Shaun Rimmer wrote:
Every day I get buzzed, and at stupid silly speeds. The road I commute on is
a narrow country lane (2 cars wide, no shoulder or pavement). Most of the
road is at the national speed limit of 70 mph. The drivers all think they
have to be travelling at that speed the minute they see the sign, it's
utterly ridiculous that they can't slow down or move out when passing me,
and having a car pass at 70+ mph no more than 1' from your elbow is
_extremely_ unnerving

70 does make you wobble doesn't it Wince, Saying that I got blasted
onto the curb the other day when a jam sandwich came blasting past at
some crazy speed. Sad thing was about 5 mins later it came blasting back
the other way. I guess the local cop-shops chips where getting cold..
Chuckle

Just a couple of weeks ago on the way up the hill, I heard a car coming up
fast behind me. I looked over my shoulder, and he's way out on the other
side of the road. Cool, thinks me, I'm safe. Huh, ******* swerved towards me
on purpose, hammering the engine and just missed me. Small rally styled
sports car, must've been doing 80 mph - the air blast as he passed knocked
my front wheel into the ditch. I screamed swear words (pointlessly I know)
at him, stood on the pedals and gave every crude hand gesture I knew, hoping
he'd see and come back to give me ****, but he just kept on motoring up the
road. It took me the rest of the journey to work plus 2 hours to stop
shaking.

Nasty... Those boy racers are not cool when it comes to pedestrians and
cyclists.. A couple of times around here I looked behind me (No cars
within sight) and then signaled right.. Only to find that in the mean
time a frightingly fast boy-racer has managed to "Appear" has made me
very jumpy on right turns.

Mind you I've had a couple of woman driver decide to horn me doing right
turns (I assume because I blocking their progress). In the standard
english tradition I normal return the favour by shouting "Learn to
F**King drive" and presenting them with the accident 2 fingered salute
which is perfect for these occasions..

I started shaking again on the way home, and couldn't bring myself to cycle
in to work for a couple of days afterward and had to bum a lift. I'm still
absolutely furious.

Saying that Shaun, I've had similar in the car, after a couple of close
calls and accualy hitting somebody. I am convinced that anyone wanting
to doa right turn ont he road I'm driving on is going to attempt to
drive into me.

The last time it happened I was so CROSS I accualy followed the chap
(who had basicly tried to drive into me) flashing my headlights and
sounding my horn..

Then again the Jeep takes very little damage from impacts, obviously I
don't feel quite so secure when riding the bike..

Basicly I think that UK roads are being driving by more and more
complete buck eejits...than ever before..


Gyp

(I do not drive a small, trvial car, nor am I a small or trvial MTB
rider)...
(http://anoraks.uk.net/gallery/Gyp)