Close encounter

[Nebulous]

I've been commuting for about 10 months now, only 2 miles each way, but I need to cross a dual carriageway at a roundabout. Its an uphill drag before it and still slightly uphill on the roundabout. Today I had a bus behind me, a car on my right going right, found a decent gap in the traffic and set off.

I crossed the first half of the dual carriageway, with a car on the middle lane stopped to ket me through when a car on his left came straight out in front of me without looking! An older gentleman in a black mercedes. I shouted, grabbed a handful of brake and the rear wheel on my bike locked and slid left. I managed to steer through it and stay on the bike, parallel to the car so close I thought I might have actually made contact with his car. He carried on regardless and disappeared down the hill with another car chasing him, peeping and gesticulating at him. I'm not sure the driver ever saw me at all.

Now I've had a few angry moments commuting, much less now than at the beginning, but my overwhelming feeling was one of relief. Second to that though is complete and utter amazement that I managed to stay upright. My bike handling should be improving with the amount of cycling I do, but skid turns certainly aren't part of my normal repertoire.

 

[G-Zero]

Good reactions and it just goes to show that you need your eyes everywhere, watching for the dangers, but I'm struggling from your description to figure out whether the car approached from your left and failed to give way to you, or had approached from your right ?

 

[Nebulous]

He joined the roundabout from my left and should have given way to me. He was largely obscured because there were two lanes (40 mph Dual carriageway) and the car in the outside lane who was nearest to me stopped, but the guy in the inside lane just sailed through. So I went from a 90 degree angle to him to being parallel with him in about 8-10 feet.

 

[BSRU]

Do you mean, a two lane entry road onto the RAB you were already on, in the entry lane nearest to you the car stopped, the other entry lane the car just drove on oblivious to your existence.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Do you mean, a two lane entry road onto the RAB you were already on, in the entry lane nearest to you the car stopped, the other entry lane the car just drove on oblivious to your existence.

Thats what I'm get from it too.

I have a very similiar roundabout, or about 4 really, on various roads near me. I don't like them at all and have stopped and walked on the footpath when they are busy. Not nice types of junctions to negotiate so glad this worked out ok for you.

 

[Nebulous]

Do you mean, a two lane entry road onto the RAB you were already on, in the entry lane nearest to you the car stopped, the other entry lane the car just drove on oblivious to your existence.

Yes that's exactly what I mean.

Here's streetview

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=For...=0NJqMBV_PDXhj97rYNnTBg&cbp=12,295.4,,0,-0.21

I was going straight ahead and the car where the blue jag is stopped, whereas the guy where that Galaxy is came straight out. I'm not convinced he saw me even with my avoiding action and ending up very close to his window.

 

[G-Zero]

He joined the roundabout from my left and should have given way to me. He was largely obscured because there were two lanes (40 mph Dual carriageway) and the car in the outside lane who was nearest to me stopped, but the guy in the inside lane just sailed through. So I went from a 90 degree angle to him to being parallel with him in about 8-10 feet.

Yup, that's what I initially thought and had a similar one a few weeks ago, except there was no one blocking this numptie's view of me.

Keep 'em peeled

 

[wiggydiggy]

I really hate that sort of roundabout, seems every other car on them is driven by a lunatic

 

[fossyant]

I really hate that sort of roundabout, seems every other car on them is driven by a lunatic

That's the sort of roundabout I was knocked off on - outer lane (2nd) stopped, inner (1st/nearest) lane didn't and drove through me !

 

[wiggydiggy]

That's the sort of roundabout I was knocked off on - outer lane (2nd) stopped, inner (1st/nearest) lane didn't and drove through me !

Grrrrrrr! Hope all ended well, did they stop, get prosecuted, etc etc?

 

[fossyant]

Grrrrrrr! Hope all ended well, did they stop, get prosecuted, etc etc?

They had to stop as I was scooped up and travelled with the car (air borne). Not prosecuted as I got up, bit battered, but my many years cycling sorted that (saved me from worse injury) and I was on a bomb proof 90's MTB (made a mes of the car - just scratches on the MTB). As for injury, well it's long documented on here and claim is ongoing after 3 years.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Best of luck with the ongoing case then Foss

 

[Arfcollins]

It's because of such a nasty roundabout on my route (Titchfield Hill for those local CCers) that I take that part of the ride on the pavement. Only 2 pedestrians usually, who I am now on nodding terms with. Perfectly safe for all concerned as I wear a helmet.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

It's because of such a nasty roundabout on my route (Titchfield Hill for those local CCers) that I take that part of the ride on the pavement. Only 2 pedestrians usually, who I am now on nodding terms with. Perfectly safe for all concerned as I wear a helmet.

Nice little ironic touch there.

 

[Dan_h]

It's because of such a nasty roundabout on my route (Titchfield Hill for those local CCers) that I take that part of the ride on the pavement. Only 2 pedestrians usually, who I am now on nodding terms with. Perfectly safe for all concerned as I wear a helmet.

Are you sure it is safe for all concerned? Perhaps the two pedestrians should also wear helmets in case one of them trips and knocks the other one over.