Right Hooked today

[pshore]

As I recall it the driver suddenly put her indicators on and turned right.

This is a common danger when filtering on the right. You can often spot the impatient driver likely to pull out from their road positioning. They will be further to the right often having a look down the road. You might spot the angle of the wheel is not straight too.

Look out for u-turners especially when a queue first starts to form. Also take extra care near any side roads - people will often pop out of a queue 50 yards before a junction if they think the way ahead and junction are clear.

Filtering safely is a black art, usually learned through near misses.




Glad to read you are ok DeckerTim.

 

[CopperCyclist]

I am very pleased at the outcome of this as I think it is the most appropriate course of action. I am also glad that I stuck to my guns and complained to the Police Officer at the scene who told the driver that no further action would be taken. I told him he was out of order and the incident should be properly investigated and he had no right to say this...... Was I right? I don't know but it did the trick!

I will now be proceeding with my claim for damages, which amounts to new handlebars, brake lever/gear changers, mirror and handlebar tape. Fortunately I was only very slightly hurt and all cuts and bruises are now healed.

Yes it was right. I suspect the officer was trying to write it off as a non-injury RTC. In these we can say that no prosecution is going to take place and leave it to the insurance companies, if we feel its appropriate. For an injury RTC however, we have to compile a report, and then submit our suggestion on how to proceed for approval to supervision.

Its a good result, well done. As a member of CTC I suggest you get Russell, Jones and Walker to contact the drivers insurance company and make a claim - like Gaz said, its highly likely to be settled out of court.

PS Be aware not all drivers accept the improvement course, and please, please be willing to follow through to a prosecution if they don't, otherwise you are essentially agreeing with them saying "I didn't do anything wrong" and it could effect your civil claim!

 

[deckertim]

PS Be aware not all drivers accept the improvement course, and please, please be willing to follow through to a prosecution if they don't, otherwise you are essentially agreeing with them saying "I didn't do anything wrong" and it could effect your civil claim!

Copper you are a fortuneteller. Just got a note from the Met saying they intend to prosecute for driving without due care and attention. I have had to provide the dates in 2012 when I not available to go to court as a witness. Having already had the police officer who attended the scene trying to let her off scott free I will be going ahead with this.

Not sure about the court procedure but I want to make it clear in the court that I was doing nothing wrong in filtering up the outside of a stationary queue. So any tips anyone can give me on this I would appreciate it. I regularly see Police motorcylists doing this and I believe that anyone stuck in traffic in London should expect cyclists and motor bikes to filter past.

 

[Hip Priest]

Best of luck with this Tim. It sounds to me as though you were blameless.

 

[CopperCyclist]

Copper you are a fortuneteller. Just got a note from the Met saying they intend to prosecute for driving without due care and attention. I have had to provide the dates in 2012 when I not available to go to court as a witness. Having already had the police officer who attended the scene trying to let her off scott free I will be going ahead with this.

Not sure about the court procedure but I want to make it clear in the court that I was doing nothing wrong in filtering up the outside of a stationary queue. So any tips anyone can give me on this I would appreciate it. I regularly see Police motorcylists doing this and I believe that anyone stuck in traffic in London should expect cyclists and motor bikes to filter past.

Good luck! I can promise courts aren't as scary as you think. On the filtering thing too, I can't really see how it would help him/her as a defence to say 'I didn't bother checking my blind spot as I didn't think anyone would be there'.

Of course cycles can filter. That's why we have the 'entry points' in the ASLs.

 

[growingvegetables]

- Google "Filtering is acceptable but extreme caution needs to be exercised" (with the "") and you'll get the Metropolitan Police Service Level Three Cycle Trainers Training Course (released as a result of an FOI request!)

 

[Brandane]

Interesting reading this thread, it is similar to an accident I was involved in about 15 years ago. A row of stationary traffic, with nothing coming towards me. I was driving a Police car, in the dark, and had blue flashing lights + sirens going as I was attending a personal attack alarm at a nearby off-sales.

I moved out and overtook the row of cars, paying attention to any movement or indicators, but there was none. Until I got to a few feet from one car, which turned right WITHOUT any indication (this was corroborated by an independent witness) to try and get into a petrol station on the opposite side of the road. I went into the side of the car and wrote it off. No-one was injured.

