Accident this morning. Advice appreciated.

[Sbudge]

I think particularly with larger, windowless, vehicles obscuring visibility (like the van you mentioned) the speed was too high. However slowly and cautiously she tried to ease out it's hard to see how either of you would be able to see the other until it was too late. Yes, of course, you were technically in the right but you didn't give yourself much of a chance if you were unlucky and someone pulled out in front of that van at just the wrong moment.

GWS, shoulders need quite a bit of TLC. Good luck.

 

[EasyPeez]

Why not call BC and get advice?

I shall do just that now I'm finally back home. Cheers

I think you were going far too fast

In retrospect, I agree. At the time it didn't feel that fast, and I had slowed to what I thought felt like a 'filtering speed' as I know I'd been doing 20+ previously. I didn't actually look at my speedo so it could have been less than 15. That's a guess based on how much effort I recall putting in. It was certainly over 12mph. But whatever, on the basis that I didn't have time to see her nor she me, I guess 'too fast' is an inevitable conclusion.

Perhaps you could send us a Google street view link of the spot?

Looks far more innocuous without traffic everywhere!

Hope you get better soon and it doesn't put you off cycling

It'll take a lot more than this to put me off! Cheers. @fossyant 's story has really made me think though. I really feel for him. I've got two kids and don't want to end up with a serious injury like that. I shall certainly be reconsidering my routes and the choices I make when filtering.

15+ mph is ok if you were filtering on the other side of the road (had it been clear) giving you a better view of any gaps, but not otherwise.

Surely if it's too fast for one side it's too fast for the other? I appreciate your point about being able to see the junctions when on the left of the traffic, but cars can still turn across unespectedly for driveways etc, and pedestrains step out as you say. I appreciate and agree with the rest though, and am grateful to you for sharing your advice and experience.

 

[EasyPeez]

Why not call BC and get advice?

Bah, they close early on a Friday so it'll have to wait until after the weekend.

 

[mjr]

No, you are not to blame.
You could possibly have avoided this by cycling more cautiously, but in the end she pulled out in front of someone legitimately cycling along the road.

Just so. @EasyPeez was not primarily to blame, but maybe could have avoided that one.

To my mind, you did everything right. Apart from one thing. I think you were going far too fast

FFS 15mph overtaking on a road is not "far too fast" - heck, even I can do that without breathing hard! I think @Mile195 was more accurate: it was too fast for being that close to the vehicles.

Surely if it's too fast for one side it's too fast for the other?

I think not, as if you've a bit of gap between you and the vehicle then you've a bit more chance to see anything pulling out and take avoiding action and/or pull the brakes and they've a bit more chance to see you. Motorists overtaking cyclists without changing lane are usually wrong, but so is the other way round: give yourself "a door and a bit more" gap.[/QUOTE]

 

[Mrs M]

Ouch, sorry to hear about you accident.
Hope there's no long term damage to you and the bikes ok.

 

[EasyPeez]

I think not, as if you've a bit of gap between you and the vehicle then you've a bit more chance to see anything pulling out and take avoiding action and/or pull the brakes and they've a bit more chance to see you. Motorists overtaking cyclists without changing lane are usually wrong, but so is the other way round: give yourself "a door and a bit more" gap.

Fair comment. I know from experience (I nearly hit a ped a few months ago stepping out from infront of a lorry into a cycle lane) that some cycle lanes in this city are far too narrow and the space afforded in them, especially when filtering past lorries and vans, is the same or maybe even less than I was giving on the opposite side this morning, and doesn't allow for gaps to be seen and addressed. I won't filter on the left without a cycle lane because then it's often even worse - the width of a drain cover at best. But I take your point and can see that it does apply in some/many situations. Cheers.

 

[Pale Rider]

I wouldn't filter that fast, but even at my advised lower speed the impact would have been much the same.

With that in mind, I try not to pass any junctions without the protection of a stopped or slowly moving vehicle.

In this case, it would have meant stopping beside the van, and waiting for it to pull across the junction so I could trundle across beside it.

All very easy for me to say, a moment's inattention and I could have had the same accident as you.

 

[EasyPeez]

Bike in Halfords for the weekend so that they can give it a full check-over (noticed some play in the headset this afternoon so concerned the carbon steerer might be damaged? and the 'fixed' bent hanger is not quite perfect, as Stu warned me it might not be, so will take a new one at this point I think). Incident logged with the very polite local plod, who were happy to offer advice in terms of accepting cash and insurance claims etc.
Have spoken to the lady again just now on the phone. She was less concerned for my well-being than I would have been were the situation reversed (as in never asked!), and not at all happy to agreeing to pay for anything when I told her about the cracked helmet and minor damage to some bike parts. Fair enough I suppose, nobody wants to agree to paying out for something they don't know the cost of. We agreed that I'd ring her with the bill next week, and she said she'd decide then whether to cover the cost or go down the insurance route.
Shoulder is only getting worse not better so will see how a weekend of rest does me and then get a check-up.
Thanks again for all your words of encouragment and wisdom.
Might try to track down some kind of 'worst cycling crashes' video now to make me feel better!
Cheers, have a good weekend all and try to stay safe.

