Pedestrian Collision

[Tynan]

This is the cycling equivalent of "you wouldn't understand unless you're a parent", isn't it?

yes, it is true though, I'm not just saying it to sound superior and to to dismiss anyone else's argument

 

[Dan B]

yes, it is true though, I'm not just saying it to sound superior and to to dismiss anyone else's argument

That's good, because as it happens I do ride in London. 60 miles a week is not mega mileage but enough to know what it's like

 

[Tynan]

This would be relevant if cycle lanes were composed entirely of blind spots or if it was impossible to vary the speed of a bicycle to go faster in the parts that are not.

It's a plain statement of fact and entirely relevant to OP's situtation

I can't imagine a rider slowing to 5mph every time they started to pass a high sided vehicle, either parked or to the right of a cycle lane, i ride carefully but the accident i dread is the car turning right through gap in the traffic, the pedestrian stepping out from from my right behind stopped bus is almost impossible to allow for I think, i will slow down or ride wide when passing a stopped bus but I've had frights when buses let passengers get off when they're stuck in traffic and on one seriously shitty bit of a cycle lane on the Lea Bridge Road, the cycle path runs along a long straight downhill path, the bus stop is just a stop, no layby, a bus can stop in front of you and people just step straight off into the cycle lane on a narrow path without a care in the world, it amazes me as a piece of layout, i don;t ride that way anymore, not in that direction

 

[Tynan]

That's good, because as it happens I do ride in London. 60 miles a week is not mega mileage but enough to know what it's like

Would you like me to change it to 'unless you ride at least 100 miles a week in London traffic'?

 

[Dan B]

on one seriously shitty bit of a cycle lane on the Lea Bridge Road, the cycle path runs along a long straight downhill path, the bus stop is just a stop, no layby, a bus can stop in front of you and people just step straight off into the cycle lane on a narrow path without a care in the world, it amazes me as a piece of layout, i don;t ride that way anymore, not in that direction

I ride that way most mornings (I wonder if we've passed each other?) and I find it quite easy to predict when people are getting off the bus: it's usually when the bus stops and the doors open.

I grant you that the cycle lane is awful, though: too narrow, too lumpy, and very often covered in wet leaf mulch. Hopefully the Superhighway thing will fix at least some of those problems. Have you done the survey thing that WFCycling/the Council keep plugging?

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Would you like me to change it to 'unless you ride at least 100 miles a week in London traffic'?

I pretty much qualify and call bollocks. I don't ride everywhere at 5mph, I do ride in all sorts of mixed traffic and I can't start a sentence 'the last pedestrian I hit...' Yes, it sounds like turning on their heel and running under your wheels was a tough one to avoid. Thankfully, my stories are near miss ones where I've been able to avoid, or stop,thanks to anticipation. I've heard the 'no option but' excuse plenty of times from cyclists, bikers, drivers. You know what, if there's a corner I can't do safely at 5mph, I slow down to 5mph, I can think of a lane near me that is just that in the car, but that's Kent for you. It's patience and safety, not rocket science or torture.

 

[J.Primus]

I pretty much qualify and call bollocks. I don't ride everywhere at 5mph, I do ride in all sorts of mixed traffic and I can't start a sentence 'the last pedestrian I hit...' Yes, it sounds like turning on their heel and running under your wheels was a tough one to avoid. Thankfully, my stories are near miss ones where I've been able to avoid, or stop,thanks to anticipation. I've heard the 'no option but' excuse plenty of times from cyclists, bikers, drivers. You know what, if there's a corner I can't do safely at 5mph, I slow down to 5mph, I can think of a lane near me that is just that in the car, but that's Kent for you. It's patience and safety, not rocket science or torture.

I've never been in a car accident. Therefore everyone that has must be at least a little bit to blame. Because let's face it if it was possible to be in a car accident where it wasn't your fault at all it would have happened to me by now.

 

[mjr]

Maybe the motorists who hare past blind corners ARE a bit to blame?

 

[jonny jeez]

Why would have i enjoyed it? You've made that up to suit your stance

The urban environment was the top of Essex Road, big and wide, I was in primary in high viz and lights, vehicles were on the other side of the road, my side was clear, you weren't there, I posted that to illustrate that sometimes the accident is unavoidable unless you stay at home in bed

I don't like posting this over and again but if you don't ride in London traffic, you can't appreciate what it's like for hazards

I once hit a pedestrian when on my motorbike (old Kent road, broad daylight, loud bike, lights the lot) He was at a bus stop talking to his mate who was in a car sat in traffic. Clocked him from a good distance away and could see he was laughing and edging back and forth towards stepping off the curb. I slowed and yet at the exact moment I came level with him, oblivious to me, he literally jumped off the curb and onto my front wheel.

I Skidded and came to a stop with him still riding the front of my bike. When I stopped, he fell to the road, got up and walked off without a word.

Dented my front fairing/mudguard and scratched my screen to hell...no apology...literally didn't give a feck.

I agree, you cannot mitigate utter stupidity but I think it dangerous to offer advice to those that may not be in your exact position in the future, that there is no point in taking caution and practicing enhanced hazard awareness.

Ps, in the moment I was just so relieved to have kept the motorbike upright and that no one was hurt...2 minutes later I circled back in a massive fit of rage ( I was literally shaking) intent on taking the bloke to the cleaners but fortunately for us both he had left.

 

[mjr]

If you clocked him from a good distance away, why not hit the horn?

It's like cyclists not using their bells when they see someone who's probably going to walk out daftly... why wouldn't you flick the bell while grabbing the brakes?

 

[jonny jeez]

If you clocked him from a good distance away, why not hit the horn?

It's like cyclists not using their bells when they see someone who's probably going to walk out daftly... why wouldn't you flick the bell while grabbing the brakes?

And if he had stayed put...i would have been honking a perfectly innocent pedestrian for standing at the side of the road, talking to a friend

Honking every potential hazard isn't really practical.

Can you imagine how many times I would sound the horn if I took that advice driving through london in the rush hour. It would sound like I was sending Morse code.

 

[mjr]

Well I sound like a Morris troupe riding my bike in London at rush hour but I've not hit anyone yet.

It's not every potential hazard. Just the probable ones, like nutters about to step out to talk to their mate in a car. Sounding the horn isn't hard work, is it?

Rush hour London is oddly honk-free compared to Paris or Brussels. You consider it rude to beep but knocking people down is fine because it's mostly their fault? Bizarre!

 

[summerdays]

If you are about to hit something then you could be wasting seconds hitting a bell that they may not hear because they have bits in their ears. You could shout but usually in these circumstances it happens very fast. I've not hit someone yet but I've had plenty test my reactions, most frequently by the Abbeywood MOD.entrance but at least I'm expecting it there and I'm going slow enough that I can stop.

 

[cd365]

Well I sound like a Morris troupe riding my bike in London at rush hour but I've not hit anyone yet.

It's not every potential hazard. Just the probable ones, like nutters about to step out to talk to their mate in a car. Sounding the horn isn't hard work, is it?

Rush hour London is oddly honk-free compared to Paris or Brussels. You consider it rude to beep but knocking people down is fine because it's mostly their fault? Bizarre!

So you ride around honking your horn at people who might be a hazard, I bet you aren't half annoying. I'm surprised you haven't been thumped by someone for it, plenty of people out there who get upset when a horn is aimed in their direction.

 

[mjr]

Come on, the one @jonny jeez hit obviously didn't have earphones in and was recognised as likely to step off the kerb a long way out. There's possible and there's near certain... And how does flicking the bell waste seconds? Put the bell so it's accessible!