Too Close For Comfort

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11 Responses

  1. Karen Gee says:

    Good points although I’d argue that the real answer is to change the conversation at a governmental and local governmental level to stop cyclists and motorists having to share the same space. They don’t have these close pass problems in The Netherlands (although they do have the debate about mopeds in bike lanes!)

    • Diana says:

      I agree although I do not believe there will ever be a time when club rides us cycle paths so to some degree space will always need to be shared. With a brilliant network of cycle paths where I live I would make full use of them on my cargo bike, riding with the kids and for getting places, however, I would still use the roads for training rides on my road bike at 15mph+. To do otherwise would be irresponsible.

    • Peter Clinch says:

      There is a great deal of road space in NL shared with bikes and motors, but a crucial point is a significant chunk of that is 30 km/h residential non-through (for motors) where it’s much less of an issue. You do have to share, but you don’t generally have to share with fast and/or heavy motor traffic.

      Having said all that, you’re broadly on the money in the change of conversation needed. It boils down to building in cycling as a serious transport modality from the start to the end of the planning and building process. That is why NL is so different, the fietspads are just a part of the outcome.

  2. David Sleigh says:

    Very sensible comments. The increase in close pass initiatives is brilliant and I think that the roads are better than they were in terms of behaviour although I couldn’t quantify that. I still get the odd punishment pass but not that many. The rest are ignorance, mis-judgement and not thinking for a second in the rush to get some where. You are right arguing, it is a waste of breath that just entrenches views further. Education and behaviour change is likely to be the best way here.

  3. Lizzie says:

    Very well said. I have in fact just emailed a local business reporting one of their drivers who passed me frighteningly close yesterday when I had pulled out to avoid damaged road. He would have seen me do this well in advance and had no excuse. I gave the company a link to Cycling UK’s close pass film and suggested they get their drivers to watch it.

  4. Clive Durdle says:

    I think drivers are in a dream world imagining they are in a Grand Prix. Overtaking is then naturally to give one inch to spare on a corner with a dozen other drivers doing the same. In Kensington you also get the exhaust noise.

  5. Thomas says:

    I’m not convinced that conversation is going to solve this issue. Over and over many people in motor vehicles have shown, that when left unchecked, they don’t follow the rules. The threat of 3 points is useless without enforcement and the psychology of humans in cars has shown that we lose our human connection when controlling these large machines unless continually jarred back into reality. Awareness campaigns are not enough, if the Police really want to protect us, they get out there and start dishing out those points. There are just not enough hours in the day for people riding cycles to go around “talking” to every person in a motor vehicle.

  6. Tim Tucker says:

    Any thoughts on this idea of using a pool noodle to give drivers a wider visual target to avoid?
    https://qz.com/1620913/the-best-cycling-hack-is-a-pool-noodle/

    • Diana says:

      I’ve seen that and am not sure what to make of it to be honest. Great if something makes it safer to be on a bike, but at the same time surely this shouldn’t be necessary.

  1. July 20, 2020

    […] is fairly big (albeit smaller than even the smallest car) and very slow. I don’t like it when cars squeeze past me so I pull in to let them pass if they are going to be stuck for any distance. When I do so, I […]

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