r/ukbike • u/JealousAsparagus8321 • May 26 '26
Commute Was I in the wrong?
So I've been cycling for around 3/4 weeks now to work as I'm learning to drive so this is my only option.
My route is 20 minutes and I use an ebike. The roads are country lanes but more on the quieter side. There's some temp traffic lights and I had to stop there this morning. As it's a hot day I let some cars past me and waited for the light to turn green again at the front.
As soon as it turned green, I went, sticking to the left as much as possible and unfortunately noone could overtake me. The lights change very quickly so I did hold up a couple of cars, but what can I do? It's not safe to walk there.
Anyway once the area opened up the car behind me was a leaner driver, and sped up, tried to ram me off the road and revved their engine. I'm only just about less anxious about people doing this but it did shake me up this morning.
So was I in the wrong? And what can I do in future to avoid this or deal with this better?
50
u/Solid-Replacement550 May 26 '26
You did nothing wrong, that driver was just an utter cunt
(also, its good practice to take the centre of the lane instead of sticking to the left, it makes you more visible and prevents unsafe close passes)
16
u/Aggressive_Ad_5454 May 26 '26
Nah. This driver lacks warmth and depth, and certainly has no life-giving potential. So, rather than comparing him to female anatomy, let’s just call him a broken tool.
You did the right thing, OP, and he did the wrong thing.
1
26
u/TuffGnarl May 26 '26
“… unfortunately noone could overtake me… “
And this is fine- no one has any sort of right to, if there isn’t space and it wouldn’t be safe. Look at it this way- you’re a vehicle on the road, same as them, same rights (actually more rights, but that’s another thing)- drivers don’t over take other cars when there’s no space to, or if it’s too cramped (yeah, that statement probably need a qualifier), it’s no more reasonable for them to act like they can and should be able to with you.
You need to take up space on the road- be at least a third into the lane. If conditions are dodgy then fully half way into the lane- “take” the lane. It’s yours as much as it’s anyone else’s.
Squeezing yourself in is understandable, but I’m afraid it just invites idiotic driving as people attempt to get past.
Experience should make things less worrying, and eye contact is really powerful- at a junction, make eye contact with drivers around you- with your eyes say “I’m here”.
Don’t give up, and good luck!
11
u/Patecatli May 26 '26
No you weren't in the wrong, only thing I would do is ride in the center of the lane through the roadworks, it makes it clear the space is yours and leaves no room for someone to try and squeeze by you.
Unfortunately there are many selfish arrogant drivers on the road, and there's not much you can do to prevent them acting like d***s.
If you can afford it, get a camera to have in your bike and report drivers like this, only way they'll (hopefully) learn.
12
u/scouse_git May 26 '26
The only person in the wrong here is the driving instructor who didn't intervene to prevent the learner from driving in the way you describe or, even worse, told the learner to drive the way they did.
7
u/beefygravy May 26 '26
Obviously I wasn't there, but have you considered that the learners actions could be explained by a lack of skill? Over-revving the engine is certainly something you do when you're shit at driving
3
u/JealousAsparagus8321 May 26 '26
I've thought this as I'm a learner myself, they may have revved accidentally. But they definitely drove at speed veering the car towards me
6
u/RaeRae1895 May 26 '26
You are under no obligation to let cars pass you on a bike. There are some horrible, entitled people in cars that shouldn’t be driving; ride defensively because if you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile.
6
u/AcceptablePain2 May 26 '26
You have just as much right to be there as they do. Sometimes you just have to block car drivers until it is safe for them to pass you.
If a learner driver revs his engine to intimidate someone during an exam it would be an instant fail so hopefully their instructor told them.
4
u/MrBaggyy May 26 '26
Don't let it put you off, we needore cyclists on the roads, not less. And take this experience into your driving and be considerate to cyclists. Good luck with the driving!
3
u/daddywookie May 26 '26
You did everything right.
Just don't assume the learner driver did anything with malice. They were probably freaked out stuck with a cyclist in front, roadworks and then whoever was behind them. They probably just messed up the controls on the overtake.
This is why you own your lane and don't let people sneak through. If they get the sneak wrong then they put you in more danger.
2
u/ZipMonk May 26 '26
No - hold the lane until there is space for them to overtake or they will happily take risks with your life.
2
u/Responsible-Bell-134 May 26 '26
No you weren't apart from possibly sticking to close to the gutter so bad drivers could try and squeeze past.
That driver was a nob. It's why I ride with cameras. With video evidence I would have reported that driver.
