Near Miss of the Day 695: Cyclist has third dangerous overtake in a month on same stretch of road

Jem PT wrote:

I think very very few drivers are aware.

FTFY

Nope. Don't know.

For those of us over the age of 15, perhaps you could tell us in real words what you want to say?

Flintshire Boy wrote:

For those of us over the age of 15, perhaps you could tell us in real words what you want to say?

If you're only 16 then that might partly explain the childish and spiteful (not to mention pointless) tone of some of your posts. It doesn't have to be like that.

These acronyms and abbreviations have become very common forms of shorthand in online typed communications, as I'm sure you are aware. It might be a good idea to accept that this stuff has been around a long time, is ubiquitous and certainly not going to go away.

Is there something more serious that's bothering you?

Simon E]</p>

<p>[quote=Flintshire Boy wrote:

Is there something more serious that's bothering you?

Possibly the smell of over ripe gammon?

Bizarre.
On one thread you make a sensible post about marathon tyres, then this.
How many people control your login ?

BTW the style of Grahamd's post is often used on here by several posters.

I don't suppose you will reply as per usual.

Agreed. Happened to me this morning - by a Royal Mail van!

And I had my arm out indicating turning right at the time.

Truly scary.

As I've already covered driving to the road conditions and drivers not even knowing what the HC says, I won't repeat myself.

However, I do wonder if Road planners know what the rules are? I know that road, although I don't cycle it regularly. There are a couple of similar stretches of double white lines on the B526 (the other side of Milton Keynes). One through Gayhurst and a very long section towards Horton. As others have pointed out the law is clear on the solid white line and it is possible to overtake a cyclist, in places, safely even if they're going 20mph+. I wonder if a simple no overtaking sign isn't more approprate? I'm really not sure that long stretches of double white lines helps cyclists especially if the police won't enforce it.

IanMK wrote:

I wonder if a simple no overtaking sign isn't more approprate?

That actually means cyclists can't be overtaken at all (unless there's a white rectangle exemption signed underneath). In fact, technically, it means a cyclist can't overtake another cyclist!

There's one on a road near me. As you can imagine, the bit about not overtaking cyclists is not enforced!

Wow! That makes no sense on the 40mph & wide section of the A509 near Olney then. The road speed had been reduced and I understood that they had been put up as well because of the number of head on collisions. 

I'd stupidly assumed that because it only shows cars it only meant cars. Thanks.

Coming from the Olney area originally, I know this road really well too plus the other one you mention through Gayhurst and Horton. 

I do have some sympathy for motorists on these roads and the one in the video above. The white lines go on for quite some time. I remember being on a moped in the early 80's going through Gayhurst with a huge line of cars behind me - on a bicycle it would be even worse if they actually complied!

Gimpl wrote:

I remember being on a moped in the early 80's going through Gayhurst with a huge line of cars behind me - on a bicycle it would be even worse if they actually complied!

I used to hate that Gayhurst stretch, regularly did it at evening rush hour. Unfortunately, at that time, there's no opportunity for a car to pass as there's a solid line of oncoming traffic. Downhill I could maintain 27mph (it's a 40 limit), so I held a very firm primary. Mostly worked, but did have the occasional incident with a chancer.

Yep. That's the road I had in mind!

What legally applies is actually defined in the TRO that the council will have granted. But how on earth you find that, I don't know. It's not on their website. But as it is currently signed, you technically shouldn't overtake a bicycle.

I don't know why they didn't put double whites up down there. Especially when they resurfaced the whole road. Usually the only reason to use a no-overtaking sign is to prevent cyclists being overtaken or to allow for parking along the road (as you can't park on road with a solid white line).

At least on the Menai Bridge a cycle can pass a cycle...

I was once overtaken by a car that simultaneously overtook the car that was waiting patiently behind me. I was commuting home from work so it was about 5.30, the reason the car immediately behind wasn't bothered about overtaking was that the traffic was already stationary from Emberton Park. Imagine my pleasure waving and smiling to the impatient driver as he came to a stop as I filtered past.

Probably the same sort of driver that would cut through Emberton village to jump the queue (there is usually always a queue!).

You can't beat the feeling of nonchalantly passing a vehicle stuck in traffic moments after they made a rash overtake.

Saddened that bicycles are so rare in Wales that bicycle regulations have to be written in English.  Maybe there's not even a native equivalent? rich_cb or welshboy for advice on this I think.

