There are more than two things that thoughtless drivers (this is a more family-friendly and safe-for-work term than the label I would prefer to use) do that upset me, but these two are at the top of my list.
First is the driver who overtakes a cyclist . . .
and then immediately brakes, usually to make a left turn. Often without indicating said left turn.
Which forces the cyclist to take evasive action.
Suggestion for drivers reading this (you don’t want the label I have in mind for you if you do the above)
Slow down behind the cyclist. It will take mere seconds for the cyclist to ride past the left turn / parking space that you want to take. Then you can make your left turn without endangering anyone.
Number two on my list is the driver who doesn’t look, or looks and chooses anyway to . . .
pull out into the road in front of the cyclist.
Which forces the cyclist to take evasive action.
Suggestions for drivers reading this (you don’t want the label I have in mind for you if you do the above)
- Look over your shoulder to the right before you pull onto the road
- If you see a cyclist approaching, wait for a few seconds until the cyclist has ridden past you. Then you can pull out without endangering anyone.
Why do some drivers do these two things that upset me?
The unkind view is that they are impatient anal sphincters (I’m trying to be family friendly / SFW). I don’t know if this can be remedied.
A more generous view is that they are bad drivers, and just don’t know any better.
Even more generously, they underestimate the speed of the cyclist, and are surprised at how quickly the cyclist is actually moving.
I can only hope that as a result of being shouted at / gesticulated at by a pissed-off cyclist, the bad drivers and poor estimators of speed realise where they went wrong, and correct their errant ways.
Then I’ll be doing less of this.
Graphic courtesy of theangrycyclist.blogspot.com
Old Roots, New Routes 