Hit by car for second time in 2 weeks

Vinny1511 · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:05

Well, as always there will ALWAYS be two sides to the story.

I am a cyclist, i cycle between 3-5 miles to work, and the same distance back each day. I also fall into the same category as Weescott, and the others who have been nearly hit by a car. In fact, my story is rather more sinister.

One day, (about 2 years ago) on the way to work,i was cycling, with the flow of the traffic. I passed a number of roads branching off the one i was actually riding on. There was a gap in the flow of the traffic, (i.e. there was nothing behind me) and the impatient driver (to the right of me, wanting to turn onto a minor road) Couldn't be bothered to wait for me to cross the junction he was about to turn down. He decided to turn, obviously misjudged my speed, and as you can probably imagine i was not best happy. The guy also knew this. He then proceeded (in the middle of the road) to turn round, and try and actually knock me off my bike. I rode down a side road, to a section where there were railings at the end, it was a dead end for cars. He saw my plan and actually moved from the road onto the path (where i was riding) to try and hit me.....

Most of the time, if i move in and out of traffic its when the traffic is stationary, and you can normally do this if cars leave enuff room between themselves and the kerb for a bike to get past. I find it ignorant, when cars hug the kerb becuase cyclists cannot get past.

-Vinny-

Nikias · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:05

weescott said:
Ok I see your point. Let me clarify.

I have been cycling to work for over 6 years. I have had no serious accidents but only altercations. My shouting profanity and hitting the car (he hit me first miss) is my pent up anger at the lack of respect from drivers and it's my way of making people aware of when they are wrong! I don't want nor expect special circumstances, i respect car's road presence, like they should mine!

I can appreciate that: I'm all for road users respecting each other. I don't think the problem is especially biased either way though; there are plenty of annoying cyclists and inconsiderate car drivers out there.

bcjames · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:05

VaderDSL said:
You punched a car that's not exactly a very considerate thing to do

When someone nearly kills you, the least you can do is 'borrow' their wingmirror

weescott · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:07

mejinks said:
Also, since you've got me started, when has it been legal or indeed sensible to hold up a main road with cyclists 3 abreast? They wonder why I want to run the little ******* down?

I know what you mean, i know the law and i dont do that! It is wrong and you have the right to toot at them.

the rest of your arguement I do not agree with. I hasten to add. that saying you want to knock them down i find offensive. It brings a recolection of the roadies killed a few weeks ago

Andy100 · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:07

I have cycled through a red light penty of times when it's a green man! Cyclist's are allowed to do this if done in a safe maner. How many car's have followed me through a red light? A few!

54: You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement. Do not leave your cycle where it would endanger or obstruct road users or pedestrians, for example, lying on the pavement. Use cycle parking facilities where provided.
Laws HA 1835 sect 72 & R(S)A sect 129

55: You MUST NOT cross the stop line when the traffic lights are red. Some junctions have an advanced stop line to enable you to position yourself ahead of other traffic (see Rule 154).
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36, TSRGD reg 10, reg 36(1)

56: Bus Lanes. These may be used by cyclists only if the signs include a cycle symbol. Watch out for people getting on or off a bus. Be very careful when overtaking a bus or leaving a bus lane as you will be entering a busier traffic flow.

Seems fairly black and white to me...

And that's pretty much why your attitude stinks. There's no grey area, you just want there to be one to justify your cause.

Werewolf · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:09

weescot, I beleive the speed limit applies to all vehicles, be they motorised or pedal powered.

chippie · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:10

weescott said:
Ok I see your point. Let me clarify.

I have been cycling to work for over 6 years. I have had no serious accidents but only altercations. My shouting profanity and hitting the car (he hit me first miss) is my pent up anger at the lack of respect from drivers and it's my way of making people aware of when they are wrong! I don't want nor expect special circumstances, i respect car's road presence, like they should mine!

You would have a point if in your first post you hadn't:

a) Admitted to using the pavement to get past cars that overtook you, then sitting in fromt of one of those cars

b) Admitted to seeing the car you knew was going to pull out, and then slowing down so it drove into you.

You are hardly helping yourself here are you?????

If you hadn't deliberately done these things, then you wouldn't have had any need to shout abuse and punch cars.

Vinny1511 · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:11

Agree.

Its a very disrespectful comment.

Actually sums up the general attitude of people who are the main cause of accidents.

-Vinny-

weescott · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:11

Werewolf said:
weescot, I beleive the speed limit applies to all vehicles, be they motorised or pedal powered.

That's where the grey area comes into play. vehicles have to have a working speedo to clarify that, bicyles dont, so how can they gauge if they are going too fast?

weescott · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:14

chippie said:
You would have a point if in your first post you hadn't:

a) Admitted to using the pavement to get past cars that overtook you, then sitting in fromt of one of those cars

b) Admitted to seeing the car you knew was going to pull out, and then slowing down so it drove into you.

