Car and cyclist - what do you think?

[Jabozuma]

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/furious-driver-speeds-at-cyclist-in-reverse-after-angry-roadside-confrontation-151704872.html#ceeZ29M

[BossFox]

Nothing wrong with his reversing abilities.

[@Lee]

Looks like the cyclist was being a **** for the sake of it. There was plenty of room.

[Daz716]

Plenty of room for Cyclist, so why the cyclist aggression and finger.....typical cam bike...looking for issues, and often causing them.

To many "militant" cyclist give the sensible cyclists a bad name.

They should be tested, licences and insured ... And punished for bad cycling.

Got NO time for them after years of them p&£@ing drivers off breaking rules and whining about cars.

[BossFox]

Plenty of room for Cyclist, so why the cyclist aggression and finger.....typical cam bike...looking for issues, and often causing them.

To many "militant" cyclist give the sensible cyclists a bad name.

 

Indeed, I think having a camera makes them feel a bit more empowered, which leads them to risk confrontation more.

[kevberlin]

A pair of goons.

They deserve each other!

Edited 14 July, 2014 by kevberlin

[Manatee]

As a cyclist and a driver I'd go with the cyclist on that one.

 

On the bike, he has car coming towards him at a 30 or more, and has no way of knowing whether he will be given room or not.  My guess is that the cyclist had 'taken the lane' and the driver came on anyway, so he had to move over to give space for the car, whose driver could and should have seen him from 50+ yards away and eased off - he could have managed that without stopping.

 

The fact is that he had to cross the white line and so the onus is on him to give way - even if he thinks the cyclist is using more room than he needs.The cyclist was on his own side of the road, and had to get out of the way of an oncoming car travelling at a speed that would have killed him, had it hit him.  That's all a court would need to know.

 

I don't condone militant cycling which is counter productive, unfortunately.  I have long since given up trying to educate other road users.

 

It's very scary being close-passed in either direction on a bike - cycling on a rural B and being passed at 50mph or more within a couple of feet is scary and dangerous - especially if there is another car following as there often is (what is it about drivers who follow the car in front without looking for themselves?).  Some drivers just haven't a clue.

 

The roads round here are now choc full of roadies at weekends- the best thing about the cycling boom is that drivers are now more likely to be cyclists themselves, and show a bit of sense.

[philbes]

Impressive high speed reversing although not a manoeuvre I would carry out on a main road.  Personally I would probably have given way for the cyclist rather than 'push' him towards the roadside puddles.  However, the cyclist certainly went over the top in his reaction.

 

As others have send the cyclist obviously went out prepared for a confrontation - whistle at the ready!

[Oli3000]

Cyclist is the in the right. The driver is in the wrong AND then behaved inappropriately. Silly situation that the driver blew out of proportion. Not sure the cyclist can be blamed for blowing it out of proportion, he swore at the guy, but didn't chase him down!

 

N.B. The fact that the cyclist felt he needed to submit his video to a news website probably supports the idea he was looking for trouble...

Edited 14 July, 2014 by Oli3000

[meta55b]

I cycle to work most days, the one road i have to use i get this type of driver most days. the way i look at it is, move to the left a bit and we can pass each other safely and go on our way stress free. as said above, i also think a lot of bikers with the cams are looking for trouble. 

[JackClap]

If the parked cars were on the cyclists side of the road, what are the chances of the cyclist stopping to give way to the car.. more than likely he would of just carried on cycling and squeezed through the gap.  Just causing an issue out of nothing IMO.

[Guest BigJase88]

Cylist was a pleb to begin with.

Plenty of room

Driver of car then decided to be a tit and reverse down the street.

Moral of story.... Both plebs

[matt_theforce]

Both are a little to blame although most motorists don't understand why a cyclist takes the position they take on the road and what is indeed a safe distance to pass.

 

The driver should have stopped or at the very least, slowed down when passing the cars

[RoadWarrior]

Was I the only one just a little gutted he didn't handbrake and 180?

[littleade]

According to the highway code motorists should give cyclists the same amount of room they would give another car, so technically the motorist is in the wrong. That said common sense could have been applied by both sides instead of getting their handbags out. As said there seems to be a growing segment of evangilical cyclists who want to blow things up out of all proportion. A simple shrug of tbe cyclists shoulders and a shake of the head would probably have been more appropriate. If he carries on like he is doing I predict he'll end up in casualty at some stage.

[James I]

Motorist should have just carried on his way and the cyclist also should have just carried on his way. No need for the cyclist to flick the finger and no reason for the car to have stopped to allow the cyclist to pass a parked car.

 

 As already said above cyclists with cameras must feel they are invincible, they are not.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Indeed, I think having a camera makes them feel a bit more empowered, which leads them to risk confrontation more.

Isn't there a slight bit of double standards going on here?

You've fitted cameras to your fleet to protect the vehicles and have evidence should someone else be at fault in an accident - the sign of a sensible prudent owner.

If a cyclist has a camera then judging by some of the comments it seems to be the sign of an aggressive militant psycholist.

