I have had an encounter with a militant cyclist and as a result I have some understanding of what goes on in the minds of these strange beasts.

I was on my way to Findhorn, a new age community on the Moray Firth (North of Scotland).

I was travelling in my car on a fast A road, and making good progress. In the distance I see a bright yellow workman's jacket - it's a cyclist! I believe a vulnerable young lady making slow but steady progress. Good luck to her on this fast road. I am doing about 70 mph. I am not quite sure what the speed limit is.

The next thing I notice coming down the hill is a bright blue lorry, which totally takes up the lane going in the opposite direction.

The young lady anticipates a problem. If I continue past her, I will have to navigate the gap between her and the lorry, while going around 60 mph for the sake of argument.

On reflection, she is not happy with this scenario.

What does she do?

She moves into the 'primary position'.

If I am to avoid hitting her, I have to brake from 60 mph to 10 or 20 mph.

Generally speaking, and the Highway Code will back me up, it is not a good idea to cause other road users to brake heavily.

Anyway, I did, and I passed her safely. I also gave her a long blast of my horn.

Why?

She could have been so easily killed.

Like a lot of traffic situations, there are no easy answers.

Regardless of how self-important she might be and how certain of her rights, she remains a vulnerable road user.

This is the first time I have come across this particular situation. Fortunately I saw her from some way off and I was able to anticipate a dangerous situation.

The road conditions were excellent, my car was roadworthy, I was awake and not distracted, and everything was as it should be.

She lived!

https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-30-august-2022-295581#live-blog-item-36991

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> I have had an encounter with a militant cyclist and as a result I
> have some understanding of what goes on in the minds of these strange beasts.

> I was on my way to Findhorn, a new age community on the Moray Firth
> (North of Scotland).

> I was travelling in my car on a fast A road, and making good
> progress. In the distance I see a bright yellow workman's jacket - it's
> a cyclist! I believe a vulnerable young lady making slow but steady
> progress. Good luck to her on this fast road. I am doing about 70 mph.
> I am not quite sure what the speed limit is.

> The next thing I notice coming down the hill is a bright blue lorry,
> which totally takes up the lane going in the opposite direction.

> The young lady anticipates a problem. If I continue past her, I will
> have to navigate the gap between her and the lorry, while going around 60
> mph for the sake of argument.

> On reflection, she is not happy with this scenario.
>
> What does she do?

> She moves into the 'primary position'.

> If I am to avoid hitting her, I have to brake from 60 mph to 10 or 20 mph.

> Generally speaking, and the Highway Code will back me up, it is not a
> good idea to cause other road users to brake heavily.

> Anyway, I did, and I passed her safely. I also gave her a long blast of my horn.

> Why?

> She could have been so easily killed.

> Like a lot of traffic situations, there are no easy answers.

> Regardless of how self-important she might be and how certain of her
> rights, she remains a vulnerable road user.

> This is the first time I have come across this particular situation.
> Fortunately I saw her from some way off and I was able to anticipate a dangerous situation.

> The road conditions were excellent, my car was roadworthy, I was
> awake and not distracted, and everything was as it should be.
> She lived!

> https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-30-august-2022-295581#live-blog-item-36991

We cannot point to a single cyclist that was saved by taking the secondary
position, the primary position being keeping well to the left.

--
Spike

QUOTE: Good luck to her on this fast road. I am doing about 70 mph. I am not quite sure what the speed limit is. ENDS

Oh dear - spot the mistake on the part of the moron driver.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: Good luck to her on this fast road. I am doing about 70 mph. I
> am not quite sure what the speed limit is. ENDS

> Oh dear - spot the mistake on the part of the moron driver.

So you know what the speed limit is there?🙄

--
Spike

QUOTE: In the distance I see a bright yellow workman's jacket - it's a cyclist. ENDS

So you invented the entire "problem"?

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: In the distance I see a bright yellow workman's jacket - it's a cyclist. ENDS

> So you invented the entire "problem"?

🙄

--
Spike

QUOTE I have had an encounter with a militant cyclist.: ENDS

One that just followed the Highway Code?

Simon Mason <swldxer2022@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE I have had an encounter with a militant cyclist.: ENDS

> One that just followed the Highway Code?

By keeping well to the left in traffic?

🙄

--
Spike

QUOTE: She moves into the 'primary position'.

If I am to avoid hitting her, I have to brake from 60 mph to 10 or 20 mph. ENDS

Diddums - just like if a car had pulled out of a side street.

Simon Mason <swldxer2022@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: She moves into the 'primary position'.

> If I am to avoid hitting her, I have to brake from 60 mph to 10 or 20 mph. ENDS

> Diddums - just like if a car had pulled out of a side street.

Cyclists shout “Get out of the f*****g way”; and they simply hate having to
use their brakes….

--
Spike

QUOTE: The next thing I notice coming down the hill is a bright blue lorry, which totally takes up the lane going in the opposite direction. ENDS

Wow - you are having a good day. Well spotted!

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: The next thing I notice coming down the hill is a bright blue
> lorry, which totally takes up the lane going in the opposite direction. ENDS

> Wow - you are having a good day. Well spotted!

Based on the advice to cyclists by the web site cycling.co.uk, to
‘occasionally look up to see where you’re going’, perhaps this driver was
following their words of wisdom.

--
Spike

QUOTE: Anyway, I did, and I passed her safely. I also gave her a long blast of my horn. ENDS

Well done, big fella - did you get a cheap thrill out of bullying a lone female?

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: Anyway, I did, and I passed her safely. I also gave her a long
> blast of my horn. ENDS

> Well done, big fella - did you get a cheap thrill out of bullying a lone female?

