Bad driver
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,720
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From: North of Boston
Bikes: Kona Dawg, Surly 1x1, Karate Monkey, Rockhopper, Crosscheck , Burley Runabout,
Bad driver
I took the left lane of a two lane road. The right lane is full of cars going onto the highway. There is less than 100 yds between stop lights on this stretch. This car honks behind me, crosses the double yellow line and passes me on the left. We are approaching the traffic light and I shift to the right lane. An aware driver kindly let me merge in. I pull up to the passenger window and shout as loud as I can "You passed me on the left !". The passenger (daughter) looked embarrassed and horrified. And I'm doing 25 in a 30 on a slight downhill. Nothing surprises me anymore. I love my left bar-end mirror. The rest of the morning commute went better
#3
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Joined: Jul 2008
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From: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
be careful out there. I wouldn't be shouting anything to anyone as I'm riding. save the confrontations for when you are standing still. but avoid them anyway
#4
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Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Columbus, OH
Bikes: '08 Surly Cross-Check, 2011 Redline Conquest Pro, 2012 Spesh FSR Comp EVO, 2015 Trek Domane 6.2 disc
Hike down your pants and put a butt print on his passenger window.
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"I feel like my world was classier before I found cyclocross."
- Mandi M.
"I feel like my world was classier before I found cyclocross."
- Mandi M.
#5
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: San Jose, CA
Bikes: Bianchi San Remo - set up as a utility bike, Peter Mooney Road bike, Peter Mooney commute bike,Dahon Folder,Schwinn Paramount Tandem
My daughter, who attended high school in the Boston area, made the observation that many drivers in Boston seem to have the horn connected to the brakes, so that they automatically honk whenever they apply the brake. At first I thought that she was crazy, but as I observe the way they drive in Massachusetts, I am not so sure......
#8
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,373
Likes: 8
From: Columbus, OH
Bikes: '08 Surly Cross-Check, 2011 Redline Conquest Pro, 2012 Spesh FSR Comp EVO, 2015 Trek Domane 6.2 disc
I'm going to guess that it was past the highway entrance when he shifted back to the right lane.
__________________
"I feel like my world was classier before I found cyclocross."
- Mandi M.
"I feel like my world was classier before I found cyclocross."
- Mandi M.
#9
You gonna eat that?
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,917
Likes: 543
From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty
Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS
There's a stretch of country two-lane with no shoulder on my commute... a short stretch, less than a mile.... but most of it is marked with double yellow, especially the part leading into the blind curve at the end. Cars routinely cross the double yellow pass me, even on that curve. I recognize that I'm not gonna stop them but I try to maintain enough lane position that they have to really move over to the left to get around me and.... if need be I have a little wiggle room to veer right if they have to cut back in suddenly. I generally take the middle of the lane or so. If they are behind me and I can see no on-coming traffic, I'll shift right a bit (into the right tire track) to invite them to pass. If there is oncoming traffic I try to hold my position. I even once flagged a car down that started to pass because there was oncoming traffic and if he had tried to pull around me he would have gotten in a collision. When the other traffic cleared I moved right and waved him around... and when he came by he gave me a thumbs up.
In that stretch I don't worry about double yellow versus dashed yellow; if a car wants to pass they pretty much ignore it. I just try to make things as safe as I can for all involved. It's what Keri on CommuteOrlando calls "leading the dance."
In that stretch I don't worry about double yellow versus dashed yellow; if a car wants to pass they pretty much ignore it. I just try to make things as safe as I can for all involved. It's what Keri on CommuteOrlando calls "leading the dance."
#10
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 400
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From: Reno, NV
The OP was travelling at 25mph and the driver pulled into the oncoming traffic lane, passed him (presumably going much faster than 25mph), then pulled back into his lane and still allowed an aware driver enough time to sow and give him room to move into the right lane, pull up to the passer's window and yell at the daughter. All within 8 seconds - the time to travel 100 yards at 25mph.
#11
You gonna eat that?
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,917
Likes: 543
From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty
Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS
There's a stretch of country two-lane with no shoulder on my commute... a short stretch, less than a mile.... but most of it is marked with double yellow, especially the part leading into the blind curve at the end. Cars routinely cross the double yellow pass me, even on that curve.






