to want to smash into him next time

[Needabiscuit]

First of all I'm quite a calm person, it's takes a lot to rattle me

so I was driving today, not much traffic on the roads, a nice smooth ride until I was stopped at traffic lights, indicating my intention to turn left, I went forward, then this fucker cyclist decides to try and play chicken just as I was taking the turn, I stupidly of course had to stop, I then beeped at the cunt cyclist to show I have saved his lifewho then gave me the finger!!!

So my AIBU is can I run the fucker cyclist over next time, as I think it will serve a lesson to all who think it's my fucking job to look out for idiots who take risks like that??

I am not an aggressive driver, far from it
I'm pregnant at the moment, and have a toddler who was also in the car at the time, so I'm extra careful, do not accuse me of being a shit, careless driver

Because we all took off from the lights, I was not right up the arse of the car in front, cyclist was not parallel to me when we took off, because I was going at a slowish pace he must of caught me up, and then cut me up, as I was going to turn!
Do you really think I was in the wrong there?

As a cyclist if I'd seen you indicating I'd probably have slowed up and waited for you to turn. He does sound like he was pushing it. Something to remember is that most serious cyclists ride with clipped in pedals - sort of like ski bindings - so it's hard to come to a sudden stop because if you slam on the brakes you'll fall over (always a treat!). So he could have thought the lesser of two evils was to just shoot through. Having said that I can get out of my clipped in pedals quite fast now so I'm sure any other cyclist can

I agree with you OP

Most cyclists are arrogant sods who think they own the road and make stupid manoeuvres in their incessant need to maintain their speed (which is usually uncomfortably slow to sit behind as a car driver but just slightly too fast to overtake safely)

They also go around in groups with them 3 wide which gives you little chance to get past at all.

And don't get me started on the ones who won't use the cycle path but prefer to ride on the road and GET IN MY WAY!

But seriously as annoying as they are, you just have to breathe and stay calm.

Punkrockergirl

Do yo genuinely believe that most cyclists are arrogant sods?! Really? Don't you think that's a little, um, extreme?

Personally I think the filtering on the left rules need to change, they are not safe on today's roads.

I once saw a cyclist run a red light and crash into a pregnant pedestrian who was crossing the road (on a green man). The cyclist then proceeded to get up and scream at the poor woman who was lying in the street clutching her stomach.

I have had cyclists deliberately right alongside my car (with a hand on the roof) in my blind spot. I was in a driving lesson and the instructor told me to slow down until he got out of the way.

There is a certain type of cyclist who think that they rule the road and they can do what they like. Some of them are so dangerous to everyone else as they put other people at risk.

They should have to be insured like other road users.

You weren't in the wrong

The reason why people are probably more angry when cyclists act like tossers is because they are more vulnerable. You would think they would cycle accordingly but often they don't.

If, as a driver, you are in an accident with another car that has been driven by a tosser, statistically you're both likely to walk away ok. Same situation but with a cyclist who has cycled dangerously, they aren't as likely to be ok. And despite the car driver being in the right, that is actually small consolation when you're walking away from an accident where someone is injured.

I do wish cyclists had to take a test and pay insurance because I think it would make the roads safer for everyone. My school run takes me by a university and there will be an example of dangerous cycling every single morning from bikes crossing lanes randomly; to cyclists holding carrier bags in their hands; from undertaking, to cyclists erratically joining and leaving traffic from the pavement. I worry for them.

If the comment was to me, need, I wasn't accusing you of being a shot careless driver.

It is the case that many drivers generally are not as good at all times as they think they are. Not you in particular. Just like some cyclists do stupid manoeuvres which are potentially dangerous.

However there is a lot of confusion about what cyclists are and are not allowed by the Highway Code to do, such as use the road instead of a cycle lane, or cycle out from the kerb. The cyclist will do this for safety but it is still taken by many drivers (no not you) as justification to hate them.

Well, there are good cyclists and bad drivers and bad cyclists and good drivers. If you spend enough time on the road, you'll see them all.

What I honestly don't get, though, is the angry cyclists who seem to be out looking for some kind of confrontation. Wearing a camera and being in the right won't do a cyclist any good if s/he's hit hard enough to be killed.

It's called an accident for a reason - deliberate driver-fault incidents are still, thankfully, very rare. But accidents will happen. I'm a motor-cyclist and drive defensively as I know I will be the one hurt/killed and not the car/van/lorry driver.

If I cycled, I would be very careful to keep myself out of as much danger as possible. That means thinking for the other road user and having a bit of common sense. Undertaking as in the OP's description is generally not a very good idea and not something I would be doing myself in that situation.

What I also don't do is take a defensive attitude that rubs other road users up the wrong way. Unfortunately, a lot of cyclists around here do have that spoiling-for-a-fight attitude so I can see why drivers get wound up about it.

Like another poster has mentioned, using a bike - or in my case, a motor-bike - has made me a better driver and more aware of other users. That still doesn't make me responsible for the stupid things others do, but if I did cause an injury to someone, their fault or not, I would still feel awful. If I killed someone, I'd be devastated (and I say this as I use one particular road that makes it difficult to see cyclists at the best of times. The ones that don't have lights or use clothing that they can been seen more easily in make my stomach turn every time I see them. It's only a matter of time before one of them is killed and that would be a tragic accident that could have been easily avoided.

