Confession time - I nearly hit a cyclist

[simon the viking]

This morning (due to a late night picking my wife from her Christmas 'do') I decided to drive to work (No hangover - stone cold sober).

Pulling out of a local shop having looked both ways, I nearly hit a cyclist (really really close shave) he tapped the back end of my car (as a cyclist I find find this very confrontational and would never do it myself, it only needs you to do it to some hard nut on steroids for them to hit you hard)

I pulled over further up, to offer my genuine apologies as I was feeling really awful about it. But when he stopped, I realised why I had struggled to see him, dark clothing, black bike, nothing reflective and no lights switched on. (he also had no helmet but that's another debate!)

I told him I was really sorry as I was a cyclist myself but asked him where his lights were, he pointed to a poundland front and rear light and said there they are but it was too light for lights, this was 8.00 am and it was still quite dark.

I do feel this was mostly my fault but surely the cyclist is slightly at fault

Whats everyone's views on this?

Oh and you cant make feel much worse than I do.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Cyclists fault imo

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I would say the cyclist was not helping himself. Road safety is a two way street (sic).

 

[deanE]

Let’s hope that his near miss will make him thing as much as it has you.

 

[marshmella]

Well if he's riding how you describe he should be used to near misses. You offered sincere apoogies and advice about the lights 8 am it' aint quite light enough to switch your lights off.no blame on your part.

 

[simon the viking]

Thanks for the early replies folks, making me feel a bit better about my driving, but it has taught me a lesson - look out for unflourescent cyclists

 

[mattobrien]

Some cyclists do them selves no favours. It is as much their job to make sure they are visible as it is yours to see them.

This time of year it can be very dull through the day, especially if cloudy. Unless its a sunny day I find myself showing light while cycling.

I'd rather not be technically right but get hit by a car.

Good work for stopping and talking to him. Batteries are cheaper than lives, so I struggle to see why people are afraid to run them down by using their lights...

 

[Boris Bajic]

These things happen. I imagine that as a cyclist you'd have been 'cyclist aware'.

The poor chap was not making himself easy to see.

We all do these things. You know you did it. You apologised and stayed calm.

No-one was hurt or even hit, so it need not be a matter of fault, blame or culpability.

Life is full of close shaves. On the basis of what you say, I cannot think you did anything to feel bad about.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

As I cycle more than I drive, I'm particularly nervous about not seeing cyclists whenever I'm behind the wheel. I think I've gradually begun to think that whenever I'm surprised by the actions of another road user, even when a court would acquit me, I regard that element of surprise as evidence of a lack of awareness or a misjudgement on my part.

Even if the cyclist was not helping himself, I know I would believe it was also my fault if I were in the OP's position. If a double-check - a sort of reverse lifesaver - would have given the cyclist a better chance then that would be a good preventative measure for the future.

(I say ''reverse lifesaver'' because the motorcycle instructor's mantra is usually understood from a biker's point of view, here it's the driver thinking of the biker/cyclist's point of view)

 

[Arch]

Well if he's riding how you describe he should be used to near misses. You offered sincere apoogies and advice about the lights 8 am it' aint quite light enough to switch your lights off.no blame on your part.

At 8.10 yesterday we set off in the electric truck for work and definitely needed the lights on - all the other cars on the road had them on. I tend to take my guidance from other vehicles regarding lights on a vehicle or bike, not timing.

OP - Well done for confessing and thinking about the situation. I agree the cyclist wasn't helping himself, but sometimes it's worth looking several times each way to extra sure.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Do not feel bad about your driving Simon. These men in black are worse than the inconsiderate cyclist hating motorists out there! I kind of see us cyclists as one big family and when one of our family lets us down then then its worse than some idiot motorist commiting a road crime! How many times recently i've had to swerve to avoid the idiot dressed in black without lights or lights comparable to a flickering candle, or the pedestrian wandering across or in the road again dressed in total black.
Be Seen Be Safe was the motto when i was at junior school. We used to wear orange what they called diddy jackets in the late 60's early 70's, these were the forerunners to high-viz fluorescent clothing, they weren't as effective but even then the message was that using roads and pavements in times of poor visibility without making yourself visible to others is a definite NO!
I think that as responsible cyclists we develop a sense to look out for the men(and women)in black, but how many motorists have developed that sense? For example i see a darkened cyclist maybe 30 yards ahead while i'm driving but my wife or mother as non cycling passengers don't usually notice them till i'm 12 feet behind them.
It's about time the police started pulling these blacked out cyclists over and give them a warning about their attitude towards other road, and pavement users, but if that is the case then maybe they should start with the motorists with no side lights, or one sidelight which gives the impression that a motorbike is coming towards you until BUMP!!!!

 

[simon the viking]

I agree with you deptfordmarmoset. I should have had another look to have been sure. I do consider myself to be mostly to blame here and I wasn't looking for absolution. but a big thanks to everyone who feel he should have helped himself to be seen....

I called him a cyclist, I now think he was "a man on a bike" not "a cyclist" there is a subtle difference me thinks

 

[Drago]

Seeing as you can now kill a cyclist by dooring them and then not be guilty of any subsequent death, knocking on a car seems a stupidly confrontational thing to do.

 

[Jodee1kenobi]

We all make mistakes! Don't beat yourself up too much about it. By the sounds of it the cyclist, like others have said, wasn't helping himself.

 

[Alan16ac]

Cyclists fault. They should make themselves visible. I have spent over £100 on lights, wear a helmet and have an altura high via jacket. If you make yourself hard to see expect to be hit! Same goes for divvies in cars not turning lights on until its pitch black.