Two cycling incidents to report…I’ll do it in two posts though.
More Tractor Trouble
Gosh, is it over a year since my last incident with a Tractor? Wow.
Well, sometimes I do things on my bike that make me think “If I were a driver I’d be shaking my fist and muttering ‘Stupid Cyclists’ right now.”. Here’s one of those things that happened last week.
The setting: a quiet country lane that I know well. I’m hurtling along at over 20mph. A tractor appears in the distance. Not a big new tractor; an old one, short and stubby, probably much-loved by its owner, who is sat on the back in a boiler suit, driving.
It’s sunny, but the driver is sensible and stands up, turns almost full round, and looks hard backwards, with his flat hand against his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun and get the best possible view. He’s surely seen me. Good…he’ll know that I’ll need to overtake.
I’m getting closer…quite quickly.
The driver turns back to face forwards, stands bolt upright, and thrusts his arm out to the right.
I’m quite close now. What’s he’s doing? Is he waving me past? Does he want a high-five? What should I do?
No time to change my mind now…I’m going. I’ll give a cheery “Thanks mate” as I go past.
“Thanks mate!!!!!!”
Hang on. What WAS he doing? I know I’ll look back.
CRIKEY!!! He’s just completed a right turn into that field. I could have been run down!!!
Oo-err.
In hindsight, the poor tractor driver did exactly the right thing and gave the clearest possible signal that he could. I simply didn’t get it. I’m not used to seeing hand signals from vehicles, and I’m not used to seeing vehicles turn right where there’s nowhere to turn into.
Still, I’m safe, and I’ve learned something.
Stupid cyclists!!!