Coming up to Belgrave Square, the road becomes one-way with two lanes (left turn only and straight on). Loads of road users, cyclists and motorists, don't bother to change lanes and just go straight on in the left lane. I always change into the straight on lane, because there are cars waiting to pull out up ahead and if you were in the left-only lane they could, understandably, assume you were turning and pull out in front of you (even though after getting onto the square I move over to the left because I turn left off it).
This morning, one car pulled out in front of me with enough room to spare, fine. But then the WVM followed him, lemming-like, at the last minute. I did a braking/swerving thing in the pouring rain, have no idea how I managed not to come off (everything seemed to slow down) and avoided him by inches, he braked at the last minute, and, laughing, asked if I was ok through the window. I was too shocked to utter anything much, and steered round him, and he overtook me on the right. I gave him an incredulous look as he passed, and him and his mate were both laughing and smiling and waving what might have been an apology. It was the laughing that really upset me, I came so close and they just found it funny.
I felt a right state after that and if it wasn't such awful weather would have pulled over and had a cry (tears are my normal shock reaction). But then in Hyde Park a cyclist was fiddling with his bike upside down, and after initially saying he was ok then admitted he didn't have the right size allen key. I did, so I lent it to him and took a breather while he fixed his bike, it was probably just as well because I felt a bit calmer once I set off again, and he was very grateful that anyone had stopped in the rain.
I normally do the eye contact thing at junctions, but it was pretty hard to do in this weather (my glasses were covered in rain as was his windshield).
