Drivers that swerve/drift into the bike lane after passing you...
#1
Acts 2:38
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 500
Bikes: '10 Marin Lucas Valley, '13 Scott Speedster 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Drivers that swerve/drift into the bike lane after passing you...
Are:
A. Coincidentally distracted.
B. Looking at you in the rear-view mirror and accidentally drifting into the bike lane because of it.
C. Doing it on purpose to let you know they don't like you.
D. Who cares! They didn't hit you, so let it go.
A. Coincidentally distracted.
B. Looking at you in the rear-view mirror and accidentally drifting into the bike lane because of it.
C. Doing it on purpose to let you know they don't like you.
D. Who cares! They didn't hit you, so let it go.
#3
bored of "Senior Member"
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: MD / metro DC
Posts: 2,870
Bikes: Cross-Check/Nexus commuter. Several others for various forms of play.
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 639 Post(s)
Liked 576 Times
in
445 Posts
That's quite a camera rig you've got there. Very cool. But I'd keep taping for a while until you get something that breaks squelch, which I don't think this one does. There is no smoking gun here unless objects in video are 10x+ closer than they appear.
When you do finally get the bastard red handed (laned?), I vote for: F) heavier than a duck. Burn them!
When you do finally get the bastard red handed (laned?), I vote for: F) heavier than a duck. Burn them!
#5
Acts 2:38
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 500
Bikes: '10 Marin Lucas Valley, '13 Scott Speedster 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Bay Area, Calif.
Posts: 7,239
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
My hypothesis is that they're under the impression that the cyclist 'forced' them to move way to left even though they only moved a few inches at most. So then they figure they need to move way over to the right to get back on course.
#7
Señior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 13,749
Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 446 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
I think they're just not that good at driving and oversteer. I see it sometimes as well but it never seems particularly malicious to me. I think it's more usually correct if you assume incompetence instead of malice when it comes to drivers.
__________________
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: The Angels
Posts: 294
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
A) could also mean: Multi-tasking while driving, then luckily noticing a cyclist, passing cyclist , then back to multi tasking+driving.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,589
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 239 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
They probably swerved out of the bike lane behind you. Before swerving into the lane in front of you.
Some drivers just don't know how wide their vehicle really is and/or don't understand that the driver's seat is off centerline; see enough of them with the passenger side wheels in the shoulder regardless of bike presence.
Some drivers just don't know how wide their vehicle really is and/or don't understand that the driver's seat is off centerline; see enough of them with the passenger side wheels in the shoulder regardless of bike presence.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Edgewater, CO
Posts: 3,214
Bikes: Tons
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#11
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 35
Bikes: 2009 Cannondale Six, 1991 Raleigh Supercourse, 1994 Trek Mountain Track 830, 1994 GT Timberline, 1981 Raleigh Sprite
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I notice this every day on my daily commute. I've been pondering the same question.My best guess is it is just overcompensation from having moved to the left to give me a wide enough berth....... but sometimes I wonder if it is intentional.
#12
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,364
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,664 Times
in
2,497 Posts
I ride on a shoulder on my commute. I notice the guys that pass me too closely often slide over into the shoulder after the pass. Not sure what this means at all. Some people probably shouldn't be driving, whatever the intent.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Buffalo New York
Posts: 2,470
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I like to think they are checking me out, at least the cute girls. The guys are looking at my bike.
__________________
2010 Kestrel RT900SL, 800k carbon, chorus/record, speedplay, zonda
2000 litespeed Unicoi Ti, XTR,XT, Campy crank, time atac, carbon forks
2010 Kestrel RT900SL, 800k carbon, chorus/record, speedplay, zonda
2000 litespeed Unicoi Ti, XTR,XT, Campy crank, time atac, carbon forks
#14
Geck, wo ist mein Fahrrad
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Front Range
Posts: 715
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'd say this one's intentional but if that's the worst thing they do, thank them for cleaning the road. sometimes it's a weave from going to the left but that one looked kinda obvious, too straight to then bear right. i wonder if it's just people's way of yelling without rolling down the window.
Last edited by Rx Rider; 05-13-12 at 10:13 AM.
#15
Flying Pig
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 318
Bikes: 06 Specialized Allez Sport, '10 Trek Fuel EX 7
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I did that once but not to provoke the rider. I went into the left lane to pass the rider then want to quickly go back to the right lane since I was slower than the rest of traffic that time. So I turn right to merge back but a little quick, and rather than jolt the car left to go straight I make a more shallow turn into part of the bike lane instead.
