Nearly killed a cyclist

[Hilldodger]

Was driving along one of the main roads into Leicester (Lutterworth Road for locals) doing 26mph in a 40 zone when the scruffy bloke riding a knackered cheapo mountain bike on the pavement suddenly turned right and jumped off the kerb and straight in front of me. How I missed him neither I nor the cops in the Police car following me will ever know.

He was high on drugs and had no idea what he was doing.

It could have been a very different outcome.

I'm still a bit shakey.

 

[wafflycat]

Glad you are ok.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

It must be something about Leicester ... I had a bloke do exactly the same just in front of my truck on the ring road there a few years back. I stopped and pointed out the error of his ways to him, but I don't think it sunk in. Glad you missed him, Hilldodger.

 

[HLaB]

Oh sounds close; I'm glad for all that nothing happened.

 

[Kirstie]

Yes it must be something about leicester, or rather leicestershire.

Last week I was driving down a lane near my house which has a few corners in it, but is a 60 mph road. I was doing about 40 mph, and came around a bend to see a child, who must have been about 10 years old, on a BMX riding towards me on my side of the road. I braked and swerved to avoid hitting the child (I did), but as it was a bend I had no idea whether something was coming around the corner! I was shaky for a while afterwards too.

 

[Amanda P]

Was driving along one of the main roads into Leicester ... doing 26mph in a 40 zone when the scruffy bloke riding a knackered cheapo mountain bike on the pavement suddenly turned right and jumped off the kerb and straight in front of me.

...and this, children, is why it's a speed limit, not a target speed.

Would he still be around, Dodger, if you'd been doing 40, I wonder? Or 50?

 

[wafflycat]

Indeed. And a timely reminder that when collisions occur it isn't always the fault of the motorist.

 

[Hilldodger]

...and this, children, is why it's a speed limit, not a target speed.

Would he still be around, Dodger, if you'd been doing 40, I wonder? Or 50?

And I wasn't only doing 26mph because a police car was following!

 

[Amanda P]

Indeed. And a timely reminder that when collisions occur it isn't always the fault of the motorist.

No. But in any circumstances where there's the remotest chance of pedestrians being in the road, or animals, or whatever, it makes sense to take it steady.

I regularly have to cycle a road which has a 60 mph limit. People often drive it at anything up to 85 mph. It has frequent junctions, with SLOW painted in the road. It has pedestrian crossings. It has bus stops on it for f***'s sake!

... and people tailgate me and hoot at me when I drive it at 50.

 

[wafflycat]

No. But in any circumstances where there's the remotest chance of pedestrians being in the road, or animals, or whatever, it makes sense to take it steady.

I regularly have to cycle a road which has a 60 mph limit. People often drive it at anything up to 85 mph. It has frequent junctions, with SLOW painted in the road. It has pedestrian crossings. It has bus stops on it for f***'s sake!

... and people tailgate me and hoot at me when I drive it at 50.

Of course it makes sense to take care, I wasn't in any way advocating not taking care or being pro-speeding.

 

[Amanda P]

Perish the thought, Waffly.

I was just venting.

 

[TVC]

Straight off the Monsell I should think Roger. I live near Graham Goodes and they're at it all the time round here, either off the Monsall or the Saff. Night time is the worst, Stella in hand going where they please without a glance round.

 

[Globalti]

Last week I was coming home late when a bloke dashed very fast out of a side road straight at my car. I hit the brakes and locked up, presumably spoiling his projected trajectory because he slammed into the back of my car leaving marks and hand prints on the paintwork then dashed off. It was a bit of a shock.

 

[yenrod]

...and this, children, is why it's a speed limit, not a target speed.

Would he still be around, Dodger, if you'd been doing 40, I wonder? Or 50?

EXACTLY ! Phil

 

[HLaB]

Touch the wood, the closest I've ever been to taking out a cyclist when i was driving was about 7 years ago and it turned out OK I think. I was waiting to turn right a bus had priority but then pulled into a bus stop but a bike in the twilight undertook the bus, thank god I was moving from a stationary start so stopping was no problem.