Erm, perhaps that is because your driving brain has filtered out the Welsh instructions first on the sign?

B mutates to f so you have an excuse for not recognising feic also is the word for beic. Welsh is extremely phonetic by the way, and that is pronounced more or less the same as bike - though the mutated word is nearer vike.

Thanks for the correction, clearly I can't see the bicycles rather than them not being there!

IanMSpencer wrote:

Erm, perhaps that is because your driving brain has filtered out the Welsh instructions first on the sign?...

Probably just as well - bad things happen when reading Welsh road signs....

IanMSpencer wrote:

Erm, perhaps that is because your driving brain has filtered out the Welsh instructions first on the sign? B mutates to f so you have an excuse for not recognising feic also is the word for beic. Welsh is extremely phonetic by the way, and that is pronounced more or less the same as bike - though the mutated word is nearer vike.

Bit rude. 

Also 'Feic' is the word for 'See' not bike.

So quite how 'beic gan feic' translates to 'bike by bike' probably explains why the Welsh language is dying.

bikeman01 wrote:

IanMSpencer wrote:

Erm, perhaps that is because your driving brain has filtered out the Welsh instructions first on the sign? B mutates to f so you have an excuse for not recognising feic also is the word for beic. Welsh is extremely phonetic by the way, and that is pronounced more or less the same as bike - though the mutated word is nearer vike.

Bit rude. 

Also 'Feic' is the word for 'See' not bike.

So quite how 'beic gan feic' translates to 'bike by bike' probably explains why the Welsh language is dying.

I thought it was fair as I had indeed entirely read the sign and not the Welsh.  Too long on the internet. Also a good illustration of the cognitive issues which mean that driving is not a "safe" activity*.  Or that I should see the doc. Or both.

* Combine a human brain with a massive speed / accelleration and weight increase over the human body - inherent potential for major damage.

chrisonatrike wrote:

Too long on the internet.

[...]

Combine a human brain with a massive speed / accelleration and weight increase over the human body - inherent potential for major damage.

I get the weight increase bit, but I think you're confused about how increased broadband speed affects internet users. 

Mais non! You can only get up to the same mischief, true, but you can get up to it in higher resolution!

Well Google translate decided that Beic Gan Feic is Bike by Bike and not bike by see. I suspect previous words in the sentence is what gives the word context and meaning in the sentence. 

It is not like there isn't words in the English Language that have multiple meanings. 

park for example. And even some that need extra context even when in a sentence. 

"I was hit by a bat...... it then flew away"

Also the Welsh language speakers and reader populations is growing, not falling so I wouldn't class it as a dying language. 

AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

I wouldn't class it as a dying language. 

How about a Dai-ing language?

I'd be a bit sceptical about the Welsh language stats if I were you.

It seems to be mostly driven by those in Welsh medium education and drops quite rapidly once those groups leave school.

Hopefully we'll have some better information once the latest census is published but untill then I remain rather dubious about the oft quoted numbers.

https://marcussteaduk.wordpress.com/2020/08/10/the-welsh-language-a-real...

Rich_cb wrote:

I'd be a bit sceptical about the Welsh language stats if I were you. It seems to be mostly driven by those in Welsh medium education and drops quite rapidly once those groups leave school. Hopefully we'll have some better information once the latest census is published but untill then I remain rather dubious about the oft quoted numbers. https://marcussteaduk.wordpress.com/2020/08/10/the-welsh-language-a-real...

Sounds much like cycling... minus the "drive" in schools (aside from Bikeability).

bikeman01 wrote:

IanMSpencer wrote:

Erm, perhaps that is because your driving brain has filtered out the Welsh instructions first on the sign? B mutates to f so you have an excuse for not recognising feic also is the word for beic. Welsh is extremely phonetic by the way, and that is pronounced more or less the same as bike - though the mutated word is nearer vike.

Bit rude. 

Also 'Feic' is the word for 'See' not bike.

So quite how 'beic gan feic' translates to 'bike by bike' probably explains why the Welsh language is dying.

Lots of words in Welsh 'mutate' so that a hard consonent becomes a softer one in certain circumstances (so how 'beic' goes to 'feic').

My favourite Welsh words are ones like the loan-words back from English eg. tacsi (taxi) and sgriwdreifar (screwdriver).