Close call in Camberwell

[Doctor Cake]

Hello all,

Sorry that one of my first posts is not a pleasent one, but I'm hoping that I can get some help and advice.

I commute through Camberwell pretty much everyday by bike and make the turn from Denmark Hill onto Coldharbour Lane. Right hand turns from Denmark Hill onto Coldharbour Lane are illegal, so they shunt you through a little one way system onto Daneville Road which then takes you straight across the junction onto Coldharbour Lane. This is a traffic light controlled junction. There are no priority lights for this junction. I had a green light (and therefore so did cars coming off Coldharbour Lane) and was making my way across the junction when a car turning right (from Coldharbour Lane to Denmark Hill) failed to give way (see attachment, bike is blue, red is car).

There was no other traffic on Daneville Road when I was on it, so as I approached the junction there were cars turning right across my path onto Denmark Hill, but that's fine I was far enough back, however once I entered the junction, I was under the impression that traffic proceeding straight through a junction has priority over turning traffic. The occupants of the car which failed to stop obviously do not share this view.

I have the registration number of the car X427 GBL but I don't know the make. It was compact, cream coloured, I thought it might be a renault, but when I tried the DVLA website it couldn't find it. Does anyone know of a place where I can confirm this is the right plate number before I make a report.

Also what's the best place to make a report? Thankfully there was no actual collision, but if I had not slammed on my brakes, I would have been on the bonnet of that car.

Thanks in advance for any advice and help.

 

[BentMikey]

You can try:

https://www.mycarcheck.com/check/X427GBL/

which says it's a Fiat Punto. The DVLA enquiry then shows this as GREY.

 

[Lurker]

Nasty... well done for avoiding a crash. Worth reporting to the Met's Roadsafe team: http://www.met.police.uk/roadsafelondon/

 

[fossyant]

This is quite common, like following sheep - I have it on two junctions on my route. The traffic on the opposite lane starts off first with a right filter, then the lane I'm in gets the green, so I set off across the junction - you always get those going for the right turn at the last minute, after their filter has been off for over 5 seconds, cutting in front of me and the following cars.

All you can do is know to expect it and be ready. On a number of occasions I've been too far across, and had to shout at the driver, forcing them not to try a right hook, despite clear line of sight, and a stack of cars behind me.

 

[John the Monkey]

All you can do is know to expect it and be ready. On a number of occasions I've been too far across, and had to shout at the driver, forcing them not to try a right hook, despite clear line of sight, and a stack of cars behind me.

I quite often indicate that I'm going straight on (left hand off the bars, arm extended forward with hand perpendicular to the road) at this sort of junction. Whilst not eliminating the problem entirely, my unscientific opinion is that it reduces it.

 

[Doctor Cake]

Thank you for your replies everyone (esp to BentMikey who found out the car make details).

I ride in primary position through that junction to try to make it more clear that I'm not turning left or right, but may try the hand signal in the future.

It's the fact that the driver wasn't even remotely sorry that they had almost driven into me that has prompted me to report it. They had the audacity to say I had a red light, which is definitely not true. If I had a red light, then they would have as well, that's just how those lights work.

 

[BentMikey]

This sort of thing is why I love my camera, and having an AirZound. Admittedly an AirZound would spoilt the lovely lines of your bike though, Dr Cake!!!

P.s. That is a fine username. Everyone else: envy it.

 

[JamesAC]

I quite often indicate that I'm going straight on (left hand off the bars, arm extended forward with hand perpendicular to the road) at this sort of junction. Whilst not eliminating the problem entirely, my unscientific opinion is that it reduces it.

+1
And glare at the drivers coming from the opposite direction!

 

[RedRider]

I quite often indicate that I'm going straight on (left hand off the bars, arm extended forward with hand perpendicular to the road) at this sort of junction. Whilst not eliminating the problem entirely, my unscientific opinion is that it reduces it.

+2
Also, there's very few motorists who would deliberately run into a cyclist - just think of the damage to the paintwork for a start - but maybe there's an irrational sub-thought process in some drivers' minds as they vroom along.

'I'm in a car on a road, roads are for cars, that bike isn't a car therefore it isn't there/therefore I'm allowed to be in its space.' That kind of thing (and see John the Monkey's signature).

 

[ianrauk]

This sort of thing is why I love my camera, and having an AirZound. Admittedly an AirZound would spoilt the lovely lines of your bike though, Dr Cake!!!

P.s. That is a fine username. Everyone else: envy it.

Your airzound certainly made me take notice on last nights commute home...

 

[fossyant]

As for not admitting anything - that's the norm, so don't get too bothered, they even do it when there is evidence against them, until the point it is about to go to court.

 

[BentMikey]

Your airzound certainly made me take notice on last nights commute home...

I was chuffed to spot you, and to get your attention.

 

[smiorgan]

It's the fact that the driver wasn't even remotely sorry that they had almost driven into me that has prompted me to report it. They had the audacity to say I had a red light, which is definitely not true. If I had a red light, then they would have as well, that's just how those lights work.

Near my place there's a crossroads with staggered timing for the lights so green lasts longer in one direction. For a while I was amazed at the number of cars jumping the red light in the opposite direction, until I realised it wasn't red for them.

But even if this were a mitigating factor for the driver's manouvre, their attitude still stinks.

Oh, and a colleague of my wife's was killed when her car was t-boned because she followed another car through a right turn without thinking.