General Road and Highway Discussion

[danbrotherston]

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*RANT START*

I was waiting to turn left onto Nottingham this evening and had 4 or 5 cars stop in the left oncoming lane to wave me through, all the while traffic continuing at full speed in the right hand lane. Follow the rules of the road, people! If there is room for you to continue, continue. If you can't clear the intersection due to traffic being stopped ahead, stop clear of the intersection. Never, ever, wave someone through against the rules of the road. You're slowing everyone down by doing that and creating a significant hazard in the process. It's not polite to direct someone into oncoming traffic.

*END RANT*

As a cyclist, this drives me INSANE.  How many cyclists have been hit in these situations and then been blamed.

I even had a police officer (I *think* it was Chief Larkin, but I only saw him for a few seconds), do this to me in a private vehicle.  A black SUV stopped in one lane of a four lane road with a ped refuge island and waved me through, and I angrily gestured for him to continue.  He pulled up to the island and the window came down, and he said "I was waving you through."...and I was a bit startled, but absolutely on point, immediately replied "not only is that illegal, but when I go through and get hit by a car in the other lane, you'll be the one to find me at fault for the collision".  He had nothing to say after that.

Frankly, as a cyclist, this is the single most stupid thing well meaning people do.  You're not helping, and don't get angry when I'm upset that you're endangering my life because you're not thinking.  Worst of all, half the time they do it, they actually cause the gap I might have been able to turn or cross in to disappear...I've been delayed 2-3 minutes half a dozen times this week because of this very behaviour.

**END RANT**