Having seen the footage, CyclingMikey said the phrase that comes to mind is that the driver would struggle to organise an alcohol-based festivity in a brewery. Another viewer suggested they "can't resist the quick glance in, the look of utter contempt, and then the shake of the head as I cycle on" when this inevitability of cycling on British roads unfolds to them.

Admittedly not often as dangerous as a high-speed close pass or 'sorry mate I didn't see you', the must get in front (MGIF) is a more confusing experience and will leave you questioning: 'why?' Whether it is to get ahead at a junction, with a red light looming or, in this case, simply to sit in traffic two seconds sooner.

Anyone got any theories? What is it about a person riding a bicycle from A to B that requires a select few to feel the need to always get in front no matter what's ten metres ahead?

https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-7-june-2023-301731#live-blog-item-46287

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> Having seen the footage, CyclingMikey said the phrase that comes to mind
> is that the driver would struggle to organise an alcohol-based festivity
> in a brewery. Another viewer suggested they "can't resist the quick
> glance in, the look of utter contempt, and then the shake of the head as
> I cycle on" when this inevitability of cycling on British roads unfolds to them.
>
> Admittedly not often as dangerous as a high-speed close pass or 'sorry
> mate I didn't see you', the must get in front (MGIF) is a more confusing
> experience and will leave you questioning: 'why?' Whether it is to get
> ahead at a junction, with a red light looming or, in this case, simply to
> sit in traffic two seconds sooner.
>
> Anyone got any theories? What is it about a person riding a bicycle from
> A to B that requires a select few to feel the need to always get in front
> no matter what's ten metres ahead?

It’s probably something to do with cyclists projecting themselves as
sub-human, as revealed by a recent Australian study.

> https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-live-blog-7-june-2023-301731#live-blog-item-46287

--
Spike

IanMSpencer | 1821 posts | 1 day ago
8 likes
"the shake of a head" - gotta watch those.

Had a 5 minute barney with a motorist who got upset at our group's riding along a narrow two lane road littered with potholes. He passed us (without raising any reaction or apparently doing anything) but then one of our riders had gone off ahead signalling left just before a junction and I noticed a severe swerve out and around him. All of a sudden I see the driver stopped, indicator on, about 2 foot front the kerb. Matey in front hops on the kerb pops out in front and tries to continue. The driver set off and promptly collided with the rider.

A long argument ensued (JLR driver - either garage employee or direct employee) of which the main points were a cycling bingo of all over the road (but strangely able to pass).

I asked why the shake of the head (the reason he gave as to why he had stopped) gave him the right to use his car as a weapon. He replied we were supposed to stay together, tried to use the highway code to support this (of course it is silent on group riding protocol). We were in fact riding single file due to the width of the road and potholes. He specifically objected to my riding where I rode from the back of the group to the front to make sure they made a turn. I did this noting that there was a car far behind, I completed the manoeuvre and was ahead for 30 seconds or more before the car interacted with the group. I listed the number of offences he was committing including assault and threatening behaviour and that he was on camera, but he continued with his critique of our riding.

When he finally drove off I muttered "Idiot!" which he heard and stopped, got out of the car, door wide open, blocking the road and started on "So you are allowed to verbally assault me are you?" I think the arrival of an elderly couple stopped him from lamping me as I silently rode off with a mere withering look.

Why is it that motorists feel they are entitled to discipline cyclists for their perception of our riding standards?

The ride was topped off by a MGIF in a 20 when I was doing 20, and a near head on with a driver doing a bit of cleaning and shaking out a duster drifting onto the wrong side of the road a 100 yards from home.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> IanMSpencer | 1821 posts | 1 day ago
> 8 likes
>
> "the shake of a head" - gotta watch those.
>
> Had a 5 minute barney with a motorist who got upset at our group's riding
> along a narrow two lane road littered with potholes. He passed us
> (without raising any reaction or apparently doing anything) but then one
> of our riders had gone off ahead signalling left just before a junction
> and I noticed a severe swerve out and around him. All of a sudden I see
> the driver stopped, indicator on, about 2 foot front the kerb. Matey in
> front hops on the kerb pops out in front and tries to continue. The
> driver set off and promptly collided with the rider.
>
> A long argument ensued (JLR driver - either garage employee or direct
> employee) of which the main points were a cycling bingo of all over the
> road (but strangely able to pass).

