That's it - I've fe*king had enough...

[lr18]

I can understand your annoyance with the drivers that do get too close to you, personally I would probably have a bit of a grudge towards people passing too close if it had put me in hospital.
I haven't really ridden a bike on the road but my grievance with vehicles of a similar size to a push bike, Ie. Motorbikes, is that they don't treat themselves if they were a bigger vehicle. As you said in an earlier post, you have suffered from cuts from being so close in to the side of the road. Why don't you move out a little so road users have to think more carefully about when to overtake you. Realistically though unless the government run some kind of campaign I don't see people's awareness towards cyclists increasing, disappointing as that may be. I doubt even reporting en masse will affect it greatly, yes it will probably make the affected drivers look twice at junctions or give cyclists more space when overtaking, but it will not reach a large enough portion of the drivers in the isle of man to be effective.
I do however think it's not just about the drivers awareness. Bikes really do need to consider the cars around them. When I was learning to drive I had a cycling club swarm around me when I was first in the queue at the traffic lights where you can turn down to tescos. I was absolutely terrified as I had only been driving a couple of months and I had at least 10 bikes very close around the car. I could have easily just rolled back a little and taken two or three of them out. Whilst I am not accusing you of riding like this, I do believe bikes in general should think about the
consequences of their manoeuvres, especially when considering L plated and R plates drivers; who are inexperienced and more likely to find cyclists a difficult hazard to pass.

[gazza_]

This video at 12seconds you cut in front of an R plated Clio that I bet didn't see you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4QjEZoA ... F4150F8FCF

You can't really judge it well from the vid but the clio remained stationary 2 foot from the centre line and I went down the centre line to the right of the golf. But from the vid it's a fair point. Weird how there is no comment about someone clearly running a red light though...

and when you undertook the cerment wagon at the halt sign the wagon hadden stpped and you passed it closer than he did you.

Ok - the cement mixer did not give me the room specified in the highway code - unless Rizla have started making cars and last time I checked they hadn't, as you can see he is on the brakes when he comes past me as he has to be to stop in time for the halt sign, as soon as I realised he was alongside me and I knew he was going to have to slow down ( probably realised before he did...) I hit the brakes and slowed down whilst he was alongside me. And what would have happened if I hadn't slowed down when he pulled left in front of me - yes, he'd have hit me... So, I hit the brakes earlier than I normally would of done and still got to the halt sign before them. Figure out the implication that has in their pass.. Yep - he could have stayed behind and probably arrived there at the same time...

It's known as bike blindness - a driver gets so fixated on passing a bike they forget about the other hazards out there. I've had cars fly past me and then immediately lock the wheels trying to avoid hitting a stationary car turning right...

and the one that says. "is this a good place to pass"
well you can see the junction, you can see up the road, yes it may be a bend but you can see if anybody is there on the other side of the road, so really cant see any fault with that one, least they gave you plenty of room.

So you can't see a problem with passing on a junction or on a bend ??? And it wasn't plenty of room - they passed me right on the apex of the bend - all it would have taken is for me to have had to move 6 or 8 inches right due to a pothole or a manhole cover and I'd not be sat here typing this.

And it's not once I've been hit in the last year - its THREE times - the last one was the first one that put me in hospital though. In each case it was the same thing, vehicle starts to pass me, gets alongside, assumes they have passed me and pulls left whilst I'm either by the passenger window (I kid you not - I was hit on the arm by the door pillar of a car...) or the rear passenger window.. Imagine what would have happened if I hadn't braked when the cement truck passed me. He pulls left and I end up under his wheels....

But see what you want, you weren't there, you weren't the one at risk so what do you care ?

And I didn't come here looking for sympathy - fair warning has been given - cut me up, make me brake or swerve or even hit me and the vid will be used to back up what I tell the police actually happened not what you think happened.

lol as you said you cant really judge the clio was stopped from the video, but then you go on to say that everything eles was close as you can see from the video.
so when you do wrong you cant judge but when they do wrong you can, ok got you on that

hmm you knew that you have to brake before the cerment wagon i dowt that vary much, do you know how many times a day they use that road, can be up to 10 times a day, 5 days a week, most of the lads have been at that plant 3-4 years so thats 3900 times they drove up to that halt sign in 3 years doing it 5 times a day, i some how think they know that road a bit better than you.

No i cant see the problem at the junction or the bend.
the fact you can see the junction so can see if there is any cars on it ready to turn right so in no way is that unsafe.
and same gos for the bend, you can see if anything is comeing so is safe to over take, or cut the white line if you need to, its not double white lines so your in your right to go over the white line if needs be.

and when the car over took you on the cornor he was over the white line, so if a car had been coming the other way what would have happined if you moved over 6-8in, same applys.

I give it a few months of you going down the cops shop till they get to the point of thinking, "o F**K he is again, get rob the new boy to deal with it i cant be bothered to listern to his wineing about something that he cant prove only from his word and a cam that does not show clearly anything that we could use"

[=^..^=]

lol as you said you cant really judge the clio was stopped from the video, but then you go on to say that everything eles was close as you can see from the video.
so when you do wrong you cant judge but when they do wrong you can, ok got you on that

Simple instructions
1. Read the highway code on passing a bike
2. Compare the gap given with a 'small car'. We aren't talking about the difference between 6/8 inches we are talking about the difference between 6/8 inches and small car. Fairly easy to see.

hmm you knew that you have to brake before the cerment wagon i dowt that vary much, do you know how many times a day they use that road, can be up to 10 times a day, 5 days a week, most of the lads have been at that plant 3-4 years so thats 3900 times they drove up to that halt sign in 3 years doing it 5 times a day, i some how think they know that road a bit better than you.

