3rd time knocked down by a car. This is starting to get old

[Deleted member 26715]

I have no answers for you, I have never ridden in London & it's a long time since I drove there, my only present experiences are, I arrive by train & either use the tube or I walk (preferred), coming from the provinces (Sheffield) the whole place seems manic to me, nobody is interested in anything else other than themselves.

I wrote a lot more of this, but realised it wouldn't help resolve you issue, so all I can say is get well soon, but if you do enjoy cycling do not let the selfish stop you.

 

[jefmcg]

[QUOTE 5268543, member: 10119"]@jefmcg - I know that the response to an incident or a near miss is often an emotional one (and that is entirely human and normal and all that, natch) but in case the SCIENCE and stats can help you to rationalise that I recommend this thread, and particularly this blog post that was linked to in it https://www.gicentre.net/blog/2013/11/24/risk-cycling-and-denominator-neglect[/QUOTE]

That is for people who have only been in one collision, or none and are worried by the statistics. But now I have been in 3, I am my own study. I know my denominator, it's 52,155km. So one collision with a car every 17,000km or so.

If the pattern holds, I'll be due another by the time I replace my next bottom bracket. (where's the rueful laughter emoji?)

 

[MiK1138]

Hope you and the bike are OK. i know what you mean about roundabouts, where I live "Give Way" seems to translate as "Creep slowly further into the road until oncoming traffic has no choice but stop to let you out"

 

[mjr]

I have no answers for you, I have never ridden in London & it's a long time since I drove there, my only present experiences are, I arrive by train & either use the tube or I walk (preferred), coming from the provinces (Sheffield) the whole place seems manic to me, nobody is interested in anything else other than themselves.

Coming from the provinces (Norfolk), I think that's a bit unfair. That London genuinely seemed to change in the run-up to 2012 and it seems to have persisted. There are still plenty of "fool in a hurry"s but there are also many lovely welcoming helpful people of all sorts there. Cycling has become much easier, which is partly better-signed routes (not necessarily actually better routes in many cases) which I suspect is due to the weight of cycling tourists on hire bikes and folding bikes as they become more common. Also, if you're not sure where to go, asking or simply following bunches of cyclists often works now, at least in inner London. There are still a few roads which I usually avoid (Euston Road and its infernal shark-infested/black-cab-infested bus lanes ) but some of the worst have been cycle-bypassed or totally remodelled in the last decade.

Is it still considered offensive to talk to people on the tube? Maybe using that to travel around is contributing to the perception.

 

[DCLane]

Don't give up - it happens.

Others have commented about different routes; I'd echo that. However, giving up on what you enjoy because of the stupidity and thoughtlessness of others means the idiots have won. Don't let them. Please.

 

[Milkfloat]

Back to @jefmcg My suggestion, take a week off, take a tube a few times or a bus and then go for a pootle somewhere by bike, I am sure you will come to your senses . In my unimportant opinion, it is better to have the smiles per mile and associated health benefits of cycling even if there is a small risk of denting someones car. The alternative to me would be far worse.

 

[MontyVeda]

Sorry to hear that you have been run into again. I have never cycled in the London area but imagine it to be more fraught with stupidity- car drivers I mean - than the small towns that I tend to live in.
I hope that you do return to cycling and that you feel better soon.

I was thinking the exact same thing... I'm not sure I'd like to cycle through Preston or Manchester on a daily basis, let alone London.

Glad you're OK @jefmcg.

 

[ianrauk]

Sorry to hear that you have been run into again. I have never cycled in the London area but imagine it to be more fraught with stupidity- car drivers I mean - than the small towns that I tend to live in.
I hope that you do return to cycling and that you feel better soon.

Actually it's not. There are so many cyclists now on the roads in London that at some junctions, cyclists out number car traffic by many. Over the years car drivers have become very cyclist aware. There is also the fact that a lot of traffic in London (Central mainly) is jammed up so that cycling is far quicker and easier then driving.

 

[jefmcg]

Ouch! Glad you’re OK.

I presume the police aren't going to do anything?

Chapter 2.

Car was a Prius mini cab driven by a (as it turned out) nice Somalian-British driver with a real arse hole of a passenger - older white British male, if it needs to be said.

