Upset car driver?

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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horizon
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by horizon »

Mark1978 wrote:OP is braver than I, that's exactly the sort of road I hate riding on :(. Just look at all those close passes.


All those close passes (and they are all too close and too fast) are caused by the OP not claiming his/her roadspace. It isn't easy to ride on a road like that but I would personally move further out and use a downward-slanted right hand signal to indicate bearing right but turning. A mirror is vital IMV. The drivers soon get the idea that you are asking for space. It's also a very human signal of vulnerability (to which a high percentage of drivers are impervious but still).

As regards the bloke who stopped:

This should be on the telly: let them all see what really goes on and how drivers think.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
sisavedbygrace
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by sisavedbygrace »

I just find it incredible that people behave this way?

Would they do behave like that to one of their loved ones?? I guess most likely, but you'd like to think not, its easy just to sit back and wait for a suitable moment to pass and you'll soon catch up with the traffic again or red light?

I guess on hind sight which is a wonderful thing I shouldn't have stopped, but then in frustration of me not stopping he may have tried to push me off, but then maybe not.

Normally I do claim more of the road but was trying to be considerate for people to pass when they were safely able due to the solid white lines.

Thanks for all your comments, I kind of wonder if in future I should go on the shared path or at least the little bit there is of it
sisavedbygrace
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by sisavedbygrace »

the funny thing is that because a road is 40 mph doesn't mean you can go that speed, just thought of that
eileithyia
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by eileithyia »

Mark1978 wrote:
eileithyia wrote:Couple of questions;
What bike lane? Have i missed something somewhere?


It's a shared use path on the right hand side of the road. As the OP says it only runs for a short length, so is it worth waiting to cross the road, using it, then crossing back again?

Why did you stop? I would not have done so.


Easy to say that he should have ridden off. But once in a situation like that we all want to get our point across.


Having been forced to a stop on a hill, narrow lane, by a car blocking my space, then having the car driver leap out and have his hands around my throat..... stopping voluntarily would not be on my agenda... Don't worry it was suitably reported and dealt with at the time.... but made me realise my vulnerability.
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eileithyia
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by eileithyia »

Am never sure about those 'close passes' when i first got a camera i thought many of the 'close passes' appeared far closer than they actually felt at the time, the camera often gives a distorted view. As a road user on some busy commuter roads, I would not have been concerned by any of those passes. But it all comes down to perspective i guess.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Vorpal
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by Vorpal »

horizon wrote:All those close passes (and they are all too close and too fast) are caused by the OP not claiming his/her roadspace. It isn't easy to ride on a road like that but I would personally move further out

The close passes are *caused* by drivers who don't follow the highway code. But riding further out would encourage them to overtake correctly and reduce the numbers of close passes. Though, I generally agree with eileithyia that many aren't as bad as they might look on the camera.

sisavedbygrace wrote:Would they do behave like that to one of their loved ones?? I guess most likely, but you'd like to think not
It's impossible to know, but some people are really horrible to people that they supposedly love. If they weren't, we wouldn't need shelters for victims of domestic violence.
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Tom Richardson
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by Tom Richardson »

Earphones hanging from his jacket suggesting use of hand held mobile phone. Ive had experience myself that some motorists can get upset if their call is disrupted by having to overtake a cyclist.
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horizon
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by horizon »

Vorpal wrote:1. The close passes are *caused* by drivers who don't follow the highway code.
2. But riding further out would encourage them to overtake correctly and reduce the numbers of close passes.
3. Though, I generally agree with eileithyia that many aren't as bad as they might look on the camera.



+1
+1
+1

:oops:
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
VanDriver
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by VanDriver »

It's notable that the angry man really didn't want to hear a counter-argument. A bit like sticking your fingers in your ears and going "la la la la la laa".
The fat commuter
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by The fat commuter »

Just out of interest, was it the same driver right at the end of the video pulling out of the side road just before you turn right? Looks to be the same car type.

My opinion, he was a numpty. Reporting him was the right thing to do. It may not achieve anything at the time but should he be involved in a more serious incident, there is a bit more of a background into the driver's behaviour and mindset.
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661-Pete
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by 661-Pete »

In answer to those who said, they wouldn't choose to go on that road...

I recognised the road pretty quickly. It's the A259 running west out of Newhaven, along the coast towards Brighton. The OP's destination is evidently Peacehaven about midway between. The point is, assuming you're starting from Newhaven, there is literally no alternative. Unless you want to take a long detour via Lewes, and then it would involve a stretch of the busy A27 D/C. I have cycled on that road (with some difficulty: it's very hilly in places - clearly the OP is much fitter than I am!) but it's not one I would use regularly - which is probably fortunate for me.

Perhaps the road does need a proper segregated cycle track along this stretch - i.e. between Newhaven and Brighton. If it could be routed a little way south of the road, along the cliff top, it would afford splendid views!

As for the idiot in the Mercedes ... well what can one do? Swearing at other road users is not in itself a danger to life, however nasty. It may be better that he vents his spleen in this way, rather than deliberately trying to force someone off the road. I myself have in the past reported antisocial behaviour on the road, to the police, and likewise they told me the best that they could do was file my report for 'intelligence'. Hopefully it all adds up - eventually.
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easyroller
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by easyroller »

Personally I wouldn't have stopped, preferring to PLF and get away from that situation! No point in unnecessary confrontation.
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by MikeF »

Well done to the OP for reporting to Operation Crackdown. I too was wondering where it was. At first I thought it was Ditchling Road as that has a shared path, but realised it wasn't.
"It takes a genius to spot the obvious" - my old physics master.
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sisavedbygrace
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by sisavedbygrace »

The fat commuter wrote:Just out of interest, was it the same driver right at the end of the video pulling out of the side road just before you turn right? Looks to be the same car


It was the same car, I was wondering if I was in line for a punishment pass! but maybe not!

And you are correct it is the A259 road from Newhaven to Peacehaven..
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squeaker
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Re: Upset car driver?

Post by squeaker »

661-Pete wrote:The point is, assuming you're starting from Newhaven, there is literally no alternative. Unless you want to take a long detour via Lewes, and then it would involve a stretch of the busy A27 D/C.
NCN2? (Not recommending it; don't know it; just curious.) On a map, it looks like a classic Sustrans backroads meander, but shorter than via Lewes... On Google maps it looks loose surfaced in parts and seriously hilly. I now understand the choice of A259!
Last edited by squeaker on 4 Nov 2015, 11:08am, edited 1 time in total.
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