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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not have overtaken these cyclists?

51 replies

OhMrBadger · 02/04/2017 13:26

I passed my driving test a short time ago and I'm slowly building up confidence, doing longer drives etc.

This morning I drove a route that takes an area of outstanding natural beauty. It's very hilly and the road is very windy so there are sections with double white line between lanes.

It's a beautiful day so there were loads of cyclists out and obviously labouring up the hills. I found myself at the front of a queue of traffic behind a cyclist.

I couldn't see clearly enough in front of me to be able to overtake safely. So I hung back until it was safe to go. But so many cars behind me were beeping! DH was in the passenger seat and said not to stress as I was doing the right thing.

This happened twice on the same stretch of road.

So now I'm back at home and fretting over it all. I'm replaying hideous head-on crash scenarios in my head or having to swerve back and knocking a cyclist off their bike.

So, WIBU to hold back until i was 100% sure it was safe to overtake?? Surely not?

OP posts:
cosytoaster · 02/04/2017 14:18

couldn't see clearly enough in front of me to be able to overtake safely - you've answered your own question right there, there was nothing else you could do.

megletthesecond · 02/04/2017 14:23

Yanbu.

This is one reason I took an advanced driving course. I used to think it was me being stupid not overtaking but the teachers always agreed with me when I preferred to hold back. Sadly many other drivers would rather risk it.

JonesyAndTheSalad · 02/04/2017 14:25

I cycle a bit and when I have this situation I hate it so much! I pull over! I'm a bit paranoid though as my friend was knocked off her bike on a road I use a lot.

MetalMidget · 02/04/2017 14:26

On a separate note, we live in an area populated by a brilliant network of cycle paths and it's really frustrating to see cyclists on a busy road when there's a dedicated cycle path running parallel to it; why do cyclists do this?

There can be numerous reasons :

*The cycle path is littered with broken glass and rubbish, or is poorly maintained

*The cycle path forces the cyclist to give way at junctions, whereas they'd have right of way on the road

*The cycle path stop starts erratically, forcing the cyclist to attempt to rejoin the road at awkward sections

*The cycle path route adds considerably more distance and time than the road route

*The cyclist goes more than 15/20mph (at which point you're not supposed to use shared paths)

*They feel unsafe on the cycle path (ie it's poorly lit, isolated, goes through areas where gangs hang out, etc)

Normally its a case of them being poorly designed and maintained, which is a shame because I personally always prefer to go offroad when I'm on the bike.

willconcern · 02/04/2017 14:27

Acornantics, often because the cycle paths are not maintained. I use ones that are when I can, but a cycle path full of potholes, weeds and grass is dangerous on a road bike, and would cause serious damage to my tyres and wheels.

beargrass · 02/04/2017 14:30

ivykaty44 yes!

I would not worry about this, if it is not safe to overtake, then it's not safe to overtake. End of. No one needs to overtake that badly that they have the right to risk everyone else's lives.

MrsMoastyToasty · 02/04/2017 14:31

Double white lines are there for a reason. It's not safe to cross. If you had caused an accident you would have been at fault.

Tough titty to anyone behind you that has a problem with it. It's their fault that they haven't allowed enough time for their journey.

Chottie · 02/04/2017 14:35

OP - you did the right thing. I give cyclists the same amount of space that I would give a small car when overtaking.

Olympiathequeen · 02/04/2017 14:42

You were totally right. You'll find many drivers have an irrational hatred of cyclists and act as though they don't count when it comes to knocking them over. Hence all the aggression behind you.

Keep on imagining the accidents that can happen if you do something stupid, it's a good deterrent. I once crashed into the side of a lorry (totally his fault) and still have flashbacks, but it's given me an overwhelming desire never to be in that situation again so I drive defensively now.

Develop an 'inner sweary voice' which tells the fuckers behind you to stick their horns up their arse! It's very empowering

IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday · 02/04/2017 14:45

We live in the countryside so end up behind cyclists often. I never over take unless I can see what's ahead but you'd think I was breaking the law by the aggression I get from some motorists behind me.

They are idiots who overtake at the earliest opportunity- usually unsafely. No Wonder the statistics for deaths on country roads are so much higher than other roads.

GreenHillsSunnySkies · 02/04/2017 14:46

During one of my 3 professional lessons (DH taught me) prior to my test, I had just such a scenario OP, 3 impatient drivers behind me behind a cyclist on a bendy country road with poor visibility of oncoming traffic ahead.
I was getting stressed with the one directly behind me tailgating and moving his car in and out like a race car driver warming his tyres to try and see beyond me, the instructor said 'ignore the dick behind you. Your instincts are fine, it's not safe to pass." It made me laugh and relax and it's now my mantra: "ignore the dick behind you".

PyongyangKipperbang · 02/04/2017 14:46

Exactly the same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago when I was talking DD back to Uni. The route there and back is via A roads at best and B roads for a lot of it. Same thing, windy and hilly so not safe to over take for what seems like miles. Got stuck behind a tractor (who could have pulled in at a couple of points to let traffic go but thats another rant) and got beeped at by a twat a few cars behind me. Twat (in an Audi, there's a surprise!) decides to overtake 4 cars and the tractor, hammering on his horn as he went. Except that a car came the other way, and he almost caused a fucking massive accident. It was only because the rest of us could see what was going to happen and dropped back that he had space to pull back in.

