Accident

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runner

Guru
Location
Bristol
Hi all
I had a bad accident on Thursday evening and have been debating on bikeradar...I would like to discuss on cyclechat...but do not want to bore you all if most of us post on bikeradar...here is the gist of what happened....let me know if we can discuss further....I was even thinking of taking some pics of the location (as I travel past most nights)......

This piece of road in central Bristol is one way traffic right in the centre deviding the new shopping center Cabot Circus from the old Broadmead. It is always full of pedestrians/shoppers continuously crossing and not always paying attention to road condtions and quite often not noticing cyclists. Add to this traffic that travels one way..taxis buses etc and you get the usual confusing city centre turmoil! My attention will nearly always be on pedestrians as they imho are the more unpredictable and I presumed that the cyclist on my left would stay on the left and not wonder across into my path. I cannot say I saw him wondering into my path as it all happend so quick and having presumed the cyclist would stay left the danger would come from pedestrians( as it usually does) The next thing I know I am flat on the ground having been swiped/hit by the cyclist who must have wondered into my lane. We then fell to the right and scraped the car door parked on the yellow lines. My point here is it must have been his fault as we fell right due to him taking me out. So looking back, although my speed was not excessive and although I was looking at the lights in the distance the accident was caused by the jay riding cyclist...I am in work today Sat and still bruised but no bones broken so a lesson learned..
 

BSRU

A Human Being
Location
Swindon
From your description it sounds like the other cyclist rode into the road space you already occupied and it is their fault, proving it maybe dificult without witnesses and/or cctv.
 

Norm

Guest
Not sure from your description but my first instinct is that overtaking vehicles must always keep clear. Just as we expect overtaking cars to leave space around cyclists, so we should leave space around other cyclists that we overtake. But you don't actually say whether you were overtaking him or doing the same speed or what, just that he was on your left.
 
OP
OP
runner

runner

Guru
Location
Bristol
I was overtaking him and doing a greater speed...more conscious of the pedestrians crossing the road and the pattern of the traffic lights in the distance...and then boom!!....he cut across me and I was wiped out......
 

Chutzpah

Über Member
Location
Somerset, UK
I'm afraid that my gut instinct is that if you were overtaking him you are at fault.

Extreme example, but if a car was to do the same to you what would your thoughts be?
 

MrHappyCyclist

Riding the Devil's HIghway
Location
Bolton, England
Bicycles can also be very unpredictable. Apart from the need to avoid obstacles, I reckon a sudden strong gust of side wind will easily push me 2 feet or more to the side before I can recover balance, just because of the counter-steering that is necessary to get back on track, so you have to give a lot of clearance, just as you should in a car. (HC rule 213 acknowledges this.)

It may be that you did give a lot of clearance and the other cyclist changed lanes, but your description doesn't give any clues to this.
 

ferret fur

Well-Known Member
Location
Roseburn
TBH it is almost always impossible to judge from a written description. It probably hinges whether he 'swerved' or 'wobbled' in which case it is your fault for not keeping clear, or whether he 'changed lanes' on you without looking in which case the blame lies more with him. But as none of us (except one) were there it is rather tricky to tell.
 

Angelfishsolo

A Velocipedian
+1
TBH it is almost always impossible to judge from a written description. It probably hinges whether he 'swerved' or 'wobbled' in which case it is your fault for not keeping clear, or whether he 'changed lanes' on you without looking in which case the blame lies more with him. But as none of us (except one) were there it is rather tricky to tell.
 
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