, but the risk I pose to others, not just my vulnerability.. So a car driver who can't hear someone shouting a warning at them (because their windows are closed and music is on) is much more dangerous than a cyclist who can hear the warnings that are being shouted at them but is wearing headphones.

I largely agree but surely using all the senses that are available to you is preferable? By all means use sight as your primary sense but hearing also allows you to anticipate things that may not be within your line of vision / visual periphary (which I agree you should be checking)

I'm thinking about the revs you get from a vehicle that is directly behind you that can act as a warning that they may do something unpredictable (the most obvious example being to suddenly overtake and turn left).

I'm not a cycle instructor and have no problem with people wearing headphones but I'm interested to know why you wouldn't advocate using all senses available with a focus on looking and checking with your eyes?

Personally I don't wear headphones as I feel slightly 'cut off' - don't feel I have all my wits about me...

Maybe I should try cycling with headphones again but I can't see how it would help. Just interested in the thought behind this.

The point is many people do not use their eyes enough, and are too reliant on their ears to inform them as to what is happening behind. They never ever look back, and if you ask them why will say that they are listening. So it can help to try using earphones to encourage someone to use their eyes more.

As I stressed, blocking out the external noise completely is not suggested, but eyesight will always be a better sense to gauge these things than hearing.

I find i get distracted by the smell when i ride past a morleys, will plugging my nostrils make me a safer rider?

Mate its the adrenaline. Common problem this with couriers (I was one). You have to learn to let it go. Easier said than done though. At least you have enough awareness to call yourself on it.

I normally do a good job of keeping a lid on it in these situations. The satisfaction of gliding past him stuck in traffic in his shitty cab should have been enough - Live and learn.

The point is many people do not use their eyes enough, and are too reliant on their ears to inform them as to what is happening behind. They never ever look back, and if you ask them why will say that they are listening. So it can help to try using earphones to encourage someone to use their eyes more.

As I stressed, blocking out the external noise completely is not suggested, but eyesight will always be a better sense to gauge these things than hearing.

I find i get distracted by the smell when i ride past a morleys, will plugging my nostrils make me a safer rider?

QED: Yes