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.

I am so with you, but unfortunately most people seem to love cylists on here.
I posted a post a few months ago regarding a cyclist not stopping at a turning where there were clear stop/give way markings on the cycle path and got about 12 pages of hate for being 'thick, uneducated, egotistical, my fault for not reading the highway code weekly for updates'

No, let them carry on. Darwinism.

I have more issues with cyclists as a pedestrian. I’ve been knocked down twice in my town by cyclists one on the pavement and one going through a red light. Different to a car in that there is little recourse as no easy way to identify them again. One man last week cycled right up behind me on the pavement and his rang his bell and shouted aggressively when I didn’t immediately get out of his way. Also saw a woman yesterday shout angrily at a man where the cycle lane crossed the footpath. Pedestrians have right of way.

So whilst “not all cyclists are like that” it’s enough that it needs to be talked about and addressed.

I started my overtake as he was wafting his arm around and looking back

Did it not occur to you that this might have been him making a right turn?

Turning right is more difficult for cyclists than car drives. Cars will simple block the whole road as they wait to turn. A cyclist must first move over to the right hand side of the road before they can even think about turning.

To say you are done with cyclists is a bloody selfish stance to take.

YABU! They had started to use their arms.

@ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave so the wankers who drive at speed, overtake like pricks and race everywhere in their cars are a higher life form than my kids cycling to school?

Nice. 🙄

Please read the OP. I saw a cyclist. It was a busy wide road and I wanted to give him a wide berth. I started to move to the centre of the road to do so, therefore needed to ensure no oncoming traffic. My attention was taken with ensuring the safety of him, me and oncoming traffic. At this point of deciding to move over he hadn't indicated or looked back. It was literally as I was moving over he started dangling his right arm and looking back, by which time I was committed.

He should have 1. Indicated sooner and 2 indicated clearly as the Highway Code says.

It was not my lacking attention it was his late half arsed attempt at signalling.

@Sapphirejane totally agree with you that pedestrians are more vulnerable and cyclists should behave accordingly but it’s interesting how this argument never washes with impatient arseholes in cars when it comes to understanding the vulnerability of cyclists 🤷‍♀️.

I think if someone’s signals are a bit unclear you should take a moment to wait, whatever vehicle it is. I was driving behind someone in a car who I guess didn’t know where they were going, they signalled left, signalled right, then slowed down, signalled the other way again - I didn’t know what was going on but I slowed down to let them sort themselves out. Unclear hand signal definitely wouldn’t make me think it’s a good time to overtake. It’s annoying obviously, I understand that, but safety has to come first.

Ah, the old "people think I'm unreasonable so I'm going to change the story until it looks like I was in the right" switcherooo.

Drivers are responsible for overtaking vulnerable road users safely. If you put one at risk as you did then that's your fault. HTH.

@Lockheart No, I was already moving to overtake and he was on my left. My attention was focussed on the road ahead no looking to my side.

You can't be 'done' with cyclists, they have as much right to use the roads as you do.

It sounds as if you need to be less entitled and far more considerate of other road users, particularly those without the benefit of a powerful engine..

Cyclist signals to turn right. Car driver tried to over take. Gets sworn at for wrong manoeuvre.

Generally, both hands are needed on the handlebars to steer, especially when turning; so the signal should be made well before - and drivers should be alert for this - if they are near a junction/fork in the road, and there is a cyclist around..... Hazard perception should have taught you this.

I wear some clothing with lycra content - but only for my comfort. There are no insignias or brand names on it. I do NOT wear those padded bottoms - got enough padding of my own! In the winter, I wear an enormous - un-aerodynamic - fleece. But then, I ride a mountain bike (with hybrid yes), so never going too fast.
I do however, try to dominate the lane - allowing for circumstances - and did, before the HC changes.

I vote for bringing back the Cycling Proficiency Test!

You need to be able to stay aware of all of you're surroundings - particularly if there's a hazard like another, more vulnerable, road user

tyres

I said “there are tosser on four legs”

lucky you to have never met a maniac horse rider.

It was simultaneous with my committing to overtake. He needed to read the Highway Code not me. He effectively didn't signal. By the time i realised what he wanted it was to late and i was committed.

How could he already be on your left if you were starting your overtake, which is the point at which you said he indicated?

You start an overtake from behind. Or at least, most people do.

Sorry OP, you are in the wrong here. None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes, so just chalk it up to experience, be grateful no-one was hurt, and pay more attention next time.

Yabu. It’s pretty obvious they were doing some sort of signal. Plus there’s no way and car driver is as done with cyclists as cyclists are done with car drivers constantly trying to kill them!

Tbh, I would’ve taken a 30 degree movement as an attempted signal and not tried to overtake. Better safe than sorry.

I'm a cyclist and a driver. I think I can picture what the cyclist was doing OP. Have seen a few cyclists make this silly arm gesture - sort of dangling their arm out at their side instead of signally clearly. Personally think it's stupid because it can be misread, as you did. When I'm on a bike I stick my arm out clearly to signal. I want to make damn sure drivers know exactly where I want to go, as I don't want to get squashed thank you very much 😄 Same reason I'm lit up like a bloody Christmas tree when it's dark.

Exactly what I was thinking. If a cyclist wants to act stupid, he's mostly going to harm himself - but I don't think I've had many issues with cyclists because they know this. Motorbikes seem to think rules don't apply.