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Mea Culpa

Started by Martin Bulmer · · Last activity · 17 posts · 860 views

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UK and Europe
Published
13 May 2004
Last activity
17 May 2004
Original author
Martin Bulmer
Posts
17
Discussion status
Public discussion
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  1. You see, I wanted to turn right, but I didn't stick my arm out, so it's my
    fault.
    There was no-one else on the road, so I crossed into the centre lane, you
    know, the one marked out in the middle of the road, with a big bent arrow
    pointing right. Anyway, as I drew nearer to the turn, a car appeared from
    the right hand road that I was about to turn into, and drove out in front of
    me, and stopped directly in my path. I managed to swerve round behind him,
    and continued my manoeuvre thinking, rather generously as it turned out,
    that the driver hadn't seen me. Anyway, no harm done. Then the shout came
    from behind "Why don't you f****ing indicate!!?"
    Well, he was right, I wasn't indicating. Just as well really, as I needed
    both hands on the bars. But then the implications started to sink in.
    1: He HAD seen me.
    2: Having seen me, he had driven out into my path and stopped.
    3: He had done this because he assumed from my lack of signal that I
    intended to continue straight ahead even though in the right-turn lane.

    This would, of course, lead to a collision necessitating a new door skin at
    least. Had I been indicating, naturally he wouldn't have bothered pulling
    out.
    So that's why he was angry.
    He'd missed me.
    I have learned that unconventional hand signals are frowned upon in this
    group, so I ignored him and continued, duly chastened, upon my way.

    --

    Martin Bulmer

    Pie Conservation Threat

  2. mae <[email hidden]> wedi ysgrifennu:

    Quoted message said:

    Then the shout came from behind "Why
    don't you f****ing indicate!!?"

    I've occasionally used the (accurate) reply "Because I'd rather keep my
    hands near my brakes with tw*ts like you about".

    --
    Rob

    Please keep conversations in the newsgroup so that all may contribute
    and benefit.

  3. Martin Bulmer said:


    that the driver hadn't seen me. Anyway, no harm done. Then the shout came
    from behind "Why don't you f****ing indicate!!?"


    I was always taught when learning to drive to look for indicators on cars,
    but never to assume that the car will perform the turn. Wait till the
    car has made the move before you do.
    For example, if a car is coming along a straight road and you are waiting
    on a side road (on bike or in car) never assume that a car indicating
    left will turn indicator will turn into the side road. Car could have
    indicator on for another reason. Let the car
    start the turn before you cross the give way line.

    Same as this 'right hand turn' lane. The driver should not assume
    you will make the turn. That's not to say though you should not assume
    that the car will stay out of your way. Anticipate, which you did
    correctly.

  4. "Martin Bulmer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    You see, I wanted to turn right, but I didn't stick my arm out, so it's my
    fault.
    There was no-one else on the road, so I crossed into the centre lane, you
    know, the one marked out in the middle of the road, with a big bent arrow
    pointing right. Anyway, as I drew nearer to the turn, a car appeared from
    the right hand road that I was about to turn into, and drove out in front


    of

    Quoted message said:

    me, and stopped directly in my path. I managed to swerve round behind him,
    and continued my manoeuvre thinking, rather generously as it turned out,
    that the driver hadn't seen me. Anyway, no harm done. Then the shout came
    from behind "Why don't you f****ing indicate!!?"

    ....er....because you'd lost them in a previous accident with a w*nker
    driving with about as much care and attention as him and can now only get
    out and enjoy cycling by having the prosthetic replacements tied to your
    handlebars, enabling a certain amount of control over your steering (luckily
    ;-)
    Dave.

  5. Martin Bulmer said:

    There was no-one else on the road, so I crossed into the centre lane, you
    know, the one marked out in the middle of the road, with a big bent arrow
    pointing right. Anyway, as I drew nearer to the turn, a car appeared from
    the right hand road that I was about to turn into, and drove out in front of
    me, and stopped directly in my path. I managed to swerve round behind him,
    and continued my manoeuvre thinking, rather generously as it turned out,
    that the driver hadn't seen me. Anyway, no harm done. Then the shout came
    from behind "Why don't you f****ing indicate!!?"

