Started commuting to work yesterday, knocked off my bike this evening

[Chilternrides]

Passing on the left of a vehicle (a big one at that) next to a junction is stupid...

You say you were going too fast, it sounds you were.

Pass on the right whenever possible.



I'm not sure if I should be sympathetic here...

I understand what you mean DrS, but learning and making a ball$ along the way is what happens to just about all of us at one point or another;
I agree, 2Pies was in the wrong place and travelling too quickly, particularly on the "wrong" side, but on a positive note, he / she has had the nuts to come on here and give the story warts and all; Whats more, it's a very valuable lesson learned very early in the world of commuting (and cycling in general).

"Stupid" is a bit harsh - ill-informed is probably a little fairer.

Good luck 2P, and don't let this spoil what is largely a great way to get about for you.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Calling someone stupid might be harsh, saying what you did is stupid isn't. And it's not any less stupid just because someone is learning.

 

[Hip Priest]

Glad you're ok mate. I'm new to commuting too, and have found this place a rich source of advice. I think the done thing at those speeds is to take primary and move with the traffic, or filter down the right if you're a speed demon.

 

[2pies]

Passing on the left of a vehicle (a big one at that) next to a junction is stupid...

You say you were going too fast, it sounds you were.

Pass on the right whenever possible.



I'm not sure if I should be sympathetic here...

I suppose I was going too fast, but there were other riders near me going the same speed. Its a new fast bike so the temptation is to, not race, but to "make good time". I need to be more cautious and realise that cycling in London traffic isn't the same as weekend rides.

In a way, its a wake up call for me and I'm glad a relatively minor incident like this has happened so I can change my style of riding before something really bad happened. Taking the positives.....

 

[Tynan]

passing on the right saves you from left hooks and makes you vulnerable to right hooks and aslo oncoming traffic, one or the other might be better in different stretches of road but it's not an either or

left hooks are buggers and right hooks through gaps even worse

as said try to ride as wide from the curb as possible, try and ride rooutes with a bus lane and fewer side turnings, I don;t ride the most obvious route for me because I got tired of near misses with people turning in and out of turnings

bright/eye catching top, a bright front light and above all try to stay alert, when youj;ve ridden a route for a while you learn the dodgy spots and how best to ride them, in the worse places take primary and ride with the traffic if necessary

starting out is the worse time so don;t beat yourself out, my carbon forks are still fine after some minor prangs, ask the bike shop to give them the once over

bad luck fella, it happens to everyone some time

 

[400bhp]

Passing on the left of a vehicle (a big one at that) next to a junction is stupid...

You say you were going too fast, it sounds you were.

Pass on the right whenever possible.



I'm not sure if I should be sympathetic here...

Nah, tough love mate.

 

[2pies]

Another minor point, and stop me if I'm being pedantic...

The Tricross is supposed to come with top brake levers as well as the traditional drop-handle brakes. It was one of the reasons I chose the bike. When I picked it up last week my LBS hadn't fitted them. I mentioned it to them but they said they forgot/didn't have time to fit them. Said they'd fit them a later date. I can't help thinking that if they were fitted, using them in this scenario may have saved a split second reaction as I tend to ride in a more upright position in traffic to see more around me.

 

[davefb]

its not your fault, though obviously be careful near junctions, personally , i'd slow down to the same speed, nr the junction if the traffic is moving, that way its a bit more controllable..

but,

its still not your fault!!! its patently the drivers fault ( even specified in new highway codes to look out for motorcyclists/cyclists filtering like that), and they've also commited an offence by leaving the scene of an accident if you were injured..(hasnt he?) .

personally, i keep/kept to the left when commuting, mainly because the traffic i was in was okay at 8-10, but as soon as they 'got going' none of the sods would let me cut back and i felt very vulnerable on the right with traffic undercutting me..... of course, that depends how quick you are

 

[Norm]

Oh, Paul, that's crap news! I think the legal position is that the van driver was at fault, but there is stuff that you could do to protect yourself from a recurrence.

There's no pre-defined blanket right or wrong place to filter which applies to every scenario, there are a lot of variables. I now filter almost exclusively on the right, though I tend to sit in traffic if it is moving unless I can make a quick and clean assured pass.

I'd also say that, if there is a general rule about filtering, then don't do it on the left near left turns is as critical as don't do it on the right near right turns.

Now, those cross-top levers, they were one of the things that drew you to the Tricross and I reckon you've got a pretty good case against your LBS. Having them fitted would have made a difference, there's pretty much no way that they could dispute that, the only question is what they intend to do about their failure. Maybe that'll make them think a bit harder next time about sending out unfinished bikes.

Hope you get sorted soon.

 

[2Loose]

A far better case against the driver that left hooked you, surely, who you have not commented about regarding details etc. Did you get any? Have you reported it to the police?

Personally I would be screaming with indignant anger and crying out for damages just in case my brand new carbon forks were invisibly damaged and needed replacement. I'd also want the police to check cctv asap before it got overwritten too, especially if no insurance was forthcoming. A crime has been comitted against you. Follow it up.

Much rather this than trying to blame the shop who I took the bike from before it was completely ready.

 

[dellzeqq]

Just be more careful filtering on the inside when approaching side roads. In fact, just be very careful filtering in all situations.

Doors, pedestrians or left hooks could happen at a moments notice.

Glad your ok and hope you get your bike sorted and get back out there again soon

that would be it.

 

[Sittingduck]

Unlucky!

I don't agree with what Doc Sq says about always filter on the right - sometimes you have to filter on the left. Also wondered about the comment mentioning brake levers on the top of the bars. Are you saying you were riding holding the tops, not the hoods and were not covering your brakes?

Hope you get the wheel sorted soon and get back out on the road. Traffic can be bad everywhere and it might be worth thinking of alternative routes, with wider roads or less jams (not easy to predict, I know). Where are you commuting from and to?

 

[corshamjim]

Don't forget that not filtering at all and simply taking your place in the line of traffic is also a perfectly valid option in many cases.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I don't agree with what Doc Sq says about always filter on the right - sometimes you have to filter on the left.

Please don't misquote me SD...

Pass on the right whenever possible.

 

[Norm]

A far better case against the driver that left hooked you, surely

I don't see that the two are mutually exclusive.