Is it illegal to ride up the inside of cars at traffic lights...

[redcard]

I have cycled in London, in the rush hour and on the busiest stretches of road for years, and I have never yet hit any pedestrians and I manage to get to my destination in good time.
Am I doing something wrong?

You must practice defensive cycling.

All. The. Time.

 

[Tynan]

Have I at any point posted that I have hit a ped while overtaking?

I can post now that that has never happened to me, peds running out from behind high sided parked vehicles yes, and indeed from clear road, I have no idea what anyone can do with someone suddenly runnng out into the road from the pavement

I promise anyone that cares that 'all my accidents' were no fault on my behalf, not according to the ped, not from witnesses when there were any, not from the cops when they were present/called

pick out of that blame if it suits you to

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

I am reluctant to comment on whether other people's cycling behaviour is wrong or not but I can tell you what I do.
I ride out in the middle of lane away from the kerb and parked cars so if people do step out I have time to see them (and they may have time to see me as well), I ride covering the brakes almost all the time, and I keep a look out all the time. Can't say their haven't been a few hairy moments when somebody has stepped out in front of me and I have thought it is all going to go horribly wrong but so far (touch wood) I have been lucky and both of us have stayed upright and uninjured.

..................and you carry a rabbits foot?

 

[CopperBrompton]

Have I at any point posted that I have hit a ped while overtaking?

Then I'm confused.

First by you mentioning the collisions in a filtering thread if they didn't happen while filtering.

Second, by what then happened? All these five or six pedestrians stepped out from between parked vehicles? If you weren't overtaking/undertaking stationary traffic at the time, you were presumably riding outside the door zone? So it surprises me that you didn't have enough vision to avoid them and that they didn't see you.

 

[Peowpeowpeowlasers]

How is it not relevant? Sure, if a pedestrian runs into you while you're stationary, there's no issue, but Tynan said that he had hit five or six pedestrians while overtaking traffic. I would expect anyone who had hit even one pedestrian let alone several to reconsider the way they manoevre around blind-spots, whether that person is driving a car or riding a bicycle.


Um, we're having a perfectly polite discussion about safety. There is nothing inconsiderate or 'dishonourable' about that ...

I've never hit a pedestrian but it really isn't very difficult. I can easily imagine people who commute in busy cities (I don't) having such problems:

 

[jefmcg]

Had a nice example of how it can go wrong on Friday. Was approaching a red light in Marylebone, I think this one. Anyway, the light had just turned red, there was a van indicating left with another vehicle ahead of it that I couldn't see. I moved cautiously up the inside, knowing if the lights changed I'd have plenty of time to move forward or drop back, as appropriate. I really can't imagine a more perfect left filter situation.

Anyway, as I moved past the van, he abruptly pulled into the kerb. If I'd been a metre ahead, or moving any faster I'd have been knocked down. Turns out another van had turned the corner, and "my van" decided to move to the left to give him room to get past a parked car, without checking his mirrors first.

(confession: I got very shouty and angry at the van driver, who then apologised. It didn't make me feel any better - the shouting or the apology)

 

[BentMikey]

Yes, trikeman is talking a load of rubbish. It's not hard to hit a pedestrian, and I don't think this driver was to blame here:

Leaving the scene is a whole different story of course...

 

[BrianEvesham]

Please don't filter up the inside, you can't see peds who are crossing in front of the truck/bus/coach into your path.
Yes I drive large artic trucks, buses and coaches and have seen too many accidents that could have been avoided. When you filter up the inside of cars you can usually see through there windscreen windows but with a large truck you won't see them until it's to late.

 

[jefmcg]

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde "To hit one pedestrian is a misfortune. To hit 5 or 6 looks like carelessness"

 

[CopperBrompton]

Yes, trikeman is talking a load of rubbish. It's not hard to hit a pedestrian

One, maybe, but if you hit pedestrians on five or six separate occasions (whether as a driver or cyclist), might one reasonably consider a change in driving or cycling style?

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

You can filter up the inside if you don't cycle like a lunatic and always take it there may be a pedestrian hiding behind every car/van/bus/lorry.

Yes, trikeman is talking a load of rubbish. It's not hard to hit a pedestrian, and I don't think this driver was to blame here:


Leaving the scene is a whole different story of course...

The ped bolted across the road,(which is normal) but it looks like the car didn't touch and the ped slipped at the last moment.That's why the car didn't stop.

Only my assumption of the slow motion video off course,so,sorry.

 

[Tynan]

No-one tutting my ped carnage knows how many miles of London rush hour I've ridden do they?

And I hazard have no idea how intensely ped rich some of the roads in Central London are, which goes back to my very first post, some on here here seem determined to take the bits they need to do their agenda while ignoring the bits that don.t suit them

And yes, all the peds I've been in collision with have been acting in a ludcirously idiotic manner, I've avoided thousands that brought at least their 50% to the situation

 

[Friz]

some on here here seem determined to take the bits they need to do their agenda while ignoring the bits that don.t suit them

That's how this forum works. Everyone holier than thou..

 

[jaynana]

Anyway, as I moved past the van, he abruptly pulled into the kerb. If I'd been a metre ahead, or moving any faster I'd have been knocked down. Turns out another van had turned the corner, and "my van" decided to move to the left to give him room to get past a parked car, without checking his mirrors first.

very good example really. as london riders would confess, its impossible not to ride inside lane with traffic lights or roundabouts every few metres. but extreme care should be taken
- peds crossing in front of vehicles u can't see through (with cars cyclists can see the surrounding over the car) is one issue.
- passengers suddenly opening doors to get out is another ive faced!!

my strategy is to ride slow, with cars even try to check if there are passengers if so be extra careful, go extra careful when passing vehicles like vans or busses i can't see over.

but this is a real risk all right, there's no solution.

not filtering on the inside is not an option either, if u try to do that in london, every so often u find yourself in the middle of the road, as the light changes and the cars start moving! and then they have to go on the inside, even if they do u'r then in the middle of the road!

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

I've never hit a pedestrian but it really isn't very difficult. I can easily imagine people who commute in busy cities (I don't) having such problems:

Reminded me of mine at Whitechapel but I didn't tell them I was there so they didn't pause like your one.Also I wondered how it happened and examining camera footage a van had just passed the two before they started crossing without looking.