Driving Standards

[ska invita]

What’s the expected etiquette for motorists and cyclists at pinch points, esp ones with traffic islands?
I regularly ride up a long hill, with a 40mph limit. Unfortunately many cars exceed the speed limit, but even when they’re not, I take the precaution of taking the middle of the lane maybe 100m before the pinch point, to prevent close passes while I’m cycling between the traffic island and the pavement.
Occasionally I’ll get a beep or a mouthful of abuse for doing this, but today someone actually stopped and very aggressively remonstrated with me for riding dangerously. He was swearing loads in front of his kids and telling me I deserved to get run off my bike. I thought it best to stay quiet and move on, but now I’m stewing about it. I’m in the right though, aren’t I?

You may be in the right, but safest to pull off on the pavement and cross like a pedestrian I find. I've got a pinch point like this and that's what I do, not worth dying over

 

[Orang Utan]

You may be in the right, but safest to pull off on the pavement and cross like a pedestrian I find. I've got a pinch point like this and that's what I do, not worth dying over

I’m not crossing. I’m going up the road.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

BB2 has taken on board what she's been taught and has no qualms: OU you were right. When cycling you control the lane until YOU decide that it is safe for the motorist to overtake, only then do you make it possible by moving over. All this is in the Highway Code, women especially seem to have issues with seeing it through, it is intimidating holding up traffic, but better than being squished. Mr Angry was wrong, you know that cos he got all angry, nothing any other road user does should make you angry, it should make you cautious, and maybe tut.

 

[ska invita]

I’m not crossing. I’m going up the road.

Whatever it is, my advice is get on the pavement at that point, it's not about right of way it's about avoiding nutter conflict. My rule of thumb is if you don't feel safe don't risk it

 

[May Kasahara]

I really like where I live but people do drive like utter cunts, which spoils it for everyone. Ever-worsening over the last few years as well. E.g. today some cunt doing 40 down our narrow residential road just barely managed to stop at the ped crossing (screeched to a halt with his nose hanging over the stripes), then swore aggressively at us for not crossing fast enough. What an inadequate wanker.

 

[Orang Utan]

Whatever it is, my advice is get on the pavement at that point, it's not about right of way it's about avoiding nutter conflict. My rule of thumb is if you don't feel safe don't risk it

I’m on a bike though and you’re not allowed on the pavement. It’s a long hill to get up, there are four pinch points, and stopping would lose much-needed momentum, and why should I give in when I’m in the right? The best thing to do is make sure you’re in their way, so they can’t fuck you up with a close pass that risks your life

 

[ska invita]

I really like where I live but people do drive like utter cunts, which spoils it for everyone. Ever-worsening over the last few years as well. E.g. today some cunt doing 40 down our narrow residential road just barely managed to stop at the ped crossing (screeched to a halt with his nose hanging over the stripes), then swore aggressively at us for not crossing fast enough. What an inadequate wanker.

let me guess, essex?

 

[flypanam]

 

[flypanam]

^ note illegal number plate. Crystal Palace yesterday.

 

[chandlerp]

I really like where I live but people do drive like utter cunts, which spoils it for everyone. Ever-worsening over the last few years as well. E.g. today some cunt doing 40 down our narrow residential road just barely managed to stop at the ped crossing (screeched to a halt with his nose hanging over the stripes), then swore aggressively at us for not crossing fast enough. What an inadequate wanker.

Perfect time to notice your shoelace needs tying

 

[SpookyFrank]

What’s the expected etiquette for motorists and cyclists at pinch points, esp ones with traffic islands?
I regularly ride up a long hill, with a 40mph limit. Unfortunately many cars exceed the speed limit, but even when they’re not, I take the precaution of taking the middle of the lane maybe 100m before the pinch point, to prevent close passes while I’m cycling between the traffic island and the pavement.
Occasionally I’ll get a beep or a mouthful of abuse for doing this, but today someone actually stopped and very aggressively remonstrated with me for riding dangerously. He was swearing loads in front of his kids and telling me I deserved to get run off my bike. I thought it best to stay quiet and move on, but now I’m stewing about it. I’m in the right though, aren’t I?

I had a similar one to this only the driver's kid, who was maybe 10 or 12, joined in with the screaming and hurling of abuse. Normally these angry moron drivers make me angry but that whole scenario just made me sad.

 

[platinumsage]

What’s the expected etiquette for motorists and cyclists at pinch points, esp ones with traffic islands?
I regularly ride up a long hill, with a 40mph limit. Unfortunately many cars exceed the speed limit, but even when they’re not, I take the precaution of taking the middle of the lane maybe 100m before the pinch point, to prevent close passes while I’m cycling between the traffic island and the pavement.

If there's a vehicle coming up behind me at 40+ mph, I'd try and vary my speed and time my arrival at the pinch point to either get through before it arrived, or to encourage it to overtake me beforehand.

 

[May Kasahara]

let me guess, essex?

Ha! South London.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

^ note illegal number plate. Crystal Palace yesterday.

The nearside headlight cluster may cause a minor issue at the next MOT an'all...

 

[SpookyFrank]

The nearside headlight cluster may cause a minor issue at the next MOT an'all...

I'm sure wherever it is, it's in perfect working order.

 

[Orang Utan]

If there's a vehicle coming up behind me at 40+ mph, I'd try and vary my speed and time my arrival at the pinch point to either get through before it arrived, or to encourage it to overtake me beforehand.

