Really old bloke actually hit me (not that hard) with his car and didn't notice!!

[the reluctant cyclist]

Oh my gosh - I was cycling home last night and I was travelling along when I noticed a car in front of me parked up and waiting to pull out.

Okay, no problems - it waited for the car in front of me to get past and then it just pulled out - straight into my path.

I shouted really REALLY loud - "don't pull out" but I sort of hit the side of the car and had to push myself away from it to stop being knocked off.

The car stopped and I tried to talk to the occupants - they had obviously heard that I had banged into the car because they stopped but they both sort of looked at me blankly and drove away..

,,, really slowly - without looking and with no lights on - even though it was dark!

There is no way they shouldn't have seen me - I have two really bright lights on my bike - one flashing and one steady.

If I had not been such an experienced cyclist they would definately have knocked me off.

You would think they would have at least wound the window down to see what I wanted! I'm not that scarey - a 40 year old woman - not big build or anything!

I wish that there was some automatic retesting after the age of 70 or something - this bloke looked well into his 80's to me.

I followed them for ages and they didn't realise that they had no lights on either - and people flashed them loads.

Eventually I couldn't keep up with them though and didn't get the numberplate.

Hope they don't kill somebody next time!

 

[Cubist]

Shame you didn't get their number plate. You would have had an opportunity to do everybody a favour by getting these menaces off the road before they seriously injure somebody. Glad you weren't hurt.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

Yeah I know - I really wanted to talk to them but they weren't having it.

It's only a matter of time before he makes another mistake that is more serious! : (

 

[mr_hippo]

If I had not been such an experienced cyclist they would definately have knocked me off.

If you were not a fairly experienced cyclist they may have knocked you off but if you had more experience, you would have anticipated that they may pull out and made allowances.

 

[ufkacbln]

If you were not a fairly experienced cyclist they may have knocked you off but if you had more experience, you would have anticipated that they may pull out and made allowances.

Not always possible.

I have had similar, car in my lane , facing towards me. Full eye contact with driver, watched the wheels and position of hands. As the hands were off the wheel, I gave clear signal that I was going to pull out and go around him - and as I got level with the driver's door he pulled out!

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

If you were not a fairly experienced cyclist they may have knocked you off but if you had more experience, you would have anticipated that they may pull out and made allowances.

Well I must say - that's a bit harsh!

There was a car coming towards me and I was already in the middle of my lane - what are you saying I should have done to anticipate it?

 

[JonnyBlade]

Oh my gosh - I was cycling home last night and I was travelling along when I noticed a car in front of me parked up and waiting to pull out.

Okay, no problems - it waited for the car in front of me to get past and then it just pulled out - straight into my path.

I shouted really REALLY loud - "don't pull out" but I sort of hit the side of the car and had to push myself away from it to stop being knocked off.

The car stopped and I tried to talk to the occupants - they had obviously heard that I had banged into the car because they stopped but they both sort of looked at me blankly and drove away..

,,, really slowly - without looking and with no lights on - even though it was dark!

There is no way they shouldn't have seen me - I have two really bright lights on my bike - one flashing and one steady.

If I had not been such an experienced cyclist they would definately have knocked me off.

You would think they would have at least wound the window down to see what I wanted! I'm not that scarey - a 40 year old woman - not big build or anything!

I wish that there was some automatic retesting after the age of 70 or something - this bloke looked well into his 80's to me.

I followed them for ages and they didn't realise that they had no lights on either - and people flashed them loads.

Eventually I couldn't keep up with them though and didn't get the numberplate.

Hope they don't kill somebody next time!

2 weeks ago I slowed up at traffic lights and was within about 10 feet of the lights at almost stand still paste. The next thing is a red motor approaching too quickly and so close my shifters scraped alongside the car. I just sat there stunned really. Both passnegers gawked at me as if I had green skin and the driver didn't even look across!

 

[BentMikey]

Well I must say - that's a bit harsh!

