miguel wrote:
SafeSpeed wrote:
ed_m wrote:
on most occasions when i am 'mortally threatened' by poor drivers, be it on bike or in car..... it's entirely predictable, giving me a number of seconds to respond appropriately and defensively.
sure i'd rather they weren't doing so and i might get a little irritated by it, but i'd rather not pit my squishy bits against their metalwork.
generally i choose defensive positioning to start with and mitigate most of their actions before they develop into a problem.... i'd suggest everyone else should do the same.
But starting from a position of 'it's their fault' (i.e.
blame) is a very significant barrier to efficient defensive planning. Miguel take note.
Also, 'risking escalation' is wholly incompatible with decent defensive strategies.
Absolutely Paul, Ive been riding a bike for yeeeeeeears and Im still alive. I do ride defensively, I have an acute sense of my own mortality. I dont start from a position of ' its their fault' I respond when some muppet tries to kill me. I also know for a fact that if I didnt have the cycling skillls, situation awareness and appropriate 'defensive strategies' I would now be dead. Several times over.
Anyhoo surely its better from a psycological point of view to get this anger out than bottle it up?
But there are ways and means to let off steam and attacking or causing criminal damage to someone else's property is not the right way to set about it. It does not relieve the frustration.. more adds to it.
Perhaps miguel - you should buy Cycle Craft and read page 41/42 carefully.
If this guy is hailed as the expert in a current court case over "right to ride on the road" - then all his other words should be held in equal esteem.
John Franklin in Cycle Craft pages 41 to 42 wrote:
Having the right attitude towards yiour cycling and others is extremely important if you are to ride well and safely
Without the correct frame of mind - having an awareness boith of your rights and repsonsibilities - you will give yourself unnecessary problems by encouraging others to make mistakes or byannoying them needlessly. Research suggests that cyclists who are tolerant towards others have a significantly lower risk of conflict
The first thing to realise is that very few drivers are deliberately aggressive. They are simply intent, like you, on getting from one place to another with the minimum of trouble. Drivers do not choose to have a collision with a cyclist. Having said that .. people often do stupid things. The most common driver error is impatience. You also have to remember that driver training is inadequate - with the emphasis on passing the driving test than acquiring safe driving skills
Vonhosen would not agree with that one. I posted that I thought driving schools and the quality of the training was rather basic and Wildy and self shopped around.
Von kept replying to me and the
on PH that the Driving Schools were adequate and that the current L-test was adequate for current requirements. We agreed to disagree.
. yet he does agree with us over development and training. And he now calls me Mogsy and Wildy
- Wildy
when we chat to him over the road and over the garden fence
so to speak. Funnily enough even seeing eye to eye on many issues too.
Basically we taught our kids COAST and a safety led approach - with emphasis on continual development of safe driving skills and practice. This was after the initial block of lessons to get a "handling feel and some basics". Followed by a block specifically aimed at perfecting the rubric of the driving test. We have eldest with a RoSPA qualification and the twins are also intent of learning more and keeping safe.
I thus disagree with John on this rather sweeping statement. I would say the attitude of militant lycra louts and chavs in general have zero idea of sharing anything let alone a road. But I would say that the Driving Instructors we did settle on for our young plus parental guidance did inded teach ours that we share the roads with everyone else and that the concept of good manners applies all the more out there.
John Franklin in Cycle Craft page 42 wrote:
It is rare for a driver to be taught about sharing the road with non-motorised traffic or anyhting about the difficulties faced by cyclists
I recall my own driving instructor telling me about the need to give pedestrians time to cross, be on alert for them and to give cyclists and horse riders plenty of space and time. (COAST existed back then as well then
)
Apart from that we all walk and most of us rode bikes bikes as well. A lot of us.. stiill
RIDE b bicycles and like I take a pride in driving to best of my ability.... and evaluate whatever happens on the road.
I do the same when I ride my bicycle Which means I am continually assessing, re-assessing, re-evaluating and constantly developing my skills and learning
all the time This bit on page 43 is very relevant
Not PetrolHead saying it .. but the man on whose words the CTC legal use by way of defence when in court cases
So if his words are not valid ..
And I have copy typed it.
You can read it for yourself and buy your own copy with your Christmas money from your "framily"
Not havin' mine:
John Franklin wrote:
Do not let yourself be annoyed by others, hwoever stupid their actions appear, This will take your attention from the road and could lead from a near miss to a certain hit.
One of the great advantages of cycling is that the physical effort involved can help dispel anger and frustration quickly and harmlessly. The same does not apply to a car driver who may continue to be upset by YOUR actions long after YOU have forgotten it.
Likewise do not retaliate with abuse or a siren. You may cause trouble for the next cyclist the driver meets.
Riding around with a feeling of superiority to others is also foolish A halo offers no protection against the bad driving and manners of others. Bad driving might even be encouraged by a "holier-than thou" attitude on the part of the cyclist
A sensible attitude to adopt when cycling is that your are equal to all other road users. Do not be submissive to others, exert your rights provided this does not put you in undue danger. Be prepared to yield to the rights of others and show tolerance and understanding of the difficulties other road users have. You must also appreciate that a cyclist is capable of causing injury or nuisance to others
Franklin does continue by saying hesitation, submissiveness and lacking confidence can also place a cyclist at risk.
So again .. contact the CTC and find about Bikeability courses near you for that injection of basics on which the build the essentials of experience and the constantly developing skills of judgement.
This book is really a MUST read for all - even if they have no intention of riding a bicycle.
I really cannot say fairer than that ..
But miguel - violence achieves nothing and damaging property will land you and not the person who annoyed you behind bars. Don't give the muppets that satisfaction - eh!
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Cyclist glances back because he intends to change direction and hence position. There could a be a pothole or grid he wishes to steer clear of.. a puddle.
