Originally Posted by
islandboy
What is your response when a car passes you (illegally) when you are already exceeding posted speed limits?
My gripe comes from a rash of recent incidents where I have been passed (occasionally honked at) while taking the road when travelling at 45 to 60 kph. Most of the time in areas of corners or double lines. The last truck passed when I was travelling 7 kph over the PSL. It is as if they "need to pass" the bicycle.
Well, if I want them not to pass me in the lane, then I take the lane. That's simple. At that point, they can do whatever they want.
The only time it irks me is when we're approaching a stoplight. There's one place on my commute where I'm in decent traffic (not heavy, but steady stream of cars), I'm about 50 yards from a stoplight, and I'm doing 20mph. There is a line of, say, 6 cars at the light.
Normally, a car would be coasting there, meaning they should be doing about the same speed as me (20ish). But not when they see a cyclist! These morons will pass me, cut over, and slam on their brakes, barely avoiding rear-ending the cars in line to turn. Why they have to do this I have no idea, it doesn't get them where they're going even a second faster. But it happens every day.
I'm not sure whether it's your 'must....pass...bicycle!' theory, or whether it's that they seriously misjudge our speed. In their experiences, standard bike speeds are probably about 8 mph.