They're all out to get you..... (Be careful out there!)

[I like Skol]

Not cycling but returning from the school run after dropping off the kids. Just as I am getting close to home I have to turn left off a main road with 2 lanes in each direction and there is a car waiting to turn into the same road as me from the other direction. I decided to wait for him so flashed him to cross which he did with no problem. At this moment a group of college girls also decide to cross from my left in front of me and one strides out more confidently than the rest. I spot she doesn't seem to be looking at all so just as I turn to look in my righthand mirror a Transit van skids into view and I prepare for the inevitable accident as her mates try to grab her back (fortunately they were looking). She is too far away from her mates so they can't catch her and she is still walking, looking straight ahead apparantly unaware of the approaching doom.

Today must have been her lucky day as the van driver was alert and must have anticipated her actions and had started his emergency stop early, although he must have had sixth sense because I was in my jacked-up Jeep so he couldn't have seen her over my roof.

Hats off to the van driver, he proved his skill right there but the scary thing is the fact that this girl has survived to be 17/18 and no doubt will shortly be 'trained and tested' then let loose in a car. It just highlights the fact that when out in the real world you really do have to assume everyone has 'challanged' awareness or is out to get you! [/rant]

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

This is the reason why I'm cutting out a lot of the 'flash people out' type thing. You instantly make yourself responsible for everyone around you and their interpretation of your intent.

The kids may have thought you were flashing them across, or just using the opportunity of you being stopped and doing the old 'if I don't look I won't die' technique. There's too much to guess at.

I was pedalling down a dual carriageway once and the car overtaking me flashed out a car joining from the left, who had the presence of mind to not blindly respond, but to see me there.

A junction near me has right turners flashing people out as traffic undertakes their queue at 60mph. There's still regular crashes despite a new 40mph limit and altered priorities on the deceleration lanes.

Best to just do the predictable thing in IMHO.

 

[jonathanw]

It's never nice to be a witness to these events. Luckily this one had a happy ending. My situational awareness is much improved since I started commuting. Always assume others are going to act unpredictably. I'd rather my journey took a little longer, so that it can be ridden defensively.

 

[I like Skol]

This is the reason why I'm cutting out a lot of the 'flash people out' type thing. You instantly make yourself responsible for everyone around you and their interpretation of your intent.

Yes, this is my normal policy but I lapsed today.

 

[Hicky]

I work at Man Uni, education doesnt provide commonsense.
Brunswick st could be renamed lemmingsville.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

Not cycling but returning from the school run after dropping off the kids. Just as I am getting close to home I have to turn left off a main road with 2 lanes in each direction and there is a car waiting to turn into the same road as me from the other direction. I decided to wait for him so flashed him to cross which he did with no problem. At this moment a group of college girls also decide to cross from my left in front of me and one strides out more confidently than the rest. I spot she doesn't seem to be looking at all so just as I turn to look in my righthand mirror a Transit van skids into view and I prepare for the inevitable accident as her mates try to grab her back (fortunately they were looking). She is too far away from her mates so they can't catch her and she is still walking, looking straight ahead apparantly unaware of the approaching doom.

Today must have been her lucky day as the van driver was alert and must have anticipated her actions and had started his emergency stop early, although he must have had sixth sense because I was in my jacked-up Jeep so he couldn't have seen her over my roof.

Hats off to the van driver, he proved his skill right there but the scary thing is the fact that this girl has survived to be 17/18 and no doubt will shortly be 'trained and tested' then let loose in a car. It just highlights the fact that when out in the real world you really do have to assume everyone has 'challanged' awareness or is out to get you! [/rant]

Very brave of you to post showing how you were the root cause of the problem!

 

[ColinJ]

Very brave of you to post showing how you were the root cause of the problem!

The flashing question is a distraction. If the other person had already been turning, forcing Skol to stop, then the girl would presumably still have strolled out into the road and put herself in danger!

I don't drive but I have people walking out in front of me in practically every town I cycle through. There is a one-way street off the A646 passing through Hebden Bridge and virtually every pedestrian crosses that without looking to see if anybody is turning off the main road.

The situation with pedestrians has definitely got worse since they started using iPods and other similar devices. They used to use their ears rather than their eyes to detect traffic but half the time now, their ears are out of action too!

 

[Tynan]

flashing your lights to let someone go makes you responsible for nothing at all, all other road users are responsible for themselves at all time

 

[Headgardener]

Very true Tynan very true.

 

[Bromptonaut]

Reverse flashing scenario:

I'm waiting to turn right from Museum St into Bloomsbury Sq. Bus coming the other way slows and flashes me across and when I don't move the driver starts making exasperated hand gestures. Quite satisfying to just point to the overtaking motorbike into who's path he was inviting me.