Apparently I've been wrong about the highway code...

[Chris71]

All along. There was me thinking the road followed the dotted lines, but apparently not. I was cycling up a hill with a sharpish right hand bend in the middle of it when some tt in a Merc came flying past and cut into the junction on the left. We're not talking the usual poorly timed overtake before the junction either, I was literally apexing the corner as he went through, missing my front wheel by millimetres.

I let off an involuntary stream of expletives - I am trying to cut down on such outbursts, but this was just fking ridiculous. The car stops then starts to reverse, so I cycle up to the lowered passenger window. To cut a long and surprisingly restrained argument short he reckoned it was his right of way. He insisted that because he was going straight on it was his right of way, even though the road follows the curve.

It only occured to me as it was clear I wasn't going to get anywhere with this stubborn and rather smug git that he might genuinely believe it. He looked to be of Turkish or Middle Eastern origin and maybe, just maybe, they really do have different laws over there. Whether that's true or not is pretty irrelevant though, because he certainly wasn't the remotest bit interested. He even told me that I need to watch where I'm going 'because it's my life on the line'. Too fking right, I nearly had 2 tons of uninsured barge in my face...

[Rich_W]

There's evidently something in the air at the moment. 2 instances from the same 12K ride!

1) Guy in a Golf GTi mk 5 waits till I am 20metres from him before pulling straight across me. He got told!
2) Chav in a Blue X Reg saxo on white wheels. Is doing a 3 point turn in the main road. As I pedal towards him, look at him and shake my head and MUTTER (didn't even raise my voice or wave hands!) "what a XXXX" Carry on. Next thing, I here a car careering towards me, nearly hits me. Screeches to a halt. 18 year old yoof jumps out breaker bar in hand (with a socket on the end as if that makes fk all difference in terms of ofensive weapon to the Police ) asking me "what the fk did you say you X Y Z, I just pedalled round him saying "chill out" Be a shame when someone pours paint stipper all over his beloved car won't it! If you are going to try it on, don't do it in such a conspicuous car! And not in the same town that you live. He'll get found, his car will get done. And when it's repaired it wil get done again!

Either that, or I'm gonna spray paint "Peedo" (that spelling) on the car and let nature take it's course.

What made me think afterwards is I could be anyone. A normalish person, a psycho nutter, armed, or a Policeman!

[Chris71]

The ridiculous thing is the usual 'overtaking within feet of a junction and cutting in' thing happens to me practically every day, but this was a step further. I was literally in the middle of the turn. He wasn't trying to overtake and then cut in, he was more or less trying to drive straight through me. I wish I'd explained things a bit more now; I suspect he may genuinely not know how rights of way work in the UK. He didn't seem too fussed about it admittedly - after all 'it's my life' - but maybe he'd think twice before doing it next time if he knew it was illegal as well as borderline homicidal.

[Buzz word]

I know several roads like you describe and TBH I think the guy could well have made an honest mistake. I assume the main road contained a sharp turn and the left turn was directly on this corner. This can look like a T-junction setup. There are a few places that I know that look like this. The give to what is the main road being the dotted line down the middle and dotted line to mark the turnoff.

If this guy was not looking at the center and only towards you, the hazard, you would probably have obscured the dotted lines to mark the fact the left turn was a left turn not the main road. To him you appeared to have recklessly pulled out infront of him to do a right.

I an not excusing him as there are road markings there to the contartry but he may not be familiar with the area or just not paying attention. I just see it as a senario that could have lead to him reaching the conclusion that he was right.

[Chris71]

Buzz word said:

I an not excusing him as there are road markings there to the contartry but he may not be familiar with the area or just not paying attention. I just see it as a senario that could have lead to him reaching the conclusion that he was right.

I get what you're syaing, but I know plenty of other corners like this, and they're really not that difficult. If I'm in the car (or on the bike I guess) I just look to see where the lines go. Yes, I might have been obscurring a small part of the give way line to my left in this instance, but the centreline to my right was perfectly clear...

I don't think that's the important thing though. I happened to be in the right, but even if I had been doing something totally stupid the fact is you shouldn't come close to causing a potentially lethal accident purely because you can. By all means shout, rant or gesticulate at someone you believe to be in the wrong (not that there was the slightest hint of ambiguity here), but isn't gunning 2 tons of car at them a tad extreme?

