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Original poster

Turning left in my car at a junction cyclist comes up on inside in my blind spot!..

102 replies

Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 11:14

Hi everyone.
anxious overthinker here when it comes to driving!
i just want to know if this was the right way to approach this and if I’ve done anything wrong!

I was sat at a junction turning left indicator on and waiting for a gap in traffic to go!
( I hadn’t overtaken these cyclists previously they must have just come from a side road) but I go to turn left when there’s a gap, I check my left mirror as I always do and I notice in my blind spot ish 2 cyclists in a line. They weren’t behind my car they were to the side of my car ( front one was inline with my back door handle I would say) she looks like she starts moving as I’m about to turn left so I brake and make eye contact with her to almost see what she’s doing! She’s busy charging to the person I assume her friend on the bike behind so I continue with my left turning keeping an eye on my left mirror.

did I do this right? I get quite anxious in situations like this as I’m a cautious driver but felt like I was :
a. Too close to them? But where could I go if I’m turning left and I was there first?
b. Worried they’d keep going when I turn left and
c. Worried I should give way to them and let them go first even if they are behind me not infront of me?

any advice would be amazing thank you so much

from an anxious driver! ☺️

OP posts:
Original poster
Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 12:43

ReadRum · 06/09/2023 12:40

You say you made eye contact but also that they weren’t looking, so it’s a little confusing

I tried to make eye contact as in im looking at them to see what they are doing if they are moving etc but they aren’t looking at me they are chatting

OP posts:
jallopeno · 06/09/2023 12:44

Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 12:43

I tried to make eye contact as in im looking at them to see what they are doing if they are moving etc but they aren’t looking at me they are chatting

Show quote history

Why were you trying to make eye contact with them?

Pootle40 · 06/09/2023 12:45

If you were indicating left and they had been behind you they should have waited behind you.

CharlotteBog · 06/09/2023 12:47

jallopeno · 06/09/2023 12:44

Why were you trying to make eye contact with them?

Show quote history

It's useful for both parties to let each know they know they're there.
If I've made eye contact with a driver when I'm on my bike I know they've seen me. I guess they might still decide to run me down!

Original poster
Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 12:49

jallopeno · 06/09/2023 12:44

Why were you trying to make eye contact with them?

Show quote history

purely because they were at the side behind my car and I was trying to make eye contact to see as they may have started moving same time I move to go left! Maybe I didn’t need to! But they were stationary still and hadn’t move next to my car so I continued to turn left slowly and when checked my mirror after turning they were still waiting at junction.
maybe I’m just over worrying

OP posts:
Original poster
Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 12:52

Pootle40 · 06/09/2023 12:45

If you were indicating left and they had been behind you they should have waited behind you.

That’s what I was hesitant about as they were behind me not next to me but they were in line with the back part of my car almost so I wasn’t sure if I should wait for them as many people on here have told me?? However they weren’t next to me or infront and I did make sure I look at them see whether they were moving which they weren’t they were stationary and chatting ( not looking forward) so I slowly went left

OP posts:
jallopeno · 06/09/2023 12:52

CharlotteBog · 06/09/2023 12:47

It's useful for both parties to let each know they know they're there.
If I've made eye contact with a driver when I'm on my bike I know they've seen me. I guess they might still decide to run me down!

Show quote history

Ah I see that makes sense. I don't drive so wondered if she was waiting for them to signal?

Pootle40 · 06/09/2023 12:54

They took their life in their hands for sure. Just because they could squeeze into the space on the left they shouldn't have as someone else said.

RafaistheKingofClay · 06/09/2023 13:02

I think you are worrying unnecessarily. They shouldn’t have undertaken unless there was a cycle lane and bike box and you managed not to kill them so you did fine. Some cyclists are a law unto themselves.

Original poster
Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 13:02

jallopeno · 06/09/2023 12:42

Then exactly what is it you think you have done wrong?