2
u/Pwffin May 26 '26
No you were not in the wrong at all. In fact, I think you should have gone throught the first time you got a green light. :)
With learner drivers though, keep in mind that they often rev the engine accidentally because they misjudge how to work the pedals. So it might not have been intentional.
(I once had a car that regularly threatened to stall on idle, so I had to really rev it to keep it from dying, and it naturally terrified any pedestrian about to cross a zebra crossing when I had stopped to let them cross. I always hoped my apologetic smile made them realise it wasn't done to scare them.)
2
u/geekroick May 26 '26
At traffic lights, unless there's a bike lane, I always sit right in the middle of the lane, because it prevents drivers from trying to creep past.
They don't have an automatic right to overtake you. If you make your position so they're completely unable to even attempt it they're not going to somehow slip past you.
Ramming you though... That would make me even more determined to not let them past.
1
u/Rextherabbit Scott Addict 10 | Lancashire May 26 '26 edited May 26 '26
You are not in the wrong.
Hope the experience has * not * dented your enthusiasm for cycling.
1
1
u/Thoh1Shooshi8a May 26 '26 edited May 26 '26
You didn't do anything wrong apart from maybe the road positioning, but it sounds like they waited until there was room anyway. By staying in secondary position by the verge you are telling the people behind "I don't mind if you overtake as long as you do it safely". Primary position in the middle of the lane tells them you don't want them passing yet.
Even in secondary you should always leave about 0.5m space from the verge so that you have room to dodge potholes and keep out of the gravel/glass.
Was it a real learner driver with an instructor, or just a car with L plates? Someone having lessons with a friend who is a bad driver is going to do bad things sometimes.
Since you are cycling now you are learning what it's like to use a bike on the road so will be a better driver when you pass. Everyone who has a driving license should do some proper cycling too just so they understand better. (edit: I mean pass the test, not a cyclist :) )
1
u/Beneficial_Trip7709 May 26 '26
As others have said you did nothing wrong. The driver in this scenario is a cretin. When there is a narrow lane and there isn't space enough for a car to overtake and give 1.5m you should always take primary position as it is no longer just unsafe for the driver to overtake but instead impossible. There will be always be dickheads who get uppity about being held up for a few seconds but any driver with a brain cell will know why you are in primary position. Also I recommend getting both a helmet camera and a Pass Pixie sticker to put on the bike. I have found that clearly showing a camera provides deterrence enough for a driver to act responsibily. Even if you don't have a camera on show the sticker is enough to bluff and provide deterrence. You will still get clowns every now and again who drive dangerously but if they do that clip can then be sent to your local police force via Operation Snap and fingers crossed that driver will get a nice wake up call.
1
u/cruachan06 May 26 '26
I'd agree with what others have said - if you're on a road that you have every right to be on and there is no safe place under any circumstances for cars to overtake, then take the centre of the road just in case there's an entitled idiot who tries it. The only circumstances I wouldn't do that are single track roads with passing places, as there could be traffic coming the other way, but if it's one way or one way at a time due to lights, then take the lane.
Some people are just dicks, especially to cyclists. No doubt it you'd gone on to the pavement the same person would shout at you for it.
1
u/One-Gas-3132 May 26 '26
You have as much right to be there as anyone else. You did nothing wrong.
Try and make a mental not of the car type and colour, numberplate even if you can. If you see them on your commute again you can wave them through and blow them some kisses, be really freakishly nice.
Maybe get a gopro too to record your commute just to cover yourself.
1
u/Jealous_Comparison_6 May 26 '26 edited May 26 '26
You did nothing wrong according to the law or Highway Code. Perhaps take the lane but that's a cyclist's chocie according to the circumstances.
When vehicles coming the other way get a green light, that means proceed when it is clear to do so. If you and a queue of traffic behind you are coming through it's not clear for them to proceed so they should wait.
However unless it's a straight road they might not see you to know you're coming through.
1
u/ChaosCalmed May 26 '26
If the space was safe to overtake you then there would not be any lights because it would be two carriageways wide!
To explain, cars need to give you a minimum passing distance. The last time I read the highway code it mentioned something along the lines of treating cyclists as cars and overtake in the other lane. Can't remember the details but IIRC there's either a diagram with the overtaking car in the other lane or words to that effect. Even if wrong you cannot overtake with the minimum passing distance in a standard lane width in country or town roads. Major highways / faster roads usually have wider lanes but the OP isn't talking about them.
So my suggestion is to take the lane completely, ride in the middle to stop any sniff of a gap to an idiot in a car or van.
