Or was the cyclist with a death wish

[warthogworrier]

So I'm an experienced driver but fairly new to London driving. I'm always very conscious of cyclists and until today likes to think I was extra courteous to them...

I travel a route regularly where I turn right into a road and then about 60m later turn hard left. As I turned right I noticed there was a cyclist coming up behind me. I was worried she hadn't seen that I was turning left, so I went extra slow and checked in my mirrors for a sign that she had seen (ie either that she was going round me on the other side or had slotted in behind me if she was also turning left). Instead she didn't slow at all and completely undertook me, signalling only that she was turning left literally as she passed me. If I hadn't slammed on the breaks (albeit I was going very slow) I would have hit her, as the road we were turning into is quite narrow and has cars parked on it (so there isn't room for both to turn at the same time).

Being honest I was pretty furious but did I misjudge this ?

I think it was daft of the cyclist to undertake a car that was both indicating and slowing before a junction. Not saying all cyclists are in the wrong, but I think this one was.

I think people are being a bit unfair on the OP as she's being told she should have simultaneously sped up and turned (stopped dawdling) and also slowed/stopped completely to let the cyclist pass.

London cyclists are a breed apart IME. And I live near Cambridge, AKA Cycle City.
In London I have seen literally jaw-dropping behaviour on the part of many of them. (Mostly men, tbh).
As a pedestrian I have been yelled at in the middle of zebra crossings and DH has been sworn at by some turd of a cyclist for standing on the pavement and not getting out of turd's way.
I've also seen numerous near misses and one horrific accident caused by one bloke cycling through a red light, straight into crossing traffic. It was very distressing but entirely his own fault.
And meanwhile the cycling lobby is campaigning for the motorist to be presumed at fault in every collision between a motor vehicle and bicycle.

Was there a cycle lane painted on the road, OP? A significant number of London roads have them.
I agree the cyclist shouldn't have undertook you if you were signalling. But there should also have been no need for you to "slam on your breaks", because before you turn, you need to check there's no one coming up on the inside, because if there is you need to give way.
Your later comment about next time just turning is just ridiculous and I hope you're regretting that now.

Your cyclist was in the wrong. YANBU.

I was once hit by a cyclist running a red light and HE shouted at ME.

Where the sense of entitlement comes from, goodness only knows.

Definitely doesn't sound like you're fault, I can't understand why she swore at you when you'd slowed down and we're in front?

@Tartyflette and I raise you the behaviour of London drivers being a breed apart, and downright dangerous. I cycle. Daily i have drivers doing close passes, turning left without indicating so requiring me or other cyclists to slam on brakes. I have been knocked off once (so far) by a driver going into the side of me as I cycled in the cycle lane, then demanding to know why I had been in the position I was. And don't get me started on pedestrians who either step out without looking, or even more annoying, look me in the eye then step out anyway. I'm never sure what they are expecting in this situation.
There are cunts in all walks of like, but it's the cunts in "control" of the massive metal box that could kill me that I find most terrifying.

That’s under discussion and STILL DOES NOT MEAN IT IS OK TO KILL THE CYCLIST. Show some human decency for crying out loud.

I look forward to you pointing out where I said it was OK to kill the cyclist or failed to show any human decency? Since when is pointing out fault and stupidity lacking in human decency?

I also look forward to you pointing out when the cyclist in the OP was killed because I can't see it. They seem to have been alive and well when they were obnoxious and rude later on.

All MNs that say all cyclists, all drivers, all motorcyclists, all blue eyed people, all blond people, all men or all whatever else are all stupid, selfish, dangerous or whatever other stereotype are all bloody stupid themselves!!!

FFS!

Right and wrong in every group of people.

I used to cycle to work from Elephant & Castle to behind Oxford Street. This was 40+ years ago. Even back then it was so frightening I would leave at 7am for they less-than-half-hour cycle to work, avoiding most of the traffic and work late to 7ish before coming home Even so, I lost count of the number of times I avoided being mown down so that in the end I decided it wasn't worth it and walked instead.

I did find bus drivers were helpful when negotiating roundabouts though!

Yes, assume everyone's an idiot boy racer who's drinking champagne and steering with one hand while receiving a bj. You'll be OK then.

I hold no brief for drivers, hullis and avoid driving in central London. My point was that cyclists can be, (and many are,) total arseholes.
Often to their own detriment. Sadly.

I drive and cycle and I face a daily battle with seriously dangerous drivers who drive too closes, not only last me but also behind me, don't watch what times doing, don't see me at junctions before they pull out and I've even had a driver make the hurry up gesture as I was going round a roundabout. I have pedestrians frequently walking into the cycle side of a path bit giving me abuse when I try to get past despite them being on the wrong side. I've been knocked of my bike by a drivers who didn't have his headlights on at 6 in the morning on a winter's night.

There are good and bad no matter when you use as transport and everyone deserves respect on the roads. It's just a pity that not everyone's shows it. When a cyclist gets irate just remember, they may have encountered a dangerous driver and had a scare earlier and quite frankly, a cyclists is going to come off much worse than a driver is in an accident and they know that so when you whizz past a little too close without realising, they have every right to get annoyed with you. How far away from them were you? I ask as so many drivers barely give a cyclist any space when they pass that it scares the hell out of us. I've had drivers pass so close, I could touch their car!