Passing a Wobbling Cyclist With an Oncoming Bus
You are driving a minibus on a two-lane road outside Kakata. Ahead, a cyclist carrying a sack of charcoal is riding near the right edge. The shoulder is narrow and has a deep drainage ditch. An oncoming bus is approaching, and the cyclist begins to wobble as a dog runs toward the road. Your lane is clear behind the cyclist for about 100 meters; the bus is perhaps 80 meters away and not slowing. The cyclist looks back over his left shoulder. A line of cars is behind you, and the driver directly behind has already started to overtake you. There is no hard shoulder on your side, only loose gravel. The cyclist's sack shifts as he wobbles, and you are close enough to see his elbow move.
1. Should you pass the cyclist now? Work through the space, the oncoming bus, the wobble, and the car behind.
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No. Passing now would require you to move into the oncoming lane while the bus is only about 80 meters away and not slowing. At that distance, closing speeds are high even if you are moving slowly. The cyclist is also wobbling, the sack is shifting, and a dog is near the road, so his line is unpredictable; he may swerve left just as you go by. The car behind you that has already started to overtake adds a second conflict: if you pull out, you may be squeezed between the car and the bus. Wait until the bus passes, the cyclist steadies, and you can see enough clear road to give him a wide berth. A line of cars behind you is not a reason to take a bad gap.
2. What following position and speed should you choose while you wait?
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Drop back to about 3 to 4 seconds behind the cyclist, not right on his rear wheel. That gives you time to react if he swerves or falls and keeps you out of his blind spot. Keep your speed low, cover the brake, and stay slightly left of the gravel edge so you have room to stop without putting a wheel into the ditch. Do not move into the oncoming lane until you can see it is clear; a preview position is not the same as a passing position. Watch the dog, the sack, and the cyclist's head, not just the car behind. If the car behind keeps crowding, slow more and let it find its own way around; do not race it to the pass.
3. The cyclist waves you past, but the bus is still coming. What do you do?
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A wave from the cyclist is helpful but not sufficient clearance. He may be waving you past a pothole or the dog without seeing the bus; you are the one who can see the whole picture. Check the bus's distance and speed, the cyclist's line, and your own escape space. If the bus is still coming, stay behind and wait. When the bus has passed and the oncoming lane is clear, signal, move out with enough room to give the cyclist a safe lateral gap, and pass without accelerating hard. If the cyclist then wobbles toward you, brake and drop back rather than squeeze past.