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Small Rant: Drivers!!!!
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@SRNLR - exactly. Unfortunately, people are stupid and don't think ahead, so while someone who clobbers another road user (pedestrian, cyslist, motorbiker, etc) with their car may sincerely regret it later, that's too late.
What on earth has the wording on a tax document, or whatever part of whatever tax pays for roads got to do with a twat aiming his car at a pedestrian? Nothing gives you any right to do that.
This happened to me a couple of weeks ago, some prat in an old VW Golf swerved at me.
I've also had to jump into a ditch another time as a woman drifted off the road whilst driving and texting.
Unfortuantely I didn't get a number either time. if I did I will report it. If using lanes I always wear hi-vis and run facing traffic, so it is not like I am difficult to spot.
If the road's clear I'll run next to the kerb and move onto the pavement if I can see the oncoming car hasn't noticed me. Running on the pavement is usually pretty uneven and in residential areas you've always got idiots who come out of their driveways like they are already on the road and hardly ever bother looking left.
Just for clarity, extract from Highway Code
https://www.gov.uk/rules-pedestrians-1-to-35
1Pavements (including any path along the side of a road) should be used if provided. Where possible, avoid being next to the kerb with your back to the traffic. If you have to step into the road, look both ways first. Always show due care and consideration for others.
2If there is no pavement, keep to the right-hand side of the road so that you can see oncoming traffic. You should take extra care and
It may be safer to cross the road well before a sharp right-hand bend so that oncoming traffic has a better chance of seeing you. Cross back after the bend.
Yet many "organised" road running events dicate we run on the left. Go figure.
In a road race you are part of the traffic - weight of numbers SHOULD make motorists more aware of you. There's less need for you to see the cars.
If you're running alone - you won't have put out CAUTION RUNNERS AHEAD signs - so motorists won't be expecting you - and you want to be seeing the traffic coming at you.
I find when running towards traffic that following cars drive so close to the car in front that they only get to see you about 10 feet away. Very dangerous. I'm always ready to dive into hedges and I'd rather do anything than run on roads.
Now there are fewer police it seems more people are speeding. Often get them going over 40 on residential roads. Tailgating really gets my goat. Keeping your distance you can see problems up ahead. So many times I've almost been hit from behind.
I've been lucky enough not to purposely driven towards.
Not sure what the answer is having stones is a good idea. They won't like their rear window screen smashed! Bikers are putting camaras on their helmets.
Pavements? Luxury!
If I'm not on a trail it's single track roads or (my new usual run) the BIG road (it has a white line down the middle). The big road has a gutter and most often a verge and I run toward traffic (unless its a tight right hand bend then I'll cross well before).
I'd say 99% of drivers give me more than enough room and most will even cross the white line if the road is straight (and it's safe to do so). If I hear a car approaching I will always run in the gutter until they pull over and every car that moves over gets a wave from me and get quite a few enthusiastic waves back. If it's a coach/lorry etc I'll always move onto the verge and if it's an ambulance/fire engine I'll move off the road and stop running.
On single track roads I tend to stop running and step onto the verge for traffic especially as its still holiday season (another story). For trails and dogs I dont make eye contact with them but if I sense they are showing too much interest and off the lead I'll walk past them.
I live in the country so actually drive to somewhere I can run along trails off road. It would be nice to run straight from my house but I think it's too dangerous. What about wearing one of those cameras cyclists use that permanently record - maybe on a baseball cap? Good evidence if an idiot drives at you? At least you might get a number after they have passed.
If i'm driving and see a cyclist or runner, the natural reaction is...make sure you don't get anywhere near them, they're massively vulnerable and we don't want any accidents!
To hear of people intentionally making it awkward for either seems crazy,
Whilst I believe that some accounts of drivers deliberately putting the frighteners on runners, I do suspect that most of the time, it is the driver losing concentration, using their phone/cd player etc.
In reality, I think I'd rather face an idiot deliberately driving at me - because at least they're in control of their vehicle.
If there's no pavement or grass verge, always run on the LEFT hand side of the road when approaching a RIGHT hand bend (from the runner's perspective). There are too many Corsas being driven by 'rally drivers', hugging the hedge round a tight left-hander, leaving you absolutely nowhere to go.
Very scary.
I have had cyclists ride at me when running and drivers try and knock me off when cycling. (though that was in Camberly so could be expected.)
It's dangerous out there......
(gulp) .......... ahhh, an A road in which their is wide open spaces either side given the drivers the illusion that its safe to go faster than you normally would ........ yeah I can see the issue there.
On the plus side, I assume you got to go past stonehenge or did it not quite go up as far as Amesbury?