Fucking arseholes are everywhere, dont worry about it. You did the right thing.

Oh and I have been driving 20 years.

ChrisYoungFuckingRocks · 02/04/2017 15:18

I'll never forget when I was younger - there were four of us in the car and my uncle was driving. There was a big truck in the oncoming lane with a string of cars behind it. Some idiot at the back decided to overtake them all. I can still see so clearly this car hurtling towards us at around 120 km/h +. My uncle had to leave the road, onto the grass verge and narrowly missed hitting a tree. The terror we all felt! Just because of some asshole. If there hadn't been space to veer off the road, or there had been an obstruction, there is no way on earth any of us would've survived.

I've been driving for 27 years, and I can honestly say I've never ever, not once, overtaken if I wasn't 100% sure it was safe.

ChrisYoungFuckingRocks · 02/04/2017 15:27

Another story about a cyclist - an old school friend who lives in Australia (where they have stupid road rules, but that's another story), was a keen motorcyclist. Her and a group of friends were on a road trip one day, and happily riding along in their own lane, approaching a blind rise. Suddenly a car came over the rise (having overtaken a cyclist on a blind rise!), and wiped out my friend. She was valedictorian of her class, and the brightest and loveliest person I've ever known. Now, she is unable to make a sandwich, walk without a cane or string a sentence together, as her brain can't process the information. She'll never be able to work again, or look after her DC on her own.

If you want to avoid being the cause of something like this, then ignore the dicks behind you, and keep yourself and other safe Smile.

ChrisYoungFuckingRocks · 02/04/2017 15:29

*others

TheHauntedFishtank · 02/04/2017 15:39

I had a similar scenario yesterday but behind a tractor with extra wide wheels which took up half the other side of the road as well. No safe place to get past so I waited. Some daft cow overtook other cars in the queue and got to one space behind me (with a car towing a trailer between us). The tractor pulled in to let us past and the stupid mare pulled out to overtake all three of us before either I or the chap behind me could pull out. She was bloody lucky nobody hit her.

NewPapaGuinea · 02/04/2017 18:23

Do you/would you consider having P plates? Anyone who then beeps a driver with P plates are dicks. And of course you should only overtake when safe to do so. If you calculate how much time it would save, you'll be talking tens of seconds at best.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 02/04/2017 18:36

If its not safe to overtake, then its not safe. You did the right thing.
Yes, its frustrating being stuck behind something slow, but being sent to prison for causing a serious accident by dangerous driving - I'd rather wait and be safe!
I nearly had someone take me out doing a stupid overtake. I was turning right off a busy road. There was a refuge for people turning right and I was indicating and just pulling into it when some dingbat going the other way decided to overtake a car indicating left, to go into the turning I was waiting for.
The overtaker pulled into the turn right refuge I was heading for. He must have missed me by a fraction of an inch. He could have done serious damage, all because he CBA to wait a few seconds for someone to turn left.
He did look scared though!

JaxCD · 02/04/2017 18:55

Unless you are 100% sure it is absolutely safe to pass, SAFETLY, then hold back for s long as you want. Your skills, your car's handling and power (torque), the road conditions, sun in your eyes etc. are not the same as any other driver on the road. If you are not confident to overtake, for everyone's safety, don't. Ignore those beeping fuckers. They are twats.

Guavaf1sh · 02/04/2017 19:06

Some people are better at judging risks and better at overtaking than others so I'm guessing you had opportunities but felt best not to use them hence the beeping. I totally sympathise with you and am much the same. I tend to pull over if safe to allow the queue to pass so I'm less stressed and I m not holding up the traffic neither

PUGaLUGS · 02/04/2017 19:11

You absolutely went the correct way about it.

DH would love you. Shame not all motorists aren't as considerate.

elodie2000 · 02/04/2017 19:11

YANBU. If you don't want to / can't overtake, don't. Let people beep at you all they like.
Fwiw, I often drive in windy roads & sometimes pull into parking areas at the side if I'm in this situation and cars start stacking up behind me (I hate overtaking) I let other cars take my place straight behind whatever it is holding up the traffic.

MadamPatti · 02/04/2017 19:59

My Dh is a cyclist and I worry for him every time he goes out (although I know I'm over anxious!).

Thank you for doing the right thing

Original poster
OhMrBadger · 02/04/2017 20:12

NewPapa I haven't put on P plates yet but I will. Mind you, I've heard a few tales of other drivers being really aggressive towards drivers with P plates. Kind of like they're fair game. However I expect that's rare and in my case, i should probably use them!

OP posts:
GabsAlot · 02/04/2017 21:30

Some people are better at judging risks and better at overtaking than others so I'm guessing you had opportunities but felt best not to use them hence the beeping

how patronising-people are just impatient doesnt mean theyre good at judging anything

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