View Full Version : Re: blooming considerate motorists - a rant
Dave
July 18th 03, 01:35 PM
"stephen pridgeon" > wrote in message
om...
> I've said it before, and I'll say it again - considerate motorists who
> stop, give way, slow down to let me get past, drive behind me at a
> distance when it's not safe to overtake - All these really really
> scare me. I'm just not used to it. I expect them to drive
> discourtously, then they do something nice and it completely throws me
> - sometimes badly.
>
> My pet hate at the moment is when I'm moving up through a traffic
> queue, the queue starts to move, and the car immediately in front sees
> me and doesn't move off - expecting me to pass it before it moves off.
> I wonder why they've stopped, so I have to stop and unclip, then they
> move off and I've got to reclip and move off again. God, the hassle.
>
> ARRRGH - I'm cycling like a London Motorist - don'they realise I'm a
> lean mean wheel-turning machine, a wannabe messenger, dancing on
> pedals and flowing through traffic as a fish through water!!
>
> Damm you all for driving sensibly.
>
> Still, this morning a BMW pulled into a bus lane, and shot off down
> it, slowing only marginally for the red light on the pelican crossing.
> Restored all my stereotypes about car drivers (and that's all car
> drivers, everywhere (but not including me or my wife)).
>
> Thank you
> SteveP
Yeahbut...
The one that really gets me is when I've pulled up at a junction in the
wrong gear, waiting for a gap to pull off into, then someone does exactly as
you describe and *politely* lets me in, holding the traffic up to do
so!!...B*st*rds!!...the humiliation of trying to pull out in top gear, with
all these cagers watching, drumming their steering wheels, looking at their
watches, while I strain to get moving, sweat appearing on my brow, veins
pulsing in my neck as I try to change my down tube gearshifter gears,
fluffing it, crunching, slipping and finally catching it, climbing back in
the saddle and still having to acknowledge their generosity with a cheery
wave over my shoulder as I finally get under way and start picking some
speed up...oh, the humiliation - they really know how to kick a guy when
he's down!!!
Dave ;-)
(happy now!)
Succorso
July 18th 03, 02:29 PM
"stephen pridgeon" > wrote in message
om...
> I've said it before, and I'll say it again - considerate motorists who
> stop, give way, slow down to let me get past, drive behind me at a
> distance when it's not safe to overtake - All these really really
> scare me. I'm just not used to it. I expect them to drive
> discourtously, then they do something nice and it completely throws me
> - sometimes badly.
>
Of course, some (many?) of us here are also car drivers - perhaps we are
more cycle-friendly than others.
But I know what you mean... ;)
--
Succorso
Cupra
July 18th 03, 04:09 PM
"stephen pridgeon" > wrote in message =
om...
| I've said it before, and I'll say it again - considerate motorists who
| stop, give way, slow down to let me get past, drive behind me at a
| distance when it's not safe to overtake - All these really really
| scare me. I'm just not used to it. I expect them to drive
| discourtously, then they do something nice and it completely throws me
| - sometimes badly.
|=20
| My pet hate at the moment is when I'm moving up through a traffic
| queue, the queue starts to move, and the car immediately in front sees
| me and doesn't move off - expecting me to pass it before it moves off.
| I wonder why they've stopped, so I have to stop and unclip, then they
| move off and I've got to reclip and move off again. God, the hassle.
|=20
| ARRRGH - I'm cycling like a London Motorist - don'they realise I'm a
| lean mean wheel-turning machine, a wannabe messenger, dancing on
| pedals and flowing through traffic as a fish through water!!
|=20
| Damm you all for driving sensibly.
|=20
| Still, this morning a BMW pulled into a bus lane, and shot off down
| it, slowing only marginally for the red light on the pelican crossing.
| Restored all my stereotypes about car drivers (and that's all car
| drivers, everywhere (but not including me or my wife)).
|=20
| Thank you
| SteveP
It's interesting that the most considerate drivers I have experienced =
over the past few days are Truck drivers and White Van Man..... the self =
same groups that most motorists berate!! (and the worst.... Black VW =
Golf drivers and silver Vectras!)
---
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Disgruntled Goat
July 18th 03, 04:25 PM
On 18 Jul 2003 02:27:12 -0700, (stephen
pridgeon) wrote:
>I've said it before, and I'll say it again - considerate motorists who
>stop, give way, slow down to let me get past, drive behind me at a
>distance when it's not safe to overtake - All these really really
>scare me. I'm just not used to it. I expect them to drive
>discourtously, then they do something nice and it completely throws me
>- sometimes badly.
Mrs. G particularly enjoys doing this. She drives a huge, rusty white
transit complete with large scrapes up the sides. Then, she slowly
creeps up behind cyclists, carefully overtakes them when it's safe to
do so making sure she's leaving plenty of room for them and then pulls
in ahead of them when she's safely passed them and can see them
clearly behind her.
All of this considerate behaviour really worries the heck out of 'em.
:-)
--
DG
Bah!
