To be done with cyclists (as a car driver).

[bluegardenflowers]

Have cycled in the past but now only drive.

I'm a considerate driver and always allow plenty of room when overtaking and am patient in following the cyclist when it's unsafe to overtake and leave a big gap. I take care when left turning. They are more vulnerable on the road.

Yet I've been sworn at be a cyclist and it's pissing me off.

Yesterday on a busy road I saw the cyclist and was busy scanning ahead to make sure I could give him half a carriageways room to overtake. I started my overtake as he was wafting his arm around and looking back. It wasn't a clear right turn signal more a 30 degree flap around before swerving into the part of the road I was on, and swearing at me.

Ffs. If you want to turn right, stick your bloody arm out fully and make a clear signal. No wonder drivers and cyclists hate each other.

OP, my suspicion is that you are one of these drivers who speeds up to overtaken when someone indicates to turn right.

No idea why they do this. But it happens from time to time. Its as if logic is overtaken by an overriding desire to take at all costs.

You've changed your story so many times you may as well make up another drawing.

It wasn't a clear right turn signal more a 30 degree flap around before swerving into the part of the road I was on, and swearing at me
So you were still behind. Of course you were! Therefore you should have slowed and let him turn.

HE prevented the accident not you. If he'd gone ahead, YOU would have hit him from the back.

To be honest, we need an animation just to show how unclear the "wafting" or "flapping" of the arm signal was.

It was clearly visible to the OP before she overtook, which is the main thing. Yet the OP chose to keep on overtaking, instead of pulling in behind again. That seems to be the issue.

Still not making sense

Fucking hell OP are you still claiming you did nothing wrong??
167
DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example
approaching or at a road junction on either side of the road

DO NOT OVERTAKE ON APPROACHING A JUNCTION!! This is exactly what you did!
🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️

But he was there - and moving. That should have been enough to make you pause and give thought to what he might be doing.
To repeat, he could and should have been more central in the lane - turning or not, and you could have treated him as a car - which is generally what we should do, and cyclists are advised to do.
You probably should have waited until past the junction, for safety and clarity. Then, safely and according to conditions, pass nicely.

Yes but clearly you’re not capable of adequately assessing the situation otherwise this incident wouldn’t have occurred, so it’s safer for us all if you just don’t.

and it was only when I reached a point just behind him (aka overtaking) he started his hand wafting
BEHIND, that's the key. You should therefore have stayed behind not passed him.

He should have moved more to the centre of the road, then made his turn (HC)
Which cleat is what he did. He can't be at some point to the right without having move from left to right in front of you!

One of the phrases I have heard (on car crash/bad driving compilation videos) is: "Must be Fast. Must be First".

As I started to overtake said cyclist took his right hand of the handlebars and dangled it by his side. He didn't look back and he didn't 'signal' as described in the HC. So I started to overtake him, as I drew nearer he looked back put his arm out around 30 degrees and started to turn. It was then I realised the the dangling arm and left hand on the handlebars was his idea of a signal. So with hindsight (and instruction here) I now realise this was a signal, but in the initial phase (may I be cursed for my lack of mind reading) I didn't.

Hopefully that clarifies.

An arm by the side and not holding the bar = a hand signal....

@vivainsomnia No, post is still not clear. Are you the list who can't manage a lucid sentence or a hand signal?

Let’s also clarify OP … YOU put everyone in danger first by deciding to overtake on the approach to a junction! IT IS THAT SIMPLE!

Which I wasn't doing THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AND (APPARENTLY) A CYCLIST CYCLING FORWARD. What don't you understand? The HC is quite clear, you can overtake with caution as you approach a junction WHICH I DID

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

OP you should probably step away from this thread now…

Still not making sense TO YOU which was is so concerning and makes you a danger on the road.

You remind me of the lady who passed right in front of me from the left as I was engaged at a roundabout, which I only avoided by crashing in the middle of the roundabout, and just stared at me with a look of complete confusion, clearly clueless that she was in the wrong and that she could have seriously injured me. Idiot!

I've had my fun now. Goodbye folks I'm off to watch the football. ⚽️

It says nothing of the sort. It says (and this is a copy-paste job, bolding is my own):

DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users. For example

approaching or at a road junction on either side of the road

That sounds a more than adequate signal to me. I would have noticed it. Its still a signal.

I don't think theres a rule that it has to be some kind of straight military salute. The main thing is that it was visible, you saw it and yet you chose to continue your overtaking manoevure despite seeing his signal at a junction to turn right.

I think I'd have apologised to him and asked him if he was all right. It might have made you both feel better, rather than still being seething about it hours later. Surely thats a better way to go through life than this?

And don't overtake at junctions!

You’re misinterpreting the HC! The instruction is DO NOT overtake … it’s not DO NOT overtake if you can see problems, but actually, overtake if you think it’s clear! It’s not up for interpretation .. it’s clear DO NOT overtake.

Thinking about it, he could possibly have thought (rashly, it must be said) that nothing is likely to overtake him, due to the existence of the junction (into which he is turning).

I also use my ears a lot, and listen very hard for vehicles from behind - although EVs and electric scooters are now a worry. Looking back is quite unbalancing, as you must remember from your own cycling days.

So because of a 5 second interaction (that genuinely might have been partly your fault) you're done with cyclists? Well, irrespective of the boring back and forth about the incident, yes, of course YABU then.

I’d love to know what’s funny about you putting others in danger with your misinformed dangerous driving?! 🙄🙄🙄

HTH