Worst nightmare....

[lumos2000]

Once had a police car overtake me then immediately turn left.Jezus i nearly crapped meself :shock: :shock: if it wasnt for my hope discs id have slammed into the rear doors.
The road they turned down has a police station at the end of it,there were no blue lights,just some shocking driving skills.

careful now

 

[twain]

agree with a lot of points on here, but i'm most in tune with UnkleGsif.
my head is on a swivel and my focus on nothing else other than speed, position and where everything else is.
the most treacherous parts of my commute are:

cycle lanes next to bus lanes
cycle lanes next to busy main road traffic (i do get the odd motorbike cutting into the cycle lane which irritates me)
mini roundabouts - far less time to adjust ones direction and increase ones awareness!


all the issues of near misses mentioned so far i have experienced. Brighton town is a shoddy cycle network (most cycle paths seem like after thoughts)
pedestrians pose just as many hazards as motorists - lingering unaware in cycle paths, cutting in without looking behind them
also turning into junctions and having pedestrians stepping out because they don't 'hear anything coming so cross without looking (ones with headphones on get a ear full from me)

busy traffic light junctions - car cutting round into the cycle lane to bypass traffic that's backed up so they can catch the green light.

lots of reasons to be angry while i cycle, but too busy concentrating on making allowances for the idiots!

 

[dyna-ti]

careful now

Indeed
Changed to - Have a point to make? careful you dont offend someone with it or theyre throw a tizzy fit

 

[gbsimpsa]

Cycle paths aren't the answer - they just engender the mindset that vehicles and cycles shouldn't have to co-exist, and bolster those ignorant in society who feel that cycles should have no place on the road, and it's just for cars and vehicles.

Vehemently Agree!
I wish Councils, traffic planners and other road related authorities understood this too.

That said, paths are most certainly the answer for inexperienced wobbly weekend family riders and their wobbly children etc.

The root of the problem, I expect, is that road planners etc will more often than not fall into this bracket and will struggle to understand the commuter / road rider perspective!....?

 

[azaro]

I've always followed the advice of my driving instructor from 29 years ago - treat every other road user as an idiot and expect them to do the unexpected.
I've followed this advice whether in a car,on a motor bike or on a push bike.

Other than a couple of minor bumps in the car, been safe so far!

 

[JamesM]

also turning into junctions and having pedestrians stepping out because they don't 'hear anything coming so cross without looking (ones with headphones on get a ear full from me)

Pedestrians have right of way here; a fact that is lost on most road users. I run alot and have had alot of abuse from car drivers for running across in front of them at junctions or as they are about to turn into a side road. I can accept them not knowing about the pedestrians right of way as they are trying to turn into a side road but when they are stopping at a junction they have no rights of way over anything let alone a pedestrian that has the right of way over everything!!!!

 

[cyfa2809]

The worst part of my commute is actually a zebra crossing which i nearly get hit on at least once a week - without fail.

 

[Agency_Scum]

Wise words from azaro. I've been hit twice like that myself. I probably won't get the chance to say it again but I've rehearsed this little speech in my head ( I even got to use it once...last year at a reversing imbecile )...


" Let the adrenaline fade and listen to me. We're both lucky; I'm alive and you're not going to prison for manslaughter. You were looking for cars. Not children, cyclists or pedestrians...YOU WERE LOOKING FOR CARS. Well done on going slow enough not to kill me. "

 

[JamesM]

The worst part of my commute is i nearly get hit on at least once a week - without fail.

 

[Neil]

also turning into junctions and having pedestrians stepping out because they don't 'hear anything coming so cross without looking (ones with headphones on get a ear full from me)

Pedestrians have right of way here; a fact that is lost on most road users. I run alot and have had alot of abuse from car drivers for running across in front of them at junctions or as they are about to turn into a side road. I can accept them not knowing about the pedestrians right of way as they are trying to turn into a side road but when they are stopping at a junction they have no rights of way over anything let alone a pedestrian that has the right of way over everything!!!!

They don't have "right of way" to step into the road in that situation.

What they do have, is priority if they're already crossing when traffic arrives.