Considerate driver of the day

Patient cab at narrow section of Union St (Charles Dickens / Paxman brass), I hold a firm secondary line, no revs from behind as red light ahead. I make small effort to aknowledge patience, lights changes just as we arrive, I briskly cross and make good room for him as road widens by the bridge. Small wave reciprocated, which I can feel is mostly about us both being aware of each other and what's happening around.

Mostly awesome craft from professional drivers, riders and cycle couriers these days, in my experience, but plenty of room for improvement from some wvm, lone occupant commuter cars, school runners, and sometime cyclists (sorry ... this thread is meant to be about peace and praises).

I had a pleasant pootle in proximity of one of those massive scary Keltbray tipper lorries yesterday on my ride in, around Druid St. then up through crossing London Bridge northbound, where they all empty off to the left at the top. Kind driver gave me lots of room, acknowledged my signals, etc. Wish they were all as attentive as this one. (EY12 YHZ if i recall). I saw the same lorry today around the same place/time and it made me wonder if the same driver gets the same lorry every day. I couldn't tell if it was the same driver or not.

Excellent tipper truck behaviour today on the A10 one way bit near Seven Sisters a little after 9am. He was ahead of my mate and I in the middle lane, was indicating left (with accompanying Stephen Hawking 'This vehicle is turning left' voice coming from his lorry), he waited patiently for us to go past but we waved him into the left lane ahead of us, then traffic got snarled up, we went around the right of him and he'd left a nice big gap between him and the other lorry in front of us in the middle lane.

I stopped just in case he was about to lurch forward and squish us, but made eye contact and he waved us on, gave us a smile and a thumbs up, we responded in kind and sped off ahead. I don't recall the company name unfortunately, but it was exemplary driving (and a well kitted out truck, what with the audible warning and so forth - not come across that before).

lovely to hear

Dropped my wallet riding between herne hill and brixton, at about 8.30. Road was quiet, so I stopped to pick up the dorrah I had dropped - fighty looking silver bmw comes round the corner in the other direction, and stops in front of me, slightly diagonally across the road so he's facing me. I look up, vaguely alarmed. He wound the window wound down; 'It's pretty dark, figured you could use my headlights'. Dorrah retrieved, friendly wave. Ace.

Car load of pierced and tattooed "scene" dudes in Stratford near Westfield.
Thanks for helping me retrieve my hat.

If not for you, I'd be two Brooklyn caps down in one week.

Considerate rider of the day - chap on a pale blue/green Robin Mather bike at Aldwych who dismounted to help a blind guy who couldn't cross the road due to some rather inconsiderate roadworks blocking the pedestrian crossing. You, sir, are a gent, and your bike's well tasty.

I was on the bus or else I'd have complemented you in person.

Was it a Robin Mather hybrid? in that case you probably spotted site boss Velocio.

He's not got time to help the blind, he should be coding his way to £millions.

Was it a Robin Mather hybrid? in that case you probably spotted site boss Velocio.

Couldn't make out from top of the bus - thought it was a touring/audax frame, but I might be wrong. Either way, nice bike.

Awesome spot, whoever it was. Sounds like Velocio.

Had a top moment this week, had removed my gloves at some point, and not remembered to put the back on when getting back on the bike. Riding down Long Lane SE1 I drop them without noticing, black Prius PHV with Turkish-ish driver, waits for good place to overtake, pauses next to me to tell me, then zips off quick to not cause any hazard. I'm left hollering 'You're very kind, Thanks!!!'.

Almost as good as the headlights and brooklyn cap csb stories ^..^

Yesterday riding to the City 2 abreast with lazerboy at 07:5am encountered 100s of considerate drivers. No hassle courteous and patient. (There were 5 inconsiderate ones, 3 Black cab drivers, a White van driver and a BT van driver - the 100s of considerate ones were more memorable though, but too numerous to list)

US drivers more considerate than UK drivers
http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/us-drivers-more-considerate-of-cyclists-than-uk-motorists/015105

Wonder why... Perhaps Yanks are generally less aggressive?
#Unexpected

scared they might get shot?

