Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story).
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18 comments
on approaching i can see the lights are changing, definitely tuck in behind the cab, might even get to draft it accelerating away after the bend.
Had the light changed just a little later I expect everyone would be blaming the taxi driver for dangerously cutting the corner.
Taxi driver isn't blameless even though JV shouldn't have put himself there as the light changed early enough to make the call.
I agree - JV should have anticipated the cabbie cutting the corner. I wouldn't have undertaken (filtered, etc) at that point on a bike or in a car.
I'm with you alansmurphy - I know that junction very well - JV's moral indignation might be justified but from a self preservation point of view he got it wrong I'm afraid. There is no cycle lane beyond that point so someone in a motor will go for the space.
Think JV is actually doing a good service here as he's showing we don't always get it right but it's always us that is vulnerable. Incidentally, taxi overhanging the ASL, the one to the right even worse...
It also highlights the shit infrastructure, why do we keep being funnuled down the inside of cars to potential death?
If Jeremy uses that junction regularly then yes, he should've realised its a pinch point on that corner. However, the road markings are badly designed: the cycle lane could lead someone to believe they can filter up to the front. If they carried on the cycle lane around the bend it would help drivers not cut the corner
The German government may stand by its images, but does it stand by its words "But saves my life" Surely they have an equivalent to our ASA?
they might who'd then ask why isnt it in Deutsch in the first place ?
I'll agree with BTBS there, ease off a bit and let the cabbie (high likelihood of being a... less forgiving driver) go off in front and go past in a more suitable situation/road section.
I'll say well done JV for putting this as a question, getting people to assess a situation and draw conclusions about the best line to take/riding techniques to use.
I'll agree with BTBS there, ease off a bit and let the cabbie (high likelihood of being a... less forgiving driver) go off in front and go past in a more suitable situation/road section.
I'll say well done JV for putting this as a question, getting people to assess a situation and draw conclusions about the best line to take/riding techniques to use.
Oops!
I'll agree with BTBS there, ease off a bit and let the cabbie (high likelihood of being a... less forgiving driver) go off in front and go past in a more suitable situation/road section.
I'll say well done JV for putting this as a question, getting people to assess a situation and draw conclusions about the best line to take/riding techniques to use.
tbf JV didnt say he was as put out as the rider next to him was about it, hence the question posed, but yeah thats one of those can see it coming,back off, nothing to be gained by rushing into the gap where angels fear to tread there.
BTBS: why are you referring to JV as a magazine?
https://sonshinemagazine.com/
Or do you actually mean "sunshine"?
As in sonny, sonshine,
deal with it, maybe just actually make comments on the subject matter at hand instead of just going off on a tangent just to cause an argument.
Who's arguing here? I'm curious as to your made up words, sonshine.
Sorry Jezza, defensive riding sonshine so you're in the wrong on this one.
You can see the lights are changing, you can see it's a left only turn and you cannot get to the ASL before they are going to move off so why bother trying to go on the inside when this is not going to save you any time whatsoever but does put you into conflict in an entirely predictable situation.
In fact the cab driver had priority and you should have yielded to that, placed yourself central behind the cab 9just like the other rider did) and taken the lane through the lights and around the bend, safe as houses and you've 'lost' what, 1.5seconds if that and no dramas. In fact it probably would have been quicker for you taking the correct option given the person behind you actually comes past with ease!
Nope, you thought a MGIF was the right thing to do.
Should mr pollution have taken the correct line around the bend, yes, but it still might have been tight, should he have bothered to check his nearside mirror before moving off, yes, however you know and we know that that's simply not going to happen in this scenario a moton at the wheel.
Lesson learnt, just because there's a gap doesn't mean a you have a right to take it and b, defensive riding/driving is a thing, you need to be aware of 'what ifs' and in this case it was 100% predictable what was going to happen, so much so that another vulnerable road user actually took the correct line through the lights/bend.
Aw sheep iz qtist !