    It is an entirely reasonable scenario that you *had* signalled, and
    were in the turning phase when he approached. The correct sequence of
    events is Mirror - Signal - Manouvre. It is not
    mirror-signal-carry-on-signalling-in-case-some-[censored]-pulls-up-at-a-side-road.

    --
    Young Musician of the Year 2004 was a fiddle

  6. "Martin Bulmer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    You see, I wanted to turn right, but I didn't stick my arm out, so it's my
    fault.
    There was no-one else on the road, so I crossed into the centre lane, you
    know, the one marked out in the middle of the road, with a big bent arrow
    pointing right. Anyway, as I drew nearer to the turn, a car appeared from
    the right hand road that I was about to turn into, and drove out in front of
    me, and stopped directly in my path......

    Eh? Even if you *had* been going straight ahead the car would still have needed
    to give way to you, so it should not have pulled out anyway!

  7. John Hearns <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    Same as this 'right hand turn' lane. The driver should not assume
    you will make the turn. That's not to say though you should not assume
    that the car will stay out of your way. Anticipate, which you did
    correctly.

    My interpretation of Martin's post was that the driver was implying
    that he would not have cut Martin up if he had been signalling. He
    pulled out because he assumed Martin was going straight on and he was
    intending to use the British Standard right-turn-in-front-of-cyclist
    technique. Namely drive along on the wrong side of the road for a bit
    and then if not sufficiently far ahead simply force the cyclist into
    the gutter. Perfectly normal motorist behaviour.

    --
    Dave...

  8. "Adrian Boliston" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    Eh? Even if you *had* been going straight ahead the car would still have
    needed to give way to you, so it should not have pulled out anyway!

    Not if using the British Standard driving technique. :-( See my other post.

    --
    Dave...

  9. "Martin Bulmer" <[email hidden]> wrote in
    news:[email hidden]:

    Quoted message said:

    Then the shout came from behind "Why don't you
    f****ing indicate!!?"

    I had the same question thrown at me a few weeks ago, riding home from
    work. I'd ridden up Hanover Street, long straight road, rush-hour traffic
    moving at not much more than 10mph. A long, straight road, followed by a
    left turn into a one-way system - everyone turns left, no other way to go.
    Just after I got round the corner, Mrs School-Run pulls up alongside me in
    her huge 4-wheel-drive, blacked-out windows wound down, kids in the back
    (far too close as well, nearly caught my elbow on the mirror) and goes off
    into a torrent of f-worded abuse about me not signalling and being a menace
    on the road and holding all the traffic up (you're holding me up, love, and
    all the people behind us) blah de blah de blah....

    What can you do?! Pathetic.

  10. Iain Jones <[email hidden]> said:

    *snip*

    Quoted message said:

    a torrent of f-worded abuse about me not signalling and being a menace
    on the road and holding all the traffic up (you're holding me up, love, and
    all the people behind us) blah de blah de blah....

    What can you do?! Pathetic.

    Smile indulgently and cheerily wave goodbye as you filter ahead... 🙂

    Regards,

    -david

  11. Martin Bulmer said:

    You see, I wanted to turn right, but I didn't stick my arm out, so it's my
    fault.
    There was no-one else on the road, so I crossed into the centre lane, you
    know, the one marked out in the middle of the road, with a big bent arrow
    pointing right. Anyway, as I drew nearer to the turn, a car appeared from
    the right hand road that I was about to turn into, and drove out in front of
    me, and stopped directly in my path. I managed to swerve round behind him,
    and continued my manoeuvre thinking, rather generously as it turned out,
    that the driver hadn't seen me. Anyway, no harm done. Then the shout came
    from behind "Why don't you f****ing indicate!!?"
    Well, he was right, I wasn't indicating. Just as well really, as I needed
    both hands on the bars. But then the implications started to sink in.
    1: He HAD seen me.
    2: Having seen me, he had driven out into my path and stopped.
    3: He had done this because he assumed from my lack of signal that I
    intended to continue straight ahead even though in the right-turn lane.