Perhaps a long blast of his horn (was it a Hornit?) was the equivalent of
the cyclists’ cheap-thrill “Get out of my way I’m not stopping” that’s used
to bully pedestrians whether they are alone or in groups.

No wonder cyclists are despised.

--
Spike

QUOTE: She could have been so easily killed. ENDS

Why is that? Are there that many piss poor drivers around?

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: She could have been so easily killed. ENDS

> Why is that? Are there that many piss poor drivers around?

Pulling out from the primary ’keep well to the left’ position into the
centre of the lane wasn’t the wisest move to make on such a road with such
traffic on it.

Cycling Awareness Course?

--
Spike

QUOTE: From what I gather, the driver has taken umbrage to a cyclist adopting the primary position on the road, rather than allowing him to squeeze between her and an oncoming lorry at 60mph.

Have I got that right? To be honest, the whole email makes my head hurt. ENDS

It will do - these drivers are nutters.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: From what I gather, the driver has taken umbrage to a cyclist
> adopting the primary position on the road, rather than allowing him to
> squeeze between her and an oncoming lorry at 60mph.

> Have I got that right? To be honest, the whole email makes my head hurt. ENDS

> It will do - these drivers are nutters.

Pulling out from the primary’ keep well to the left’ position wasn’t the
wisest move to make…these cyclists are nutters.

--
Spike

I mean wow our speeding motorist's correspondence is amazing just from a quick skim:

1. Doesn't know the speed limit of a single carriageway road.

2. Very happy to reference the general idea not to make others slam on their brakes (I don't think that's a principle except when joining a carriageway/ changing lanes - or should I avoid an emergency stop if there's something in front of me to make sure someone behind me doesn't have to brake) - but apparently ignored the bit where you shouldn't be travelling so fast that you aren't able to safely stop given the hazards, conditions etc.

3. Was speeding (because the speed limit ain't 70).

4. Appears to be Schrodingers motorist - he both saw and anticipated (and mitigated) the issue but still had to slam on his brakes - which one is it because you didn't do a very good job of anticipating it if you had to slam the brakes on now did you sunshine?

5. Apparently repeatedly recognises the road user is vulnerable but seems not to join the dots with the suggestion then that he should do anything other than barrel down the road as if she wasn't there!

What a plank!

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> I mean wow our speeding motorist's correspondence is amazing just from a quick skim:

> 1. Doesn't know the speed limit of a single carriageway road.

> 2. Very happy to reference the general idea not to make others slam on
> their brakes (I don't think that's a principle except when joining a
> carriageway/ changing lanes - or should I avoid an emergency stop if
> there's something in front of me to make sure someone behind me doesn't
> have to brake) - but apparently ignored the bit where you shouldn't be
> travelling so fast that you aren't able to safely stop given the hazards, conditions etc.

> 3. Was speeding (because the speed limit ain't 70).

> 4. Appears to be Schrodingers motorist - he both saw and anticipated (and
> mitigated) the issue but still had to slam on his brakes - which one is
> it because you didn't do a very good job of anticipating it if you had to
> slam the brakes on now did you sunshine?

> 5. Apparently repeatedly recognises the road user is vulnerable but seems
> not to join the dots with the suggestion then that he should do anything
> other than barrel down the road as if she wasn't there!

> What a plank!

Nos. 1 to 4 apply equally to cyclists.

No. 5, no way - cyclists NEVER recognise other road users as vulnerable…

--
Spike

Simon Mason [Del Boy Mason, the sociopath] wrote:
>
> QUOTE I have had an encounter with a militant cyclist.: ENDS

> One that just followed the Highway Code?

Does the Highway Code tell fairy-cyclists to suddenly veer out in front
of faster traffic?

A straight "Yes" or "No" will suffice as an answer.

On 30/08/2022 10:24 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> I mean wow our speeding motorist's correspondence is amazing just from a quick skim:

> ... Very happy to reference the general idea not to make others slam on their brakes (I don't think...

No, we know you don't.

> ...that's a principle except when joining a carriageway/ changing lanes

Yes it most certainly *is*. Making any move which causes another road
user to have to change speed or direction in order to avoid a collision
with you is driving without due consideration when in a motor vehicle
and is an offence.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended by the Road Traffic Act
1991) it is an offence for an utter prat of a fairy-cyclist like you to
ride (a fairy-cycle) recklessly on a road or in a dangerous, careless or
inconsiderate manner. These offences are covered by sections 28 – 30 of
the Act and this article will consider each one in turn. See URL below
for more detail.

<http://www.cyclelaw.co.uk/cycling-offences-riding-dangerously-recklessly-carelessly-or-inconsiderately>

QUOTE: Generally speaking, and the Highway Code will back me up, it is not a good idea to cause other road users to brake heavily. ENDS

I'll think you'll find that the HC puts the onus on YOU as the overtaking vehicle - look it up.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> QUOTE: Generally speaking, and the Highway Code will back me up, it is
> not a good idea to cause other road users to brake heavily. ENDS

> I'll think you'll find that the HC puts the onus on YOU as the overtaking
> vehicle - look it up.

One would have to ask what event caused the overtaking vehicle to apply its
brakes, and whether the cause of that event, such as “I looked up, saw a
pothole, and swerved. No I didn’t look behind first” was allowable under
the HC.

--
Spike

On Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 7:47:25 AM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> QUOTE: Generally speaking, and the Highway Code will back me up, it is not a good idea to cause other road users to brake heavily. ENDS
>
> I'll think you'll find that the HC puts the onus on YOU as the overtaking vehicle - look it up.

162
Before overtaking you should make sure

the road is sufficiently clear ahead.

163
Overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so. You should

not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake.