Soldato
- Joined
- 8 Jan 2009
- Posts
- 4,590
You didn't look when you was turning, so it was your fault. You should had turned your head before you started to turn into it.
Stupid Cyclist!
- Thread starter estebanrey
- Start date
But to counter that, in the instance mentioned by the OP, the cyclist had ample time to see that the car was indicating left and continued to attempt to undertake him anyway.
Had the driver overtaken the cyclist and then immediately turned left, thereby cutting him off, I would take the cyclist's side, but in this case the fault lies with the rider, and I can't see anyone with any common sense agreeing otherwise.
It's called common courtesy (something distinctly lacking in a lot of road users these days). If you've ever tried to pull out at a junction onto a major road only to be ignored by every other self important person on the road, you might understand why people do this. It's no different to just flashing someone to let them out, whether you're turning left or not.
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Don't talk such tripe. It doesn't work vice-versa.
Ever since i was a kid I've always cycled on the path and i have never been stopped by cops. Is it a London thing where they have bike lanes so you are expected to use them or what? Either way it's stupid to think that i am forced to pedal on roads, it's dangerous. I'd much rather pedal slower on the path where i won't endanger myself or others.
If its for common courtesy then I'm all for it, but round here I see it all the time just because people have no space awareness of their car and think they can't get round the corner until the other car is out.
I honestly begrudge cyclists on the road, they do my head in 50% of them are a liability to unsuspecting drivers such as myself and others.
They swerve about, go through red lights, pavment hop and generally are a pest if you do not keep your eye on them. I cycle on the roads and do so with as much care and attention to road users as possible.
Yesterday I was driving down a busy road used to get from Leighton Buzzard to Hemel, its an A road and has national speed limit so 60mph. Always prepare for the unexpected but jeepers there was about 15 people on these weird things that are like a cross trainer on wheels. they were wobbling about all over the place were 4 to 5 wide in the road and had a average speed of around 5mph? I mean how stupid can people really be to take these things onto narrow a roads.
Anyway I think all cyclists should have road insurance and bikes to have some sorts of yearly checks. Despite the OP having a couple of bad habits had the bike hit him I would guarantee the OP would have been found guilty of something and charged, claiming on his own insurance in the process.
They swerve about, go through red lights, pavment hop and generally are a pest if you do not keep your eye on them. I cycle on the roads and do so with as much care and attention to road users as possible.
Yesterday I was driving down a busy road used to get from Leighton Buzzard to Hemel, its an A road and has national speed limit so 60mph. Always prepare for the unexpected but jeepers there was about 15 people on these weird things that are like a cross trainer on wheels. they were wobbling about all over the place were 4 to 5 wide in the road and had a average speed of around 5mph? I mean how stupid can people really be to take these things onto narrow a roads.
Anyway I think all cyclists should have road insurance and bikes to have some sorts of yearly checks. Despite the OP having a couple of bad habits had the bike hit him I would guarantee the OP would have been found guilty of something and charged, claiming on his own insurance in the process.
No, it's not a 'London thing'.
The highway code clearly states:
You MUST NOT cycle on a pavement.
Laws HA 1835 sect 72 & R(S)A 1984, sect 129
I know, i said it was drivers fault partially too.
Just don't know how some people can say it's only the drivers fault when the facts say he's stationary, waiting to turn left and a cyclist undertakes
A bicycle is a carriage? A car pulled by a horse yes but a bicycle? Great so i do have to endanger myself because of a stupid law that likens a bicycle to a carriage..
Option C - Both.
You could consider that you're turning left and hang behind the cyclist till the junction.
This "left hook" thing you're seeing mentioned, you can do you part to avoid this situation emerging.
http://bicyclesafe.com/
It's on here as a "right hook" because I guess the site is American. Good site actually. It specifically notes there that the cyclist shouldn't undertake a car. Like defensive driving for bicycles.
http://bicyclesafe.com/images-collisions/right-hook.gif
No hotlinked images. Thank you.
