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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I got road raged today, was I in the wrong?

173 replies

VivaLeBeaver · 06/08/2012 17:31

I'm waiting to come out the supermarket carpark onto a fairly busy road. In the left hand turn lane and indicating left. A woman on a cycle with a kid on a tag along tried undertaking me. Managed to shove between my car and the pavement but couldn't get any further then level with me due to the nose of my car been a bit further to the left. Now I thought undertaking in this manner as a cyclist is dangerous if to illegal. I think she thought when the car infront of me moved I'd let her in - well I didn't I carried on,in a slow and safe manner. I was in no danger of hitting her at all but I did make her stop. As far as I was concerned she could wait her turn rather than trying to undertake a car which is clearly turning left.

So I'm now on the road, the cyclist and her cyclist husband are following. I come to amino roundabout, fairly big one for a mini roundabout and went right round it so I was double backed on myself. Fairly standard I'd have thought to save trying to turn right out the supermarket. Enough room and I was indicating.

As I went round the roundabout the bloke cyclist swore at me and told me I needed to have a P on me. I assume he means a P plate rather than a golden shower.

I know I could have let them undertake me and push infront but I don't have to. She's lucky to be honest I saw her. I think a lot of cars wouldn't and she and her kid could have been squished. Strangely he seemed more annoyed at me going all the way round the roundabout. That's not wrong is it?

OP posts:

FeakAndWeeble · 06/08/2012 17:34

Fuck 'em. I got beeped and sworn at by some twat who was in completely the wrong lane at an enormous roundabout at our local shopping centre, who tried to undercut me and nearly caused a bloody pile up.

People are stupid.

gordyslovesheep · 06/08/2012 17:34

no - they sound mental - anyone with any bike sense knows what she did was bloody stupid

headfairy · 06/08/2012 17:37

Was she turning left too? All I can think of is that she was also turning left and wanted to do it on the inside of you iyswim, and not on the outside (bearing in mind that cycle lanes are usually on the inside, next to the kerb).

ROFL at the golden shower.

Housespouse · 06/08/2012 17:42

YAB a little U

Undertaking in slow moving traffic is perfectly legal. Whilst what the lady did was unwise as she could have put herself and her child into danger, you would have been a better person had you let her in, bearing in mind her vulnerability as a cyclist whilst you were in a ton of metal, and the fact she had a child in tow. Quite possibly "making her stop" will have caused her some difficulty and effort whereas starting again in a car is just a matter of lowering your foot a little. What harm would it have done you after all? Do you ever let motorists in when it is not "technically" their right (eg from a side turning in slow moving traffic?). It makes for a happier life if you do not always stand on your rights.

Having said all that, there is no place for road rage although a cyclist telling you that you should have P plates sounds like quite a mild and unthreatening form of it... (unlike, say, being driven at aggressively, or tailgated, by someone in a car). Did you by any chance also cut up the cyclists on the mini roundabout? I am not sure how the father cyclist ended up in a position to shout at you, and why you mention doubling back....

MyinnergoddessisatLidl · 06/08/2012 17:43

I had a courier cyclist try and undertake me on a roundabout in London. Missed me by 1/4 inch. I was indicating correctly and driving at a safe speed, he was behind me all the way until I made the turn.

He chased me up the road and waited a distance behind me swearing and shouting. When the light changed to amber he pushed himself off and put one leg up and smashed my wing mirror clean off, it was moulded onto the car so caused a lot of damage. He turned off into a pedestrianised area so I couldn't follow him.

It cost me £280 to fix the damage and I was totally shaken up. He escaped scott free.

I just hope the bastard broke his foot!

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 06/08/2012 17:44

She was turning left. It was a t junction. She didn't need to be either outside or inside of me. It was a stationary queue of traffic, she should have waited her turn behind me. If it was me I would have done, more towards the middle of the lane so I was visible to cars.

When she drew alongside me I nearly told her she was been a fuckwit but didn't. Wish I had now. Never got chance to point out to her dh that they were in the wrong as I'd driven off by the time I'd processed what he'd said. And I couldn't have stopped mid roundabout to tell him either!

OP posts:

Northernlurker · 06/08/2012 17:44

So she was trying to turn left too? And was passing you on the pavement side of the car - that's what you mean by undertaking? You mean that she was in the correct road position for a cyclist? And then you knew she was there but instead of letting her past you continued on your trajectory which if your 'nose' was ahead of her means the rest of the car then passed close to her - and in fact you behaved like you hadn't seen her. All so you could save a bit of time instead of turning right? You know what? I would have shouted at you too. Give cyclists room and they won't shout.

MousyMouse · 06/08/2012 17:47

did you indicate to show where you wanted to go?

MrsCampbellBlack · 06/08/2012 17:48

Yes I agree with Northern - I'd have let her through especially as she had a child with her.

But I'm very aware of cyclists as DH cycles a lot so always give them plenty of room.

