Just had a SMIDSY

[Mugshot]

Nipping along, doing about 20mph, nice straight wide road. There's a couple of vans in a turning to my right, first one goes and hmmmm, if I had been another 100yds down the road that would have been a little close and then I was and the second van went.
It was interesting how close he wanted to get to the kerb on my side of the road, as there was nothing coming the other way if it had been me I would have cut the corner more rather than crossing the whole opposite carriageway first (does that make any sense?) Actually, if it had been me I wouldn't have pulled out as there was a cyclist coming down the road.
Anyway, was squeezed into the kerb, slammed the anchors on and shouted "WHOAAAAAAA!!!"
He completed the turn with me now stopped waving my arms around shouting "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!!" and stopped a couple of bike lengths away.
My heart is absolutely pounding and I was ready to go flying into him screaming and swearing etc, but I took a deep breath and made the decision to have a calm chat.
I scooted to his passenger window and he was gesticulating sorry to me so I opened the door and said.
"That was really, really close mate. I nearly shat myself then."
"I'm really sorry" he said "I honestly just didn't see you, I'm really sorry about that."
"Ok," says I "but when you see me again on the road, make sure you give me a bit more room will you."
He was still apologising as I shut the door.
Lessons learnt:
Was please I bit my tongue and was able to speak to him in a level tone rather than bellowing at him.
Shouldn't have said "when you see me again" as he hadn't seen/looked for me in the first place.
What I could have done differently:
Ridden on the cycle path which runs along side the opposite side of the road and I would have had to stop at the junction where the side turning exits.
Not done 20mph
Expected him to pull out and stopped just in case.

 

[BSRU]

"Didn't see" you means did not look properly or at all.
Often see a sheep mentality when the second vehicle seems to pull out assuming if it is clear for the first vehicle it must still be clear for them.

 

[calibanzwei]

Often see a sheep mentality when the second vehicle seems to pull out assuming if it is clear for the first vehicle it must still be clear for them.

This. I always try to make eye contact with all drivers concerned in this sort of situation - be on guard!

 

[Melonfish]

I'd say the only thing you could have done was anticipate the 'manoeuvre', slow and possibly stop, you did see it coming and you have clearly thought to yourself that you could have done.
that said, your cycling was not at fault here, the van driver didn't see or didn't look for you.
glad your ok tho. new shorts time?
pete

 

[leemo]

Agree with what other have said. In addition I recommend a fairly powerful front light (mine cost about £100) put on fast flash in the day time. This doesnt eradicate SMIDSY but I think it reduces it.

 

[Matthew_T]

Squeezes are the worst of things (apart from simply being hit). The incident is in slow motion as you can see the vehicle pulling back in. You probably could have shouted a bit earlier (without video footage, this might not be the case), just to warn the driver when he started pulling in.

You did the right thing braking and eventually stopping as it allowed yourself to get out of harms way.

I am however confused by you saying "I scooted to his passenger window and he was gesticulating sorry to me so I opened the door" and "He was still apologising as I shut the door". I think this was the wrong move. What you should have done is kindly ask for them to lower the window. At no point can I understand the need for opening the door as you could have got an entirely different reaction if the driver had been a moton who just wanted a fight.

Good job you werent hit and keep on riding.


P.S. 20mph isnt the fastest of speeds and there is nothing saying you cannot use the road even of there is a cycle path. Just like the below:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HdSlyRel6E&feature=g-upl

 

[DCLane]

You were calm and got an apology. He stopped to apologise as well.

Looks like a lesson was hopefully learnt and you did the right thing.

 

[Ian Cooper]

Where were you positioned in the lane when this happened? Many times, turning drivers focus on a point in the center of the lane they're turning into - looking for cars. So they're not focusing on the edge of the road, which is where many cyclists ride.

 

[Peowpeowpeowlasers]

I find if I must confront people about their driving, starting off with "I don't want to spoil your day", or "I appreciate you might not cycle but..." often defuses things before they get heated.

 

[Mugshot]

I was in a strong secondary Ian, I could have weaved around in the lane to make myself more obvious but I think it's one of those things that if people have programmed themselves not to look and recognise a cyclist then they usually wont, whether you have flashing lights, hi- viz or a belisha becon balanced on your head.
The sheep mentality is spot on.
Not quite sure what's confusing Matthew. I opened his door because I wanted to talk to him, at the moment I pulled the handle he started to lower his window anyway. I was calm, cool and collected when I spoke to him but I wanted to make sure he knew that he'd frightened the life out of me, if I hadn't have made sure I could talk to him he may not have realised that he actually left me shaken by his actions. I'm not a fan of the "wind your window down" hand signal personally. There was no requirement for me to be using the cycle lane whatever my speed, I was being a little facitious with that comment.
Main thing was nobody was hurt, the driver stopped and apologised and I didn't start a fight. Everyones a winner

 

[Gooner Mad Dog]

Day before yesterday heading towards Clerkenwell on down gradient from Islington doing a 23.5mph ( yes was speeding ) car parked to left does what he thought was full swing round just didnt look , braked hardest ever slight skid would have hit him in passenger door had I not reacted in time, no time to manouvere around him etc no other traffic about whatsover hence he thought he'd move in a oner, if he did see me probably thought bike slow 8-12mph oh well....just goes to show you can never have enough hazard preception...

 

[Arjimlad]

I think you handled that very well.

The driver probably learnt his lesson better with you being a nice guy, than had you been a shouty git.

 

[benb]

I find if I must confront people about their driving, starting off with "I don't want to spoil your day", or "I appreciate you might not cycle but..." often defuses things before they get heated.

Or "I'm not having a go, but ..."

 

[Matthew_T]

Or "I'm not having a go, but ..."

I had a little chat with a guy who blatently stopped in the ASZ right besides me (in the next lane) at a set of traffic lights recently. I simply stated to him that he has jumped the lights and he is legally required to stop at the first stop line. He said "You've got plenty of room havent you?" to which I returned "How would a cyclist get in front of you if they came behind right now?"
I ended the little discussion with "I am not having a go or anything, I am just letting you know you need to stop at the first line".

The guy was a WVM and I got all his details when he set off (I felt that our little discussion was enough to attempt to get him to change his ways, so I wont be going to the company).