Taken out by another cyclist.

[Shaun]

Let's not do that - I don't think BP can be blamed for the accident - the lad didn't look and just turned into the road without warning. I don't think for one minute BP expected him to do that (the hindsight of video footage is great for making something seem "obvious" that wasn't in that split-second of time beforehand) and I think he did a good and right thing walking the lad home. I would hope that if my daughter was silly enough to do that and get knocked off her bike, someone would be caring enough to see her home safely.

The only thing I really have an issue with is the name-calling of the mother and I've covered that in my previous replies.

 

[Hawk]

I presume that few of you have passed your driving test as this scenario is tested in the Hazard Perception Test. This is a predictable hazard demanding some care and prediction. To me the cyclist's behaviour comes across as "Get out of my way, I am a cyclist". Consider, had this been a 5 year old on a bike rolling down a drive and into the road. Simply because the child is about 11/12 does not change the scenario. As road users, we are required to take care and to watch out for hazards - good road sense is vital.

Personally, I think the woman's mother could ask the cyclist for compensation. He was certainly not cycling with due care and attention for the prevailing conditions.

The difference is that a child going down a driveway is heading in to your path whereas here the child suddenly changes direction in to the road, in a way that is unexpected.

If a car driver is proceeding over a give way line and hasn't seen you and you continue on when you could've clearly stopped, maybe you are partly liable. If a car doing a quarter of your speed changes lane in front of you without signalling....

As for BP being 'more concerned' for his lights than the kid - the kid was in a safe place (traffic island) and appeared to be well enough... collecting the lights off the road would have let traffic get moving and this would be the obvious thing to do in the situation.

In the moment, I don't think I could've done better than BP. I'm sure criticising him is an easy way to say "I'd have done this so I wouldn't have had this accident", shame we're not all as perfect as the critics must be

 

[gambatte]

I presume that few of you have passed your driving test as this scenario is tested in the Hazard Perception Test. This is a predictable hazard demanding some care and prediction. To me the cyclist's behaviour comes across as "Get out of my way, I am a cyclist". Consider, had this been a 5 year old on a bike rolling down a drive and into the road. Simply because the child is about 11/12 does not change the scenario. As road users, we are required to take care and to watch out for hazards - good road sense is vital.
Personally, I think the woman's mother could ask the cyclist for compensation. He was certainly not cycling with due care and attention for the prevailing conditions.

I'm guessing there'll be some on here that'd say you were approaching a crossing it was up to you to anticipate that a kid on a bike might just ride out?
Playing devils advocate BTW

Took 2 days, sad to be proven right....

 

[musa]

Wait till its on your shoe thats all that can be said

 

[Gary E]

As for BP being 'more concerned' for his lights than the kid - the kid was in a safe place (traffic island) and appeared to be well enough... collecting the lights off the road would have let traffic get moving and this would be the obvious thing to do in the situation.

Sorry, I really wasn't going to let myself get caught up in this, but are you serious????

The poor kid was standing there wimpering and cradling his arm. How the hell can he not be the first and only priority??

Frankly I have a real hang up about that kind of language being used in front of kids too (although I realise that might just be my hang up).

The kid, throughout the whole video is clearly, obviously, seriously traumatised and by the look of it hurt too.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS SECONDARY (again this may just be me)

To be honest, if you did post the address (another step too far) I'd be happy to send the kid some money to fix his bike up.

Feel free to have a go at me but come on people get your priorities sorted!

 

[Hawk]

Sorry, I really wasn't going to let myself get caught up in this, but are you serious????

The poor kid was standing there wimpering and cradling his arm. How the hell can he not be the first and only priority??

Frankly I have a real hang up about that kind of language being used in front of kids too (although I realise that might just be my hang up).

The kid, throughout the whole video is clearly, obviously, seriously traumatised and by the look of it hurt too.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS SECONDARY (again this may just be me)

To be honest, if you did post the address (another step too far) I'd be happy to send the kid some money to fix his bike up.

Feel free to have a go at me but come on people get your priorities sorted!