It doesn’t really work that way

 

[platinumsage]

It doesn’t really work that way

Well it does, for me. Not sure what else to suggest tbh. If you're doing 12mph it takes you 20 seconds to cover 100 metres, which seems rather a long time to be holding a vehicle behind you for an upcoming transit through a pinch point.

 

[Orang Utan]

Well it does, for me. Not sure what else to suggest tbh. If you're doing 12mph it takes you 20 seconds to cover 100 metres, which seems rather a long time to be holding a vehicle behind you for an upcoming transit through a pinch point.

It’s not something you can work out like that when hoofing up a hill, it’s just something you estimate/guess. I have no problem with getting a vehicle to slow down for a few seconds and neither should the driver

 

[platinumsage]

It’s not something you can work out like that when hoofing up a hill, it’s just something you estimate/guess. I have no problem with getting a vehicle to slow down for a few seconds and neither should the driver

Well some obviously do, which is presumably why you asked the question about "expected etiquette" in the first place, because you'd rather not have these encounters, and instead improve your chances of a stress-free and safe ride. I'm suggesting you're positioning yourself centrally too early, if you think that's wrong you can carry on with the way you're doing it, but it seems you think your strategy could be improved.

 

[Winot]

What’s the expected etiquette for motorists and cyclists at pinch points, esp ones with traffic islands?
I regularly ride up a long hill, with a 40mph limit. Unfortunately many cars exceed the speed limit, but even when they’re not, I take the precaution of taking the middle of the lane maybe 100m before the pinch point, to prevent close passes while I’m cycling between the traffic island and the pavement.
Occasionally I’ll get a beep or a mouthful of abuse for doing this, but today someone actually stopped and very aggressively remonstrated with me for riding dangerously. He was swearing loads in front of his kids and telling me I deserved to get run off my bike. I thought it best to stay quiet and move on, but now I’m stewing about it. I’m in the right though, aren’t I?

As others have said, you were in the right and he was in the wrong.

I’d do the same in that situation but rather than pulling into the middle 100m before would probably look behind and move to middle when there was a suitable gap in the traffic.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Well it does, for me. Not sure what else to suggest tbh. If you're doing 12mph it takes you 20 seconds to cover 100 metres, which seems rather a long time to be holding a vehicle behind you for an upcoming transit through a pinch point.

My god, a whole 20 seconds. How would the poor motorists cope

 

[Orang Utan]

As others have said, you were in the right and he was in the wrong.

I’d do the same in that situation but rather than pulling into the middle 100m before would probably look behind and move to middle when there was a suitable gap in the traffic.

That’s what I do. I wouldn’t pull out without looking back first.
The 100m was only a guess. It may be a lot less than that. Impossible to calculate, you just have to go by feeling.
You need to give them time to slow down safely obviously, so would rather be cautious and pull out earlier

 

[platinumsage]

My god, a whole 20 seconds. How would the poor motorists cope

Some obviously don't because Orang Utan keeps having road rage encounters.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Some obviously don't because Orang Utan keeps having road rage encounters.

Every cyclist who regularly rides on the roads has these encounters. Every. Single. One.

 

[platinumsage]

Every cyclist who regularly rides on the roads has these encounters. Every. Single. One.

I haven't had one at a pinch point for at least a decade, and I cycle several times a week.

 

[Orang Utan]

Some obviously don't because Orang Utan keeps having road rage encounters.

No I don’t. That’s the first one in a long time. I’m probably just more assertive on the road than you, which means I’m less likely to get squished but more likely to annoy shitty motorists

 

[platinumsage]

No I don’t. That’s the first one in a long time.I’m probably just more assertive on the road than you, which means I’m less likely to get squished but more likely to annoy shitty motorists

I was just going by "occasionally I’ll get a beep or a mouthful of abuse for doing this".

But if you know it makes you safer, why ask about the correct etiquette? Just carry on as you are surely.

 

[Orang Utan]

I was just going by "occasionally I’ll get a beep or a mouthful of abuse for doing this".

But if you know it makes you safer, why ask about the correct etiquette? Just carry on as you are surely.

The odd toot and dopplered ‘wankeeer’ is hardly road rage. It’s the English equivalent of the Indian ‘Horn OK Please’ and just part of the lexicon of cyclist/motorist interactions. It seems more prevalent in the North than London, mind, cos London drivers are more used to cyclists riding defensively and the roads are wider and in better repair.
The reason I asked was because I was made to feel like I was in the wrong and I tend to dwell on these things.

 

[platinumsage]

The odd toot and dopplered ‘wankeeer’ is hardly road rage. It’s the English equivalent of the Indian ‘Horn OK Please’ and just part of the lexicon of cyclist/motorist interactions. It seems more prevalent in the North than London, mind, cos London drivers are more used to cyclists riding defensively and the roads are wider and in better repair.
The reason I asked was because I was made to feel like I was in the wrong and I tend to dwell on these things.

Fair enough.

 

[platinumsage]

Perfect time to notice your shoelace needs tying

"No pedestrian shall remain on the carriageway within the limits of a crossing longer than is necessary for that pedestrian to pass over the crossing with reasonable despatch."

The Zebra, Pelican and Puffin Pedestrian Crossings Regulations and General Directions 1997

This Instrument revokes the existing Regulations relating to Zebra and Pelican pedestrian crossings and the General Directions relating to Pelican crossings and replaces them with a single Instrument. This comprises Regulations relating to both Zebra and Pelican crossings and to a new type of...

www.legislation.gov.uk