Is it me or the cyclist?

[bettyfreddy]

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.

You should have just waited behind for 300 yards if you're way ahead isn't clear

You gained nothing from the overtake if you had to wait in traffic. Cyclists call it MGIF. must get in first

I'd say I drove for 300 yards after over taking him before stopping in stationary traffic. I am 100% sure I over took him correctly as I'm well aware of the new laws with that and I always take care with that.

Cyclist was afterall going very fast as you said so the 300m would have taken no time

Yes but 300 yards is hardly a significant gain. You would have seen the queuing traffic ahead u less it was a blind bend. He may well have taken offence at the overtake and waited until the roundabout.

Honestly I'm no good with distances! It could of been much further. There was absolutely no reason for me to stay behind him with the distance that was between myself and the round about. The cars behind me over took him also.

Apologies, I'm having one of those mornings.

If you could see queuing traffic ahead you shouldn't have overtaken the cyclist.
If you were moving your vehicle at all you should have been using your mirrors and aware of what's going on around you.

The point being made is that if you were going to have to stop then you should have just driven slowly behind him and not bothered over taking.

Part of driving is anticipating what is happening ahead of you.

@Dotjones can you cite any evidence in favour of that statement?

Not being seen often equals drivers not looking.

Also for a previous poster, riding two or three abreast is safer for you the driver - yiu need to move over into the oncoming lane to pass anyway. By riding three abreast, you only need to move over to the other side of the road briefly. If they were riding in a line, you would need to be on the wrong side of the road for three times as long which is obviously more dangerous and also means you may need to wait longer for a suitable gap to do it. So it is also more considerate.

Just because other cars overtook doesn't mean you have to.

You aren't a lemming.

I probably have got the distance wrong. Sorry everyone. When I overtook, the roundabout was a good distance a head still. All drivers overtook him.

I’d just forget about it.

the problem I have with cyclists is when we are driving we need t9 give them plenty space when passing them which is fine however when we are hen sitting in stationary traffic they undertake and come whizzing in and out the cars to get to the front of the queue. Which means there is not much space between the car and bike .

Don't worry about it, just pay attention to your mirrors if you're moving or moving off and don't overtake people in the run up to junctions where your way ahead isn't clear

You don't see a difference?

It's not legal though, is it? The current rule in the highway code is never ride more than two abreast.

Ok I'll take it as I was in the wrong and apologise and do whatever I need too if it comes to it.

Ask yourself, if you were a man would he have done this? Some of them are just like to bully what they perceive as an easy target.

Not when it's dangerous you aren't , the cyclists risked an accident

@ProFannyTea fair point - two abreast is fine explicitly in the highway code now.

The previous version of the Highway Code stated cyclists should “never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads”. The updated code says: “You can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders.”

If he has footage and you don’t think you’ve done anything wrong his footage will show that. It will show how fast he was going approaching the roundabout and how much room everyone gave him. Don’t stress, if you weren’t in the wrong the footage will prove that.

They can be arseholes, but I think his issue is when you stopped at the roundabout you didn't allow him enough space on the left side of your car to undertake. He can do this (draw alongside you, its not undertaking) and you should allow him this space as you knew a cyclist was there because you had just overtaken him.

It's not a major issue, he was being an arse. Except of course if he was on a cycle lane?

300 yards to a roundabout is fine to be overtaking a cyclist, let's not be daft. No point sitting behind a slower road user for no reason if it's safe to overtake.

Thank you. I really don't think I did anything wrong expect not check my mirror as I wasn't setting off properly but I will hold my hands up too that fully.

The more I think about it, the more I second guess myself so I will just wait and see if anything comes of it. If it does then I clearly was at fault which I will feel absolutely terrible for and just go with whatever they say.

All I can say is it would of been completely accidental and no doubt will now be ingrained into my brain now to always check.

Bet he had Lycra on lol! They are always the gobby arseholes.