You are hardly helping yourself here are you?????

If you hadn't deliberately done these things, then you wouldn't have had any need to shout abuse and punch cars.

I could not have known that the car would pull out infront of me, and while cycling on the pavement is technically illegal, i pulled infront of a stationary car so I was not cycling in a dangerous maner.

Vinny1511 · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:16

So a car hits you, regardless of if it did damage.

The guy inside the car fails to stop. Which could have been serious, and as a result you are to say or do nothing ? This seems like an attempt to get the drivers attention, maybe not the best way to go about it...

Ask youself, would u have the same opinion if someone was killed ?

-Vinny-

Werewolf · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:16

fairly easily if you're in traffic that is moving relatively freely - if you're overtaking it then you're possibly going too fast

It's a grey area, but there are ways to guess what your speed may be, and act accordingly.

I don't beleive the police can ban your for speeding on a pedel cycle, but they do have other charges they can use if they feel the need, some of which are pretty old and probably not widely known (but can carry fines/cautions etc and are still valid if not widely used).

VeNT · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:20

I used to cycle everywhere down here, mostly on road.
its no good saying "OH I HAVE RIGHT OF WAY COS I'M ON A BIKE" its not going to wash, you need to cycle defencivly and avoid accsidents where you can.

Vinny1511 · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:24

I dont think ANY cyclist's (sane ones) have that attitude.

I treat, bikes as equal as cars. I appreciate cars that make 'Allowances' for bikes (ie some room at kerb for bikes to pass). However, i dont EXPECT cars to do this as the majority dont.

-Vinny-

weescott · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:25

Werewolf - I agree, but what are the Police going to do? put 3 points on my license?

Vent - Indeed, cyclist's might have the right of way but that is no excuse to act like it. For instance, if a car indicates to turn, i wait till he turns, I err the side of caution. It's common sense.

Werewolf · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:29

no, but a fine and a warning

weescott · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:32

Werewolf said:
no, but a fine and a warning

bah, I'll just cycle away at 31 mph on the pavement jumping infront of cars when i can, hitting thier wing mirrors as I pass like the hooligan all cyclists are!

JRS · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:35

One cyclist "incident" that I'll always remember happened while I was driving a friend's Plymouth Roadrunner to a car show. Said cyclist was riding on the pavement and decided to fly out on to the road while we were driving past him. Cue a swift bit of evasive action, and remonstrating out of the window at him. He punched the car as well...ended up with a broken hand judging by the sound of the impact :rolleyes:

Driving round Burton I see so many cyclists ignoring the cycle lanes and choosing to go weaving around on the main roads. Makes me glad that one of my cars is nimble enough to take avoiding action, and the other is a) invincible and b) could suck them through the front end and into the inlet manifold!

Vinny1511 · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:37

LOL - good answer !

Ill take the same tach - 'Beware, jumping infront of a car near YOU !'

-Vinny-

tzang · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:37

weescott said:
I have been cycling to work for over 6 years. I have had no serious accidents but only altercations. My shouting profanity and hitting the car (he hit me first miss) is my pent up anger...

6 years and you still can't keep yourself calm on the road. If it was an accident, solve it with some common sense. If there are any damage to you or your bike, proceed as normal to getting the driver at fault to pay out (insurance, etc...). If they refuse, what's wrong with calling the coppers down? If the driver runs away, take down the reg. number, vehicle colour/make/model and report it at your local station as a RTA.

bcjames said:
When someone nearly kills you, the least you can do is 'borrow' their wingmirror

How considerate. If a car user knocks down a cyclist, they can get sued, pay for damages via insurance, etc... If the situation is reversed, where a cyclist is in the wrong or cause damage to your vehicle due to an act of road rage, the driver has nowhere to go to but to either claim from his/her own insurance or pay from his/her own wallet for any damages.

I've been in situations where a cyclist would suddenly swerve out infront of me without looking (quite common in London), usually I don't do anything but slow down and give cyclists their own space (it's known as consideration for other road users for those who don't know

). On one occasion, a cyclist started giving me verbal abuse as he swerved out from a side road, misjudged his space and nearly slammed into my car. He concludes I was wrong, delibrately blocks me from making progress as well as the nice queue of cars behind me by cycling at 10mph in the middle of the road as oppose to letting me overtake and do 30mph. We both stopped at the lights, he decides to kick my car leaving a nice small dent on the bodywork and rode off via the pavement.

In cases like these, I'd rather knock down the cyclist rather than be considerate to them (but I know I can't

).