I see your point and I wasn't clear above. What I meant was that in the moment I would instinctively want to clear the road first as this would naturally seem to be the biggest hazard at that point in time.

 

[Gary E]

I'd want to make sure I hadn't just broken the kids arm (regardless of who's fault it was)

If I was in the car I'd have gotten out to help whether the road was cleared in front of me or not.

 

[BlackPanther]

I'd just been taken out, has that ever happened to you? Maybe you'd be Mr calm.....but I doubt it. As a motorcyclist whenever I've seen someone come off their bike, THE 1st thing they want to do is pick it up. In fact I once had to shout to a mate to leave his bike and get to safety off the busy road!

Rightly or wrongly, I did the same. I'm afraid that I'm not a rich man......a bike gets me to work and back, every day of the year, and I ain't gonna leave it, and the other bits in the middle of the road to get run over by the long line of cars queueing up! It took 20 seconds to retrieve my bike. I'm not a medic, but I do have 2 kids and if they're standing up saying Owwww, then then they're not seriously injured.

I got him to the side of the road, he seemed to my untrained eye to be fine, so I carried his bike 1/2 mile home for him to make sure he got home safely (MANY WOULDN'T). If you want to have a go at me, how about having a go at all the car drivers who just sat in their cars. I'm always the first (and often only) person to get out of my car/lorry when I witness an accident, offer help/phone emergency services/offer to be a witness, and I've pushed many a broken down car or motorbike when they've conked out at a busy junction. And yet here I'm the bad guy? I wonder how you'd cope in a similar situation. I don't want to fall out with any one on here, but people with 20/20 hindsight wind me up. I ain't perfect, but overall, I do more for others than most!

 

[hennbell]

Wow so big of you to send a video link. Maybe before you start slinging this sort of thing about you'd better watch out she doesen't go to the police herself and report you. Maybe forward her this forum so she can actually see how you are running at the mouth. Easy to have a go when she or her husband cannot voice an opinion. If I was the boys parents I would be seeking legal advice to take you to court for defamation of character and anything else my son could take action against you for. After all the child is a minor so will get legal aid.

He rode off the path without looking. You hit him, your lucky that he didn't (?) substain anymore injuries other than a damaged ego and a broken bike, he is a child or are you forgetting this?

It's people like you with the "I am better than every other road user attitude" that gets up drivers and other cyclists noses.

Seriously are you suggesting, after watching that video that the OP is responsible for the accident?

And " It's people like you with the "I am better than every other road user attitude" that gets up drivers and other cyclists noses" - do you not see the irony in that statement?

 

[Gary E]

As I said I don't want to argue either and yes oddly enough it has happened to me (only in my case it was an old lady).

I sympathise entirely with your dilemma, I really do, I just think that the best interests of the minor are paramount here.

I'm not trying to take the moral high ground nor am I trying to vilify you. I hope you and your bike are OK but I think that this is a situation that needs careful private resolution not public ordeal by video.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Seriously are you suggesting, after watching that video that the OP is responsible for the accident?

And " It's people like you with the "I am better than every other road user attitude" that gets up drivers and other cyclists noses" - do you not see the irony in that statement?

I'd just been taken out, has that ever happened to you? Maybe you'd be Mr calm.....but I doubt it. As a motorcyclist whenever I've seen someone come off their bike, THE 1st thing they want to do is pick it up. In fact I once had to shout to a mate to leave his bike and get to safety off the busy road!

Rightly or wrongly, I did the same. I'm afraid that I'm not a rich man......a bike gets me to work and back, every day of the year, and I ain't gonna leave it, and the other bits in the middle of the road to get run over by the long line of cars queueing up! It took 20 seconds to retrieve my bike. I'm not a medic, but I do have 2 kids and if they're standing up saying Owwww, then then they're not seriously injured.