Personally if there's any kind of junction or roundabout I need to negotiate I'm always much happier with the cyclist in front of me because then I can just drive slower and see what they are up to. Trying to get round a cyclist and then turn is just making life complicated for no reason.
Also you should also check your left mirror and blind spot. Not sure I always do a left lifesaver before turning left tbh but I'm going to try harder to remember.
The thing about other people waving you out or across or anything on the road is other people are sometimes idiots and probably not in as good a position as you to assess what is safe etc. so don't feel like you've got to go because they're waving you. Maybe they didn't see the cyclist passing you on the left.
Obviously the cyclist is a prize idiot for blithely continuing past you on the left but there we go.
You have no control over other peoples stupidity so at best you can mitigate it by anticipating it.
You could consider that you're turning left and hang behind the cyclist till the junction.
This "left hook" thing you're seeing mentioned, you can do you part to avoid this situation emerging.
http://bicyclesafe.com/
It's on here as a "right hook" because I guess the site is American. Good site actually. It specifically notes there that the cyclist shouldn't undertake a car. Like defensive driving for bicycles.
http://bicyclesafe.com/images-collisions/right-hook.gif
No hotlinked images. Thank you.
Personally if there's any kind of junction or roundabout I need to negotiate I'm always much happier with the cyclist in front of me because then I can just drive slower and see what they are up to. Trying to get round a cyclist and then turn is just making life complicated for no reason.
Also you should also check your left mirror and blind spot. Not sure I always do a left lifesaver before turning left tbh but I'm going to try harder to remember.
The thing about other people waving you out or across or anything on the road is other people are sometimes idiots and probably not in as good a position as you to assess what is safe etc. so don't feel like you've got to go because they're waving you. Maybe they didn't see the cyclist passing you on the left.
Obviously the cyclist is a prize idiot for blithely continuing past you on the left but there we go.
You have no control over other peoples stupidity so at best you can mitigate it by anticipating it.
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It has wheels doesn't it? It 'carries' you from point A to point B. If you're not a pedestrian, you have no right being on the pavement.
Soldato
- Joined
- 8 Dec 2002
- Posts
- 21,300
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Just to add my 2 p worth Im a cyclist , cycle to work everyday plus some social rides , I also possess a driving licence and did drive many miles.
This incident assuming the OP definitely indicated left
Then cyclist is asking for trouble going up the inside , saying that I would also expect the car to look in his left mirror before turning left IMO.
But 90% blame has to fall with cyclist , out of interest was it a dizzy person on a mountain/hybrid bike or a road cyclist wearing helmet etc.
This incident assuming the OP definitely indicated left
Then cyclist is asking for trouble going up the inside , saying that I would also expect the car to look in his left mirror before turning left IMO.But 90% blame has to fall with cyclist , out of interest was it a dizzy person on a mountain/hybrid bike or a road cyclist wearing helmet etc.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 8 Jan 2004
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- 32,889
- Location
- Rutland
Road cyclists are the worst, it's like they put on some Lycra and this means traffic lights/crossings don't apply to them anymore. Maybe they think they're superman now.
This. It's not a bright idea to pass on the left of a indicating vehicle. It's also not a great idea to make a manoeuvre with out checking the mirror. If both sides followed this all the time there will be much fewer incidents (along with vehicles overtaking to instantly turn left into the cyclists path).
Soldato
- Joined
- 8 Dec 2002
- Posts
- 21,300
- Location
- North Yorkshire
I'd disagree with this very very strongly , road cyclists I have found know the rules , are more educated and wear more appreciate clothes and lights when needed.
There is of cause exceptions to the rule as in any walk of life
No and NO! I have every right to cruise on the pavement. No police officer will stop me from wanting to be safe! Hardly gonna BMX it on the road now am i?
Or you could stop riding a children's bike and cycle safely on the road?
Well they will stop you.
They stop uni students quite often round here for cycling on the pavement.
Safely on a road? Hahaha, have you ever seen the sort of morons that drive these days?