Show quote history

I’m not sure if I should have let them go first? Even if they are behind/right at the back of my car? That’s why I stopped made eye contact to make sure they weren’t moving they were still stationary so I continued

OP posts:
DappledThings · 06/09/2023 13:04

You were fine. They weren't alongside you, you checked they weren't about to come up alongside you by watching them and moving slowly. You were indicating.

Nothing you've done wrong or could have done differently unless you'd wound down your window and shouted at them to decide if they wanted to stop gassing and move off or not.

JemimaTiggywinkles · 06/09/2023 13:05

If there were level with your rear wheel / boot I'd have thought they deliberately positioned there to indicate to you that you should go first but that they would be ahead of any car behind. I'd take it slowly and carefully though, in case I'd misinterpreted.

Actually to the side I'd let them go first obviously. I like to have cyclists exactly where I can see them at junctions so I can be sure I won't hit them (or them hit me!)

Sierra26 · 06/09/2023 13:06

From your diagram and as it was a T junction with no straight-on option, the cyclist has clearly stopped ‘behind’ you in the queue, even though they’re off to the side. They’re making a statement and waiting for you to go first. If they’d moved up parallel to front of your car then they should go first.

I’m a driver and a cyclist and would expect this regardless.

That said, always be hyper aware and careful as car will always be expected to look out for cyclists

CharlotteBog · 06/09/2023 13:10

so I wasn’t sure if I should wait for them as many people on here have told me??

They have only told you that because your explanation led people to believe they were alongside your car, not behind.

Original poster
Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 13:11

JemimaTiggywinkles · 06/09/2023 13:05

If there were level with your rear wheel / boot I'd have thought they deliberately positioned there to indicate to you that you should go first but that they would be ahead of any car behind. I'd take it slowly and carefully though, in case I'd misinterpreted.

Actually to the side I'd let them go first obviously. I like to have cyclists exactly where I can see them at junctions so I can be sure I won't hit them (or them hit me!)

They were inline with the back of my car yes I had to turn my head to the back of my car to see them that’s why I was making eye contact with them to see what they were doing if they were moving or not but they weren’t moving and were chatting to one another so I proceeded turning I did go slowly though! Looked back in my mirror afterwards and they were still waiting at the junction

if they had come up in the inside of my car and positioned themselves next to my window or infront of me id have given way of course but I was so confused whether I’ve done something wrong afterwards If they were inline with at the back of my car

OP posts:
fearfuloffluff · 06/09/2023 13:13

RafaistheKingofClay · 06/09/2023 13:02

I think you are worrying unnecessarily. They shouldn’t have undertaken unless there was a cycle lane and bike box and you managed not to kill them so you did fine. Some cyclists are a law unto themselves.

Well, to be fair cyclists are negotiating a road system that is not designed for them and in which they are an afterthought, sharing a space where a human on a metal frame competes for space with an HGV, and where many drivers have extremely hostile attitudes to them.

Original poster
Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 13:14

CharlotteBog · 06/09/2023 13:10

so I wasn’t sure if I should wait for them as many people on here have told me??

They have only told you that because your explanation led people to believe they were alongside your car, not behind.

Sorry for not making much sense! I was panicking and overthinking it all. But they were definitely at the back of my car, over to the left but at the back not inline with my side window or next to me at all. That’s why I held back and tried to make eye contact incase they came forward to get infront but they had stopped so I proceeded. Sorry for any confusion!

OP posts:
Original poster
Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 13:17

Sierra26 · 06/09/2023 13:06

From your diagram and as it was a T junction with no straight-on option, the cyclist has clearly stopped ‘behind’ you in the queue, even though they’re off to the side. They’re making a statement and waiting for you to go first. If they’d moved up parallel to front of your car then they should go first.

I’m a driver and a cyclist and would expect this regardless.

