Great driver encounter

daymobrew

Tonight I had the pleasure of encountering a great driver, one that was patient, aware of me (as a cyclist) and thought ahead. I've never encountered anything like this and I'm delighted.

I was cycling home through Cabra, along Fassaugh Ave. As I approached a crossroads (Dowth Ave) a car was trying to turn right. The cars behind it moved left to go around it. I saw the great driver actually look in his left mirror to see if there were any cyclists coming. He saw me (front flashy lights do work!) and waited until I passed. I gave a wave of appreciation.

He didn't overtake me even when we got through the junction (I cranked the speed up to ensure I wasn't delaying anyone and tempting them to overtake dangerously).

Even when we approached the roundabout (at Quarry Road) he stayed a nice distance behind me (I could see in my handlebar mirror).
Around the corner, a car was exiting the GAA club, with a good few feet of the car on the road in my path. Even before I began to move to go around the car, the great driver moved out too. Again I waved.

He turned off Fassaugh Ave. If we'd stopped at the lights that were just ahead (Carnlough Road) I would have thanked him for his awareness.

This was much nicer than the taxi who insisted on tailgating me this morning. And the woman who did the same was we went through a roundabout this evening. Sometimes I think the mirror informs me of things I'd be better off not knowing.

Civilian_Target

Tailgating a bike is something that I always find quite funny. Really, what is the point? Think I'm going to pedal faster for you or something?!

Yeah - when I was about Dublin I often found a lot of the bus drivers to be very polite and competent on the road. Since cyclists tend to move about the same pace as a bus (when averaged out over bus stops) in non-rush hour traffic, it's always very much appreciated.

Cabaal

I think your right, the mirror is showing you many things your better off not seeing

Personally I believe Taxi drivers are the worse closely followed by the majority of SUV owners, half the time I don't blame them especially considering alot of people on bikes take the piss and cut through red lights etc.

Nice somebody has had a good experience with drivers lately

DublinWriter

Driving around Fairview and turning left onto the Howth Road I always keep an eye out in my left-hand wing mirror for cyclists on the cycle lane.

Cabaal wrote:

Personally I believe Taxi drivers are the worse closely followed by the majority of SUV owners

The great thing about having an old car that's less valuable than the audio system installed in it(that I'm getting rid of next year!) is that when shiney-new Beemers/Jags/SUVs try to cut you off on Pearse St. and you keep going, the other drivers suddenly realise that they have a lot more to loose than you do!

joker77

DublinWriter wrote:

The great thing about having an old car that's less valuable than the audio system installed in it(that I'm getting rid of next year!) is that when shiney-new Beemers/Jags/SUVs try to cut you off on Pearse St. and you keep going, the other drivers suddenly realise that they have a lot more to loose than you do!

Yea - my first car was an 86 Micra, black yoke, that I loved for the simple fact that you could scare the bejaysus out of all the shiny new car owners with! If there was ever a situation where a Beemer/SUV was trying to bully their way - just give them the Clint Eastwood "Make my day" look, they knew you didn't give a bollocks if you clipped wing mirrors or bumped into them!

Capt'n Midnight

joker77 wrote:

they knew you didn't give a bollocks if you clipped wing mirrors or bumped into them!

hey, if the wing mirrors touch then you've probably still got about 6" of clearance