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 06/08/2012 17:48

They weren't cut up on the roundabout at all as they were going straight on.

I mentioned doubling back as that's why I went right round the roundabout. When I came out the carpark ideally I'd turn right but it's a busy road, so I turn left and go all the way round the roundabout further down the road instead.

She would have had to have stopped anyway, she couldn't fit through the gap between the pavement and the front of my car. My car was like that before she arrived. As I moved forward I suppose I could have moved further away from the kerb to let her through hit just wasn't really comfortable with what she was doing, more from a safety aspect rather than just been bloody minded. I was thinking that I was turning left and didn't want to squish her in the process. She was safer staying behind me.

OP posts:

PenisVanLesbian · 06/08/2012 17:49

YABU.

WithoutCaution · 06/08/2012 17:50

YANBU my driving instructor told me to never let cyclists do that as they can scratch my car, injure themselves, prevent me turning off etc

Northernlurker · 06/08/2012 17:54

Your driving instructor told you to drive so close to the curb so that cyclists can't edge past? How many attempts did you take at your test

TeamGBIWI · 06/08/2012 17:54

If she wanted to turn left, and arrived behind you, and there wasn't sufficient room for her to get past you, then she should have waited. YANBU.

Cyclists do not own the road any more than motorists do.

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 06/08/2012 17:55

I do think I am aware of cyclists. I cycle a lot myself and certainly would have done what she did. If a cyclist is moving along a road and I'm turning left I always hang back and let them go across the junction first.

This was more like she was trying to push her way to the front of a queue of affix which were all turning left. Along the left side of the queue. Which just seemed very dangerous.

But I guess I could have been the bigger person and let her push in front.

OP posts:

Thistledew · 06/08/2012 17:55

You deliberately blocked another road user and prevented them from carrying out a lawful manoeuvre. I'm not surprised you got shouted at. Do you also refuse to let people pull out in front of you when you are in slow moving traffic, just because they should wait their turn until the end of the queue? It would have taken no effort on your part to be a little more considerate to your fellow road users. I'm not surprised you got shouted at. Hardly road rage though.

WelshMaenad · 06/08/2012 17:56

YANBU. She had a kid behind her and was trying to squeeze between a car and the pavement just for the sake of getting in front of you? Instead of waiting behind you in her own space in the queue? She's a twat. And endangering said kid.

MrsCampbellBlack · 06/08/2012 17:56

Viva - there's a lot be said for being the bigger person and giving the other person you're very best passive/aggressive patronising smile

Cyclists round here always edge up between the curb and cars though when sat in traffic especially in rush hour - is this not normal?

BoulevardOfBrokenSleep · 06/08/2012 17:56

Just trying to visualise this.

If there wasn't enough room for her to pass you on the pavement side, then she was effectively trapped between your car and the kerb, yes?

I can't see how you could possibly have moved forwards in a 'slow and safe' manner with that little space left for the cyclist TBH.

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 06/08/2012 17:57

Northern, I do give cyclists plenty of room on the road. This was coming out the supermarket carpark, not a proper road. So two very narrow lanes. Not really enough room for a car and a cyclist especially when the car has already started angling left to make the left turn on the t junction.

OP posts:

WithoutCaution · 06/08/2012 17:58

Northernlurker I passed first time

Housespouse · 06/08/2012 17:58

I now change my mind: YABVU. "I suppose I could have moved further over to let her through" Well, that is clearly what you should have done then. Cyclists are incredibly vulnerable at left turns. I am so sad to read that you say you wished you had told her she was being a fuckwit - especially ironic as your whole post is headed "I was roadraged". You now say you wish you had done the roadraging. Perhaps think through the whole incident from their point of view.

Thistledew · 06/08/2012 17:58

It is not dangerous (baring inconsiderate and entitled drivers) to filter to the left of a line of stationary traffic. Yes, cyclists need to be careful when they reach the junction that the vehicle at the front has seen them, and should not pull along side a lorry or bus, but otherwise it is not dangerous. A lot of junctions in London are set up with cycle lanes and advance stop boxes to allow cycles to do exactly this.

Northernlurker · 06/08/2012 17:59

She wasn't pushing in front! She's a cyclist, she's not going to take the whole road. I would expect a car to wait while I passed or to move over to the right slightly whilst they moved forward. If they moved over to the left I would consider that either they hadn't seen me (and they should have) or that they didn't give a damn - and both scenarios would probably cause me to shout.

Original poster

VivaLeBeaver · 06/08/2012 18:00

Mmmm, well I didn't deliberately block her. I just didn't move out her way. I was there before she came up the queue of traffic.

Funnily enough I was watching a YouTube video of a bike undertaking a lorry in heavy traffic the other week. Another cyclist screamed abuse at the undertaking cyclist and then caught up with him and gave him an earful for doing something so dangerous.

OP posts:

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