Drivers bad manners to cyclists on the road

truthseeker said:
I have as much right to use the roads as anyone else, in case you were unaware, pedestrians and cyclists have right of way.
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I didnt know cyclists have right of way? What does that mean in practice?
 
truthseeker said:
Im just shocked at the behaviour of drivers on the road to cyclists - one of the roads I have to use is busy and has two different sets of roadworks, there is no choice for me but to cycle round the road works, while trying to stay safe and not have an accident due to the roadworks rubble spilling out onto the road edge!!

Anyone any advice on how to handle such incidents? Or how to avoid them in the first place when Im not actually doing anything I shouldnt be?
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As a cyclist myself, I think the problem may be one of positioning. When you encounter roadworks, you need to position yourself on the road well in advance. It dangerous to cycle as far as the roadworks (or parked car, truck, etc) and then suddenly change direction. You can't assume that drivers are anticipating your every move. As far as they're concerned, you've suddenly swerved into their natural path and, depending on their leverl of alertness, they may have to take sudden evasive action.

A smoother approach would be to move out earlier, cycling on the road itself rather than the cycle lane until the obstacle is passed and then moving swiftly back into in the bike lane when the obstacle is passed.

I'd agree with the earlier OP who's said that 95% of car drivers are fine but some intolerance is to be expected.
 
Diziet said:
Most junctions have a specific area for cyclists to do exactly that. It is far safer for the cyclist (because they are very visible)and does not really slow down the motorist overall.
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On may junctions ther's an orange area in front of a junction that actively encourages cyclists to "fan out" to accommodate other cyclists who may be behind.

I can assure you that the inconvenience a driver may be experiencing by having their progress delayed by two or three seconds is nothing compared to the discomfort of cyclist seeking to move away from such a position with a loud 48A bus just inches away from their jacksee!!
 
Staples said:
A smoother approach would be to move out earlier, cycling on the road itself rather than the cycle lane until the obstacle is passed and then moving swiftly back into in the bike lane when the obstacle is passed.
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Thats what I did do - except there was no cycle lane.
 
aristotle25 said:
It doesnt explain why they do it at junctions where there are no left turns!
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As a cyclist I do it to slow down drivers like yourself who put cyclists and pedestrians at risk with quick take offs at junctions

Ruam
 
Staples said:
Then that's all you can do. If people can't see that, and /or don't have the manner to wait, there's not much you can do.
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Thanks Staples, thats pretty much what I thought, I am wearing hi vis gear and a brightly coloured helmet - I AM visible, but some people just have no patience.
 
Staples said:
Then that's all you can do. If people can't see that, and /or don't have the manner to wait, there's not much you can do.
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What risk? There is a big empty road ahead of me and I do tend to use my eyes to see if the coast is clear.

I am not talking about trying to go 0-60mph in 5 seconds, I just want to take off a lot faster than a cyclist does!
 
aristotle25 said:
But they could just as easily stay at the front left of my car rather than in front of it?
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They don't do it to deliberately annoy you! (if you choose to be annoyed that is your responsibility). They would be less visible if they adopt your preferred positioning. The advice for urban cycling is that when it comes to junctions and lights, you take up road space by positioning yourself as though you were a car. The reason for this is that the cyclist is clearly visible to the motorist, and most motorists would not simply run down a cyclist by choice. Positioning to the front left of the car at the lights undoes a lot of the visibility and puts the cyclist in a far more vulnerable position. I cycled in London for many years and I must say that cycling in Ireland is a piece of cake in comparison!

When I cycle, I don't set out to annoy motorists - I obey the rules of the road, wear hi visibility gear and have good lights. I am reasonably fit so can pull out quite quickly at lights. The problem is that some drivers think that cyclists have no place on the road and that is sadly an attitude problem I can do nothing about.

There are many, many incompetent drivers on Irish roads and I am sure there are incompetent cyclists too. At least the cyclists are more environmentally friendly and are less likely to kill people.
 
I agree that its down to individual attitudes.

There are some drivers who think they're entitled to bully cyclists off the road and just see them as an irritant getting in the way of their -more important- car.

