What are your thoughts about the OP admitting that he was not aware of potential hazards around him (admitted to not even checking) while in control of a car?
Stupid Cyclist!
- Thread starter estebanrey
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What are your thoughts about the OP admitting that he was not aware of potential hazards around him (admitted to not even checking) while in control of a car?
It's like the second thing you learn when you start learning to drive, check your mirrors and blind spots every time you move off. Of course you are at fault, but so is he for not stopping or going around. To say it's not your fault at all is ridiculous.
If it was a motorbike I'm pretty certain there is a zero chance the car driver would have to pay out from insurance, unless car driver was under the influence or something.
It wouldn't be a 50:50 settlement.
I always lift slightly off the throttle and ready to hit the brakes. Isn't that what you're supposed to do (it's what my instructor taught me years ago)
Personally I think it makes sense and only an idiot would charge through without considering the potential hazard in front of them.
Lifting off the throttle isn't really slowing down unless you are in the wrong gear with a high level of engine braking.
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It is an offence for a cyclist to ride on the footway. The fact is that the road is a shared facility, and cyclists are classified as road users.
It's a shame that 99.99% of drivers cant indicate properly then. I'd be satisfied with 90% but the figure is nowhere near that.
Both on the wrong, but, IMO you more than the cyclist.
I say this as you are a licensed vehicle driver and have been trained to a standard to obtain said license.
The cyclist is unlikely to have had any degree of training, may not be a driver themselves (hence the bike) and may not have even noticed the indicator (however unlikely).
As a driver of a vehicle with huge blind spots that are lethal to cyclists, I'm all too aware of checking my mirrors and, where possible, blind spots prior to turning, especially left. IMO, you should be no different especially in a built up area.
Cyclists will come up the inside of vehicles in the main, and we all know they often take needless & downright dangerous risks.
You feel bad, I'm sure. You'd feel a damn sight worse had you injured or killed the silly sod!
Live & learn, check those mirrors and blind spots next time!!
I say this as you are a licensed vehicle driver and have been trained to a standard to obtain said license.
The cyclist is unlikely to have had any degree of training, may not be a driver themselves (hence the bike) and may not have even noticed the indicator (however unlikely).
As a driver of a vehicle with huge blind spots that are lethal to cyclists, I'm all too aware of checking my mirrors and, where possible, blind spots prior to turning, especially left. IMO, you should be no different especially in a built up area.
Cyclists will come up the inside of vehicles in the main, and we all know they often take needless & downright dangerous risks.
You feel bad, I'm sure. You'd feel a damn sight worse had you injured or killed the silly sod!
Live & learn, check those mirrors and blind spots next time!!
The cyclist should have slowed down when he saw you stationary, but he certainly shouldn't have gone around the right hand side of you, in many situations that is more dangerous.
Oh, and check your mirrors!
Cyclist speaking.
Oh, and check your mirrors!
Cyclist speaking.
It infuriates me every time this happens. You pass a cyclist, cyclust is 20 meters behind you and you want to turn left. You indicate well in advance yet the cyclist carries on peddling in the inside. Cyclusts have it too easy, they need t get on a cycle safety course or something before beung allowed to be on the road. Unfortunately a few mre cyclists will have to die before a law like that is passed. I dobt see thst hapenibg because the law encourages bad cycling with their barclays bikes where they dont wear any high vis clothing or helmets
Try this one:
You're cycling along and you can see a junction coming up. There's a car behind you. The car overtakes you and then immediately starts indicating and forces you to slow down as they cut you up turning into the junction.
Why not just wait the extra 20 seconds or so, avoid overtaking the cyclist and everyone carries on their journey perfectly safely?
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No doubt the whole incident will be on YouTube later, just search your plate number. This will give us a better idea who was at fault 
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I can't do the maths but if I'm cycling at 25+ mph and you are only 20 metres in front trying to left hook me I will want to take you out of the car and knock you over the bonnet. Drivers like you have no idea how fast we can be going.
ANYWAY, it's interesting that 4 cyclists have all agreed that it is the cyclists fault in the OPs case.
Wolfram Alpha to the rescue!
You'd have 1.79 seconds to react and avoid smashing into the side of the car at 25mph. At 20mph you'd have 2.2 seconds whilst at 16mph (a realistic speed for the 'average' cyclist perhaps) you'd still only have 2.8 seconds to avoid the car.
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Ditto.
Still a good idea for drivers to check their mirrors though - no good being in the right if someone wipes themselves out on the side of your car.
Whether cycling or driving - I assume everyone on else is an idiot, deaf and blind - it's served me well so far.
I don't wear high vis or a helmet (although my jacket is lime green). I wasn't aware either were a legal requirement to ride a bike - thanks for enlightening me. Maybe you could also enlighten me as to how helmets prevent accidents?
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Clearly your a cyclist and haven't got a driving license.
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Exactly how I look at it but I also throw pedestrains in there as well because they are so unpredictable.
They may not prevent accidents but in January I woke up in A&E and I would have either been dead or brain damaged if it wasn't for my helmet.
Only last week I learned that a woman who parks her Trek by my bike has been in hospital for the last 3 weeks with a major head injury because of no helmet.
A mate of mine has just lost his right eye because he fell off his bike at 1mph and couldn't get his arms down quick enough.
If not for yourself, get a helmet for your family.
5 cyclists in this thread have said it was the cyclists fault.