I got him to the side of the road, he seemed to my untrained eye to be fine, so I carried his bike 1/2 mile home for him to make sure he got home safely (MANY WOULDN'T). If you want to have a go at me, how about having a go at all the car drivers who just sat in their cars. I'm always the first (and often only) person to get out of my car/lorry when I witness an accident, offer help/phone emergency services/offer to be a witness, and I've pushed many a broken down car or motorbike when they've conked out at a busy junction. And yet here I'm the bad guy? I wonder how you'd cope in a similar situation. I don't want to fall out with any one on here, but people with 20/20 hindsight wind me up. I ain't perfect, but overall, I do more for others than most!

Not wanting to get into a slagging match about who is right and who is wrong here but maybe this is why as cyclists we should have insurance, if you were a car driver this would of been a hell of alot worse however a car driver would have insurance and this would of been dealt with via that surely.

 

[Recycler]

I'd just been taken out, has that ever happened to you? Maybe you'd be Mr calm.....but I doubt it. As a motorcyclist whenever I've seen someone come off their bike, THE 1st thing they want to do is pick it up. In fact I once had to shout to a mate to leave his bike and get to safety off the busy road!

Rightly or wrongly, I did the same. I'm afraid that I'm not a rich man......a bike gets me to work and back, every day of the year, and I ain't gonna leave it, and the other bits in the middle of the road to get run over by the long line of cars queueing up! It took 20 seconds to retrieve my bike. I'm not a medic, but I do have 2 kids and if they're standing up saying Owwww, then then they're not seriously injured.

I got him to the side of the road, he seemed to my untrained eye to be fine, so I carried his bike 1/2 mile home for him to make sure he got home safely (MANY WOULDN'T). If you want to have a go at me, how about having a go at all the car drivers who just sat in their cars. I'm always the first (and often only) person to get out of my car/lorry when I witness an accident, offer help/phone emergency services/offer to be a witness, and I've pushed many a broken down car or motorbike when they've conked out at a busy junction. And yet here I'm the bad guy? I wonder how you'd cope in a similar situation. I don't want to fall out with any one on here, but people with 20/20 hindsight wind me up. I ain't perfect, but overall, I do more for others than most!

Well said.
Just ignore those who are so quick to criticise.

 

[Gary E]

The trouble with these forums is that everyone seems to think they have to choose a side.

I'm not doing that.

If I was there I'd have helped the kid and helped you with your bike. After all, as you said, you'd done nothing wrong.

You're obviously an experienced cyclist and (hopefully) the damage to your bike is just cosmetic. So why not go round and ask if the kids OK, take him (and his cute little sister) a bag of sweets and offer your help and experience with his bike and his road sense.

Life really is too short

 

[gambatte]

Not wanting to get into a slagging match about who is right and who is wrong here but maybe this is why as cyclists we should have insurance, if you were a car driver this would of been a hell of alot worse however a car driver would have insurance and this would of been dealt with via that surely.

A car driver would only have to have had TP F&T
He wouldn't have any recourse through his insurance for fixing his vehicle or personal injury.

 

[Maylian]

I think its quite disgusting the way some posters are treating BP, yes after watching the video with 2020 hindsight you could potentially say that he might assume that the kid would cross at that point. However despite my own ability, and I do believe I am very observant on the roads, I wouldn't have guessed the kid would do that it happens so quickly. And then BP mentions that the kid has done this many times before.

Had it been me, the kid is making noise (aka fine for the immediate future), I would get everything out of the road and make sure the kid was safe and what injuries he has. Would I have sworn.........100% yes, coming off my bike, being hit by a van I have sworn. Either at the person who's knocked me off or my own stupidity. It is instinct and I would be surprised if the kid hasn't heard that from his own parents and friends.

The conversation with the parent, again distancing yourself you could assume that the mother would be worried about her child, might be intimidated / worried about money etc...you can't really guess what's going on in her head. Again I would try and justify myself just as you did if I was in front of her.

Gary E I like your suggestion of sweets and experience etc but I really think for me that would be over stepping the mark. Since this has happened before the mother / father if they are responsible should stop him cycling until they put him on a cycling profiency course god forbid next time it is a car. Finally the reprehensible part is that NO motorists got out of their car and offered any assistance or even checked on you both!