Nearly hurt a cyclist last night!

[fuzzy]

Riding home along the A4 towards Maidenhead, approaching the Thames bridge after which I would turn right to Cookham. Usual queue of stationary/ stop start traffic, which I am filtering along the right side, using the gaps in the oncoming traffic to make progress. I had passed an MTB with panniers, keeping with the traffic flow, about 500 yards previously and said hello to the rider. He said hello back.

Anyway, vehicle are moving at about 12-15 MPH so I am sitting to the right of the lane, just off the rear offside corner of the car in front of me, holding my position. The queue slows so I start to pass and continue filtering on the right. I then hear what I can only describe as a skwawk from behind me. i look and the MTB is right on my shoulder setting to pass me as I pass the cars. he is nearly forced into oncoming traffic. I brake and move left to give him room and he continues past, pulling ahead of the cars, into a gap wher he moves into the left side of the lane to go straight ahead. I pull into the same gap, setting to turn right at the roundabout. I say- nearly had you there- sorry! to which he laughs then continues on his way.

I was cross with myself for not seeing him and nearly getting him hurt/ killed but now I think about it, I'm not so sure he wasn't being a bit dodgy by trying to pass me without warning when he did. To my mind, my positioning made it clear that my intentions were to continue filtering on the right

[Mrs Pingu]

I would say that when you're filtering you have to expect that sort of thing (i.e. he should have) - especially when he'd just seen you doing it.
OTOH it could have been a big feck off m/bike and you could have been toast.

Not trying to say I'm blemish free - I've had a collision with a ped while filtering... 

[rae]

was cross with myself for not seeing him and nearly getting him hurt/ killed but now I think about it, I'm not so sure he wasn't being a bit dodgy by trying to pass me without warning when he did. 

Bloke tries to overtake you in the face of oncoming traffic and you beat yourself up about it?  You're way too hard on yourself. 

If you ride up that road from Maidenhead bridge to Cookham, then you'll ride past those fields with really nasty rusty barbed wire.   Do you imagine how much it would hurt to come off onto them every time you ride past?  I do....

[David Martin]

So you pull out to the right without signalling or looking behind?

Lesson learned there I think. Did the same many years ago in London. Always, always always do the lifesaver check.

..d

[Greenbank]

So you pull out to the right without signalling or looking behind?

Lesson learned there I think. Did the same many years ago in London. Always, always always do the lifesaver check.

Have to agree. A change in road position should always be preceded by an observation.

But it's good that you apologised and it was taken in good spirits by the other rider.

[Ian H]

So you pull out to the right without signalling or looking behind?

Lesson learned there I think. Did the same many years ago in London. Always, always always do the lifesaver check.

..d

Yes, but he was pretty clueless and unobservant. I'd have kicked myself if I'd done what he did.

[fuzzy]

If you ride up that road from Maidenhead bridge to Cookham, then you'll ride past those fields with really nasty rusty barbed wire.   Do you imagine how much it would hurt to come off onto them every time you ride past?  I do....

I'd never thought about it till now! Parts of my anatomy are now shrinking and tightening as I visualise it.

So you pull out to the right without signalling or looking behind?

No, I do check behind. I was pulled out to the right already, just not proceeding beyond the rear of the car in front. I may have moved fractionaly further right as I started to accelerate but not by much. I suppose I equate waht he was doing to a motorcycle overtaking a motorcycle which was already overtaking stationary traffic.

Lesson learned there I think. Did the same many years ago in London. Always, always always do the lifesaver check.

Yes. lesson- 'always expect the unexpected!'

[Greenbank]

We're only going on what you said which made it sound like you were admitting fault.

His actions were very numptyish though.

[spen666]

Riding home along the A4 towards Maidenhead, approaching the Thames bridge after which I would turn right to Cookham. Usual queue of stationary/ stop start traffic, which I am filtering along the right side, using the gaps in the oncoming traffic to make progress. I had passed an MTB with panniers, keeping with the traffic flow, about 500 yards previously and said hello to the rider. He said hello back.

Anyway, vehicle are moving at about 12-15 MPH so I am sitting to the right of the lane, just off the rear offside corner of the car in front of me, holding my position. The queue slows so I start to pass and continue filtering on the right. I then hear what I can only describe as a skwawk from behind me. i look and the MTB is right on my shoulder setting to pass me as I pass the cars. he is nearly forced into oncoming traffic. I brake and move left to give him room and he continues past, pulling ahead of the cars, into a gap wher he moves into the left side of the lane to go straight ahead. I pull into the same gap, setting to turn right at the roundabout. I say- nearly had you there- sorry! to which he laughs then continues on his way.

I was cross with myself for not seeing him and nearly getting him hurt/ killed but now I think about it, I'm not so sure he wasn't being a bit dodgy by trying to pass me without warning when he did. To my mind, my positioning made it clear that my intentions were to continue filtering on the right

I hope you issued yourself with a FPN for careless and inconsiderate riding

[Si]

No, I do check behind. I was pulled out to the right already, just not proceeding beyond the rear of the car in front. I may have moved fractionaly further right as I started to accelerate but not by much. I suppose I equate waht he was doing to a motorcycle overtaking a motorcycle which was already overtaking stationary traffic.

If you were going in a straight line then I don't see as it was your fault - if he was going to over take you he should have been giving you the same amount of room that he would give a car (or what ever the HC says) and should expect cyclists to wobble a bit (again in the HC).  The fact that he was a cyclist too doesn't mean that he gets any special priviledges when it comes to over taking!

As he obviously wasn't at all annoyed by the incident I don't think that you ought to be beating yourself up about it.

[matthew]

fuzzy

you are both filtering so both have to be careful, however the guy behind you can see you and what you are doing.

I nearly picked up a motor cyclist recently, A322 Swinley Bottom to the A30. Filtering between the two lanes of crawling traffic (duel carriage way) I heard a motor cyclist coming up behind me so I timed it and ducked into a small gap between two cars in the left hand lane without slowing (up hill). Motor bike went past and I caught up with the car in front so I started to move out to continue filtering. I am just glad I looked because the Second motor bike would have hurt. As it was I had to brake hard and loose valuable momentum up hill. May be I should have just held my place and annoyed the Motorcyclists.

Matthew