"Merging" onto a lane? & resulting road rage...

[PH]

The other cyclist did the same as me, one place back, but the lorry behind her (another artic) just let her in cos he's a proper grown-up, like every single driver for the last 20 years we've lived around here. However what I'd say she did considerably better than me was waiting outside the lane to get consent from the lorry driver, rather than stick herself in front of him.

It really is worth reading one of the John Franklin books mentioned above. They cover filtering, when cutting back in he advises you ensure the next driver has seen you and will allow you priority, you only managed 1 out of 2. The other cyclist does seem to have made a better job of it.

[Cunobelin]

It is a liveried van.

Email the company with a formal complaint about the dangerous driving.

Wait until you get the excuses and then send in the video

I have had a driver dismissed for a similar case

[Raph]

The cop I sent the vid to is on the case.

[Bicycler]

Fair enough! PS where does it say so? (not quibbling, just like to see the wording)

There's nothing explicitly about filtering (the HC makes little mention of it other than to require drivers to keep a look out)but there are a few bits telling people to use the marked lanes. From Rule 134 (part of which you quoted earlier):

You should follow the signs and road markings and get into the lane as directed.

also rule 136

Where a single carriageway has four or more lanes, use only the lanes that signs or markings indicate.

[Raph]

"Where a single carriageway has four or more lanes, use only the lanes that signs or markings indicate."

This one has only three at that point: LH filter, the disputed one, and the one going the other way. Though TBH the second half of that quote makes sense regardless how many or few lanes.

"You should follow the signs and road markings and get into the lane as directed."

So I did what the highway code says, I got into the correct lane. But in practice, as I said in the OP and in my email to the cops, I appreciate it's irritating when someone cuts in on what you regard as "your" lane, especially if they've "cheated" by using an empty incorrect lane to get there, though technically the idea that you can "allow" someone or not into your lane is nonsense, especially if you're stationary at the time. If someone's in front of you, they're simply in front of you. As cyclists we live with that all the time, people overtaking and then squishing back in right in front of us. It's annoying, but once they're in front of you, you just have to put up with it. What it's down to in the end is whether you have 2tons of motor at your disposal or 20lb of tubing - "might is right". What I agree I did specifically wrong was not to get RIGHT in front of the guy, but seeing what happened, do you really think he would have been mellow about it?

BTW the cop in question didn't take the opportunity to comment that I'd done anything particularly wrong, even though I did tell him I'd cut in from the LH lane.

I occasionally drive a large-ish vehicle, I wouldn't dream in a million years of using it to intimidate someone let alone shove them around. If someone can get past me without impeding my progress, I'm feckin delighted.

[Bicycler]

The HC isn't the most clearly worded document out there. Nor can it ever hope to encompass all of the potential situations which might occur. Also, there's no law explicitly governing lane discipline so it isn't necessarily illegal to use that lane to bypass the queue. So there's an awful lot of judgement to be used. That said, I'll stand by my initial assessment of "probably a bit naughty". In truth the HC is not always a perfect guide to great cycling practice so I'd be more worried about potentially putting myself in a dangerous position than not always following the letter of the HC.

As has been mentioned multiple times here, your actions in getting into the queue are completely irrelevant as far as the actions of the driver at the junction are concerned. You could have been the most reckless cyclist in history but it could never have justified him using his vehicle in an aggressive manner. I am glad that the police officer is focusing on the actual issue at hand. It is amazing how frequently they use any slight perceived misdemeanour on the part of a cyclist to not investigate dangerous and illegal driving: https://beyondthekerb.wordpress.com/201 ... -boulders/

[Raph]

I'll stand by my initial assessment of "probably a bit naughty". In truth the HC is not always a perfect guide to great cycling practice so I'd be more worried about potentially putting myself in a dangerous position than not always following the letter of the HC.

Absolutely. The long and short is I won't be doing that particular stunt again.