That section of the route went from Amesbury down to the A360 junction.
Did you not think to look at the route before entering?
I think they have changed the route since.
I know this was started about runners not cyclists but we are all vulnerable road users. saw this earlier and it really is quite terrifying:
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/540368/teenage-cyclist-attacked-by-driver-in-surrey.html
I've been cycling all my life and have had very few incidents that appeared to be malicious rather than stupid/inconsiderate. I live near a travellers site and used to run past it as the acess road leads to a bridlepath, not gone down it since a car leaving the site drove and accelerated at me and I ended up in a ditch to avoid it. Scared the shit out of me.
I was in Greece last week and despite not seeing another run all week, when I was out running I was met with nothing but courtesy by drivers that give me loads of room. Admittedly they all looked at me like I was mental too!
Strictly speaking should the cyclist not wait at the back of the q of traffic like any other road user and thus avoid the situation arising at all?
That's what I tend to do, but most junctions now have the advanced stopping zones for cyclists so that they're visible.
The problem is that the cyclist sits in the blind spot, typically of lorries, and then the lorry turns left onto them. It's typically women as they tend to cycle more passively and it's one of the reasons why some cyclists jump red lights (not a practice I agree with).
For the record I also don't agree with cycling on the pavement or pedestrian crossings and I tend to ride my bike like I drive my car, which means that I don't ride in the gutter and I take the lane at roundabouts (both practices which upset some motorists, but are recommended by the cycling safety experts).
at a queue of traffic, the safest place to be for a cyclist is at the front. that's why a load of junctions have cyclist boxes at the front. it's to ensure that the cyclist can be seen.
it is, however, best if you're going to filter as a cyclist to do it in the middle of the road and not the left. that way, if the lights do change or someone hops out of the passenger side of a car wihtout looking, they don't clean you out.
just got to be so careful on a bike not to get yourself in a position where a non-signalling bus, van, truck can knock you off. it's the cyclists responsibility to get themselves in a safe position and a driver's responsibility to look in their mirrors and signal.
and - of course - this is hugely off-topic.
the correct answer was the one above (imo) noting that some people are stupid and thus some drivers, cyclists, runners and pedestrians are also stupid.
The safest place for a cyclist appears to be at the front. However after a while, quite a lot of drivers will become pissed off at missing a round of lights on account of a bunch of cyclists dawdling away in front of them.
I cycled to work for a decade on some busy roads. Same time same place.
At traffic lights, especially those connected to dual carraiageways, I sat back from the front of the queue of cars on purpose.
If I timed it right, the line of cars had cleared the junction before I got there. I took my place at the back of the queue.
The pay off was respect from the drivers. I discovered that when I had to turn right off this dual carriage way, all I had to do was look over my right shoulder and I'd get a flash of lights. That meant 'go'. A mutual wave made the day.
Best bit was one day I found some car parts (a bumper) messing up a junction. I hopped off the bike and cleared the obstruction. The delight from car drivers was plain to hear.
🙂
all depends on the situation. around this town at least, i'm faster on a bike than the cars are so they're getting in my way
The route I cycle to work I'm often at the front of the queue because I got there first. Like redjeep I get in the appropriate lane for the direction I'm going, but you do get idiot drivers trying to force you into the left-hand lane, seemingly just to prove some sort of point. I'd have thought they'd be better off NOT having a cyclist in their way if they want to turn left and I've made it clear that I don't, but they're evidently too stupid to realise that.
I had a cyclist almost flatten me on a canal towpath under a bridge on Saturday. Two clueless dorises out for a jaunt on their bloody boris bikes, clearly unable to control their speed and not understanding that it might do to slow down when veering around a bend and under a bridge.
The first one was bad enough so I'd slowed to a slow walk in case there was another a*sehole behind her, which sure enough ther was. Despite me then being pressed against the wall and hurling expletives at her stupidity she still manged to hit me. Gormless moron.
This was mid afternoon when you get folks out for a stroll with their prams too.
Cyclists are an irritation when driving, but they are a bloody menace to pedestrians.
@Nayan - when they're on the road cyclists aren't, usually a menace to pedestrians. However, you get the occasional nobber on the pavement (never yield to such a nobber) and the occasional moron who runs a red light. Karma will get them one day.
Another one hit my (then pregnant) wife on a zebra crossing. And I've seen enough courier riders screaming abuse to folks as they career through people crossing the road (green man light flashing).
I realise I have quite a biased viewpoint possibly based on a bad run of luck but I still struggle to see the difference betweeen 'yer average cyclist' and 'pond scum.'