Colleagues

[ABlipInContinuity]

I was behind a colleagues car this morning on the way into work.

It was very very wet with with heavy rain and standing water. He was tailgating the van in front. At one set of lights the van jumped the amber and my colleague drew to a stop in the ASL. At the second set the lights were on red well before he pulled up at them. Again in the ASL. It was the same story at the third set.

This time I pulled alongside him in the ASL and dryly remarked "Nice bicycle".

Now he has spent the morning ranting to another colleague how the last things he wants is some holier than thou cyclist going on at him when he's spent an hour travelling into work.

A fairly typical and predictable response I guess. But I'm still disappointed. I expected better of this person. I did send the following email when I arrived:

Sorry for the 'remark' this morning but it's painfully annoying finding drivers occupying 'cycle boxes' at the best of times, let alone in wet weather. After all, the last thing I want is to be sitting behind a queue of traffic when Joe Bloggs adjusting his radio realises that there is stationary traffic ahead, panic brakes and loses his tyre's adhesion to the road.

I've not been dignyfied with a response and in hindsight I could probably have worded it better. He just continued complaining about me. Maybe I'll be hearing from my Staff Manager soon about it. I'll put this down to experience and just learn to expect less of people.

At least I didn't mention his near side mirror that's suffering serious droop. 

[ABlipInContinuity]

I maybe judged too quickly. Said colleague has just apologised and said he will try and be more considerate in future.

Is "holier than thou cyclist" a common phrase or do people pick it up from somewhere?

[Greenbank]

I maybe judged too quickly. Said colleague has just apologised and said he will try and be more considerate in future.

Is "holier than thou cyclist" a common phrase or do people pick it up from somewhere?

"holier than thou <x>" is a common phrase.

[iakobski]

So he jumps three red lights, and then complains about the cyclist!

[edit]
From your second post, looks like someone he regailed with this story may have pointed it out to him.

[Jasmine]

My boss occasionally whinges about cyclists riding over the Menai Bridge on the road and how they make him drive slower (for a least 15 seconds).  Every time he does it another colleague takes great delight in pointing out that I cycle that way and ride the road (as opposed to the pavement).  My boss always looks mortified.  Strangely he always forgets and will bring it up again in about 6 weeks time.  He has only once come across me cycling and commented the next day that he was surprised I could ride the same speed as the traffic.   

[Jasmine]

So he jumps three red lights, and then complains about the cyclist!

[edit]
From your second post, looks like someone he regailed with this story may have pointed it out to him.

Most people I know don't know that crossing the first stop line into the ASL is jumping the red light.  They see the second light as the stop line and the first line as an optional stop line.  I've seen driving instructors do it, who really should know better.

[ABlipInContinuity]

So he jumps three red lights, and then complains about the cyclist!

[edit]
From your second post, looks like someone he regailed with this story may have pointed it out to him.

Most people I know don't know that crossing the first stop line into the ASL is jumping the red light.  They see the second light as the stop line and the first line as an optional stop line.  I've seen driving instructors do it, who really should know better.

Agreed. In my experience I don't think I've ever spoken to a non-cyclist who has recognised the ASL. On the bright side, they have seemed interested when I've explained them.

And in fairness, they weren't common place when I had driving lessons ten years ago. Well not where I had them, anyway. I don't even recall getting any explanation of them.

[Greenbank]

And in fairness, they weren't common place when I had driving lessons ten years ago. Well not where I had them, anyway. I don't even recall getting any explanation of them.

I was under the impression that it is every drivers duty to keep in touch with new traffic laws and regulations by rereading an up to date Highway Code every few years. Of course not many drivers do, and if they have, many choose to ignore them.

[Julian]

You will make more friends with a cheery wave to your colleague as he passes you, making him a coffee, and having a chat, where you could casually slip into the conversation that bike boxes are for bikes, than you will by telling him off.

People who have cyclist friends are less likely to behave badly round them.

[Wendy]

I don't really care if a driver parks in the ASL.  It's hardly a useful cycling safety measure, and it's possible for cars to go in there perfectly legally anyway.

I might tease my colleague, but I wouldn't care about him being in the ASL.

[ABlipInContinuity]

You will make more friends with a cheery wave to your colleague as he passes you, making him a coffee, and having a chat, where you could casually slip into the conversation that bike boxes are for bikes, than you will by telling him off.

People who have cyclist friends are less likely to behave badly round them.

hmmm you haven't tried my coffee!

[Julian]

Fair point!

[MattH]

Agreed. In my experience I don't think I've ever spoken to a non-cyclist who has recognised the ASL. On the bright side, they have seemed interested when I've explained them.

The best I heard was somebody complaining about the (admittedly) generally poor design of roads where they live. They commented that the council had even put in a very stupid bike lane next to a large, busy roundabout; the entrances to the roundabout are all traffic light controlled dual carriageways, and they had put in a "bike lane to nowhere" which only went to the central reservation of the dual carriageway. It took a while to click that this "bike lane" was actually an ASL 

[dkahn400]

I was under the impression that it is every drivers duty to keep in touch with new traffic laws and regulations by rereading an up to date Highway Code every few years.

This is Earth. I think you may have mistaken it for some other planet.