Jim Price
July 18th 03, 04:27 PM
stephen pridgeon wrote:
> I've said it before, and I'll say it again - considerate motorists who
> stop, give way, slow down to let me get past, drive behind me at a
> distance when it's not safe to overtake - All these really really
> scare me. I'm just not used to it. I expect them to drive
> discourtously, then they do something nice and it completely throws me
> - sometimes badly.
>
> My pet hate at the moment is
<snip>
My pet hate is the motorist on the oposite side of the road who flashes
me to turn right, and wonders why I don't move. The reason is usually
they are trying to get me to turn right into the path of the regular
motorist undertaking them on their left. Its even worse if its a van or
lorry.
Even in a car I hate it when people think they are being polite by
giving way when they have the right of way, as it causes uncertainty
(except when they are letting you out of a side road - even that can
cause confusion if anyone hesitates).
--
Jim Price
http://www.jimprice.dsl.pipex.com
Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.
Tony W
July 18th 03, 05:19 PM
"Succorso" > wrote in message
...
>
> Of course, some (many?) of us here are also car drivers - perhaps we are
> more cycle-friendly than others.
Not last night I wasn't. A rampant bug has left me with wobbly legs and
zero energy so I drove to a meeting last night. Town blocked up with mobile
greenhouses (now I know why I cycle -- its quicker).
Guy (not Guy, you understand -- he's in Reading but this young bloke) on a
yellow hack MTB skims off the pavement just in front of me (and gets an
irritated hoot). I pass him but he skims past my offside at the lights,
across onto the other pavement and over a ped crossing into the pedestrian
area (I've not described the geography well -- but just stay with me).
An AGE later I have struggled round the inner ring road and start to make my
way out of town -- and guess who zips across another ped crossing 50 yards
ahead of me and disappears.
*******. To take that long getting through the town centre he must have
stopped for a pint, a coffee or (just maybe) at the library to read War &
Peace.
I hate him -- for two reasons.
1. He had no consideration for others or for the rules of the road.
2. He was on a bike and not caught up in a traffic jam.
******* : (
Tony W
July 18th 03, 07:47 PM
"Graham Wakley" > wrote in message
...
> In my experience of motorists/cyclists I, in conjunction with my
> cycling buddies have come up with a way of remembering what the driver
> of what car will be like:
>
> Audi = Asshole
> BMW = *******
Cadillac?
Ford?
Toyota?
T
Orienteer
July 18th 03, 09:38 PM
"Graham Wakley" > wrote in message
...
> In my experience of motorists/cyclists I, in conjunction with my
> cycling buddies have come up with a way of remembering what the driver
> of what car will be like:
>
> Audi = Asshole
> BMW = *******
I finally realised what BMW stands for; the middle word is Minded.....
Garry Broad
July 19th 03, 12:22 AM
>Even in a car I hate it when people think they are being polite by
>giving way when they have the right of way, as it causes uncertainty
>(except when they are letting you out of a side road - even that can
>cause confusion if anyone hesitates).
Too true. I was blabbering on about this the other week. I failed my
driving test on this very issue, first time around. You got the right
of way = you go. That's just good driving. Nothing else.
Garry
James Hodson
July 19th 03, 01:24 AM
On Fri, 18 Jul 2003 16:27:38 +0100, Jim Price >
wrote:
>My pet hate is the motorist on the oposite side of the road who flashes
>me to turn right, and wonders why I don't move. The reason is usually
>they are trying to get me to turn right into the path of the regular
>motorist undertaking them on their left. Its even worse if its a van or
>lorry.
>
>Even in a car I hate it when people think they are being polite by
>giving way when they have the right of way, as it causes uncertainty
>(except when they are letting you out of a side road - even that can
>cause confusion if anyone hesitates).
>
Hi Jim
All that up there ^^^^^ usually causes more delays than if everyone
had behaved in the fashion of a *******, IMO.
James
--
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.butty/Larrau.jpg
Richard Goodman
July 19th 03, 08:18 AM
"stephen pridgeon" > wrote in message
om...
> I've said it before, and I'll say it again - considerate motorists who
> stop, give way, slow down to let me get past, drive behind me at a
> distance when it's not safe to overtake - All these really really
> scare me. I'm just not used to it. I expect them to drive
> discourtously, then they do something nice and it completely throws me
> - sometimes badly.
>
One of my pet peeves, whether as a cyclist, driver or ped, is when people do
decide to give way to you, in situations where priority may or may not be
equal (often in circumstances where they have no choice or it makes more
sense for them to let me through because of the availability of a suitable
gap) then expect you to thank them for it. Often I do, one way or another
but every now and again you get someone who calls out "thank you" in a
rather irritated sort of voice as you pass, just because you didn't express
suitable gestures or vocal tones of appreciation first. FFS, if you decide
to give way when it's hardly cost you anything anyway and it was reasonable
to do so in the circs, there's hardly any reason to _demand_ to be thanked
for it or to get ****ed off if suitable gestures of appreciation aren't
forthcoming!
Rich
Nick Kew
July 19th 03, 12:10 PM
In article >, one of infinite monkeys
at the keyboard of "Simon Mason" > wrote:
> Pet hate at the moment is cars that overtake you and then want to turn left
> immediately.
Agreed.
