almost took out a cyclist with the car :-(

[angusde]

On Friday, I was in the car in Edinburgh, when I was undertaken at a choke-point/road narrowing bit by a cyclist. I had to swerve and brake to avoid hitting him as our tracks converged where the road narrowed, we were both doing 25-30mph, and he was going rather faster than I was, setting a impressive pace! It was dark, wet and windy at the time.

I was slightly shaken at the time as I couldn't believe I'd missed a cyclist in my mirrors, but when I caught up with him a couple of traffic lights further on I realised that he wasn't using any front light at all, although he did have a rear flashing led.

Although I feel he could have been the author of his own demise without a front light, I still feel unnerved at the thought I could have hit a fellow cyclist.

Angus

 

[Ben M]

On Friday, I was in the car in Edinburgh, when I was undertaken at a choke-point/road narrowing bit by a cyclist. I had to swerve and brake to avoid hitting him as our tracks converged where the road narrowed, we were both doing 25-30mph, and he was going rather faster than I was, setting a impressive pace! It was dark, wet and windy at the time.

I was slightly shaken at the time as I couldn't believe I'd missed a cyclist in my mirrors, but when I caught up with him a couple of traffic lights further on I realised that he wasn't using any front light at all, although he did have a rear flashing led.

Although I feel he could have been the author of his own demise without a front light, I still feel unnerved at the thought I could have hit a fellow cyclist.

Angus

It sounds like it was completely his fault; he went past you and caused you to have to take evasive action.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Another Darwin award nominee cyclist (or POB)

 

[marinyork]

I doubt either of you should have been doing 25/30mph at a pinch point.

 

[downfader]

Sounds to me like you were on the ball enough to avoid hitting the guy. Maybe he did have a front lamp and the batteries had died? (A reason why I have 3 front white at the moment)

If I'm in the car with family I often find myself, even though in the passenger seat, looking for any signs of movement just incase. I'm pretty good at spotting unlit cyclists, curiously, and usually notice them. Sadly others might not look for them in the same way they dont look for unlit peds.

 

[zacklaws]

As they say, overtakers pass on your right side, and those who pass on the inside can end up at the undertakers. If I ever have to pass traffic on the inside its always slow and with caution, watching out for doors opening, cars moving over to the left and trapping you on the kerb or even turning left in front of you. And if the traffic starts to speed up then I remain behind the nearest car and speed up with them

 

[angusde]

I doubt either of you should have been doing 25/30mph at a pinch point.

2 lanes, down to 1 because of parked cars on our side of road, traffic flowing fast enough, all in outside lane, the pinch point was a traffic island/pedestrian refuge in the centre of the roadway. So, basically he pulled out into my lane just at the point I had nowhere to go.

Angus

 

[Twiggy]

Both doing 30, in dark, wet and windy conditions...

I don't think I'd want to be going that fast on my bike in those conditions on a good clear road, doing it on a busy road just wouldn't feel safe tbh.

my percetion might be tainted by my recent off though.

 

[downfader]

Both doing 30, in dark, wet and windy conditions...

I don't think I'd want to be going that fast on my bike in those conditions on a good clear road, doing it on a busy road just wouldn't feel safe tbh.

my percetion might be tainted by my recent off though.

Well exactly, plus the less surface area on a cycles tyres surely means you're not going to stop in time in the wet.

 

[ufkacbln]

As they say, overtakers pass on your right side, and those who pass on the inside can end up at the undertakers.

Yet with the advent of cycle lanes - this is exactly what people are encouraged to do and especially with ASLs at junctions.

It soon becomes seen as "Correct practice"

 

[Twiggy]

Worse still, if you happen to stray out of a cyclelane, no matter how fast you are going, you are the target of abuse.

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

You are very brave with this admission. Please don't be alarmed at the opinions that follow.

 

[Tynan]

if the road narrows and you end up closing the space inside you, I'd expect that you;d be sure that's not affecting someone on that space

standard highway code init

that said, no front light gets no sympathy from me

 

[HLaB]

I never realised until this year how bad no front light was. This morning whilst waiting in a right turn pocket for a gap somebody coming the other way with no front light undertook cars I couldn't see him til late. The HC says I should giveway to him, which I did but would somebody else ?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I remember reading somewhere that having no front light puts a cyclist at a higher risk of being hit than having no rear light. He gets no sympathy from me, there's no excuse for riding unlit (especially not while undertaking at a pinch point at 25mph+).