what do you do?

what do you do when someone cuts you up on your bike?

It drives me mad and I spend wasted energy shouting profanities at them!

Depends - normally just ignore it - it's easy to react but very often they genuinely don't realise they've done it.  

Years back one guy nearly drove me into a bus in the city centre with his Smart car - ended up smacking his window with my fist - he jumped out - ended up squaring up but it transpired he had no idea I'd been there and we shook hands and had a laugh about it.  

 I'm sure the better bike rider you become the less situations bother you because your bike handling means you aren't shaken up by close shaves - plus you get into fewer as you learn to control the traffic with your positioning.    

Had an incident this morning funnily enough - fortunately saw it coming so was prepared. Guy overtook and then immediately turned left.

I pulled up alongside him and just said asked if he was aware of what he'd just done. He really had no idea what had just happened, but was a nice enough guy who apologised and we both went on our merry way. Hopefully next time he'll think twice.

Shake fist madly and shout...

The last time this happened I could see it coming so managed to stop in time and could tell the young bloke driving didn't realise what he had done and just drove off oblivious while I had a small heart attack.  I was more annoyed at the drivers behind him who saw what happened but didn't beep to alert the miscreant.... how is he supposed to learn to be a better driver if no-one tells him off!

It happened to me during the Vit last year.

A guy pulled out of a petrol station right on front of me.  I shouted at him rather loudly (and I can do LOUD, believe me), and he stopped and wound down the window.

Fearing the worst, I cycled past him, but he offered out his hand and apologised for never having seen me.

I realised then that not all drivers are idiots and there can be some genuine cases of 'lack of attention' for want of a better phrase

I think a lot of drivers panic when they see a cyclist and sometimes do something stupid like overtaking when they really shouldn't. I guess drivers who don't cycle don't really know what danger they're putting you in. That certainly doesn't account for all drivers though. Funny that cars will sit behind a tractor without any major complaints but put a bike in at the same speed and some go nuts!

B_Kins wrote (see)

 Funny that cars will sit behind a tractor without any major complaints but put a bike in at the same speed and some go nuts!

strange that! I have been known to cycle in the middle off the lane to force drivers to treat me like a car, I think this irritates them more! As a cyclist, it does make you think when you over take a cyclist when in a car. All learner car drivers should have to ride a bike on a busy road as part of their driving test.

I've never had an incident when riding yet, but I was driving a friend home the other day and there was a TT or somting on so there were a lot of cyclists on the road, I like to give any cyclists the whole carriage way when I over take so if it was not clear would slow down to their speed and wait until I could give them plenty of room, my friend who has never cycled could not understand why I would not just get on past without giving the cyclist plenty of room.

I guess that if people don't cycle then they don't give cyclists/runners as much respect as drivers who cycle/run

I have started riding quite a lot around London recently... commuting from West to East... and I must say that 90% of problems (whether they affect me or not) I see are caused by cyclists

I definitely think that becoming a better cyclist means you get in to a lot less problems though as you are aware of what is going on around you. I have noticed that I have more problems and close calls when I am on my hack bike than my better bikes... which can only be down to the fact that I am not being as careful....

I honestly think we underestimate the importance of the cyclist's ability and experience these days.

That said... there are some truly carp drivers on the roads!!!

Postie, you're probably right to ride in the middle of the lane. I know it winds up drivers even more, but riding in close to the ditch mean you'll inevitably have to swerve more often to avoid drains / potholes / debree. Last thing you want is to come up to an obstacle on the side of the road while a car is pulled up beside you.

Also agree with golden boots.. it cracks me up when cyclists break red lights, randomly change lanes, disobey one way streets and go up and down off footpaths at will!

I think the CTC and other organisations advocate riding at least a metre from a kerb/road edge to avoid obstacles, and to make sure drivers are aware of you - certainly I do that and often ride further out.

I no longer worry about obstructing drivers if my position on the road pees them off  - we're all entitled to use the roads in equal measure despite the comments of drivers who say "I pay taxes to drive on the road" (which they don't - no road user does!).

I tend not to get angry with drivers so much these days unless they do something really stupid or dangerous, the rest are just ignorant twunts or have no idea what they've done.

I think we can also help our cause by adopting the various safety message bike tops that are available these days that give out a message to drivers behind - I've got one of these http://saveacyclist.co.uk/cycling-jerseys/ from Safe Cycling

Damn you, FB for making me look.  I like those jerseys.

FB thanks for the link, I do like the pink one and may well have to save some pennies and order one. Ta