[BossFox]

Isn't there a slight bit of double standards going on here?

You've fitted cameras to your fleet to protect the vehicles and have evidence should someone else be at fault in an accident - the sign of a sensible prudent owner.

If a cyclist has a camera then judging by some of the comments it seems to be the sign of an aggressive militant psycholist.

I think you are overplaying my statement for dramatic effect.

It doesn't make my drivers (who are carrying children) swear at other road users, make overblown gestures and stick fingers up etc...

Yet this is what you see many cyclists do when they feel a car has got a bit close.

Why?

Maybe they are playing up to the camera.

The result is it often actually creates personal confrontation, as people react to the abuse/gestures.

[jme808]

Couple of nobs.  Did he have 2 cams on the bike?  Double nob points for him them...

[samj2013]

I think you are overplaying my statement for dramatic effect.

It doesn't make my drivers (who are carrying children) swear at other road users, make overblown gestures and stick fingers up etc...

Yet this is what you see many cyclists do when they feel a car has got a bit close.

Why?

Maybe they are playing up to the camera.

The result is it often actually creates personal confrontation, as people react to the abuse/gestures.

I do it, because I don't have a horn or lights to flash etc to let them know that I'm displeased. Drivers tend to get way too close to cyclists, and cyclists are much more vulnerable than other motorists. The amount of times I've nearly been flattened whilst out on my bike is unreal. I don't ride with a camera while I'm on the road by the way.

[grr666]

 

Maybe they are playing up to the camera.

The result is it often actually creates personal confrontation, as people react to the abuse/gestures.

 

 

Make you right Richard! Lot of it about. 

 

NSFW !!! This topic discussed in a mostly unmoderated forum I also use.

Don't be surprised to see many swears!!! NSFW

Not all forums are all sophisticated and polite like briskoda so please be warned. 

  

First thread discussing 'Traffic Droid' As seen on TV :p

 

and another discussing the amazing diving Wolf featuring the hilarious I cant get by video

and there's this one which is similar in content to the OP video oh and more diving here. 

 

Some people do bring these confrontations on themselves though. :yes:

That wolf bloke just comes across as a massive sanctimonious loudmouth, 

and that's even by my standards!!! Before anyone yells 'pot kettle black' or

similar at me.... All I can say about him is see you next Tuesday.

Someone's gonna hurt him one day, but for real and on purpose.

There's no point having the right of way and being in the right  and also being

dead because you didn't want to yield a couple of feet/inches. On the more

vulnerable vehicle self preservation should kick in way before pride does!!!  

And guys like these really don't help the public image of a camera'd up cyclist. 

I'm not saying the car/van drivers are in the right or any better than him, but these

videos do show it was the cyclist who made it into a potentially violent situation. 

It will eventually end up nastily for him, he seems to do this a lot so it's really only a matter

of time til this nutter meets a properly violent nutter,  He's just got to pick on the wrong person

and his stroppiness and play acting will bite him HARD on the bum. (which is probably where the paramedic will find his camera minus SD card)

[Manatee]

  He's just got to pick on the wrong person

and his stroppiness and play acting will bite him HARD on the bum. (which is probably where the paramedic will find his camera minus SD card)

 

 

I agree.  I think the cyclist was in the right here but aggression was a very bad policy (for both of them actually).

 

You have absolutely no way of knowing what sort of person you are dealing with, and their mental state - something I made very clear to my daughter and son when they started driving.

 

Even if they don't turn out to be Kenneth Noye, the probability of them apologising and promising to mend their ways is NIL.  If they know they have made a mistake and want to apologise, they will anyway. If not, confrontation will only make things worse, and if you are unlucky, maybe a lot worse.

 

The other thing about getting wound up is that the only person who is certain to have a higher stress level as a result is you.

Edited 14 July, 2014 by Manatee

[Neily03]

I love the fake fall on the first video as the guy cuts the corner, he could be a footballer with acting like that!

[sparks03]

Both were in the wrong to be honest. There was more than enough room there and i'd have been happy with that amount of space. There was no need for the over-reaction and there was certainly no need for the motorist to behave the way he did. Stick them both on podiums and force them to fight with pugil sticks made from a house brick wrapped in barbed wire. 

[Stu08]

My experience of cyclists has been at times negative. Take one cyclist who was riding down a national speed limit back road. Quite a twisty road at points and with two way traffic can be interesting.

So.....I stay about 20 feet behind said cyclist gently coasting as we were going through a series of blind bends. No hassle I'm just chilling listening to my music.

The road then opens to a long slight downhill slope where you can see for miles. No oncoming traffic so I gently accelerate past the cyclist right over on the opposite side of the road. Look in my side mirror and rear view mirror as I pull back in with plenty of space.........only to see the cyclist mouthing off and giving me the ****er sign!!

I very nearly lost it but continued on. Unfortunately I see this alot in my home city of Oxford.

Whilst not condoning the driver; I can see why he was angry. No need for the abuse. Both at fault for the situation.