How do you reason with drivers who disregard other road users...
This evening on my way home, I was overtaken by someone in a car, whilst I was on my bike, just as I was approaching a roundabout. Due to the road layout, the driver passed dangerously closely to my bike, and pulled infront of me to go around the roundabout. I was forced very close to the curb, and had to put my brakes on to avoid being knocked of my bike on the roundabout. This is a common occurrence I find with small roundabouts that only have a single lane of entry to the roundabout. Usually as I approach the roundabout, I make it clear that I am not willing to let others pass me at this point, by taking a central position in the road. I am a keen and fit cyclist, so I can easily do this at a reasonable pace so as to not put myself in danger. However this does tend to piss some drivers off. This time the driver was some way behind, and I was travelling at close to the speed of the cars in front, so I thought that I was safe to continue without evasive action... this evening I was wrong!
After being overtaken, the car in question of course had to slow down after the roundabout, as I was already close to the traffic infront and travelling at a similar speed. I wouldn't usually do this, but I decided to make a point of showing that I was annoyed at having been cut up on the roundabout. So I rang my bell a couple of times cycling very close to the car and I proceeded to overtake the car in question on a corner, and cut infront of them at the last minute, then I held the centre of the road for a 10 seconds or so, slowing down a little to prove a point. I did not milk it for too long as I was not aiming to wind the driver in question up. I was not rude, I did not shout, or swear or gesture in any way. However I'd like to think that although tiring my risky maneuver helped to prove a point in some way. I was trying to demonstrate that although I may be able to over take at a given moment, it doesn't mean that it is wise to do so, and that by making unwise decisions on the road I am likely to put others, and in this case my self in danger. I do not think that this particular driver understood what I was trying to say, however they did not beep, or drive off at breakneck speed in anger. Who knows perhaps I might have actually communicated something other than 'cyclists are maniacs with no care for there own safety' or maybe not.
What I'd really like to do, is stick a sticker on the car at the next set of lights, that says "I don't like your driving! take more care when passing other road users!"
What would you do? And what do you think you could do that might stop this sort of thing from happening time and time again. I don't like to get angry, but I don't like to be put in danger. I do however believe that a driver myself, and a regular considerate cyclist that I have every right to be on the road on a bicycle, so who should I appeal to, or should I myself think differently.
dailybridgerton
yousharknotpass
pixelskylines
germansingergirl
