What would you do?

Topics relating to Advanced Driving in cars
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akirk
Posts: 1659
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2015 6:58 pm
Location: Bristol

Re: What would you do?

Postby akirk » Sat Jan 02, 2016 2:02 pm

I was thinking of this thread as I drove out of my village onto a fast but windy C-road this morning - I followed two cyclists (abreast) through the village, sitting well back behind them as they did about 12mph. I was able to overtake just before the end of the village, but it was noticeable that they were very aware of my sitting there and from their body language were uncomfortable and were cycling closer to the verge as a result - to the extent of going through puddles...

As I came out of the village there was another cyclist - NSL @ 60 and he was doing probably 24mph, the road was clear so I could go straight past, but even more so with that stretch of road I was very conscious of the bad surface along the edge / the large amounts of standing water / etc. - and needing to give him space to get past that while I overtook - meaning that I was right out on the other side of the road...

and this is perhaps another consideration - if you are overtaking in a space where there is a potential hazard ahead, then it could mean a compromised overtake in that you have to balance your road position against the likelihood of that hazard - in the scenario above you are less likely to be able to overtake fully on the right-hand side - too risky - so you end up giving the cyclist less space...

Alasdair

gannet
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 10:23 am

Re: What would you do?

Postby gannet » Sat Jan 02, 2016 4:56 pm

akirk wrote:I was thinking of this thread as I drove out of my village onto a fast but windy C-road this morning - I followed two cyclists (abreast) through the village, sitting well back behind them as they did about 12mph. I was able to overtake just before the end of the village, but it was noticeable that they were very aware of my sitting there and from their body language were uncomfortable and were cycling closer to the verge as a result - to the extent of going through puddles...

As I came out of the village there was another cyclist - NSL @ 60 and he was doing probably 24mph, the road was clear so I could go straight past, but even more so with that stretch of road I was very conscious of the bad surface along the edge / the large amounts of standing water / etc. - and needing to give him space to get past that while I overtook - meaning that I was right out on the other side of the road...

and this is perhaps another consideration - if you are overtaking in a space where there is a potential hazard ahead, then it could mean a compromised overtake in that you have to balance your road position against the likelihood of that hazard - in the scenario above you are less likely to be able to overtake fully on the right-hand side - too risky - so you end up giving the cyclist less space...

Alasdair


If they were that worried, why didn't they assist you in not riding in two abreast formation?

I've only just read this thread so apologies for tardiness... no way I'd go for it on that piece of road. From a cyclists point of view I'd rather know that you had slowed and weren't considering a pass which I then have to worry about.

I had a situation recently which some on here will remember - having managed to overtake a slower driver we came across a small group (3) of cyclists at a junction, after which was quite a steep hill, down which they were easily holding 40mph (and possibly more), so I had to wait, and wait.... during which time the car I had overtaken previously caught up.... and didn't want to wait and started becoming aggressive by driving really close to me and at one point I thought he was going to overtake me on a blind bend (with a summit for good measure). But I held out - stuff 'em it is their problem if they get annoyed while waiting to pass more vulnerable road users than themselves.

TheInsanity1234
Posts: 544
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2015 8:03 pm

Re: What would you do?

Postby TheInsanity1234 » Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:28 pm

Nah, I'm out. I'd rather sit behind the cyclists for the whole of that double white line section than attempt to overtake, risking a massive head on which could even cause injury to the cyclists, just so some people behind me won't be annoyed by me not overtaking the cyclists.

In fact, I'd feel it'd be a lot safer for them if I sat behind the cyclists, as it'd block people from attempting to overtake when completely unsafe, as they'd have to overtake me in a car, rather than some skinny people on skinny bikes.

TripleS
Posts: 227
Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2015 5:39 pm
Location: Briggswath

Re: What would you do?

Postby TripleS » Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:11 pm

TheInsanity1234 wrote:Nah, I'm out. I'd rather sit behind the cyclists for the whole of that double white line section than attempt to overtake, risking a massive head on which could even cause injury to the cyclists, just so some people behind me won't be annoyed by me not overtaking the cyclists.

In fact, I'd feel it'd be a lot safer for them if I sat behind the cyclists, as it'd block people from attempting to overtake when completely unsafe, as they'd have to overtake me in a car, rather than some skinny people on skinny bikes.


I appreciate your reasoning there, and I think it has some merit, but that ploy doesn't always work.

A couple of weeks ago I was following somebody along a short straight section of road, and decided to refrain from overtaking, not feeling it was safely doable before the next bend. It didn't stop the guy behind though: he passed me and the one in front of me, and only returned to our side of the road when he was half way round a blind RH bend! It's not often I feel alarmed when driving, but in that instance I was afraid I might be about to witness a terrible shunt.

TheInsanity1234
Posts: 544
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2015 8:03 pm

Re: What would you do?

Postby TheInsanity1234 » Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:25 pm

TripleS wrote:
TheInsanity1234 wrote:Nah, I'm out. I'd rather sit behind the cyclists for the whole of that double white line section than attempt to overtake, risking a massive head on which could even cause injury to the cyclists, just so some people behind me won't be annoyed by me not overtaking the cyclists.

In fact, I'd feel it'd be a lot safer for them if I sat behind the cyclists, as it'd block people from attempting to overtake when completely unsafe, as they'd have to overtake me in a car, rather than some skinny people on skinny bikes.


I appreciate your reasoning there, and I think it has some merit, but that ploy doesn't always work.

A couple of weeks ago I was following somebody along a short straight section of road, and decided to refrain from overtaking, not feeling it was safely doable before the next bend. It didn't stop the guy behind though: he passed me and the one in front of me, and only returned to our side of the road when he was half way round a blind RH bend! It's not often I feel alarmed when driving, but in that instance I was afraid I might be about to witness a terrible shunt.

I guess I'm reckoning without the lunatics being out in force :|

But that is indeed, food for thought.

sussex2
Posts: 732
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 11:43 am

Re: What would you do?

Postby sussex2 » Sat Jan 09, 2016 9:32 am

I drive a lot in other countries, probably more than I do in the UK.
Most of these have a simple system (not regulated but much used) in that any rider/driver will give you some sort of signal that they are aware of your presence and intentions.
It may be an indicator or a wave of an arm.
Of course the safe overtake is still your priority but at least you know that the other road user is aware of you.

It is also usual, and this is important, for the overtaker to make some sort of signal of thanks. An overtaking motorcyclist may slightly raise a left leg in order to do this. I've rarely not seen it happen.


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