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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is it me or the cyclist?

250 replies

bettyfreddy · 08/11/2022 09:10

I've just had an incident with a cyclist who was very angry and is going with his footage to the police. I'm quite shaken by it and it was honestly an accident. I was driving.

So I overtook the cyclist along with maybe 2 other cars in front of me. Carried on driving for around 300 yards and slowed down for the queue at the roundabout ahead.

As I began to move forward slowly - it wasn't my turn to leave the round about, there was a car in front of me - the cyclist shot by me on the left hand side of the car. I honestly didn't see him. He was absolutely cycling at quite a speed. I stopped as soon as I saw him (car in front had gone) and he went in front of my car and started swearing at me.

I didn't move the car, let him go round the roundabout.

I was dropping my son off at pre school which is just round the roundabout so he clearly saw where I was going so came to 'speak' to me. He called me a dangerous driver and he was going to show his footage from his cycling helmet to the police and to expect them to call round.

I apologised and said I genuinely didn't see him. I moved my car forwards at about 3mph probably, he just shot by me. Granted I should of checked my wing mirrors but it wasn't my turn to leave the round about so I was just slowing cruising along.

I can take it if I'm at fault and I really did apologise to him.

OP posts:
Original poster
bettyfreddy · 08/11/2022 09:11

Oh and he's going to put it on all the local social media pages with my car registration Sad

OP posts:
BrilliantGreenFlamingo · 08/11/2022 09:12

What did you actually do though? Hit him? Or a near miss? Was he undertaking you?

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 08/11/2022 09:13

BrilliantGreenFlamingo · 08/11/2022 09:12

What did you actually do though? Hit him? Or a near miss? Was he undertaking you?

No I didn't do anything. Absolutely didn't hit him and my car didn't touch him or his bike.

Sorry I'm a bit shaken - yes he was undertaking me. That's the correct term.

OP posts:
Phalarope · 08/11/2022 09:13

Was it actually about the roundabout or had you close passed him back down the road?

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 08/11/2022 09:14

BrilliantGreenFlamingo · 08/11/2022 09:12

What did you actually do though? Hit him? Or a near miss? Was he undertaking you?

I don't know if it was a near miss as it was too quick. It possibly could of been but he would of had a better view of that than me.

OP posts:
EscapeRoomToTheSun · 08/11/2022 09:15

I don't see what you did wrong?!

thelobsterquadrille · 08/11/2022 09:15

Is he referring to when you overtook him further back? Did you give him enough space as the laws have changed now with regards to overtaking cyclists etc.

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 08/11/2022 09:15

Phalarope · 08/11/2022 09:13

Was it actually about the roundabout or had you close passed him back down the road?

About the roundabout. There was stationary traffic as there always is. I moved the car slowly forward and he undertook me as I moved my car forwards.

OP posts:
Firawla · 08/11/2022 09:15

Doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong?

vivainsomnia · 08/11/2022 09:16

I don't get it. How did your actions as you described it made it dangerous. If he passed you on your left, and you just moved forward, he would still have had space. Did you ever to the left and almost hit him doing so?

MojoMoon · 08/11/2022 09:16

My guess is you close passed him before the roundabout. He caught up at the roundabout and told you off.

Did you pass him with at least 1.5m which will require you to be pretty much fully over into the oncoming lane to achieve?

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 08/11/2022 09:17

thelobsterquadrille · 08/11/2022 09:15

Is he referring to when you overtook him further back? Did you give him enough space as the laws have changed now with regards to overtaking cyclists etc.

No he was referring to the roundabout.

I'm actually well aware of the laws surrounding cyclists as my neighbour has the police knock on her door not long ago about not giving enough room to a cyclist who also had footage. So I always give plenty of room. I'm such a cautious driver anyway.

OP posts:
OneTC · 08/11/2022 09:17

From what it sounds like you possibly close passed him

LadyDanburysHat · 08/11/2022 09:18

If he was talking about the roundabout then he undertook you and you were not in the wrong. Like others have said, perhaps you overtook him too closely further up the road.

MojoMoon · 08/11/2022 09:18

thelobsterquadrille · 08/11/2022 09:15

Is he referring to when you overtook him further back? Did you give him enough space as the laws have changed now with regards to overtaking cyclists etc.

The law has not really changed - you could previously be charged if you close passed. They've just made it much more explicit in the highway code and provided more detail (like 1.5m being the appropriate distance)

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 08/11/2022 09:18

If its the roundabout he's upset about, that doesn't sound like you did anything wrong. Cyclists around here have a habit of undertaking cars when they're indicating. In reality, they should wait in traffic like other road users.

BankyWollocks · 08/11/2022 09:18

He undertook you. That was wrong . You should have checked , you'd expect him to have some road sense though
I expect he'll have his arse handed to him on a plate if he posts anything online
He needs to take responsibility for his stupidness

OneTC · 08/11/2022 09:19

He undertook you. That was wrong

Bikes are meant to filter and cars are meant to look out for it

Original poster
bettyfreddy · 08/11/2022 09:20

vivainsomnia · 08/11/2022 09:16

I don't get it. How did your actions as you described it made it dangerous. If he passed you on your left, and you just moved forward, he would still have had space. Did you ever to the left and almost hit him doing so?

I really don't think I did no. But it happened in a split second so it was so quick. I literally just slowly started to move my car with the car in front.

I'm pretty sure there were at least 2 cars in front of me so it's not like I zoomed off.

OP posts:
Couldyounot · 08/11/2022 09:20

From the sound of it, OP, if it hadn't been you it would have been someone else. Some people cannot seem to get through a day without getting into a ruck with someone else. I'd recommend a dashcam, at least you'll have your own footage

Mrsherdwick · 08/11/2022 09:20

Invest in a dash cam. He undertook you so he’s in the wrong. I wonder if he would have remonstrated you if you had been male.

user44478673 · 08/11/2022 09:22

If you didn't check your mirrors did you turn / veer left in front of him and cut him up? Or close pass him earlier?

Presumably you did something that you aren't aware of if he managed to get so worked up.

Sugarplumfairy65 · 08/11/2022 09:23

This is why if I'm in the left lane at traffic lights or turning left at a junction or roundabout, I do not allow enough room on my left for a cyclist to get past me on the left. I pull up as close to the curb as I can.
I got sick of cyclists trying to squeeze down the side of my car and scratching it.
None of the above applies of course if theres a cycle lane.

WaveyHair · 08/11/2022 09:23

I expect it was the first overtake he is upset about. You may have given him room but some cyclists (usually men) get wound up if you overtake them and then slow down or stop in front of them.

Filtering through a roundabout queue to me is just dangerous and asking for an accident.

And yes I am a cyclist who cycles on the road.

MojoMoon · 08/11/2022 09:23

Ok, if you are sure it was the roundabout, did you drift leftwards as you pulled forwards? Were you turning left at the roundabout perhaps?

You do need to use all your mirrors particularly at junctions.

Is there a cycle lane there and does it have a solid white line?

If you did nothing wrong, nothing will happen. The police actually often fail to pursue cases where there is very clear evidence of terrible driving - most bad drivers continue to get away with it forever. So if this is very minor, the police will not do anything.