Soldato
Exactly my point, which nicely leads into whose fault it is, is almost irrelevant as you'd be naturally driving/riding defensively and expecting the unexpected
Motorcar vs Cyclist.
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Exactly my point, which nicely leads into whose fault it is, is almost irrelevant as you'd be naturally driving/riding defensively and expecting the unexpected
Soldato
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NVM
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Soldato
I did say almost irrelevant, obviously there are going to be exceptions and god forbid there still accidents where nobody is to blame.
I've never claimed to be a driving expert just merely a driver/rider who has been involved in a couple of relatively serious accidents and have realised a lot could be avoided if people drove/rode/walked in a defensive and considerate fashion instead of worrying about who's legally right.
Soldato
I think too many people these days forget this bit of the highway code
Also known as the book of common sense
They don't seem to understand that you're only option when cycling is to be defensive.
If something goes wrong it will only ever be the cyclist who comes out of it dead or injured. A lorry driver won't even feel it if you go under the wheels of a trailer.
You can be assertive in terms of commanding a position pre-emptively and so on but as jpaul said you also have to make sure you are seen - no value in being assertive in your road position if the other driver isn't even looking in their mirrors in the first place, etc. 
I'm amazed, as someone who has to make an effort to pay attention not just on the car ahead, while driving how many people aren't reading the road ahead at all - I've often started thinking about an obviously impending overtake for instance and then realise other drivers haven't even thought about it until they are right behind the vehicle they need to overtake.
I'm amazed, as someone who has to make an effort to pay attention not just on the car ahead, while driving how many people aren't reading the road ahead at all - I've often started thinking about an obviously impending overtake for instance and then realise other drivers haven't even thought about it until they are right behind the vehicle they need to overtake.
Soldato
Yet when cyclists ride defensively, drivers that don’t understand get wound up and start moaning about about not riding closer to the curb, or riding two abreast etc. For instance when there is a traffic island in the middle of the road causing a potential pinch point, I used to ride to the side of the road until a few drivers tried to squeeze in between nearly taking you off putting you into the curb or driving too close when overtaking on roads with parked cars putting you into the back of a parked car. Now I take primary position on the road in these instances, taking a defensive position and get drivers beeping because I’m not riding closer to the side of the road so they can get past
(ok Nasher was trolling - and I bit ... it's the same assertiveness a car has in a lorry negotiation anyway )
but a good example from the other day 30mph town road, cars parked on the right and I wanted to turn right ... 30m in front,
4x4 driver maybe 100m before junction coming towards me ... so I indicated (fluo jacket) and took the crown of the road and he had to give way/stop and let me take the turn,
as opposed to me squeezing over onto the left of the road submissively, letting him go by and then taking my turn. ... the highway code applies for all.
he was full of indignation but, just assertiveness
but a good example from the other day 30mph town road, cars parked on the right and I wanted to turn right ... 30m in front,
4x4 driver maybe 100m before junction coming towards me ... so I indicated (fluo jacket) and took the crown of the road and he had to give way/stop and let me take the turn,
as opposed to me squeezing over onto the left of the road submissively, letting him go by and then taking my turn. ... the highway code applies for all.
he was full of indignation but, just assertiveness
Sadly he wasn't, this is genuinely how his mind works. He's a bit of a meme in motors.
//I cycled for years (and have the calves to show for it ladies, yeah baby), and I generally avoided being squashed because I'd lose 90% of all fights with other road users. Doesn't matter if I was right, wrong or had right of way, being not dead generally trumped exercising my need to let others know that they were wrong. This very fact seems to elude many cyclists nowadays, who seem to think that being "in the right" automatically makes them invincible. The vast majority of cyclists will of course use caution around other road users, but the minority who undercut lorries at junctions* "because I'm also a road user and it's my right goddammit" tend to make quite a racket when they turn in to a statistic.
*Other dumbass moves are available.
Which is a repeat what I already said, but worded differently...
ok thanks for the reply's.
basically he pulled a knob move, i moved to close to him, he swore, i swore, the end.
basically he pulled a knob move, i moved to close to him, he swore, i swore, the end.
Soldato
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NVM
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If a car is waiting at a T junction to turn right, and is indicating as such, I will approach and filter alongside on their left on my bicycle, so they can turn right unimpeded and I can follow suit. I regard it as a common courtesy and good road manners.
Soldato
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NVM
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I find this quite common in some areas, cyclists and motorcyclists squeezing themselves into any gap, left, right, 2cm from my front bumper etc, I tend to just let them get on with it and remain vigilant and always expect them to do something stupid.
The thing I hate most about cyclists and motorcyclists is those that overtake at junctions, especially in really slow moving traffic, even more so when there is a gap at a junction, it's so obvious that a car could pull out, yet they barely look left and fly through, seen 2 accidents this way, of course, they always 100% blame the driver, but considering how vulnerable they're are, they often ride quite aggressively.
The thing I hate most about cyclists and motorcyclists is those that overtake at junctions, especially in really slow moving traffic, even more so when there is a gap at a junction, it's so obvious that a car could pull out, yet they barely look left and fly through, seen 2 accidents this way, of course, they always 100% blame the driver, but considering how vulnerable they're are, they often ride quite aggressively.
if they've filtered down a gutter then inexperienced/stupid yes .. they must like punctures etc etc,
if its a town/30mph right lane straight on and there is 1m clearance from front bumper and I can see be seen it is safer to be there than further back,
or I'll be one car back ... usually depends on car type and evaluation of driver ... if it's a startnstop car typically a lot more time to pull away.
if you stop further back usually more dangerous as they are eager to beat the next light change.
( .... in this case, the ops comments, now appear to self incriminate )
if its a town/30mph right lane straight on and there is 1m clearance from front bumper and I can see be seen it is safer to be there than further back,
or I'll be one car back ... usually depends on car type and evaluation of driver ... if it's a startnstop car typically a lot more time to pull away.
if you stop further back usually more dangerous as they are eager to beat the next light change.
( .... in this case, the ops comments, now appear to self incriminate )