The advert says "think bike" but I do believe that cyclists should do a bit more "think car" as well.

Social media has given rise to a breed of arrogant, aggressive cyclists who can't wait to have a confrontation so they can post it on YouTube.

Is this a London thing, the cameras and the arrogant aggressiveness? Where I live cyclists seem mostly to be beardy older men or kids on their way to school. Weekends bring out the club cyclists but I have never seen a head camera on one yet, and their road safety is generally sound.

The advert says "think bike" but I do believe that cyclists should do a bit more "think car" as well.
Yy because it's blatantly obvious that some cyclists don't understand road layouts and don't understand blind spots on larger vehicles either. Both these pics illustrate this point very well and I'm not convinced cyclists are aware enough that if they join the road at one of those spots then the driver can't see them.

I've been driving for more years than I care to say and drive regularly in two cities -- London and Cambridge, both known for large numbers of cyclists.
But the behaviour of some London cyclists -- good grief. It seems to have worsened considerably in the past 5 to 10 years or so as the numbers of cyclists has soared; I've seen jaw-dropping behaviour and really unpleasant accidents caused by terrible cycling, such as nearly happened to the OP. (never been personally involved in any, thank God. ) I think she was right to use her horn. She may have been pissed off but she was warning him of her presence, position and intention. Isn't that what a horn is for, to warn other road users who may not have seen you?

Have to say I haven't seen anything nearly as bad in Cambridge.
I realise this is entirely anecdotal and not really worth a light just my personal experience but the change in London is very noticeable, IME.
I think cyclists in big cities should have to buy a registration plate for their bikes, it need not be expensive but at least a register would mean they could be caught and penalised when they break the law -- such as by going through red lights, which seems to be commonplace, or cycling on the pavement, ditto.
Failing that, we need a 'You cycle like a cunt' website, wth pix and videos, like the 'You park like a cunt' one.

...there's no such thing as road tax...

Ffs. It's a colloquialism know the world bloody over, and has been for decades, we all know that it means vehicle tax, we're not bloody stupid.

I was out with a friend once when a motorbike, not a cyclist, decided to overtake her as she was indicating right. She didn't see him and he hit her car. I think he was ok but his bike sailed on and crashed. He was done for dangerous driving.

www.cyclelaw.co.uk/overtaking-and-filtering-whilst-cycling

Not making any comment on the OP's situation, as it sounds like the cyclist was probably in the wrong, but to those people raging about undertaking- it's called filtering, and is legal for cyclists; as is riding on the road when there's a cycle lane available. Also, most cyclists I know have at least 3rd party insurance.

I think much like with cars, people notice and focus much more on the idiot who pulled out in front of you, than the previous dozen who were using the road correctly...

MsAdorabelle I disagree, in the context that it's said clearly a lot of people think that cyclists are not equal users of the road because they don't pay road tax.

I didn't say anything about the context of cyclists, merely that we don't need it explaining to us every five posts.

Cyclists can be really annoying OP, there are a lot of them where I live and honestly they can be pretty reckless. I recently had to slam the breaks on because a motorbike pulled out in front of me. The cyclist behind me couldn't swerve because of road works so nearly crashed into the back of me before swearing at me and kicking my car. I was furious - I hadn't slammed on the breaks to annoy him or because I was a bad driver! What was I supposed to do? Run over the motorbike because the cyclist couldn't see what was happening in front of me?

I didn't see him at that time waiting with us, so I assume he had just joined up to us as the lights were turning and we went forward

So you weren't looking and he may well have been parallel with you before the lights changed? It's not clear to me from that description that the cyclist was in the wrong tbf. He might have been but it doesn't sound like you were paying enough attention to warrant all the vitrioltbh.

Oh and I cycle. I also drive. I would have most likely fitted in behind or come down your right, but I am a very confident and experienced cycle commuter. Not everyone is.

One thing I would support is cycle training for kids growing up. So many cyclists (including fairly fit adults) assume they are doing the safest thing by staying far left, hugging the gutter and trying not to be 'in the way'.

Downinfragglerock - perhaps that law should be revised

Technically speaking, from the highway code, you were both at fault:

Rule 72
On the left. When approaching a junction on the left, watch out for vehicles turning in front of you, out of or into the side road. Just before you turn, check for undertaking cyclists or motorcyclists. Do not ride on the inside of vehicles signalling or slowing down to turn left.

I hold you to blame as the owner of the bigger vehicle, it is your responsibility not to kill people.

If the road is as you suggest then the cyclist had a difficult choice. Go up the inside or cross traffic to go up the middle, avoid any left turning cars but potentially find themselves in the middle of two streams of cars going straight on.
I found myself in exactly the same situation today but I was aware of the cyclist and assumed the worst.

A few posters seem confused by the difference between what is legal and what is safe. Cycling safety groups do not recommend undertaking at junctions. Their advice is to cycle defensively ie in the middle of the lane.
It's part of the problem with cherry picking parts of the highway code. It doesn't take into account all situations or current advice from the organisations that are actually focused on training cyclists to be safe on the roads.

The fact that you even ask
So my AIBU is can I run the fucker cyclist over next time, as I think it will serve a lesson to all who think it's my fucking job to look out for idiots who take risks like that?? speaks volumes.

Your attitude stinks.