Almost got flattened, your opinion please.

[Pat "5mph"]

To put things in prospective, today's was my first ever near miss in almost 7 years of cycling everywhere.
It was scary!
It was just after 6am, I wanted to do a right turn (no lights) on a wide, downhill, dual carriage road: 2 lanes going downhill, two going uphill.
There was no other cars on the road, only me on the bike and this car.
I am riding in the middle of the right lane going downhill, about to turn right, when I see a car coming toward me, so I slow down, ready to let it pass.
The driver was not indicating: he /she could have wanted to go to my left into an industrial estate, but, not indicating, I thought they were going straight.
I was not indicating either, I get a bit wobbly indicating downhill, but my road position was giving no mixed signals.
Anyway, the driver turned their steering wheel right into me, carried on a bit, stopped in the nick of time, then passed me on the wrong lane.
Maybe they did turn into that industrial estate, I should have turned to look!
All day at work I though, oh drat, maybe it was my fault, maybe I was in his lane without realizing, it was quite dark, but on Strava you can see that I was right in the middle of my turning lane.
Here is a screenshot: the sharp angle is when I stopped dead because they were driving into me.

I wouldn't attempt this turn in rush hours, but have done it plenty of times when the road is quiet, with no problems at all, even when I had buses coming towards me.
By the way, the driver did not beep me or give me abuse.
If I was in the wrong they would have done, for sure!
I think tomorrow I'll take the adjacent shared pavement, at the moment it is narrowed by roadworks, plus there are two bus stops on the "cycling facility" ... the joys!
I'll be back on that road once my blood pressure stabilizes but if I could do it better next time please, do say!

 

[Tin Pot]

Can’t say I understand what happened Pat, but if they’ve passed you in the wrong lane, wrong side of the road, then it’s obviously their fault.

I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Chin up, eh.

 

[gaijintendo]

Really sorry to hear about this. I think there might be something in the water, because a few cars seemed to be toying with me, and a Range Rover in the West End gave me the old window clean salute.

That's the crap scenario that I have a rear camera light for...

I would suggest you try not to analyse it too much - but maybe this thread might be therapeutic.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I'd say they didnt see you.

Yes, I'd say that too: never seen my 2 flashing, one steady front lights, my reflective sam brown belt, my bright pink hat, and the fact that there was no others about in the whole wide road
What chances have we got?!

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I have no sympathy; when will cyclists learn? The only way to "be seen" is to wear black from head to toe and not have lights - every fecker sees you then...

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I have no sympathy; when will cyclists learn? The only way to "be seen" is to wear black from head to toe and not have lights - every fecker sees you then...

Right you are

 

[skudupnorth]

Glad you are still with us though,this week seems to have been a fairly rubbish one in commuter,cyclist world

 

[Racing roadkill]

Cars are jammed full of distractions, the more modern the car the more distractions they tend to have. There are a lot of brainless cretins driving around, if you add the complication of distractions in, it’s a nightmare. I had a total plank try to overtake me on a blind bend tonight on a ride. Unsurprisingly, something came round the bend the other way, and rather than brake, the muppet swerved into me, missing me by a millimetre. He got caught in a jam round the next corner at a junction, so so put the bike down on the verge and went and had a word. The stupid old incompetent douchebag behind the wheel didn’t even acknowledge my protestations. If he had dropped the window, I could have pointed out the error of his ways more easily. The guy behind him, did wind his window down and told me he had seen it and had it on dash cam. I have the web address of a site you can use to point out truly dangerous driving to the DVLA, if you have footage. That doesn’t help if you get wiped out by these incompetent cretins though, it’s a bit late, if they’ve put you in the hedge ( or worse ). I do a lot of road miles, I see, and experience things that are beyond the comprehension of any sane, right thinking individual, and for the vast majority of the time, these idiots, don’t even acknowledge their utter stupidity. That’s the kicker, I see stupid people, they don’t know they’re stupid.

 

[Rooster1]

I hope you can get over it and get back on the bike, I know how it feels.

 

[mjr]

Can't quite tell what you did but I can't see how it could be your fault. It sounds like a distracted driver goofed. If I had that on camera, I think I'd send the video to the police.

Don't let them get you down. Keep rolling!

 

[Maenchi]

A piece of advice my dad gave to me years ago, before I was even old enough to drive, about junctions was, 'even if the approaching car is not signalling don't assume it won't turn, best waiting until it's gone past' I obviously have never forgot this and for sure it's true.... .... (sometimes)

 

[simongt]

A piece of advice my dad gave to me years ago, before I was even old enough to drive, about junctions was, 'even if the approaching car is not signalling don't assume it won't turn, best waiting until it's gone past' I obviously have never forgot this and for sure it's true.... .... (sometimes)

You're dad was a wise man. Especially at roundabouts, I NEVER assume anything about a vehicle's intention even when it's signalling, until it's very obvious by the angle which direction it's going in. I may be delayed in my commute by a few seconds, but so - ?

 

[Tin Pot]

A piece of advice my dad gave to me years ago, before I was even old enough to drive, about junctions was, 'even if the approaching car is not signalling don't assume it won't turn, best waiting until it's gone past' I obviously have never forgot this and for sure it's true.... .... (sometimes)

Default position: Everyone is trying to kill you.

 

[davidphilips]

Just hope its another 7 years before some one scares you, i am not that lucky and tend to be like a magnet for bad drivers.

 

[MiK1138]

Is that the junction just down from Halfords? I hate that junction