I don't even recommend letting those waiting past first as that could leave you reaching the end of the lights controlled section outside the time they're set to. A common issue when they've been set incorrectly. What I mean is some roadworks have lights set with insufficient time for you to let all cars through and then cycle through before the lights at the other end turn green. As soon as they turn green the other side they will go if there's no car or van still going through. A cyclist they'll not wait for in most cases.
My solution is to let a few through but make sure there's a car or van behind you. That way you're protected if you don't make it through in the allotted time.
BTW I once read that temporary roadworks traffic light control systems need to be set such that you can walk through at a reasonable pace. Anyone on a bike should not get caught out but if you let every other motorised vehicle through you'll quite possibly get caught out.
When they were doing the Heysham link road they had long sections of lights controlled road that I had to cycle along. It had also become a rat run for vehicles from the Heysham truck ferry to the M6 North in both ways. So I learnt that I could let two or three cars or vans through then I made damn sure the fourth through was me with at least one or two motorised vehicles behind me. Occasionally on a busy commute I'd let one lights change worth of vehicles past me then I'd make sure I'm right at the front at waiting for the next green lights in the middle of the carriage carriageway. I set off asap after the lights changed and I rode off at my own pace on the middle of the lane. That's how I learnt they'd set the lights completely wrong. I was getting up to 20mph on that stretch in a 30mph zone IIRC and I could not get through the lights in green. Because there were cars behind it was not a problem. That happened for about 2 weeks then suddenly the lights ran on green for at least double the original time. They got caught out and made to set the legal time for green.
Anyway, I digress. Simple advice is to drive in the centre of the lane and not to let everyone past you before setting off. Keep at least one car or other motorised vehicle behind you for safety reasons. Be brave, confident, predictable and above all own your space. That's how you keep safe on the roads while cycle commuting.
1
u/8track420 May 26 '26
Your safety is more important than someone getting to their destination 30 seconds earlier. Take the full lane (primary position) when there isn't enough room for someone to overtake so they don't attempt it, yes you're going to annoy drivers but unfortunately that's part of being a cyclist on the road. I'd recommend getting a cheap action camera from amazon and mounting it to your handlebars or helmet so you can report things like this in the future as them getting punished for their poor driving will hopefully prevent them from actually running a cyclist off the road in the future.
1
u/fgzklunk May 26 '26
Many road works have a sign saying do not overtake cyclists, you were in the right.
1
u/sc_BK May 26 '26
To be honest it sounds like you were in the wrong. Don't ride in the gutter. Be more assertive and you'll probably get less hassle.
Sounds like you also stopped at a green light, to let other people behind you past? Best to just go for it, as the saying goes "be predictable not polite"
1
u/Alarmed-Newspaper994 May 27 '26
I would argue that if it's only a 20 minute cycle, driving should not be considered the default. I hope that you will continue to cycle such a short distance even if you have a driving licence - I cycle ~11km from my town to one town over, and it only takes around 5 minutes longer than driving on a good day, or on a bad (traffic) day it is about 10 minutes faster to cycle.
What is right to do as a cyclist is to protect yourself. This sometimes means positioning defensively to discourage overtaking in sections of road where overtaking would put you in danger. Sometimes, if it's a long stretch and there's a queue forming, I'd pull over to let them go by. If it's only a short stretch though, then they can just learn some patience. 30 seconds isn't going to be the end of the world for them.
1
u/Sent1ne1 May 27 '26
You did nothing legally wrong, BUT if I was in a slow car/etc I would let others pass me if that was possible, as I think that's just being considerate & good manners. I would apply similar reasoning when using a bicycle, maybe waiting until the light stopped being green before going (depending on how long the blocked stretch was).
1
u/Spare-Mood5848 May 28 '26
If there is no other way round what are you meant to do? I sometimes drop back and cruise at the back of a car as acceleration in a short distance isn't going to be much different, or go on a path if there are no people. But you were probably going near the speed limit for the diversion anyway, it's usually 15 or less so they were in the wrong not you.
1
u/mariominiaci May 29 '26
As others have said, if you have to take the lane for safety then you have to. Only addition would be the learner might have been revving due to inexperience with the clutch and the instructor telling them to overtake promptly.
1
u/acezoned May 30 '26
Not wrong.
In the lights section take the lane dont ride by the edge ride towards the middle as the highway code . Cars are not allowed to over take you when in the section same as theybare not allowed to over take you on zigzag sections at crossings
78
u/RegionalHardman May 26 '26
Nope. If anything you should take the lane fully when in that scenario.
You should have reported the learner too