Minor incident (high-viz)

[Bodhbh]

Not much of an incident to make a post, but it's quiet at work and it's playing on my mind a bit...

This morning I was taking a right turn at a roundabout, I was on the inside lane. A lorry was in outside lane taking the first left off, so perhaps shielded me from view for a while from the traffic joining the roundabout on my left.

Anyhow, a car joining from the left was slow to see me and braked fairly sharp - car behind runs into the back of it, no major damage by looks, but bumpers on both cars took a battering. Both drivers in shock, but seem okay, I stop to ask if they're okay, but both seem so fired up on adrenaline and hardly acknowledge me while they swap details.

Now it was a Tuesdy morning, about 7.45am, sun must have been up an hour or more, but it's grey and dusky. I'm on a white bike, white helmet and dark green windstopper with reflective trim, no high-viz, except a belt wrapped around the backpack. Nearly all vehicles had their lights off at that time, so I did too. I'm wondering about my culpabitiy in this incident, not wearing high viz and not having the lights on. Now they should have been looking better, but anything to oil the works so this sort of thing doesn't happen is good yes? Any thoughts?

 

[4F]

Any thoughts?

Yes, their inattentive driving skills has nothing to do with you. The 2nd car should have been travelling at a speed where he could brake without hitting the car in front.

You could have been lit up like a christmas tree and I bet the first muppet would still have not seen you.

 

[Landslide]

Any thoughts?

They may be more attentive drivers in the future. This can only be a good thing.

 

[Eat MY Dust]

Reminds me of the accident I "caused" last year. I was overtaking cars approaching a RAB and the car I was passing was too busy watching me to realise the traffic in front of them had stopped. It was a big enough bang for me to nearly sh*t myself. Your a better person than me, I didn't stop!

 

[fossyant]

You did nothing wrong - both drivers did not look - that lack of looking got me hit by a car doing 30mph.....visibility was good of the RB, weather was drizzle, but I was lit up like an Xmas tree, but without a high viz vest - did have a reflective belt and stripes on. Car hit me coming onto rb from the left....

I too have got paranoid about visibility, although rather good before, I've just shelled out for two Hope Vision 1's - to replace my reasonable 2 x cayeyes 1w and a 3watt torch - gone from maybe 200 lumens max to now 480...

It does make you worried, but it's not you at fault - these 'ninja' cyclists tend to fare much better !

 

[D-Rider]

The only person at fault here was the second driver. The first one saw you in time to stop. (OK, it would have been better had he been more observant in the first place). The second driver was clearly too close for the speed/conditions or not paying enough attention to other road users. No excuse for running into the back of somebody.

 

[thomas]

The only person at fault here was the second driver. The first one saw you in time to stop. (OK, it would have been better had he been more observant in the first place). The second driver was clearly too close for the speed/conditions or not paying enough attention to other road users. No excuse for running into the back of somebody.

Agree, second car's fault. If he was a sensible distance back and not just assuming the car in front would go it would of been fine!

 

[Bodhbh]

Reminds me of the accident I "caused" last year. I was overtaking cars approaching a RAB and the car I was passing was too busy watching me to realise the traffic in front of them had stopped. It was a big enough bang for me to nearly sh*t myself.

Yeah it was quite a clonk, modern bumpers seem to do a good job, wonder what a mess it would have been at the same speed 30yrs ago.

Irony is I took a route this morning which was pretty much all off-road except for 2 roundabouts as I was in no mood to be dealing with traffic .

 

[Bodhbh]

You did nothing wrong - both drivers did not look - that lack of looking got me hit by a car doing 30mph.....visibility was good of the RB, weather was drizzle, but I was lit up like an Xmas tree, but without a high viz vest - did have a reflective belt and stripes on. Car hit me coming onto rb from the left....

I too have got paranoid about visibility, although rather good before, I've just shelled out for two Hope Vision 1's - to replace my reasonable 2 x cayeyes 1w and a 3watt torch - gone from maybe 200 lumens max to now 480...

I bought a non-high viz jacket early winter when it was dark each way in and the reflective trim + bike lights did all the work, in retrospect I wonder if i made the right decision now the commute is all in daylight.

At night I had someone pull out a side road on me a few weeks back (someone flashed them out last minute) with the Ayups blaring away on inc so I guess people have brainfarts whatever.

 

[downfader]

I'd agree the second driver was most at fault. Ok and yes first one made a mistake but compensated to a degree.

When I was hit last year I was riding across the cyclelane on a roundabout. I had a clear run but was moving slowly as there was a junction coming up on my left and a car was slowing and stopped as I came in line with his bonnet. Just as I was thinking "good. He's seen me" he pulled out on me with full wheel spin.

Bloody hurt that did. Spun me right around and I ended up on my back facing the wrong way with agony in my knees, full ambulance job followed...

..anyway the point of this is it was day light, I was wearing a nightvision yellow jacket, had me lights on and I'm a bloody big bloke. If a driver doesnt take the time to look properly they wont see regardless.

I dont think you were in the wrong in anyway here Bodhbh

 

[fossyant]

The 'Think Bike' advert is on again in our region...OK for M'bikes, but how many folk don't look.....

You can't prevent that.... other than avoiding certain 'problem areas'...

That RB I got done over, she was the only driver I wasn't able to get eye contact with....she did not look....(in over 155 months) I got the driver in the other lane...not her..hence why I was able to flick the bike enough to not get splatted totally.....

I don't ride that way round the RB any more.....

 

[montage]

I am unsure of the use of hi-viz clothing at night time...it is the reflective stripes that count in my opinion.

But I can't see how you caused any fault in the accident.
White bike must be a bitch to clean at times ey?

 

[purplepolly]

The 'Think Bike' advert is on again in our region...OK for M'bikes, but how many folk don't look.....

Roadcraft (the police driving manual) talks about pattern recognition. The theory here is that motorists actually cut out the detail in the landscape and look for certain patterns such as car shapes and HGV shapes. And they don't see what they're not looking for - cyclists and motorcyclists. The reasoning behind the think bike campaign in the peak district is that if motorists do actually think about bikes then they'll see them. The campaign should be of some benefit to cyclists as head on we're a similar shape - tall and narrow when compared to other vehicles.

 

[hackbike 666]

I am unsure of the use of hi-viz clothing at night time...it is the reflective stripes that count in my opinion.

But I can't see how you caused any fault in the accident.
White bike must be a bitch to clean at times ey?

Look for a ninja cyclist at night then you may be able to work it out.