Overtaking on the inside or the outside

Had to go into town today which means navigating the Friday gridlock and what better vehicle for this than an electric bicycle.

Presented with a straight road of standing traffic going my way and only sporadic vehicles coming towards me my options are ..

1) down the inside with all the potential hazards that come with it..

2) down the outside like the motorcycles do.

The problems with the inside are too many to list as we are so vulnerable with agitated bored drivers not thinking about a cyclist undertaking them.. so I chose to go down the outside.. plenty of room for me between the standing/slow moving traffic and the oncoming vehicles until two of them pulled to the right to try and stop me....

I have experienced this with cars pulling to the left to male things hard but to move to the right doesn't seem to make much sense..

As it played out my almost instant turbo mode acceleration got me past them without issue but why would anyone do that?

Had to go into town today which means navigating the Friday gridlock and what better vehicle for this than an electric bicycle.

Presented with a straight road of standing traffic going my way and only sporadic vehicles coming towards me my options are ..

1) down the inside with all the potential hazards that come with it..

2) down the outside like the motorcycles do.

The problems with the inside are too many to list as we are so vulnerable with agitated bored drivers not thinking about a cyclist undertaking them.. so I chose to go down the outside.. plenty of room for me between the standing/slow moving traffic and the oncoming vehicles until two of them pulled to the right to try and stop me....

I have experienced this with cars pulling to the left to male things hard but to move to the right doesn't seem to make much sense..

As it played out my almost instant turbo mode acceleration got me past them without issue but why would anyone do that?

because they are moronic idiots and can't stand the fact that you were moving and they were not

The only plus on this is the turbo setting really does pi** them off, or at least I hope it does cos it's like rocket power and they tend to looked shocked when I zoom on by.

Glad I am not alone on this.. it must be hard on a regular commute in heavy traffic I guesse

In York it's mostly on the inside and the majority of car drivers actually leave you some room to get past which is nice!.

You do get the odd moron but I've found that riding motorbikes and driving the car as well, used to really rile me up but now I find it better to just let it go (most of the time!).

I'm lucky to have cycle lanes for a lot of my Belfast journey. I do see one Audi driver who seems to be afraid of oncoming traffic and insists on blocking the cycle lane in slow moving traffic. (I leave at the same time every day so do see familiar cars/cyclists each day)

Where there isn't a cycle lane going on the inside is difficult and I'd avoid it

Sent from my E2303 using Tapatalk

plenty of room for me between the standing/slow moving traffic and the oncoming vehicles until two of them pulled to the right to try and stop me....

I have experienced this with cars pulling to the left to male things hard but to move to the right doesn't seem to make much sense..

 

why would anyone do that?

Had this explained by the Australian wife of someone I knew locally. I'd seen her doing just this to others on the approach to traffic lights in Selsdon when I was cycling well behind so asked her later why. Her response was that she thought everyone should wait in line and she didn't see why she should let cyclists to the front who would then hold her up when traffic lights changed.

Yes that's stupid, but long experience has taught me not to try to change a woman's mind once she's made it up.

.

 

Yes that's stupid, but long experience has taught me not to try to change a woman's mind once she's made it up.

.

If only I had learned that much earlier in life.

August soon so the morons will be arriving... But here drivers leave me some room and I think they prefer seeing you coming in the mirror not in their blind spot.

The morons are usually peeved because when they move out I pass on the inside, they don't know you have a motor. If they use their horn they get the universal middle finger turn signal.

Had this explained by the Australian wife of someone I knew locally. I'd seen her doing just this to others on the approach to traffic lights in Selsdon when I was cycling well behind so asked her later why. Her response was that she thought everyone should wait in line and she didn't see why she should let cyclists to the front who would then hold her up when traffic lights changed.

 

Yes that's stupid, but long experience has taught me not to try to change a woman's mind once she's made it up.

.

We have a special name for Australian women drivers but you can't use it on forums...

I work with a lad who used to knock wing mirrors off cars that intensionally cut him up (while on his motorcycle).

He's calmed down a bit now as he's got older!.

We have a special name for Australian women drivers but you can't use it on forums...

Isn't it shirlies or something silly like that?[emoji56]

I work with a lad who used to knock wing mirrors off cars that intensionally cut him up (while on his motorcycle).

 

He's calmed down a bit now as he's got older!.

Me too I got older, wish I was calm like that though...

Isn't it shirlies or something silly like that?[emoji56]

Definitely starts with an "S"...

because they are moronic idiots and can't stand the fact that you were moving and they were not

Those maronic idiots are a bunch of cupid stunts.

Yep, need to do this on the outside (where safe).

However, if there is a painted cycle lane on the inside, and the traffic is not parked on it, I'll use that.

I've had very few issues with motorists overall. They are almost always very considerate. Other cyclists, on the other hand...

I've seen cyclists trying to go past vehicles on the inside even where the vehicle is moving and there is no room. I've also seen cyclists trying to out-drag cars from the traffic lights, cycling on the outside (and on the wrong side of the road) and getting agitated when they can't turn in... on a car!

And don't get me started on folk jumping or ignoring traffic lights...

Honestly, my view is that drivers have had to take lessons and pass their test. They show overall better awareness. A lot of cyclists would do well to take off their tinted specs, stop playing 'the persecuted' and get on with obeying traffic laws.

General rule of thumb.

Bad cyclist = injured cyclist

Bad driver= scraped paint and injured cyclist.

All the wishes in the world won't change that relationship.

So we have to try harder to protect ourselves.

Like the original question what's best for us.

August soon so the morons will be arriving... .

Why do they call it "Tourist Season" if we're not allowed to shoot them?

Isn't it shirlies or something silly like that?[emoji56]

Confused lot the Australians. They call all their women Sheilas, yet most turn out to be named Kylie.

.

Confused lot the Australians. They call all their women Sheilas, yet most turn out to be named Kylie.

.

There can be only one Kylie...

There can be only one Kylie...

But she was responsible for all the rest being named after her!

.

The thing about Australians (No offence at all intended) is that their version of english has a few variations that are potentially insulting...

For instance ..

Is your phone rooted? means has the operating system has been changed, but in Australian I think that the question could be considered insulting..

One thing about the Aussies that bugs me is this upward inflection, where a statement is said like a question.

Due to Aussie soaps, a lot of people here do it now.

One thing about the Aussies that bugs me is this upward inflection, where a statement is said like a question.

Due to Aussie soaps, a lot of people here do it now.

Yes, irritates me as well, it seems all of our youngsters have been infected with this habit.

.