cycle lanes and traffic

[dave_london]

Hey guys,

Im new here, but I've been cycling around London for about 2 years now with very few problems. Today, however, it started to pour with rain for the first time in weeks and the London roads felt like hell. Pedestrians were crossing all over the place with no regard for the cyclists, endless traffic jams, people just cutting everyone up.

So i was cycling down this very long straight road, and the traffic was essentially stationary. There was, however, an empty cycle lane. Now normally I would just speed down this road as fast as possible, what with a cycle lane and no traffic lights, but slowed down a bit today because of the weather and traffic. The question I have is should I have stopped every time there was a left turn? I definitely slowed down a bit, but twice in about 3 minutes, a car would just turn suddenly into my cycle lane from the opposite lane of traffic. Now, with the monstrous buses obsuring both my view and the driver's, and the lack of stopping power thanks to my breaks being covered in oily water, there was nothing I could do except collide straight into the car. Admittedly, I should have been more wary the second time, but the guy just drove so bloody fast into my lane I couldn't do a thing (he also just drove off as fast as possible after he realised i crashed into him -.-).

So was I wrong for not stopping even though i had a clearly marked cycle lane, or were they just careless, selfish drivers?

Thanks for reading.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

No, but I tend to slow right down and sometimes stand up so that I'm visible over the tops of cars as I'd rather not have to worry about fault after an event.

Sometimes you have to remember that drivers just don't appreciate that other things than cars use the roads

The one undoubtedly in the wrong was the driver for speeding off and failing to stop/report an accident

Don't know how practical it is but is it possible to overtake rather than use the cycle lane which it aseems is a more dangerous place to be - you don't have to use a cycle lane just because it's there, despite what the know-alls who DON'T know the highway code or the law, will tell you

 

[gaz]

He was on the wrong in two counts, for not checking for cyclists in the cycle lane and for leaving the scene of a accident.

You could have helped your self if you slowed down to a point where if you needed to stop you could. Lesson learnt on your part i think.
Many cyclists will hurtle through with no regard for their own safety and they get away with it. You where just unlucky.

I hope you and your bike are fine.

 

[atbman]

Not much you can do except keep a really good look out and be prepared for the same sort of experience but certainly don't stop, just keep your brakes covered - and scrub the water off with a light application of the brakes at frequent intervals.

 

[davefb]

sounds pretty grim.. have to say if i couldnt see the cars turning across due to buses, i'd slow right down on the assumption some clown will try to turn across , why was he going fast if the bus stopping any view was stationary ?


the alternative is to 'overtake' on the right i guess ? though i suppose youd then have people coming out of the side street and turning right getting you!

 

[dondare]

In the wet you just have to be a lot more careful. If someone pulls out or turns across you and you hit them that might be their fault but it's still something that you could avoid.

 

[dave_london]

thanks for replies. It's just a bit hard to know what to do in those situations, especially when you've been cycling for 5 miles in pouring rain after a long day at work and your brain is pretty dead.

Yeah, cycling on the right does make sense, thanks. I'm just usually afraid of getting clipped by opposite traffic or some crazy motorcyclist overtaking me, forcing me into traffic. But I suppose it's a bit safer in stationary traffic.

I did slow right down, enough to not get any real injuries apart from a sore finger, but I guess i have indeed learned my lesson. I'll definitely be much more cautious in the future.

Thanks guys

 

[As Easy As Riding A Bike]

I'd say it's definitely their fault.

But obviously, given that some drivers will not check to see if the cycle lane is clear, you should certainly err on the side of caution, as you found out today.

 

[HLaB]

Its most certainly the driver's fault but you are the one that gets hurt Dave, so its best avoided. In total congestion I tend to filter on the outside if there's lots of side junctions thi avoids more of the muppets and the rest (touch wood) I've avoided through caution.

 

[Tynan]

I hate that accident, riding n the right just means you get people pulling out from your left

 

[HLaB]

I hate that accident, riding n the right just means you get people pulling out from your left

Touch Wood the muppets pulling out of side roads though are more cautious and easier to spot but filtering on the right is by no means perfect.

 

[Origamist]

In the wet you just have to be a lot more careful. If someone pulls out or turns across you and you hit them that might be their fault but it's still something that you could avoid.

It's something you can sometimes avoid - not always.

 

[fossyant]

It's something you can sometimes avoid - not always.

+1.........

Had two yesterday doing the same thing - turning right over the cycle lane - slowed down and made myself visible, and continued on, but those drivers that 'go for it' (i.e. take a chance) then you'd be in trouble.

 

[swee'pea99]

'monstrous buses'. Yes. Rainy brakes. Yes. Hmmm.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not accusing you or excusing him, but purely for purposes of self-preservation, I recommend you get into the habit of having a little voice in the back of your mind saying 'what if...?' If you cycle in London, you will come across people doing things that are dumb, dangerous and downright illegal on a daily basis. The trick is to second-guess them, and ride in such a way that you never find yourself in a place and at a speed where you cannot avoid a hazard, whatever happens. I see people every day filtering at speed past buses. What if a ped suddenly appeared? They would crash into them. I always slow down to walking speed or less to pass a bus, because one time in 200, a woman pushing a pram will appear from behind it, and I don't want to be the one who clatters her. 

None of this can keep you 100% safe. The idiots and bastards can always outwit you. But it does tilt the odds in your favour a bit.

 

[davefb]

basically, anything you can't see thru really..

once saw a cyclist try to get a ped by doing the opposite,, white van at head of traffic, he filters up to lights on left, doesnt unclip, goes to creep through.

doesnt occur to him that perhaps a ped might be crossing, so lights change to red+amber, he sets off (unsighted) as ped who was 3/4 way across speeds up..

and he had the cheek to imply she was in the wrong.....



tbh though, i'm glad i dont cycle in london traffic