Too fast, poor forward planning and a collision

[gaz]

The superhighway is hugely congested along most of the route in the morning. I don't think overtaking 2 cyclists at the same time in a widened bus lane is an issue. It's certainly something i've done on many occasions without any consequences.

 

[Origamist]

Good speed, although I wouldn't overtake someone who is overtaking that's probably because, this week, I have only passed 3 cyclists and had one pass me.

The legal view is that it's the person behind who is at fault, something I think you realise already, but I think the scooter chick was a bit keen to stop. If you look at the vid at 22 seconds, the light is still amber but she has stopped with a foot down and in the ASL.

Yep, If I'd have hit her I'd be responsible. Thankfully, I just had enough wherewithal to avoid the collision.

I guess I pass more cyclists in 5 secs that than you pass all week, Norm!

 

[GFamily]

The legal view is that it's the person behind who is at fault, something I think you realise already, but I think the scooter chick was a bit keen to stop. If you look at the vid at 22 seconds, the light is still amber but she has stopped with a foot down and in the ASL.

You do realise that you should also stop at an amber light; and the amber light was visible at 19 seconds!

My view of the situation is that too many cyclists think that any overtake is a 'scalp'; and not enough think that a red light is a 'breather' .



Testosterone - kills more men than bullets.

 

[Peter10]

Good speed, although I wouldn't overtake someone who is overtaking that's probably because, this week, I have only passed 3 cyclists and had one pass me.

The legal view is that it's the person behind who is at fault, something I think you realise already, but I think the scooter chick was a bit keen to stop. If you look at the vid at 22 seconds, the light is still amber but she has stopped with a foot down and in the ASL.

To be honest, I think she was being more responsible than anything. Too many people these days think an amber light means "I better put my foot down to make these lights."

 

[Norm]

I guess I pass more cyclists in 5 secs that than you pass all week, Norm!

You did in that clip, that's for sure. I had a few going the other way, especially today, but it's unusual if I see more than one going my way in a day, and that's in nearly 20 miles. Oh, there's only one traffic light as well.

You do realise that you should also stop at an amber light; and the amber light was visible at 19 seconds!

Oh, indeed, I just said that she was keen to stop. There might be many reasons that she did stop, and you could easily say that she should have done so. However, and IMO, someone stopping at lights which were still only amber would, ahem, stand out from the norm.

 

[hackbike 666]

Thee scooter rider was more worried about her wing-mirror and the young cyclist was OK but embarrassed - he also checked the scooter rider was OK. I felt a bit stupid, but also strangely pleased with myself for avoiding an avoidable incident (if you know what I mean).

Anyway, enough hand-wringing for one night.

I don't think I'd be pleased with myself for putting myself in that position and also endangering other people.

 

[BentMikey]

However, and IMO, someone stopping at lights which were still only amber would, ahem, stand out from the norm.

A little like incorrectly neither looking back nor signalling to negotiate out from secondary to primary in the same lane, perhaps?

 

[Paul_L]

To be honest, I think she was being more responsible than anything. Too many people these days think an amber light means "I better put my foot down to make these lights."

Agree.

Amber means stop. Red means don't proceed.

 

[Origamist]

You do realise that you should also stop at an amber light; and the amber light was visible at 19 seconds!

My view of the situation is that too many cyclists think that any overtake is a 'scalp'; and not enough think that a red light is a 'breather' .

Testosterone - kills more men than bullets.

Amber does mean stop, but with the following caveats: "you may go on only if you have already crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to stop might cause a collision". As you can see from my situation, even with emergency braking I overshot the junction. In this situation, going through the amber signal at speed would have been the right call, IMO.

I have a 100+ lights or so on my commute - plenty of opportunites for a breather! For the record, I do not race on my commute, but I do overtake a 150-200 cyclists a day.

To be honest, I think she was being more responsible than anything. Too many people these days think an amber light means "I better put my foot down to make these lights."

You're right - as I said, I'd guess only 1/20 on my commute would stop at amber in similar circumstances. I made the wrong call about what she would do based on experience/odds.

I don't think I'd be pleased with myself for putting myself in that position and also endangering other people.

I'm just honest about the conflicting emotions I felt - many people on here are not. Also I note that you elided the "strangely" in "strangely pleased"; which intimated I was uncomfortable wth the feeling.

Agree.

Amber means stop. Red means don't proceed.

See my first comment in this post.

 

[Joseph]

The superhighway is hugely congested along most of the route in the morning. I don't think overtaking 2 cyclists at the same time in a widened bus lane is an issue. It's certainly something i've done on many occasions without any consequences.

I wonder what the highway code says about how much space cyclists should leave when overtaking other cyclists?

 

[thomas]

I wonder what the highway code says about how much space cyclists should leave when overtaking other cyclists?

In theory, the same as anyone else should give vulnerable road users - "as much space as a car". Just because you're overtaking on a bicycle, rather than car is a little irrelevant to how much room is needed. Or at least that would be interpretation of the overtaking rules.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070314

 

[BentMikey]

Funnily enough I just went out for a ride with my boy, and was not best amused when some old git on a bike overtook us very close, squeezing between oncoming cars and the two of us. Single file, narrow country lane, stupid old rider.

 

[hackbike 666]

One thing struck me while I was feeling guilty for what I posted here...Do I cycle more defensive because I am perhaps older than you Origamist?

I wonder if my job has anything to do with my defensive cycling as having learnt a few tricks in over twenty years of driving perhaps im better at reading ahead...concentrating?

I do think differently and I wont go hell for leather when it looks built up or dodgy like your situation...also have this thing about peds suddenly appearing from nowhere also.

 

[Joseph]

In theory, the same as anyone else should give vulnerable road users - "as much space as a car". Just because you're overtaking on a bicycle, rather than car is a little irrelevant to how much room is needed. Or at least that would be interpretation of the overtaking rules.

http://www.direct.go...ycode/DG_070314

Yep, that's how I interpret it too.

Judging from the video (which may well be a very poor place to judge from) I can see you just about getting two car widths into that lane, but 3 would look like a stretch, so the highway code would appear to disallow overtaking someone that is already themselves overtaking someone else in that lane

(Though standard rules apply, so it's okay if you're in a hurry, the person overtaking is going way too slow, you think they've paid less tax than you have, or they look like a poser on a fixy. )

 

[DrSquirrel]

I see your brakes come on really soon after the lights start to change - is this when you noticed them change or were you about to slow down a bit anyway?