 

[Pale Rider]

Bike in Halfords for the weekend so that they can give it a full check-over (noticed some play in the headset this afternoon so concerned the carbon steerer might be damaged? and the 'fixed' bent hanger is not quite perfect, as Stu warned me it might not be, so will take a new one at this point I think). Incident logged with the very polite local plod, who were happy to offer advice in terms of accepting cash and insurance claims etc.
Have spoken to the lady again just now on the phone. She was less concerned for my well-being than I would have been were the situation reversed (as in never asked!), and not at all happy to agreeing to pay for anything when I told her about the cracked helmet and minor damage to some bike parts. Fair enough I suppose, nobody wants to agree to paying out for something they don't know the cost of. We agreed that I'd ring her with the bill next week, and she said she'd decide then whether to cover the cost or go down the insurance route.
Shoulder is only getting worse not better so will see how a weekend of rest does me and then get a check-up.
Thanks again for all your words of encouragment and wisdom.
Might try to track down some kind of 'worst cycling crashes' video now to make me feel better!
Cheers, have a good weekend all and try to stay safe.

The woman's reaction is not very encouraging.

Faced with a cyclist I had injured who was being very reasonable about it, I would have offered to hand deliver the money, even if the bill was a few hundred.

Much more than that and I would refer you to my insurers.

Bear in mind it is not entirely her choice to go down the insurance route, you can make a claim against her insurers.

Reported experience suggests many such simple claims - a few quid for some bike bits - are paid without a great deal of fuss.

The insurance company may not even contact their insured before paying.

That happened to a mate of mine - he only found out about a paid claim for a minor supermarket car park bump when his renewal arrived a few months later.

 

[swee'pea99]

I cycle quite often down a high street where cars wriggle through gaps in the traffic from side roads to turn right. I overtake the often stationary traffic using the middle of the road and the other side wherever possible, but I do it all at very modest speed - not a whole lot above walking pace, slowing down to walking pace or less when passing buses, vans or anything else I literally can't see through/past.

As a general rule, I avoid ever riding into 'blind spots' - ie, places where I can't see what might be there/emerging - any faster than allows me to stop safely 'if worst comes to worst'. As an even more general rule, I try always to ride in such a way that whatever anyone else does I will be ok. It's impossible, of course, to be 100% guaranteed safe, whatever happens. But I think it's a general mindset that's served me well over the years. There are a fair few psychos out there, and for every psycho a hundred muppets.

Good luck with your recovery, and as others have said beware the (driver's) change of heart...

 

[mjr]

some cycle lanes in this city are far too narrow and the space afforded in them, especially when filtering past lorries and vans, is the same or maybe even less than I was giving on the opposite side this morning, and doesn't allow for gaps to be seen and addressed

I can believe it. I would suggest remembering that it wasn't your fault and that I may be complacent because I rarely filter any more (mostly I'm on the local OK-to-good cycle tracks - today was the first time I'd filtered for ages and it was between two lines of cars waiting at traffic lights to get level with my turning on the left).

 

[vickster]

That certainly doesn't look to be a very wide road to be filtering at such speeds in queuing traffic, I'd be doing 10 max and looking out like a meerkat, traffic coming tne other way I'm not sure I'd be filtering at all

Don't worry about BC being closed, you've got 3 years. But do report to the police over the weekend and I'd text her to say you've done so so she is aware as they'll contact her probably

I wouldn't read anything into her reaction, shock and upset makes people react oddly

Your aches and pains will get worse, get a bag of peas or an ice pack on that shoulder to reduce swelling (15 minutes wrapped in a teatowel)

Make an appointment to see the GP on Monday, or go to A&E, GP may send you anyway if they think it's serious. Or if the range of motion is restricted, just go straight there over the weekend

 

[Mile195]

Sorry - I think I've written it in a way that you might have misinterpreted!

"15+ mph is ok if you were filtering on the other side of the road (had it been clear) giving you a better view of any gaps, but not otherwise.".

When I said that, I didn't mean coming the other way on the other side of the road. I meant, doing exactly what you were doing (filtering up the drivers side of all the cars), but further out so you were effectively cycling in the middle of the lane on the "wrong" side of the road, rather than squeezing yourself in to the remaining couple of feet on your side between the drivers doors and the white lines.

That aside, how are you feeling today?

 

[Andrew_P]

You are not a fault and in your first post you acknowledged what you could have done better to maybe avoid it happening again. I hate filtering either side, and I always make a judgement on how long it will cost me to behave like a car and if it is worth the extra risk. Junctions if you know the road are easier to judge and show caution. Driveways, pedestrian refuges or pedestrians false stop are much harder to predict but for me the closest I have always come are the people who suddenly without warning see a gap and pull out to either overtake or U-turn.

The problem these days and it might be effecting the Ladies reaction is the advent of the Ambulance chasers, if she does contact her Insurance they will advise to to not admit liability and do not make any payment as this will be taken as an admission of liability even if you all sign a full and final settlement. She might be hesitant for that reason you know today £50 and tomorrow (or 2 year 360 days) she get a letter claiming for injury, distress, time off work and a full carbon bike and has the problem of trying to explain to her insurance company why she never reported it and paid you £50 to go away.. So I do understand how she might be feeling, or she could just be a callous so and so..

 

[Andrew_P]

Oh and forgot the important part hope the shoulder improves.