Have you provided a witness statement against a cyclist?

[Beebo]

This morning all 4 cars in front of me were indicating to turn left at a junction, I rode up behind them in Primary and slowed down waiting for them to turn left.

A bloke undertook me and cycled up the inside of the cars, narrowly missing a left hook. If the cars had hit him I would have happily acted as a witness for the car drivers as they were clearly indicating their intentions and the cyclist was in the wrong.

So have you ever provided a witness statement in support of a car driver and against a cyclist?

 

[ianrauk]

I haven't and would do the same as you.

 

[eldudino]

You did the correct thing, the other guy was putting himself and others at risk. The guy was wrong whether he was riding a bike, in a car, on a pogo stick, on a motorbike etc.... his mode of transport is irrelevant.

 

[summerdays]

I wouldn't matter what they were ... but to report what had happened - then leave the who should have done what to the police, prosecutors etc.

 

[gaz]

I would do the same.
And in fact, have done it to my self using the roadsafe london form

 

[fimm]

I would do the same.
And in fact, have done it to my self using the roadsafe london form

Care to give more details?

 

[gaz]

Care to give more details?

I was filtering through some heavy traffic and i missjudged a gap and hit a wing mirror of a car. Damn those things hurt and i actually cut my knuckle on it. I stopped and looked at the driver and said i was sorry and he waved me on as if it was ok, the wing mirror looked fine. I reported the incident to roadsafe london and asked them to pass my details to the owner so I can clear up any costs.

 

[Beebo]

I was filtering through some heavy traffic and i missjudged a gap and hit a wing mirror of a car. Damn those things hurt and i actually cut my knuckle on it. I stopped and looked at the driver and said i was sorry and he waved me on as if it was ok, the wing mirror looked fine. I reported the incident to roadsafe london and asked them to pass my details to the owner so I can clear up any costs.

Sssh dont publicise this, it will give cyclists a good name.

Seriously - I am very impressed!

 

[Davidc]

No. Provided one for a cyclist and pedestrian against a car driver once. (Long time ago).

If the a cyclist was at fault as described I'd have no problem being a witness, effctively against them.

 

[ianrauk]

I was filtering through some heavy traffic and i missjudged a gap and hit a wing mirror of a car. Damn those things hurt and i actually cut my knuckle on it. I stopped and looked at the driver and said i was sorry and he waved me on as if it was ok, the wing mirror looked fine. I reported the incident to roadsafe london and asked them to pass my details to the owner so I can clear up any costs.

You're a better man then me Gaz....

 

[adds21]

So have you ever provided a witness statement in support of a car driver and against a cyclist?

To be pedantic, I don't think you can be a witness "in support" of one person, and "against" another. You can only describe what you saw.

Having said that, I'd have no problem "siding" with whoever I thought was in the right, regardless of their choice of transport (or race, or sex, or height etc).

 

[John the Monkey]

Describe what happened honestly.

Fiat justitia, ruat caelum, and all that.

 

[BentMikey]

I was filtering through some heavy traffic and i missjudged a gap and hit a wing mirror of a car. Damn those things hurt and i actually cut my knuckle on it. I stopped and looked at the driver and said i was sorry and he waved me on as if it was ok, the wing mirror looked fine. I reported the incident to roadsafe london and asked them to pass my details to the owner so I can clear up any costs.

Good on ya Gaz! That's a lot easier to do if you have insurance like we do of course.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I would but I wouldn't be "against" or "for" anyone - I would be a witness and that is all.

 

[Bicycle]

No I haven't, but I would.

I agree with most of the replies above.

Related anecdote to show that sometimes the cyclist is very, very wrong and other riders confirm this to be so:

In my younger days working as a motorcycle courier, I would often ride a bicycle in central London and forget that I wasn't on my motorbike.

One time (High Holborn) I was being edged by an estate car into the kerb as we approached cones in the middle of the road that narrowed our lane. I'd been 'commuter racing' a couple of guys on early MTBs with smog masks on - it was the early 90s...

Believing myself to be on my motorbike I did the 'courier default response' of leaning into his front wing and door mirror with right knee/elbow.

Ignoring for a moment the legal & moral issues of doing that, it turned out to be a mistake doing it on a light road bicycle.

Right pedal went into NSF wheel arch behind wheel and I was catapulted from my now somersaulting cycle.

No damage to the car, some to me and lots to the 'bike.

I jumped to my feet and shouted the usual (in those days) "Did anyone see that?"

Both cyclists who had been following me replied:

1. "Looked like six and two threes to me, mate".

2. "You barged into him mate".

I was cross, but of course they were quite right.

As it turns out, the car driver was very apologetic and took me to my Russell Square destination once I'd locked up what remained of the bike. We had a nice chat.

The cyclists were spot on for refusing to back up my ludicrous claim that I'd been knocked off. Well done them, although that's not what I thought at the time...