When is close too close?

[Krellon]

Hi,

I wondered what your thoughts were on acceptable vehicle passes and when is close too close.

I had a few in the past on my commutes which I thought were maybe a little too close. Especially considering the speed they were doing.

Here is a link to some of those passes. What do you think?

http://youtu.be/77-5-IPF-jk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Br

[trailgumby]

Most if not all of those were culpably dangerous. You need to ride either fully on the shoulder or take control of the lane.

Drivers are notoriously poor at judging gap distances and you need to help them by removing ambiguity.

Sent from my android thingy using Crapatalk

[lobstermash]

Whenever your reaction is 'whoa, that was close' it's too close.

[thecaptn]

Can you tell us where abouts these videos were recorded?

[R12RT]

In my opinion there are far too many drivers who don't know where the left hand side of their car is to be able to judge safe passing distance.

Another example of this is two way unmarked roads. Without a centre line to guide them, many drivers will drive down the middle of the road. This forces oncoming drivers to scrape the kerb of move off the road to avoid them.

[thecaptn]

In my opinion there are far too many drivers who don't know where the left hand side of their car is to be able to judge safe passing distance.

Another example of this is two way unmarked roads. Without a centre line to guide them, many drivers will drive down the middle of the road. This forces oncoming drivers to scrape the kerb of move off the road to avoid them.

I think it's too easy to get and keep a drivers licence when the results of getting it wrong can be the death of another. We as a community are far to tolerant of poor driving and poor driving atitudes.

[Krellon]

Most if not all of those were culpably dangerous. You need to ride either fully on the shoulder or take control of the lane.

Drivers are notoriously poor at judging gap distances and you need to help them by removing ambiguity.

Sent from my android thingy using Crapatalk

I do try and ride too the conditions. On busy roads I get nervous at some of the speeds cars do and move over to give them more room. Most observe and pass safely but the odd crazies don't care and deliberately drive as close as they can to scare you. Normally the anti cyclist type.

Br

[Krellon]

Can you tell us where abouts these videos were recorded?

Hello Captain,

This is in the UK. Southern part. I posted to a couple of none UK forums to gauge global opinion. The roads in the UK suck and although the government rant on about how pro cyclist they are I really don't think there doing anough.
Br

[Krellon]

In my opinion there are far too many drivers who don't know where the left hand side of their car is to be able to judge safe passing distance.

Another example of this is two way unmarked roads. Without a centre line to guide them, many drivers will drive down the middle of the road. This forces oncoming drivers to scrape the kerb of move off the road to avoid them.

I agree and I see all too often that it's not the cyclist put in danger but the oncoming traffic.

Br

[briztoon]

Can you tell us where abouts these videos were recorded?

I believe he is UK based.

[Krellon]

Hi,

Today I rode further out from the curb as posters suggested.
For the best part the drivers did give me a wider birth but I sensed there frustration with speed and revs.
One actually took a very silly risk in a overtake into a blind bend on a hill.

http://youtu.be/2sa1r0e2-68" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These are the risky overtake maneuvers drivers take the further out we ride.
We become safer but oncoming traffic is put in more danger.
Looks like we can't win.

Br

[mick243]

But in both cases, it's the following driver causing danger, so do what keeps you safer and let the driver be his own problem.

[bychosis]

Like above, too close is when I feel uncomfortable with the pass. At a faster speed the same pass distance might still feel too close.

I take the lane where required, but realis that I am much slower than motorised traffic and do my bit to keep to wide shoulders etc if there is enough space me. The more I have ridden, the more I realise that leaving space for a car will be treated as an opportunity to pass, when I really want to control when the vehicles pass as best I can. Often that means getting right out wide

[Krellon]

Like above, too close is when I feel uncomfortable with the pass. At a faster speed the same pass distance might still feel too close.

I take the lane where required, but realis that I am much slower than motorised traffic and do my bit to keep to wide shoulders etc if there is enough space me. The more I have ridden, the more I realise that leaving space for a car will be treated as an opportunity to pass, when I really want to control when the vehicles pass as best I can. Often that means getting right out wide

"leaving space for a car will be treated as an opportunity to pass" Yes, today I rode further out and less people tried too squeeze through though they were more agitated because they couldn't get through.

Br

[Xplora]

^^ That's because they are retarded... they wouldn't run their grandmother off the road, and they wouldn't let someone else run their grandmother off the road, so part of growing a pair involves getting around them in a safe manner. Moving across is all well and fine, but there are a million times when this isn't appropriate, it's not a God given right, and often a car user can simply pull into the other lane and overtake. You know... they might have to drive the car.

[bychosis]

Unfortunately its a balancing act between getting out wide (in the way) and staying out of harm.

Cyclist rammed from behind - webcam footage

I still tend towards getting out wide and now have a few sections of my regular riding where I conserve some energy beforehand and get out wide and go for it. At least then I look like I'm putting in some effort for those motorists that think I'm just out to spoil their drive.

[Blackrock]

Here's one I had last week. I was riding close to the edge and it is a narrow bridge. I was semi-ok with the truck passing mearby, but wasn't expecting the trailer and it could have caught me out.

[InTheWoods]

That was bad. What was that, 10cm? Should put it in the moron motorists thread...

[Hugh Stone old]

That couldn't have been much closer! Was that Prospect Hwy? Scary patch either direction there.

[Rhubarb]

Here's one I had last week. I was riding close to the edge and it is a narrow bridge. I was semi-ok with the truck passing mearby, but wasn't expecting the trailer and it could have caught me out.

Come April 7 in Qld, that pass will cost the driver $330 and 3 demerit points. Repeat offences will cost him his license and thus his job.

I think this is going to make a few of these guys change their thinking. At least I hope so.

[Blackrock]

That couldn't have been much closer! Was that Prospect Hwy? Scary patch either direction there.

Yeah it was the overpass of the Great Western Highway, heading towards the M4 roundabout. Many close calls all along that stretch....
They're building a cycle path on the other side, but with two pedestrian crossings I'm undecided if I'll use it. Then again, it might save my life!!

[Bentnose]

Why don't they put a ramp up on to the footpath and make it a shared zone, or does that make too much sense?

[ldrcycles]

I think it's too easy to get and keep a drivers licence when the results of getting it wrong can be the death of another. We as a community are far too tolerant of poor driving and poor driving atitudes.

+HEAPS. Enough is enough.

[Mububban]

In my opinion there are far too many drivers who don't know where the left hand side of their car is to be able to judge safe passing distance.

I get this all the time and it baffles me. The roads I commute on are wide enough to allow me to hug the kerb, and a full sized vehicle like a Toyota Landcruiser or a delivery van can hug the white lane line and overtake me safely without having to cross into the second lane. I don't slow down traffic and I also don't worry about getting smooshed. Easy right?
Then why is it that Joe Moron can watch me being safely overtaken by the cars in front of them, but when it's their turn to drive their city hatchback past me, they suddenly think they have no room to do so?!?!? They then back up traffic behind them, probably swearing all the while at the "dumb cyclist hogging the road".

I guess if you want evidence of how poor many drivers are at knowing where their corners of their car are, watch your average suburban shopping centre carpark as people do 5 point turns, when their bumper is still over a metre away from the parked cars

[Mububban]

I think it's too easy to get and keep a drivers licence when the results of getting it wrong can be the death of another. We as a community are far to tolerant of poor driving and poor driving atitudes.

Some of the stories you hear about exceptional licenses being granted to repeat offenders who then go on to kill/hospitalise someone just boggle the mind