To think car driver should not have got arsey with me?

[MrsRossPoldark]

Just had a set-to with an angry driver. I'm cycling home on my usual route which passes a wide two-carriageway road with lots of parked cars on the left. I always pull out a bit further if I can when passing these parked cars as drivers don't always check behind when they park up & get out. I don't want to splat on their door so I leave enough room for a door to be opened so I know I won't be knocked off.

At no point am I over (or close to) the white line in the middle of the road. It's a wide road! I also wear lots of bright clothing (standing joke in the office!) so no excuse for not seeing me.

Driver honks at me and gives me a glare as she passes. I hold my hand up in a "what did I do?" gesture (after all maybe she'd spotted a flat tyre).

She stops in the middle of the carriageway (!) and I pull up to ask if there's a problem & she accuses me of being far too far out (she just overtook me with plenty of room to spare ffs!). I explain to her that I am further out in order to avoid parked car doors opening & I was not in the middle of the road just in the middle of the carriageway, just meaning she had to slow a bit until she could safely pass. She claims she's been a cyclist for 2 years (so assumes I haven't been cycling very long) so she knows what she's talking about!

I've been cycling that route daily for 18 months with never a complaint until now.

AIBU to leave myself room (I know there aren't any cars in the opposite carriageway & I don't actually move out until I have checked behind me that I can) or is she BU to accuse me of being too far out?

Can I go for a coffee & a lie down?!

No you aren't. She shouldn't be trying to squeeze past you anyway. People open car doors without checking - nearly got knocked off my feet my a passenger throwing her door open when I was running past last night. It missed me by inches. She didn't even notice.

She doesn't know what she's talking about because it says in The Highway Code that you are supposed to give adequate clearance to stationary vehicles. I would ignore her it's obviously just a road rage incident. If you haven't had a problem for 18 months then it can't be you, can it

MrsRoss was she in a 4 x4 by any chance?

Yanbu, she was a dick. Should have asked her if she was on her way to her annual 'I own the roads' medal presentation.

Dp has dick tendencies but at least has the decency to grumble to himself and keep to the job of driving like there are other people entitled to use the road. He doesn't like it mind, but he does it.

She is BU. I have far too many cyclist friends who have been splatted by parked cars opening their doors without warning, so always used to go wide in this situation myself.
It does annoy some car drivers , though, but tough.
I actually had this same argument with an ex of mine who was complaining about a cyclist being too far out. He then parked, opened his door into an oncoming bus and was very lucky not to get splatted himself. How I laughed. Eventually, when I'd recovered from the shock.

YANBU cyclists have as much right to use the road as cars. There's no law (is there?) that says cars must be able to pass you. She can just slow the fuck down until you're able to move in again.

I cycled into town and back on Saturday - not a big journey. Twice someone had a go at me (for no reason). Sometimes I think cyclists are public enemy number one for drivers.
You were totally in the right. Try not to let it get to you!

You were doing exactly the right thing, she was being idiotic.

YANBU. If you hadn't even gone on the second lane she had just as much room as overtaking a car (which she should leave anyway).

starkers1: a very large volvo estate, which kind of equates - I should add that I am not painting all Volvo drivers with the same brush - in fact, I would retract that innuendo completely [hence the strikethrough for effect!] , as I have found most Volvo drivers are very very safe!

Incidentally, in stopping to have a set to with me, she did stop a following car from passing her while we were arguing!!

MrsRoss - No, you are not being unreasonable at all. It sounds as though you are a very sensible cyclist and the motorist was in the wrong.

Starkers - what difference does it make what car it was? (Or is this going to turn into yet another 4x4-bashing thread)??

Assertive road positioning is important to stay safe when cycling.

What a moron.

I now (after a similar incident, on a narrow bridge when cycling with my 11 year old) get my phone out and take photos or video if drivers do this to me. They generally piss off sharpish when they realise what I am doing.

and another thing - I was actually travelling in top gear so wasn't dawdling along at all!

When I was learning to drive I was told to treat a cyclist as though it was as wide as a car, that way you won't pass so close that your air disturbance will cause the cyclist to wobble off. And to expect bikes to be in the centre of the carriageway, as there are less likely to be manhole covers etc there.

Didn't think of using my phone - it was in my panniers so I wouldn't have had time to faff anyway.

re 4x4's - I don't think starkers1 was having a go [I assume] and my hastily-typed comment re volvo's and 4x4's being retracted applies equally! As a driver of a Grand Voyager, I am often accused of driving like a bus driver. I take that as a compliment!

Actually, I might start a new thread in AIBU as I just had DH on the phone. When I told him I was a bit flustered he asked what was up so I told him the tale, and he more or less said "that's nice dear" and started in on what days he should plan to take off during half-term!

EvansOval as most of the raging, entitled motorists I encounter happen to be in 4x4s + my DH cycle's every day and also says it is nearly always 4X4 drivers who have an issue with him as a cyclist. Perhaps as they drive such massive tanks, they get so infuriated at not being able to edge past cyclists.

OP you were def not in the wrong and sorry you had to encounter such an idiot. Don't let it ruin your day

Good idea Mistigri I will do that next time. It just shows that the drivers know that they are in the wrong, but somehow think they have the right to have a go at you because you are on a bike.

AlpacaLypse: good point re air disturbance. Always a good one, esp in my locality - some of the new blocks of flats in the town centre create a wind-tunnel effect so going uphill on a windy day plus the wind-tunnel is often 'fun'! If I feel in any danger I have no problem stopping and walking on the pavement if it's safer.

as most of the raging, entitled motorists I encounter happen to be in 4x4s + my DH cycle's every day and also says it is nearly always 4X4 drivers who have an issue with him as a cyclist. Perhaps as they drive such massive tanks, they get so infuriated at not being able to edge past cyclists.

Starkers - that's an unfair blanket judgement, and not particularly relevant to this thread. There are also some cyclists who ride very badly indeed, but that is not to say that ALL cyclists are poor riders.

Some motorists behave as though having to slow down even marginally is akin to being the victim of a war crime. It is very tedious and stupid.

tough yep I'd say you were!

As a car driver and a cyclist, I now have
a dash-cam in case of arrogant entitled, un-law-abiding lycra-clad male cyclists (many in London)
and
a go-pro for inattentive school-run-only-had-one-glass-of-wine-first-4x4-mum drivers