There was a car coming towards me and I was already in the middle of my lane - what are you saying I should have done to anticipate it?

You can safely ignore mr_hippo, he's a bit trollish and an old wind-bag. There are a number of us who don't bother to reply to his stuff much.

 

[buggi]

true she could have anticipated it, but it sounds like she did to be honest, maybe subconsciously, because she managed to maneouvre quite quickly out of the way.

But besides that, she shouldn't have to anticipate it! This is driver error and it doesn't help cyclists when people start saying the cyclist should anticipate it? yes, it could save your life but why do people always come back with that comment? it's a driver's responsibility to look and check. would you say the same if he had pulled out into a car, that the car driver should have anticipated it? No you wouldn't.

so yes, it's goot to anticipate it but don't blame the cyclist if they don't. the bottom line is, it's driver responsibility.

 

[mr_hippo]

true she could have anticipated it, but it sounds like she did to be honest, maybe subconsciously, because she managed to maneouvre quite quickly out of the way.

But besides that, she shouldn't have to anticipate it! This is driver error and it doesn't help cyclists when people start saying the cyclist should anticipate it? yes, it could save your life but why do people always come back with that comment? it's a driver's responsibility to look and check. would you say the same if he had pulled out into a car, that the car driver should have anticipated it? No you wouldn't.

so yes, it's goot to anticipate it but don't blame the cyclist if they don't. the bottom line is, it's driver responsibility.

I have a few minutes to waste replying to this post.The way you have put it is that the driver is resposonsible for their actions but the cyclist has no responsibilities for his.her actions, for his/her safety or to other road users You say "so [sic] yes, it's goot to anticipate it but don't blame the cyclist if they don't," If the cyclist does not anticipate it, who else can you blame? I know, we'll shift the blame onto the driver!

 

[2Loose]

If you were not a fairly experienced cyclist they may have knocked you off but if you had more experience, you would have anticipated that they may pull out and made allowances.

If they had no lights on, it would be difficult for anyone to anticipate that they were about to start moving off.
Except for someone like Russell Grant maybe.

As to 'shift the blame onto the driver', I would say that having someone hit you while pulling off in the dark unlit is definitely the fault of the driver of the unlit vehicle. You must be a few pegs short of a basket if you think otherwise.


Glad you are ok TRC.

 

[guitarpete247]

Yes you can anticipate another road user doing something stupid and avoiding them. It's called staying at home.

There are those times when you just didn't expect them to do that. You can see most things but every now and again some plonker will do something you didn't expect. In that case it's not your fault. Blame the other person, yes. It was their fault. They are to blame. They did it not you. You suffered but it was not your fault.

If you think it was you will stay at home.

 

[Jezston]

TRC - perhaps if it was parked in a residential street it will be parked in the same place in the future? Next time you go past you could get the reg and express your concerns to the local constabulary.

 

[MontyVeda]

I have a few minutes to waste replying to this post.The way you have put it is that the driver is responsible for their actions but the cyclist has no responsibilities for his.her actions, for his/her safety or to other road users You say "so [sic] yes, it's goot to anticipate it but don't blame the cyclist if they don't," If the cyclist does not anticipate it, who else can you blame? I know, we'll shift the blame onto the driver!

I dunno what road sense is like in Thailand but here in Blighty.... the driver IS responsible for their actions.

Pulling out into the path of moving traffic, driving in the dark with no lights on.... yes, let's blame the driver because nobody else is driving that vehicle.

 

[Bluebell72]

Glad you're ok TRC, it's always a shock when a driver does something unexpected, and really stupid.

Earlier this week, I met someone for work, and she had her mother with her, who was in her early eighties.
Mother says 'Jean is driving me home soon, I hope that's alright?'
It's fine, I said, and then she went on to say (brace yourselves) 'I've got cataracts, so I don't like driving in the dark, unless I have to, it's rather unpleasant'.