US drivers more considerate than UK drivers
http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/us-drivers-more-considerate-of-cyclists-than-uk-motorists/015105

Wonder why... Perhaps Yanks are generally less aggressive?
#Unexpected

America is quite a large country that's almost impossible to generalised, there are some states that are amazing when it's come to cycling and some are horrible.

Good example is the town of Davis whom are extremely cycle-friendly, and drivers don't even bat an eyelit if you're not on the cycle path (of which there are no shortage of).

The California city, located 11 miles west of Sacramento, has long been known for its progressive approach to transportation and its love for all things bike. Davis has more bikes than cars, operates two bicycle advisory committees and employs two full-time bike coordinators, and has bike lanes on 95-percent of its major streets. It’s innovative approach and long-term commitment to creating and maintaining bicycle-friendly infrastructure and policy has led many to hail the city as the number one bike friendly communities in the United States.

Wired article of Davis.

The explanation is very simple--a much stronger emphasis on traffic legislation and higher levels of compliance, partly owing to better enforcement. Over here, enforcement always seems overstretched and unable to follow up all the cases. The traffic caseload is much less, comparatively, in the US.

Check out this simple video, a briefing for police officers on the law concerning cycling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Mqvgr-cH_A8

There is a respect for traffic law enforcement there which does not exist in the UK. Because of this, many US campaigners have long concentrated on legislation.

(An amusing incident while they were filming this:

http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2010/01/20/dude-who-do-you-think-youre-honking-at/)

Anecdotally, reports of inconsiderate driving appear to be fewer in the US (although there seem to be regional variations). It is of course still the case even in the US that people try to get riders 'off the road'.

http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2010/01/20/dude-who-do-you-think-youre-honking-at/

Oh, that is priceless: "You couldn't see it, but the driver was shaking like a leaf!" lolz.

On my way into work the other day I was being followed up Farringdon Road by one of them big tipper trucks filled with construction rubble. The driver was keeping REALLY far back and when he eventually did overtake he gave me bags of room. I took a mental note of the name of the company on the livery and tried to remember the registration plate as well so I could send them a note giving them a thumbup but unfortunately because it hadn't been seared into my brain by adrenaline and terror I'd forgotten everything by the time I got to work.

Sorry, considerate HGV driver :(

I found drivers in North America generally to be much more considerate. Vancouver, Atlanta and Nashville all provided a much more enjoyable interaction with the local traffic. Initially I wandered if it had something to do with the litigation culture but it did just seem to be a different driving culture.

I was told that in other states driving was a lot worse so I could have just been lucky witht he towns I visited.

Just turned into my road, which involves a largish, but quiet junction that has lights to go straight ahead or turn right, I need to go right. As I approach I notice a car behind me that is of the kind of distance that if I let them pass we will get tangled, so I give a big signal and move to the right, dude slows down and goes to go straight ahead in the left hand lane as I use the tiny right hand turn area, I give him a little thank you wave. Dude waves back as he undertakes me around the right turn, then pulls up on the left 30 feet down the road. I don't normally chat to bad drivers but I'd clocked his P plates when he was behind me and I'm drunk so stopped for a chat. He was cheerfully ignorant of his mistake but I told him that he should avoid doing what he did, I pointed out that it was good that he was obviously giving cyclists plenty of room (he took the turn very wide), but after pointing out his newb plates and telling him I used to be a driving instructor, informed him he should wait behind me until I turn and treat me like he'd treat a car or motorcycle , as not all junctions have as much room as this one. He agreed and wished me a good night, I did the same to him. It all went quite well.

I'm hoping he's parked up down the road and I can slash his tyres and shit on his windscreen and whipskid "fxeh sk1ddrz 4 lyf" using the poop.

A black cab* followed me at a reasonable distance and speed before overtaking in the safest place to do so with a good amount of space, he had a 'think bike' sticker in the back window. It's really nice to be given respect on the road.

*didn't even have an passengers in it.

an passengers?

no passenger = better driving.

an passengers?

*any

no passenger = better driving.

Really? I've found the opposite and it seems to make far more sense.
With passengers in they can take their time and earn more money but without passengers they're not earning so in a hurry to find some.