Today a bad driver did this...

[campbellab]

I'd be expecting the driver to come into the cycle lane to avoid the obstacle just as I'd be expecting you to come out of the cycle lane for the lorry parked up ahead. That said it wasn't brilliant driving.

 

[marzjennings]

50/50..?

WTF have you been smoking? Just because the rider could have used defensive riding doesnt stop it being 100% the driver's fault.

Cause, not fault. Yes the driver was at fault, but the OP had the opportunity to minimize the result and avoid conflict and near collision with a bad driver.

 

[marzjennings]

Sorry mate but that is nonsense..The guy saw me there..her looked right at me as he turned onto the road...I was in a cycle lane and he just pulled right across me...luckily I did see it and stop in time...the bloke simply drove dangerously, then decided to call me a prick...anyway...the video is already at operation crackdown sussex police...for anti social careless driving.

Yes, I saw all that, you still did bog all to avoid the situation. Being right is useless if you end up injured or worse.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Yes, I saw all that, you still did bog all to avoid the situation. Being right is useless if you end up injured or worse.

Crap.
All I saw of him was his bonnet as it cut in. Do you honestly think I'd not do all I could to avoid an impact if I could have? You.actually think I'd rather be injured or worse ???
You were not there.

 

[fozy tornip]

Yes, I saw all that, you still did bog all to avoid the situation. Being right is useless if you end up injured or worse.

You, and other posters, sound like dessicated and embittered old women - with all due respect to dessicated and embittered old women; some of my best friends are dessicated and embittered old women etc. - blaming a young woman for inviting her own sexual assault by dressing attractively.
Footage shows the cyclist does ease off and slow in anticipation, thus preventing a collision, so I don't know what you're bleating about.

 

[Hip Priest]

Could the cyclist have anticipated it better? It's hard to say. Viewers are already anticipating it, whereas the camera cyclist himself is filming in real time. I think we can lose sight of this. Ultimately, it was bad driving by anyone's standards.

 

[MaxInc]

All I saw of him was his bonnet as it cut in. Do you honestly think I'd not do all I could to avoid an impact if I could have? You.actually think I'd rather be injured or worse ???

All I saw of him was his bonnet as it cut in. Do you honestly think I'd not do all I could to avoid an impact if I could have?

Nobody is blaming you, this stuff happens every day to everyone. It is only constructive criticism for you and others to learn from the incident.

I genuinely believe that you would have done more to avoid the situation if your vision would have been focused a little bit further down the road scanning for developing traffic. It's not a requirement but a skill worth practicing when sharing a road with other vehicles in a fight where, as a vulnerable cyclist, you don't stand a chance.

Approaching the junction you could have spotted the black vehicle signalling a right turn and blocking the lane with just enough space to the left for a vehicle to squeeze in. A few seconds later, another black vehicle goes and undertakes it by by crossing over the cycle lane. If you would have paid attention to these, you would have slowed down earlier and would have allowed the red car to engage in what was a very predictable manoeuvre. You would have avoided getting yourself in that vulnerable position in the first place and that's what defensive riding is about.

And perhaps the the most important and overlooked aspect of the highway code:

This section should be read by all drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders. The rules in The Highway Code do not give you the right of way in any circumstance, but they advise you when you should give way to others. Always give way if it can help to avoid an incident.
https://www.gov.uk/general-rules-all-drivers-riders-103-to-158/overview

 

[glenn forger]

He did give way. He did avoid an accident. The cyclist avoided a nasty collision by scrubbing his speed. The near miss was caused by the driver, nobody else.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

He did give way. He did avoid an accident. The cyclist avoided a nasty collision by scrubbing his speed. The near miss was caused by the driver, nobody else.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Always give way if it can help to avoid an incident.

which is exactly what I did in a split second...perhaps he should have given way to avoid an incident instead of aiming his car at me when he clearly saw that I was there, and in a cycle lane? Oh sorry...he is a car driver and therefore right...forgot.

 

[Boris Bajic]

This is a cheerful thread and needs no further inflammatory posts...

1. Absolutely BoaB, the motorist was wrong to drive as he did. It was oafish, selfish, dangerous driving. He was either unaware of your presence or had no notion of the relative mobility and velocity of a bicycle.

2. I and many other cyclist would have had warning lights flashing all over our imaginary dashboard as soon as the Volvo started to pull out. One of the consistently most alarming episodes I face as a cyclist on British roads is that of a car emerging into my traffic lane from a turning on the right. It has "AAAAAAAAAAARGH!" written all over it.

3. You are not wrong to have ridden as you did. The motorist was wrong to drive as he did. Had one of my children been swerved into as you were, my support would have been 110% for my child. I would then (a little later) have explained that cars emerging from the right are troublesome and if they are driving as if they haven't seen you, they probably haven't.

4. It is (of course) outrageous that a motorist drove in a way that made you slow down and deviate from your planned path. It is also dangerous. Nonetheless, I and many other old and grey members of these pages would have stayed well away from the nearside of that car.

5. You were perfectly within your rights to scrub off only a minimum of speed and draw alongside the car on its nearside. You did no wrong. Many cyclists would not have done so. I would have been inclined to hang back.

6. These things have happened to me many times over the decades. I have no camera. I have no footage to upload. I forget them and move on. I suspect that one or two CC members (not BoaB) quite like the feeling of a dark resentment left to fester and then burst like an angry zit all over the Webosphere. Forget it. Move on. Imagine how dull life would be if everyone were lovely.

 

[campbellab]

which is exactly what I did in a split second...perhaps he should have given way to avoid an incident instead of aiming his car at me when he clearly saw that I was there, and in a cycle lane? Oh sorry...he is a car driver and therefore right...forgot.

The point is if you are looking further ahead it wouldn't have been a split second reaction and you'd be safer overall. It was more of an undertake than a filter (the car was still in motion) and you should always be doubly careful going past a vehicle - drivers are rarely expecting overtakes let alone undertakes on single lane roads. Even if you didn't notice the car turning, I wouldn't undertake/overtake a car unless I knew what was obstructing them.

The driver a) probably should have judged your speed better and not pulled out in-front (but probably didn't spot the same obstruction as you and would have been out of your way otherwise) and b) should have checked mirrors and blind spot before manoeuvring.

 

[glenn forger]

I bet he's the sort of driver who complains about cyclists not using cycle lanes, then he pulls a stupid stunt like that!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I'll just stay the hell out of cycle lanes...I have less incidents when I do. This driver put my health and possibly.my.life at risk. He is the type that need banning from our roads. Anyway I've wasted enough.of my time in this discussion.

 

[thefatcyclist]

I would like to think I would have anticipated what was happening and started slowing before you did however the driver was a complete moron and good on you for reporting the incident.