Traffic cops arrived and took details and statements. Who ended up getting charged with careless driving? Not who you might think, and this might come as a surprise to those under the impression that the Police always cover up for their own... I was the one who got charged, and banned from driving Police vehicles . The Procurator Fiscal (Scottish prosecuting authority) quite rightly took no proceedings (eventually), but the driving ban remained in place. About 2 years later I was told that the driving ban was now lifted, subject to me passing an assessment drive. I told them not to waste their time with an assessment drive as I had no intention of putting MY driving licence at risk by driving their precious cars (on the basis that I had only been charged because I had been driving a Police car. Police wouldn't have even attended the accident otherwise as there were no injuries).

I was put out to pasture on a crumby walking beat in a grotty housing scheme. 3 years later, with 19 years service, I was pensioned off as a result of work related stress. Funny old world....

 

[Matthew_T]

I find it very interesting and intuitive reading many incident related threads which have recently been appearing on here.
When I eventually have a collision that is serious enough to warrant calling the police (god forbid), then I will certainly be on here to ask for aa lot of guidance as I am inexperienced in making a claim or pursuing a prosecution.

Its good to see the amount of help you can get from real life people, not just legal knowledgeables.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

Interesting reading this thread, it is similar to an accident I was involved in about 15 years ago. A row of stationary traffic, with nothing coming towards me. I was driving a Police car, in the dark, and had blue flashing lights + sirens going as I was attending a personal attack alarm at a nearby off-sales.

I moved out and overtook the row of cars, paying attention to any movement or indicators, but there was none. Until I got to a few feet from one car, which turned right WITHOUT any indication (this was corroborated by an independent witness) to try and get into a petrol station on the opposite side of the road. I went into the side of the car and wrote it off. No-one was injured.

Traffic cops arrived and took details and statements. Who ended up getting charged with careless driving? Not who you might think, and this might come as a surprise to those under the impression that the Police always cover up for their own... I was the one who got charged, and banned from driving Police vehicles . The Procurator Fiscal (Scottish prosecuting authority) quite rightly took no proceedings (eventually), but the driving ban remained in place. About 2 years later I was told that the driving ban was now lifted, subject to me passing an assessment drive. I told them not to waste their time with an assessment drive as I had no intention of putting MY driving licence at risk by driving their precious cars (on the basis that I had only been charged because I had been driving a Police car. Police wouldn't have even attended the accident otherwise as there were no injuries).

I was put out to pasture on a crumby walking beat in a grotty housing scheme. 3 years later, with 19 years service, I was pensioned off as a result of work related stress. Funny old world....

Black rats, even eat their own!

 

[gaz]

I find it very interesting and intuitive reading many incident related threads which have recently been appearing on here.
When I eventually have a collision that is serious enough to warrant calling the police (god forbid), then I will certainly be on here to ask for aa lot of guidance as I am inexperienced in making a claim or pursuing a prosecution.

Its good to see the amount of help you can get from real life people, not just legal knowledgeables.

Eventually? There is a good chance you won't have one.

 

[Matthew_T]

Eventually? There is a good chance you won't have one.

Well lets hope for the best, hey?

I wouldnt say its a good chance with the amount of terrible driving I witness in a day around here. I have a minimum of 5 close passes, 2 must pass cyclists, 2 SMIDSY's and the occasional left hook. They are pretty minor but still bad.

 

[deckertim]

Further update. I provided all the dates I could appear as a witness in 2012 only to get a letter today to say that the case is now complete. Result:
Driving without Due Care.
Fine £350, costs £100 and 6 penalty points.
I will now be sending a letter claiming for new handlebars, gear/brake levers and handlebar tape. Hopefully the insurance company will pay up without too much protest, but we will see. I am so glad I argued with the policeman who attended the scene and told the driver that there would be no charges!

 

[gaz]

Good result, best of luck with the insurance claim.

 

[Titan yer tummy]

I have not read all the posts so this may have been already said, but may I suggest that in addition to your bike repairs you also claim for your injuries.

There will be a matrix somewhere with an evaluation of what you are entitled to for the sort of injury you sustained. I suggest you do not consider settling until you have taken advice.

I recently came to grief on council footpath which was undergoing repairs. I broke my specs, damaged my front light and cycle computer, value: c£65. I sustained no injury but was absolutely covered in mud from head to toe.

I thought I would claim £100 (£65 for my repairs and £35 for trouble) I typed £200 by mistake and then thought fcuk it I'll give it a run. They paid up with no questions. I was left wondering if I could have got £500.

(And before anyone gets too high on their horse I gave the balance to charity).

 

[CopperCyclist]

Silly driver for not taking the improvement course - and especially strange as he must have pled guilty for you to not have attended court!