I was cycling up Fishwive's Causeway from Porty High Street this morning, heading for the crossing over the Harry Lauder Road. I try and avoid this route normally, because what often happens is what happened this morning. A car behind me wants to turn left at the first roundabout, so they accelerate, just make it past me or alongside me, slam the brakes on, and turn left without indicating. I would normally go straight over the roundabout.
This morning's one caught me a bit by surprise, and I came pretty close to going under the car. I slammed the brakes on and shouted/screamed at the car, as it drove off. I paused for breath, then went to see if they'd stopped in the industrial estate there. They had, and the driver was just getting out.
I was shook up, scared and angry, so I probably didn't come over as politely and civilly as I meant to. She was, I suspect, a bit guilty and defensive, and caught off guard, so the conversation did not go well. She insisted she'd seen me (which I didn't doubt) and that she'd left me plenty of room (which I did doubt). She apparently assumed I'd turn left as well, because the road straight ahead is a dead end (it is for cars, not for bikes).
She brought up the fact that lots of cyclists ride dangerously on pavements when I accused her of driving dangerously. That didn't really help me calm down.
I said she'd knowingly nearly run me over, and she called me a f*ck*ng arsehole.
At that point I got my phone out and started videoing, and I think that helped to calm things down.
She explained that she had genuinely thought she had space to get safely past me, and was very sorry if she'd scared me. I accepted her apology, and apologised for the bad way the conversation had started.
And then I carried on with my journey to work.
So, what do I take from this? That left hooks are scary, and that bad road design puts cars in a position where they're forced to choose between overtaking a slower road user, and maybe cutting them up if they mis-time it, or hanging back and waiting. I've been there in a car myself, and I understand the decision that needs to be made.
A fun start to the day.
See you all on Sunday at POP!
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