That said, always be hyper aware and careful as car will always be expected to look out for cyclists

So I did the right thing? And the right thing was to also try make eye contact and watch if they start moving forward with me?
if they had started moving and came up fully beside me or infront of me I’d have of course let them go ahead but they were probably inline with my back wheel/door handle of rear door furthest

I am very hyper aware of cyclists ( maybe sometimes too much and overthink it) I always give them plenty of room never overtake stupidly so I feel very silly for this like I should have done it differently?

OP posts:
Sdpbody · 06/09/2023 13:18

If I had my indicator on and it was very clear I was turning left and the junction was busy. I would expect the cyclist to act accordingly. You were not in the wrong.
I am not constantly checking my left mirror if I am also checking right to see if its clear to pull out. Cyclists need to take more responsibility.

DappledThings · 06/09/2023 13:18

So I did the right thing? And the right thing was to also try make eye contact and watch if they start moving forward with me?
Yes, you were fine. And once you had moved off you would have quickly pulled away from them so they wouldn't have been anywhere in your line of turn.

Nothing to worry about or analyse any further. Make like Elsa and let it go!

Mossstitch · 06/09/2023 13:22

Legally the cyclists were in the wrong but that doesn't make you feel any better if you hit them, there was a death near me due to this, the unfortunate cyclist went on the inside of a HGV which was turning left and squashed them. I'm always very wary of cyclists, they do some really stupid things on roads that are not really suitable for them, you did nothing wrong op but sometimes you need eyes in the back of your head when driving👀

CharlotteBog · 06/09/2023 13:23

Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 13:14

Sorry for not making much sense! I was panicking and overthinking it all. But they were definitely at the back of my car, over to the left but at the back not inline with my side window or next to me at all. That’s why I held back and tried to make eye contact incase they came forward to get infront but they had stopped so I proceeded. Sorry for any confusion!

Show quote history

I think if a regular traffic situation like this causes you to panic and over think to this degree maybe you would benefit from some more driving lessons. You could tell the instructor what situations makes you anxious.

Driving around being so uncertain and anxious makes you more likely to make mistakes or lose concentration.

TrishTrix · 06/09/2023 13:36

I agree with @Sierra26 and disagree with the posters saying that the cyclists were in the wrong. I also think you handled it correctly but are over anxious.

My interpretation is that they stopped part of the way up your car to indicate that they expected you to go ahead of them. If I was in this position and I wanted to go ahead of you I would have cycled up to the front of the queue and taken the lane (ie sat in the middle of the road so I was very visible).

I think they had positioned themselves like this so they got round in front of the car behind you.

Cyclists mostly travel kerbside. Therefore if cars stop we do undertake. It's the way of the road.

Most regular road cyclists are hyper aware about left turning vehicles.

My bugbear is people who overtake me and then turn left into a junction aheadof me - this is actually banned in the Highway code. There is a side road on my commute where London buses do it to me all the time to get into the bus garage. Drives me mad as it's so wrong and dangerous for me.

Original poster
Jessie1995 · 06/09/2023 13:37

DappledThings · 06/09/2023 13:18

So I did the right thing? And the right thing was to also try make eye contact and watch if they start moving forward with me?
Yes, you were fine. And once you had moved off you would have quickly pulled away from them so they wouldn't have been anywhere in your line of turn.

Nothing to worry about or analyse any further. Make like Elsa and let it go!

I think that was my worry too? That I’m turning left at they are at my left! But at the back of my car!
Once I had made my turn left I checked my mirror and they were still at the junction waiting so they wouldn’t have gone far forward.
I think overall I was just worried I did it wrong and I should have let them go ahead but what else could I do if they were behind me?
I can’t remember the whole thing now but i was definitely worrying about it

OP posts:
Sugarfree23 · 06/09/2023 13:40

Ohthatsabitshit · 06/09/2023 11:28

Cyclists shouldn’t be undertaking but don’t kill the feckless twits.

That sums up my thoughts exactly.

Who in their right mind goes up a vehicles left side when they are indicating to turn. They should be counting their lucky stars the Op checked because many wouldn't.