> Not the obvious ones who try to wipe you out, but ones who
> overtake you and indicate left then stop completely, waving you by on their
Don't knock it. Those ones realise they've done wrong, and are correcting
it in time to avoid the worst outcome. Which is as it should be; we all
make mistakes. Waving you through is by way of a red-faced apology.
Think of your inconvenience as a contribution to cager education.
--
Axis of Evil: Whose economy needs ever more wars?
Arms Exports $bn: USA 14.2, UK 5.1, vs France 1.5, Germany 0.8
(The Economist, July 2002)
Jim Price
July 19th 03, 12:28 PM
Simon Mason wrote:
> Pet hate at the moment is cars that overtake you and then want to turn left
> immediately. Not the obvious ones who try to wipe you out, but ones who
> overtake you and indicate left then stop completely, waving you by on their
> inside! The idiots then think their doing you a favour by letting you
> overtake a motor vehicle on its inside while it's indicating left.
Having been wiped out in just such a situation, I would deliberately
overtake them, even if it meant backing the bike up a bit.
--
Jim Price
http://www.jimprice.dsl.pipex.com
Conscientious objection is hard work in an economic war.
Paul Kelly
July 20th 03, 10:30 PM
In ,
>
> One of my pet peeves, whether as a cyclist, driver or ped, is when
> people do decide to give way to you, in situations where priority may
> or may not be equal (often in circumstances where they have no choice
> or it makes more sense for them to let me through because of the
> availability of a suitable gap) then expect you to thank them for it.
> Often I do, one way or another but every now and again you get
> someone who calls out "thank you" in a rather irritated sort of voice
> as you pass, just because you didn't express suitable gestures or
> vocal tones of appreciation first. FFS, if you decide to give way
> when it's hardly cost you anything anyway and it was reasonable to do
> so in the circs, there's hardly any reason to _demand_ to be thanked
> for it or to get ****ed off if suitable gestures of appreciation
> aren't forthcoming!
One of my pet peeves is people who do not give a nod/wave/word of thanks in
just those circumstances - it costs nothing and makes the world a nicer
place.
pk
Simon Mason
July 21st 03, 09:38 AM
"Paul Kelly" > wrote in message >...
> One of my pet peeves is people who do not give a nod/wave/word of thanks in
> just those circumstances - it costs nothing and makes the world a nicer
> place.
I get that when a car properly gives way to me on a roundabout. A
thank you here means "thanks for not running me over and killing me."
Simon
stephen pridgeon
July 21st 03, 10:40 AM
Disgruntled Goat > wrote in message >...
> On 18 Jul 2003 02:27:12 -0700, (stephen
> pridgeon) wrote:
>
> >I've said it before, and I'll say it again - considerate motorists who
> >stop, give way, slow down to let me get past, drive behind me at a
> >distance when it's not safe to overtake - All these really really
> >scare me. I'm just not used to it. I expect them to drive
> >discourtously, then they do something nice and it completely throws me
> >- sometimes badly.
>
> Mrs. G particularly enjoys doing this. She drives a huge, rusty white
> transit complete with large scrapes up the sides. Then, she slowly
> creeps up behind cyclists, carefully overtakes them when it's safe to
> do so making sure she's leaving plenty of room for them and then pulls
> in ahead of them when she's safely passed them and can see them
> clearly behind her.
> All of this considerate behaviour really worries the heck out of 'em.
> :-)
This is obviously because Mrs G is a woman, and hence cannot drive a
huge white transit in the way it is supposed to be driven.
Phew, all stereotypes restored again - I was getting worried we might
have to deal with actual human beings, you know, the falible ones with
feelings - sometimes good, sometimes bad, love their kids, doing the
best they can etc etc.
:-))
SteveP
marc
July 22nd 03, 04:06 PM
Nick Kew > wrote:
> > Not the obvious ones who try to wipe you out, but ones who
> > overtake you and indicate left then stop completely, waving you by on their
>
> Don't knock it. Those ones realise they've done wrong, and are correcting
> it in time to avoid the worst outcome.
NO No No No no no! They haven't realised they are in the wrong, they
actually think that you were in the wrong by travelling faster than they
thought you were , and they are doing you a favour by being magnanimous,
like the prat that calls you out into oncoming traffic ( when there is
no one behind him anyway), they are best studiously ignored.
--
Marc
Stickers,decals,membership,cards, T shirts, signs etc
for clubs and associations of all types.
http://www.jaceeprint.demon.co.uk/
marc
July 22nd 03, 04:06 PM
Ivor Cave > wrote:
> Don't these people use the mirrors and know that theres a big gap behind
them?
No.
-- Marc Stickers,decals,membership,cards, T shirts, signs etc for clubs
and associations of all types. http://www.jaceeprint.demon.co.uk/
AndyK
July 22nd 03, 08:06 PM
> > In my experience of motorists/cyclists I, in conjunction with my
> > cycling buddies have come up with a way of remembering what the driver
> > of what car will be like:
> >
> > Audi = Asshole
> > BMW = *******
>
> I finally realised what BMW stands for; the middle word is Minded.....
>
Break My Windows
:-)
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