anticipation and safety when cycling in traffic

Raam

I had a close miss in town on Saturday last. I was coming down the quays heading towards the IFSC. After I crossed onto Eden Quay, I was heading along in the cycle lane. People familiar with this stretch will know that there is space to park on the left of this lane. Anyway, a taxi over takes me, and with me traveling at speed, indicates left and starts to pull over in front of me, queue drastic evasive action. I never bothered stopping to remonstrate, and I eventually just shrugged it off, but it gave me quite a fright when I think about how close he came to sending me flying. Please be careful in traffic and constantly check what the cars behind you are doing. When nearing any junctions with left turns, I always have a quick check behind to see if anyone is indicating to turn. A change in engine sound can also indicate someone is turning. Of course, neither is a guarantee of what will actually happen.

Ghost Rider

That's a good example of the kind of auditory cue that can be essential in making an informed split-second decision while cycling.

It's also the kind of cue that is probably unavailable to people with headphones on.

Raam wrote: »

A change in engine sound can also indicate someone is turning.

SerialComplaint

Raam wrote: »

Anyway, a taxi over takes me, and with me traveling at speed, indicates left and starts to pull over in front of me, queue drastic evasive action. I never bothered stopping to remonstrate, and I eventually just shrugged it off, but it gave me quite a fright when I think about how close he came to sending me flying.

Many car drivers seem to fail to judge the speed of a cyclist. They assume that car is always faster than bike, and that they always have the ability to safely overtake a cyclist. This is often not the case, particularly in heavy traffic, so I fairly often have to brake to avoid an overtaking car.

At a recent Dublin Cycling Campaign meeting, the point was made that overtaking which causes inconvenience to another road user, but I haven't got round to reporting these. I have tapped on windows when I caught up with the car and explained the driver's error, in the hope that this will make them more careful in future.

Canis Lupus

That's possibly my biggest hate of cycling is a car overtaking you only to immediately turn left. WHY WHY WHY!!!!!!!

seamus

Canis Lupus wrote: »

That's possibly my biggest hate of cycling is a car overtaking you only to immediately turn left. WHY WHY WHY!!!!!!!

Because I'm convinced that many of them actually think they have right of way.
I was coming out of work last week, and there was a fairly large group of us that just happened to be bunched together (there were some girls out training - orwell wheelers or somesuch). Anyway at a junction a car was turning left and when he/she saw us coming, stopped. The truck behind him started beeping while we were going by. :rolleyes: I don't know what he was thinking the car should do.

Builderfromhell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLzGj10fg2g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au0Zjn3eB9k
Watch the above for some samples of how to get through city quickly:p

Canis Lupus

Wow... THat's some amazing and yet suicidal cycling!

cowan

Watch them for some samples of how to get killed in the city quickly.