    This would, of course, lead to a collision necessitating a new door skin at
    least. Had I been indicating, naturally he wouldn't have bothered pulling
    out.
    So that's why he was angry.
    He'd missed me.
    I have learned that unconventional hand signals are frowned upon in this
    group, so I ignored him and continued, duly chastened, upon my way.

    I was told when learning to drive that a signal is unnecessary if the
    lane is clearly painted with an arrow showing it is left (or right) turn
    only. If it has a double arrow for straight ahead or right, you'd have
    to signal.

  12. Zog The Undeniable [email hidden] opined the following...

    Quoted message said:

    I was told when learning to drive that a signal is unnecessary if the
    lane is clearly painted with an arrow showing it is left (or right) turn
    only. If it has a double arrow for straight ahead or right, you'd have
    to signal.

    i.e. Indicate to warn that you are about to move outside of the
    "normal" flow. You don't indicate to go round a bend in the road. A
    filter lane (That you are already in) is exactly that.

    Jon

  13. Jon Senior said:

    Zog The Undeniable [email hidden] opined the following...

    Quoted message said:

    I was told when learning to drive that a signal is unnecessary if the
    lane is clearly painted with an arrow showing it is left (or right) turn
    only. If it has a double arrow for straight ahead or right, you'd have
    to signal.

    i.e. Indicate to warn that you are about to move outside of the
    "normal" flow. You don't indicate to go round a bend in the road. A
    filter lane (That you are already in) is exactly that.


    My point is, from the OP's description of the road, he needn't have
    signalled according to the Highway Code. Whether it would have been
    prudent to signal for clarity is another matter.

  14. David Nutter said:

    Smile indulgently and cheerily wave goodbye as you filter ahead... 🙂

    Or gob onto the passenger seat. I had a cold this week...it would have
    been quite spectacular.

    Don't take this seriously, PLEASE!

  15. Zog The Undeniable [email hidden] opined the following...

    Quoted message said:

    My point is, from the OP's description of the road, he needn't have
    signalled according to the Highway Code. Whether it would have been
    prudent to signal for clarity is another matter.

    I think we may be violently agreeing with one another here. ;-)

    Jon

  16. In news:[email hidden],
    Jon Senior <jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOTco_DOT_uk> expounded sagaciously:

    Quoted message said:

    Zog The Undeniable [email hidden] opined the following...

    Quoted message said:

    My point is, from the OP's description of the road, he needn't have
    signalled according to the Highway Code. Whether it would have been
    prudent to signal for clarity is another matter.

    I think we may be violently agreeing with one another here. ;-)

    Jon

    Don't care whether I should or shouldn't, really. I'm just trying to figure
    out the thinking behind the motorist's protest, i.e. if I had been
    signalling right, how would that have changed his behaviour, and why was he
    so miffed that I didn't?
    --

    Martin Bulmer

    Pie Conservation Threat

  17. Martin Bulmer [email hidden] opined the following...

    Quoted message said:

    Don't care whether I should or shouldn't, really. I'm just trying to figure
    out the thinking behind the motorist's protest, i.e. if I had been
    signalling right, how would that have changed his behaviour, and why was he
    so miffed that I didn't?

    You misunderstand his anger. It's not really due to signalling (Or lack
    thereof), it's because you're on a bike. And he has to give way. He
    transfers his anger at a system which gives pedal-pushers priority onto
    you as an individual pedal-pusher. Just take comfort in the thought that
    his high level of stress, combined with a (probable) lack of exercise,
    puts him in line for a heart attack!

    Jon

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