There are also some cyclists who think its okay to veer thoughtlessy around cars, swerve suddenly off the pavement, break red lights and cycle on the wrong side of the road.

Basically, some drivers are ignorant idiots, some cyclists are ignorant idiots and the rest of us have, unfortunately, to put up with this.
 
I'm fairly tolerant of cyclists but that sitting in front at traffic lights IS annoying. There's a junction near where I live which is fairly busy so you need the right filter to turn right - but it lasts hardly any time so if a cyclist makes the cars slow off the mark, we're lucky if the second car gets through - reeeeaallly annoying if you are five cars back....
And why do cyclists not use cycle lanes (separate, off the road ones) when they are available?
On the 'how to stay safe' question, I definitely think those reflectors on stalks that stick out about 12"-18" from the side of the bike make drivers give a bit more room.
 
orka said:
And why do cyclists not use cycle lanes (separate, off the road ones) when they are available?
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Mostly because they are afterthoughts and not uniform, so you find yourself on one for 100 metres, then it stops dead and you have to find a safe way to get back out on the road down the kerb in busy traffic OR carry on along a footpath and be a danger to pedrestrians.

But mostly (for me anyway), because they just dont exist for most of my route.
 
orka said:
And why do cyclists not use cycle lanes (separate, off the road ones) when they are available?
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Because many of them are dangerous and/or poorly maintained. I'm told, for example, that the bike lanes adjacent to Fairview park get so overtaken by fallen leaves during Autumn/Winter that they become slippy and pot holes can't be seen/avoided.

In these circumstances, it's actually less dangerous to slug it out with the traffic on the main road.
 
OP - it's a nice idea, cycling to work.

However, I would suggest just go back to driving. I tried cycling in Dublin once. I soon returned to driving, at least I'd have some hope in a collision.

I now live in rural Ireland and would never consider cycling. I was, however, thinking of getting a bike using the new tax incentive, for use when I go on holidays to other countries.
 
aristotle25 said:
What risk? There is a big empty road ahead of me and I do tend to use my eyes to see if the coast is clear.

I am not talking about trying to go 0-60mph in 5 seconds, I just want to take off a lot faster than a cyclist does!
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As others have said, you'll see that the road markings indicate the front as a space for cyclists. It's really a matter of getting over your need to gun it away from the lights.

I get just as frustrated with fellow new cyclists (especially the new batch you get every summer) as well as vehicles. Men determined to prove they're still as fit as they were 20 years ago and objecting strongly to being overtaken by me as they struggle up a hill. I can only apologise for being more able and having a faster bike.

I do think some cyclists could do more to make sure they're visible, but in the case of the OP, I experience this as well. I'm just not considered a road user. I have a patch of road where I have to cycle slightly out from where I normally would because near there are too many potholes. Cars still try to squeeze past if traffic is coming the other way or nealy clip cars on the other side while getting past me.

If they were to wait it would be a significant dely of 45 seconds before I get the chance to pull in.

I've given up getting too frustrated at near death experiences. I occasionally have a tumble as a result of one or two of the worst ones. Nothing major and a dusting off, but overall it's largely not too bad.
 
Latrade said:
As others have said, you'll see that the road markings indicate the front as a space for cyclists. It's really a matter of getting over your need to gun it away from the lights.
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To be clear I am talking about cyclists who pull the bike in front of the car when there are no road marking and sometimes no left turns either. I dont have any need to "gun it away", I just prefer to drive at my own pace and not that of a cyclist.
 
Latrade said:
I do think some cyclists could do more to make sure they're visible, but in the case of the OP, I experience this as well. I'm just not considered a road user. I have a patch of road where I have to cycle slightly out from where I normally would because near there are too many potholes. Cars still try to squeeze past if traffic is coming the other way or nealy clip cars on the other side while getting past me.

If they were to wait it would be a significant dely of 45 seconds before I get the chance to pull in.
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Im considering using a different route thats longer but has wider roads that are less busy, while I appreciate the constructive comments on this thread re being visible etc, the bottom line for me is that Id like to be safer.
 
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