[sjb2332]

Ok that might sound a bit dramatic but I got pulled over tonight and had a blazing row – all because I didn’t signal to pull across the road outside my house …
The fact that I was coming downhill and had both hands on the brakes didn’t wash …

I explained my personal safety was more important than the need to give hand signals but it didn’t matter

Its a pity they aren’t as committed to bike crime …

ps my daily commute is 9 miles each way so I’d like to think that after 2 years ( of no accidents) I’m a good judge of what works

Topic

[JonD]

atgni wrote:Highway code rule

atgni wrote:

Highway code rule 67 – you should…Give a clear signal to show other road users what you indeed to do…

Not a MUST. You seem to describe you house as on a blind corner so some indication or slowing down more does sound a good idea or possible crossing a bit earlier if that’d work.

As an aside, it’s interesting how many people – including some of the more bike friendly Police – translate the ‘not more than two abreast’ to be ‘never more than..’, despite the fact that has a ‘should’ attached, not a ‘must’, never quite worked out the grammar blindness m’self…

[brooksby]

A separate, but related
A separate, but related issue, is the question of indicating or not when approaching parked cars in your lane.

Motorists are apparently able to just smoothly (or not so smoothly) move out and around them, with or without indicating.

But the same motorists seem to expect cyclists to do a Danny MacAskill and go over the top of parked cars rather than moving out and around them: and if the cyclist doesn’t indicate, as he isn’t changing lane, simply moving to a slightly different position in his lane, well, that really gets the steam up ’em.

[AJ101]

This may not be what you want
This may not be what you want to hear but if he’s taken the time to make his point then maybe he saw something that he thought could be dangerous rather than pedantic. If he;s not nicking you then he’s probably not doing it for his own benefit. His blood pressure can stay lower but just carrying on and not getting involved!

But yeah you are indeed right if its just highway code rather than letter of the law then there’s technically not a problem. id still take his advice though, even if you choose to ignore it later.

[Mungecrundle]

Re OP.
I think you may have
Re OP.
I think you may have to accept that a Police Traffic Officer, a driver trained to very exacting standards, probably knows more about roadcraft than you do. Personally I’m always willing to consider advice even if it’s a sarcastic comment from someone because it tells you something about their perception of what you thought was a perfectly reasonable manoeuvre.

Re video in previous comment.
Does seem to have been selectively cut, the rider may or may not have signaled before entering the roundabout but in the very first frame he is already on the roundabout, he has priority and his road position and attitude turning in on the bike show his obvious intent to go round. Very poor observation and anticipation skills from the driving instructor. But… It tells you something about the drivers perspective and if I was the cyclist involved I’d be thinking:

1. What a tw@t. Obviously
2. Why did the car driver not see my signal.
3. Did I anticipate that the car was entering the roundabout too quick? Did I have a plan ‘B’
4. Could my road positioning have been even better?

[climber]

Apologies for me screwing up
Apologies for me screwing up the quotes in my post.
I meant to reply the below to what TheHound posted about scrubbing speed etc.

“Could’nt agree more. Think ahead and act accordingly, not only for your own safety but that of others on the road. Surely it should be easy especially as it’s on a road/junction you know well. Maybe the police were wrong to stop you, but it was made worse by arguing.
I’ve found if I behave sensibly, courteously and considerately then I avoid most problems. Please note the “most”.”

Sorry to all concerned.

[Anonymous]

Kadinkski wrote:Is this
[quote=Kadinkski]Is this you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fWyOLC2n5Y%5B/quote%5D

Video starts too late to show whether the cyclist signalled on the approach to the roundabout. I suspect that he did as the car driver stopped and was not giving way to any cars turning right or coming from his immediate right.

Video posted by pompous prat of a driving instructor who should know better and falls into the category of very selective editing.

[Kadinkski]

Is this
Is this you?

[climber]

TheHound wrote:sjb2332

TheHound wrote:

[quote=sjb2332]
If you’re going downhill and need to move across the road, scrub your speed in plenty of time to enable you to signal and continue braking after if necessary. It’s really just common sense.

I always signal well in advance of any manoeuvre, so people around me have plenty of time to adjust their own actions accordingly, and allowing me to keep both hands on the bars as I do whatever I need to do.

The fact I have to explain this scares the crap out of me, knowing I have to share the roads with certain people (motorists and cyclists included).

Could’nt agree more. Think ahead and act accordingly, not only for your own safety but that of others on the road. Surely it should be easy especially as it’s on a road/junction you know well. Maybe the police were wrong to stop you, but it was made worse by arguing.
I’ve found if I behave sensibly, courteously and considerately then I avoid most problems. Please note the “most”.

[jova54]

Quote: “ps my daily commute
Quote: “ps my daily commute is 9 miles each way so I’d like to think that after 2 years ( of no accidents) I’m a good judge of what works”

You are not the arbiter of whether you are a good judge of what works. It is purely your opinion. It’s the people around you who make that judgement.

The fact you have not been involved in an accident i 2 years is also no measure of your ability. Plenty of drivers/cyclists can claim 20,30, 40 etc: years without an accident but who knows how many they’ve caused.