> I asked why the shake of the head (the reason he gave as to why he had
> stopped) gave him the right to use his car as a weapon. He replied we
> were supposed to stay together, tried to use the highway code to support
> this (of course it is silent on group riding protocol).

“[The Highway Code] is silent on group riding protocol”

Rule 66: Be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in
groups. You can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly
in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders.
Be aware of drivers behind you, and allow them to overtake (e.g. by moving
into single file or stopping) when you feel it is safe to let them do so.

HTH

> We were in fact riding single file due to the width of the road and
> potholes. He specifically objected to my riding where I rode from the
> back of the group to the front to make sure they made a turn. I did this
> noting that there was a car far behind, I completed the manoeuvre and was
> ahead for 30 seconds or more before the car interacted with the group. I
> listed the number of offences he was committing including assault and
> threatening behaviour and that he was on camera, but he continued with
> his critique of our riding.
>
> When he finally drove off I muttered "Idiot!" which he heard and stopped,
> got out of the car, door wide open, blocking the road and started on "So
> you are allowed to verbally assault me are you?" I think the arrival of
> an elderly couple stopped him from lamping me as I silently rode off with
> a mere withering look.

> Why is it that motorists feel they are entitled to discipline cyclists
> for their perception of our riding standards?

It’s probably something to do with the way cyclists project themselves that
makes people view them as sub-human; as mentioned in a recent Australian
report.

> The ride was topped off by a MGIF in a 20 when I was doing 20, and a near
> head on with a driver doing a bit of cleaning and shaking out a duster
> drifting onto the wrong side of the road a 100 yards from home.

--
Spike

IanMSpencer replied to Cycloid | 1822 posts | 20 hours ago
6 likes
Oh, I forgot the Freelander driver who tried to overtake me coming up to a junction near Chipping Camden, failed to complete and I was looking down at his wing (not mirror) as it got closer and closer. I glared with one of those "Do you think I'm going to magic out of the way?" looks, did some 1.5m hand signalling and set off left from the junction - with him still parked alongside -, adding on a bit of pointing at my camera, he then deliberately close passed me into a blind bend. As Brooksby says, drivers don't like being criticised, even when they know they are in the wrong.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> IanMSpencer replied to Cycloid | 1822 posts | 20 hours ago
> 6 likes
>
> Oh, I forgot the Freelander driver who tried to overtake me coming up to
> a junction near Chipping Camden, failed to complete and I was looking
> down at his wing (not mirror) as it got closer and closer. I glared with
> one of those "Do you think I'm going to magic out of the way?" looks, did
> some 1.5m hand signalling and set off left from the junction - with him
> still parked alongside -, adding on a bit of pointing at my camera, he
> then deliberately close passed me into a blind bend. As Brooksby says,
> drivers don't like being criticised, even when they know they are in the wrong.

“…drivers don't like being criticised, even when they know they are in the
wrong”. Wonder where drivers have seen that before…🙄

--
Spike

Moto-normativity; the idea that behaviours, in response to events, that wouldn't be acceptable in any other walk of life are acceptable and even exceptional when the event involves motoring and/or motorists.

I remember reading an op-ed where someone was comparing driving to pushing a shopping trolley... Trolley rage, close passing, tailgating, &c...

A long argument ensued (JLR driver - either garage employee or direct employee) of which the main points were a cycling bingo of all over the road (but strangely able to pass). .

JLR take bad driving very seriously when their employees are driving JLR vehicles.. a lot of workers there use their subsidised lease scheme and as a whole they are very encouraging of cyclists. I believe they have a yellow card system for any employee seen to be acting like a tit in one of their cars. You can tell JLR employees as they have OV or OY at the start of their registration plates.. if it happens again report them.