Reading Why Do I Put Up With It I came across the use of the phrase 'punishment pass' and it really struck a chord. Often when you're cycling you need to take 'primary position' in the lane. This is a safety manoeuvre, not just selfishness. In all my time cycling in London I've never seen a cyclist arbitrarily cycling down the middle of a lane blocking traffic (unless part of a mass protest where slowing traffic is the goal). I have however seen cyclists move out into the lane to avoid obstacles or to adopt a safe position. In this event, of course, vehicles should absolutely (and are legally obliged to) respect the cyclist and give them enough space. In reality not many vehicles do this at all. There must be some common thought that just because the cyclist isn't in the gutter and 'dares' to cycle in the lane that they're committing some terrible disrespectful act towards them. The fact that the cyclist has perceived a dangerous situation and is now riding safely and intelligently seems to get lost in translation somehow.
I can't count the number of times that vehicles have passed me and immediately stopped in front of me because of traffic. This desperate need to be in front of bicycles is wrapped up in this somehow too, I suspect. But this 'punishment pass' is used against cyclists very often; whizzing past mere inches from the cyclist I'm assuming to scare them. This is what happened to me when the driver of a black cab thought I shouldn't be on the road before overtaking me at speed on the right when I was indicating right and about to turn. When asked why he did it, his only reply was "Get off the fucking road then". We all have to put up with a lot in busy cities but to have such a callous disregard for other human beings is, frankly, abhorrent. Forget laws, forget police, forget points on your licence and getting to work on a Monday morning. Endangering people's lives is simply horrific behaviour.It's not just levied at cyclists though. During my 12-mile commute each day I see plenty of things and the 'punishment pass' is also used against pedestrians very often. If a pedestrian does not show deference to the car simply because it's stopped for them, drivers will very often rush at crossing pedestrians and 'buzz' them - you know, giving them a bit of a scare, for their own good…or something. You can actually hear cars accelerating towards pedestrians as they cross the road!Maybe it really is time to remind vehicle drivers - which I am on rare occasions - that they use the road under licence. Pedestrians and cyclists use the road by right of way. Maybe it really is time to start to reclaim these roads. To tell these drivers that this is not acceptable. That we all need to slow down and look after each other and end violent conduct on the road.This is why tonight at 6pm a group of us will be at Kings Cross again.