What does practice make? Perfect? No, it makes habit. And how many times have they travelled down that road and and tried to pass me? A lot less. In fact I'd hazard a guess at never. I'd remember. So regardless of how many times you do something in a certain way if you change one of the variables then it's a whole new ball game isn't it ?? Where as I have a wealth of experience in being passed by vehicles in that section of road so in reality I probably know more about it.

And of course as I haven't got suspension and 80psi in my tyres I really, really know that road well as I've ridden it over 600 times in the last 2 1/2 years...

In all seriousness and I'm not taking the piss or trying to put you on the spot here - It seems like you know a lot about the drivers from that company - show them the vid, see if you can find the driver and see what they think - they might go "sh*t - I didn't realise that was what it looked like for him" and that is all it needs - viewing from the perspective of the guy that is going to get seriously F**K up if there is an accident. I don't want to hold them up, I want to keep out of their way but I also don't want to get run over!! Again

No i cant see the problem at the junction or the bend.

The road traffic act can. And it makes that distinction. It's like crossing a solid white. You either did or you didn't. Did you overtake on a junction. Yes = three points.

I give it a few months of you going down the cops shop till they get to the point of thinking, "o * naughty f word* he is again, get rob the new boy to deal with it i cant be bothered to listern to his wineing about something that he cant prove only from his word and a cam that does not show clearly anything that we could use"

I doubt that. More likely it will be "give it to Rob - he cycles..."

Anyway - we ain't going to agree but seriously point your mates at the cement place to the vid and see what they think.

[man83g]

I only watched one video and that was the jck wagon that went passed you. Seamed perfectly reasonably to me. Don't get me wrong I sympathise that you were in an accident but most drivers are fairly considerate of cyclists that obey the rules of the road. I really doubt that your one man helmet cam avenging angel thing is going to do anything but stress you out and give you hours of footage to edit. Gazza is probably right, the new boy will get your job and won't really know what to do anyway. I also agee with most other comments, I make no secret that I'm no fan of cyclists, especially the Lycra clad ones that ride in packs making everyone behind them travel at their speed!! I do however ride my bike to work sometimes, but am always extremely mindful that I am the one in danger and take extra caution that I'm not riding in a vulnerable place. After all it's the cyclist that will get hurt NOT the motor vehicle!!!

[gazza_]

Anyway - we ain't going to agree but seriously point your mates at the cement place to the vid and see what they think.

nope i dont have any mates at the plant,
i could not tell you any off there names

[Nitro]

Firstly : I agree with most of what you say Mr cat, but as a driver it isn't always possible to give cyclists enough room and overtake as the highway code suggests, where I can I will (and do).

Secondly : I've seen cyclists riding dangerously, riding across zebras (while people are crossing or waiting), through red lights, up on pavements, Its important not to tar people with the same brush, you're going to get idiots whether on a bike or a motorist.

Thirdly : Life's too short!, Its going to end up a tit for tat battle, Yes you got hit, but thats one car drivers fault, not all of us.

[warby]

Firstly : I agree with most of what you say Mr cat, but as a driver it isn't always possible to give cyclists enough room and overtake as the highway code suggests, where I can I will (and do).

Secondly : I've seen cyclists riding dangerously, riding across zebras (while people are crossing or waiting), through red lights, up on pavements, Its important not to tar people with the same brush, you're going to get idiots whether on a bike or a motorist.

Thirdly : Life's too short!, Its going to end up a tit for tat battle, Yes you got hit, but thats one car drivers fault, not all of us.

Amen to that sister!!

Same as my response but with less angry

[gazza_]

seen a cyclest go though a red light on a crossing today, yes the people had just that moment stepped on the pavemnet, but the light was still red so that means stop, he was a over it well before the lights changed to green.

I think a law should be brought in that all bike useres have to be registed, and a number plate on the bike, that way we can report them,
that seams fair to me,
£5 a year should be plenty to cover the cost.
and i also think that they should have insurance.
because i can tell you now i would drag somebody to court and make them pay for any damage that was there fault, if they had no cover. if not a nice CCJ wil do on your recored

[Nitro]

As more cyclists are on the road than ever before I think laws should change, weed the idiots out before someone gets hurt and make a small theory test available showing dangers to pedestrians/other road users and show what the highway code is!

If I have to do a CBT for a 50cc scooter (capable of max 30ish mph), well i've gone faster than 30mph on a pushbike, with worse brakes than a moped and no helmet! (as not compulsory!).

With every increasing fuel costs, lighter and electric cycles becoming more popular and readily available its obvious we have to accommodate for the future, perhaps Mark Cavendish could lead the way, I'd imagine he's had his fair share of near misses on the road...........

[gazza_]

i think thats a good idea nitro, cant see why not,
the insurance could be linked to the the reg of the bike, no insurance no plate allowed.
anyone found without one to be fined etc etc.

kids bikes could be registed for free, would be a good idea, least then if a poor kid is involved in a crash the cops can find out who they are quicker and inform the parents.

=^..^= as your a biker how would you feel about this,