Driver did not believe he was at fault, but I don't understand why. I called 999, but Friday night the Met is busy and I was stuck in a queue. Kudos that a voice quickly came on to ask if I was in danger, and when I said no, I was put back in the queue. Meanwhile the passenger has decided I'm hysterical (my angry screaming when I hit the bitumen may have been a factor there ), and starts mansplaining to me why the cops aren't needed, badgering me with repeated "what benefit do you think you will get from the police attending?" I had no intention of justifying myself to this stranger who was clearly annoyed that me being struck by a car was delaying his journey home. I may have said "Shut the fark up"

Anyway, he soon had his answer, if he was paying attention. The driver showed me his taxi ID and when I asked to see his licence, he refused! Lucky just then the police arrived! Which is odd, because I was still in the queue. Turns out he was on his way somewhere and stumbled upon the scene. Parliamentary protection I think, motorbike with a gun and all! He took our statements and they matched, to quote the officer "I had to go over parts of the highway code with him" to explain he was in the wrong. Police also talked to the passenger, who I subsequently saw angrily stomping from the scene in search of another ride home without ever enquiring about my well being.

Once the driver understood he was at fault, he became genuinely apologetic. I totally believe he didn't mean to hit me. He didn't explain what was going through his head and didn't ask. We all have brain farts. He seemed like a competent driver, and getting home would be be difficult, so after he passed a breath test, I accepted his insistent offer to drive me home. We had a lovely chat on the way home, once I finally convinced him to stop apologising.

So the police have the incident recorded, but I don't know what action they will take. But I can guess.

 

[keithmac]

Do motorcyclists get hit with the same frequency?

I cycled into and bonetted a (parked!) car aged about 6, and thankfully am still in the lead.

Regardless, I hope you and the bike either recover, or are replaced with something a lot better. Whichever you prefer.

Take care!

Edit: rereading this, it does sound quite churlish. I misjudge things frequently. I really do extend my sympathies, and hope you find yourself back in the saddle, safe and happy soon.

I have the joy of riding to work in rush hour on my bicycle and then roadtesting motorcycles daily.

I ride the same on both, assume everybody else is stupid and no one has seen you, basically get ready for worst case scenario and be able to avoid it!.

I pulled to a stop on a main road once as I'd seen a car starting to pull out (if I'd carried on she'd have taken me off!). She did the whole maneuver before realising I was there as it obviously startled her. I just gave her a FFS (don't normally swear but I was livid).

 

[Deleted member 26715]

The driver showed me his taxi ID and when I asked to see his licence, he refused!

Did he show it to the Police officer?

 

[classic33]

Chapter 2.

Car was a Prius mini cab driven by a (as it turned out) nice Somalian-British driver with a real arse hole of a passenger - older white British male, if it needs to be said.

Driver did not believe he was at fault, but I don't understand why. I called 999, but Friday night the Met is busy and I was stuck in a queue. Kudos that a voice quickly came on to ask if I was in danger, and when I said no, I was put back in the queue. Meanwhile the passenger has decided I'm hysterical (my angry screaming when I hit the bitumen may have been a factor there ), and starts mansplaining to me why the cops aren't needed, badgering me with repeated "what benefit do you think you will get from the police attending?" I had no intention of justifying myself to this stranger who was clearly annoyed that me being struck by a car was delaying his journey home. I may have said "Shut the fark up"

Anyway, he soon had his answer, if he was paying attention. The driver showed me his taxi ID and when I asked to see his licence, he refused! Lucky just then the police arrived! Which is odd, because I was still in the queue. Turns out he was on his way somewhere and stumbled upon the scene. Parliamentary protection I think, motorbike with a gun and all! He took our statements and they matched, to quote the officer "I had to go over parts of the highway code with him" to explain he was in the wrong. Police also talked to the passenger, who I subsequently saw angrily stomping from the scene in search of another ride home without ever enquiring about my well being.

Once the driver understood he was at fault, he became genuinely apologetic. I totally believe he didn't mean to hit me. He didn't explain what was going through his head and didn't ask. We all have brain farts. He seemed like a competent driver, and getting home would be be difficult, so after he passed a breath test, I accepted his insistent offer to drive me home. We had a lovely chat on the way home, once I finally convinced him to stop apologising.

So the police have the incident recorded, but I don't know what action they will take. But I can guess.

Chase that side of it up as well.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I may have said "Shut the fark up"

Oh man, I'd have paid to see that.

Get well soon.

 

[jefmcg]

Did he show it to the Police officer?

Yeah. I think he may have had some coaching from his passenger. Once the gentle officer spoke to him, he was compliant.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Yeah. I think he may have had some coaching from his passenger. Once the gentle officer spoke to him, he was compliant.

Just wondered if the reason he didn't was due to not having one