I think if a driver really does it intentionally he will QUICKLY swerve to the lane close to you then QUICKLY swerve back to his lane.
I think if a driver really does it intentionally he will QUICKLY swerve to the lane close to you then QUICKLY swerve back to his lane.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: London
Posts: 2,421
Bikes: Baum Romano, Brompton S2, Homemade Bamboo!
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 474 Post(s)
Liked 204 Times
in
129 Posts
#17
Riding like its 1990
As mentioned before most people drive in a way (besides distracted and incompetent) that avoids quick movements and sort of "drifts" around from lane to lane. Slow lazy lane changes that scoop wide to the opposite side before slowly finding enter of lane. Lots of overcompensating for perceived movements etc. When a driver typically starts to "feel" the weight transfer in their vehicle they seem to get that 'oh crud' feeling and try to avoid it.
For instance, most cars can quickly stop in a decent distance but often people don't stop quick enough because everything in the car will shift and fly forward. Instead of really firm steady full pressure they brake at 3/4 pressure and do a big right or left turn off onto a shoulder, potentially causing more problems.
What's even scarier is the many many times I see distracted people drifting into the bike lanes or shoulders when I'm in a car behind them. I always imagine that's where I could have been.
For instance, most cars can quickly stop in a decent distance but often people don't stop quick enough because everything in the car will shift and fly forward. Instead of really firm steady full pressure they brake at 3/4 pressure and do a big right or left turn off onto a shoulder, potentially causing more problems.
What's even scarier is the many many times I see distracted people drifting into the bike lanes or shoulders when I'm in a car behind them. I always imagine that's where I could have been.
#19
Banned
B.
From my personal experience, it's done by too many motorists for me to consider it 100% intentional. I'll generally consider it intentional when motorists drive partially/fully in the bike lane behind me, and nonchalantly drift back into their travel lane just before they pass me.
From my personal experience, it's done by too many motorists for me to consider it 100% intentional. I'll generally consider it intentional when motorists drive partially/fully in the bike lane behind me, and nonchalantly drift back into their travel lane just before they pass me.
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: North shore of Mass.
Posts: 2,131
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
1 Post
To find the correct answer you must think like a cager not a cyclist.
A cager would say " the cyclist wasn't moving, so once I passed them I had that lane to myself".
A cager would say " the cyclist wasn't moving, so once I passed them I had that lane to myself".
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Monterey Bay area, California
Posts: 523
Bikes: Terratrike Tour, recumbent tadpole tricycle.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
2 Posts
As annoying as that is, at least they move over to go past you.
I too have wondered about some of them going into the bike lane, as though they were trying to send me a "message". Who knows, maybe they were. Then again, people do the same exact thing to me when I'm driving, pass me, then jig over into the bike lane for a bit. I suppose, (outside of dangerous acts) it's better for your state of mind if you give them the benefit of the doubt, "Meh, silly humans." And then you go on your way.
I too have wondered about some of them going into the bike lane, as though they were trying to send me a "message". Who knows, maybe they were. Then again, people do the same exact thing to me when I'm driving, pass me, then jig over into the bike lane for a bit. I suppose, (outside of dangerous acts) it's better for your state of mind if you give them the benefit of the doubt, "Meh, silly humans." And then you go on your way.
__________________
What do you call a cyclist who sells potpourri on the road? A pedaling petal-peddler.
What do you call a cyclist who sells potpourri on the road? A pedaling petal-peddler.
#24
Slogging along
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: San Fernando Valley, SoCal
Posts: 1,148
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse '06, Mongoose titanium road bike '00--my commuter. Yes, Mongoose once made a decent ti road bike.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
All of the above and combinations depending on the driver. What is better, swerving into the bike lane because the driver cannot properly control the vehicle or swerving int the bike lane as an aggressive tactic to 'teach that cyclist a lesson!'? Both a highly dangerous.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ventura County, CA
Posts: 156
Bikes: 2012 Cervelo S5 Rival and 2012 Speed Concept 9.9 Di2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
B, C, and D...I usually figure they are either pissed at me, or they are just over-correcting.
My mother tells me that when she passes cyclists on single lane roads she does so as quickly as possible when the oncoming lane is clear, so that she and they are at risk for the shortest amount of time...this does mean that she has to get back into her lane quickly as well, though, so she may understandably over-correct
My mother tells me that when she passes cyclists on single lane roads she does so as quickly as possible when the oncoming lane is clear, so that she and they are at risk for the shortest amount of time...this does mean that she has to get back into her lane quickly as well, though, so she may understandably over-correct