[selwonk]

Rich_W said:

2) Chav in a Blue X Reg saxo on white wheels. Is doing a 3 point turn in the main road. As I pedal towards him, look at him and shake my head and MUTTER (didn't even raise my voice or wave hands!) "what a XXXX" Carry on.

Have I missed something here?

[Buzz word]

Chris71 said:

Buzz word said:

I an not excusing him as there are road markings there to the contartry but he may not be familiar with the area or just not paying attention. I just see it as a senario that could have lead to him reaching the conclusion that he was right.

I get what you're syaing, but I know plenty of other corners like this, and they're really not that difficult. If I'm in the car (or on the bike I guess) I just look to see where the lines go. Yes, I might have been obscurring a small part of the give way line to my left in this instance, but the centreline to my right was perfectly clear...

I don't think that's the important thing though. I happened to be in the right, but even if I had been doing something totally stupid the fact is you shouldn't come close to causing a potentially lethal accident purely because you can. By all means shout, rant or gesticulate at someone you believe to be in the wrong (not that there was the slightest hint of ambiguity here), but isn't gunning 2 tons of car at them a tad extreme?

I completely agree there was sufficient information as to what the main road was just the guy seemingly didn't notice it. I'm just trying to imagine how he could have thought that he was right and it would cone down to a lack of observation on his part.

It does seem extreme to wantingly provoke an accident even if you percive the other person to be the cause or to prove a point. I agree that somone who would do that is a worrying sort. The other day I had a car carry round infront of me at a roundabout when I wanted to take the exit. I didn't hit them because I could and I was in the propper lane. I guess here in lies your point, you should cut people some slack when it comes to avoiding accidents regardless of blame. Totally correct and I agree.

I think all you can do is try to stop these situations from happening. Before you reach this corner maybe pull into the middle of the lane or further so a car cannot overtake or cut infront? This is the same point as you make but there is no point being right and dead. I always try to be defensive on my bike however much it annoys the cars as there is always somone who will be silly enough to do something daft unless actively discoraged.

[shakotan]

selwonk said:

Rich_W said:

2) Chav in a Blue X Reg saxo on white wheels. Is doing a 3 point turn in the main road. As I pedal towards him, look at him and shake my head and MUTTER (didn't even raise my voice or wave hands!) "what a XXXX" Carry on.

Have I missed something here?

That's what I thought.

[walm]

shakotan said:

selwonk said:

Rich_W said:

2) Chav in a Blue X Reg saxo on white wheels. Is doing a 3 point turn in the main road. As I pedal towards him, look at him and shake my head and MUTTER (didn't even raise my voice or wave hands!) "what a XXXX" Carry on.

Have I missed something here?

That's what I thought.

+1
Are 3 point turns illegal now?
Was the OP commenting on the choice of wheels?

Seriously if someone had a go at me with an offensive weapon (the Saxo) or indeed that metal thing you mention, I would be itching to sign them up for a S.59. Just give the Bibs a call.

[Chris71]

walm said:

S.59

Isn't that where you can phone the police and report people for pretty much whatever you feel like? Should maybe have taken this gentleman's number plate down.

[Rich_W]

Sorry, wasn't specific enough. 3 point turn right in front of me. Causing me to have to brake fairly heavily to avoid t-boning him.

I'm more chilled now though. Ignore all the above.

Edited by Rich_W on Tuesday 25th May 19:22

[bennyboysvuk]

Chris71 said:

He looked to be of Turkish or Middle Eastern origin and maybe, just maybe, they really do have different laws over there.

I'm not sure about the laws in Asia and this muppet sounds like a right twunt, but I've heard that in a few places in Asia the largest vehicle has right of way. Of course, we're talking about the UK here so he really, seriously needs to read up on the highway code.

[Chris71]

bennyboysvuk said:

Chris71 said:

He looked to be of Turkish or Middle Eastern origin and maybe, just maybe, they really do have different laws over there.

I'm not sure about the laws in Asia and this muppet sounds like a right twunt, but I've heard that in a few places in Asia the largest vehicle has right of way. Of course, we're talking about the UK here so he really, seriously needs to read up on the highway code.

Whatever the case he spoke good English (hence educated, I'm not just being randomly racist there...) and was clearly intelligent enough to grasp our version of the law if he chose to. Ah well, I guess it just adds weight to the idea that you'll never teach people the error of their ways. That and the fact that a cyclist's life is seen as expendable by an alarming number of people on the road, at least until they actually run one over. Maybe at that point he (and the others) would have an attack of conscience, but it's not worth it if you wouldn't be around to find out...