If you begin to think you can’t learn from an experience then you’re getting complacent and that leads to reducing your awareness and getting involved in a collision, not an ‘accident’, that will be your fault.

[P3t3]

sjb
In these circumstances
sjb

In these circumstances its best to look up the “authority” section in your life handbook compiled during your time at the university of life.

In there you will find the first rule of authority:

Authority never backs down.

Its not about whether you were right or wrong. Since you didn’t know already I assume you just havn’t got to this module of your course yet. If you already covered it then its always good to put theory into practice…

[MKultra]

If you are moving to fast to
If you are moving to fast to signal safely then apply the brakes and then signal.

You came to a stop on other side of the road anyway so it would have made no difference to your progress only to your safety

Getting into a rage because plod offered words of advice does not help matters.

[Lavaman]

How offensive !!
Posting
How offensive !!

Posting ‘F**k the police’ on an open sporting forum is either offensive, provocative, shows a complete lack of awareness or is a combination of all of the above.

How many police ride bikes ? How would you recognise an off duty policeman/woman while out and about enjoying themselves on said bike. Maybe one or two of them even use the internet and may even peruse this site.

There have been a couple of times when I have been ‘spoken to’ and at the time was pretty angry. Stupid really as each and every time there was a reason, speeding, jumping a red light, acting like a ‘doos’, etc.

As in most things in life every action results in a some reaction and I suggest that maybe in this instance there was a pretty valid reason for you being pulled over.

Rewind and think through what you did and said, look at the way you have reacted (posting this dross) and you may find the answer !

[surly_by_name]

This is a stupid debate and I
This is a stupid debate and I am a little bit ashamed of myself for perpetuating it. In my experience, when you get stopped by the police you should be unfailingly polite; without necessarily conceding that you have done anything wrong, you should agree with everything they say and leave them with the impression that you are eternally grateful that they stopped you and imparted their wisdom to you in a way that you will never, ever forget. If you have a forelock, you should tug it. This approach has two obvious benefits. First, it generally shortens the duration of the overall interaction (good for you, you get home sooner). Second, it makes the rozzers feel like they are making a difference (good for them, everyone needs a bit of affirmation now and again).

Arguing with them is a complete waste of your time and theirs. It doesn’t matter to the two chaps (and/or chapettes) in the car that you may be correct. They have stopped you and they are now committed to a particular course of action, ie telling you that you are in the wrong. Does anyone honestly imagine that at this point they are going to convince plod that he has made a mistake? Can you imagine Plod X returning to the car and saying to Plod Y “My mistake, blokey over there on the bike really knows his stuff, explained to me just how wrong I was. Won’t let that happen again, very embarrassing! I’m off home to revise on the Highway Code as soon as my shift is over”. As opposed to “get the taser ready, this one is trouble”.

And suggesting to them that they might better spend their time apprehending criminals (or people on mobile phones) is red rag to a bull stuff – why would you poke the bear? (Don’t ever remind anyone that their job is shit, people don’t like to have it pointed out that they have made a futile life choice.)

[TheHound]

sjb2332 wrote:Why do you feel

sjb2332 wrote:

Why do you feel the need to call me an idiot cyclist ?

If you met me on a train and i told you my story would you be brave enough to call me an idiot to my face ?

probably not……

Why do you feel the need to hide behind your keyboard and take pot shots – why not offer something constructive instead ?

I would have absolutely no problem calling you an idiot if you display the behaviour you have on here.

However my idiot comment wasn’t specifically directed you. But you, as well as the other people trying to justify not signalling a manoeuvre. It’s not a courtesy thing, it’s a safety thing for all involved.

If you’re going downhill and need to move across the road, scrub your speed in plenty of time to enable you to signal and continue braking after if necessary. It’s really just common sense.

I always signal well in advance of any manoeuvre, so people around me have plenty of time to adjust their own actions accordingly, and allowing me to keep both hands on the bars as I do whatever I need to do.

The fact I have to explain this scares the crap out of me, knowing I have to share the roads with certain people (motorists and cyclists included).

[Joeinpoole]

sjb2332 wrote:Why do you feel

sjb2332 wrote:

Why do you feel the need to call me an idiot cyclist ?

If you met me on a train and i told you my story would you be brave enough to call me an idiot to my face ?

probably not……

Why do you feel the need to hide behind your keyboard and take pot shots – why not offer something constructive instead ?

To use your analogy … did you say “f**k the police” to their faces? Probably not …

If anyone is hiding behind a keyboard, taking pot-shots and being unconstructive then it is surely your good self.

You’ve had plenty of good advice on this bizarre thread you started. You are just refusing to accept any of it.

It is *not* difficult to signal right whilst remaining in control of your bike, even when braking going downhill. You simply slow to a speed you can handle one-handed before doing so. You probably need to slow down before making the turn anyway … so just slow down a bit earlier. Easy isn’t it?

You need to stop being such a self-righteous arse on a bike and instead ride with courtesy to other road-users. You strike me as exactly the sort of person who gives cyclists a bad name and adds to the armoury of motorists who hate us. If you treat other road-users with respect it is far more likely that they will treat you with respect.

[Author]

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