Van trying to swerve into a cyclist...
- Thread starter DrSquirrel
- Start date
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ComedyPilot
Secret Lemonade Drinker
- Location
- The Kingdom of Yorkshire
As an ex-copper I will add my tuppence-worth.
In any confrontational situation, a copper will look to see if anyone tried to avoid or walk away from the situation. IMO banging on the van (instead of hanging back and letting the prat go) was the wrong thing to do. That said, driving on the offside of the road slowly trying to entice a cyclist to the near-side of the van then swerving into the kerb is dangerous driving.
Let's wait and see, huh?
In any confrontational situation, a copper will look to see if anyone tried to avoid or walk away from the situation. IMO banging on the van (instead of hanging back and letting the prat go) was the wrong thing to do. That said, driving on the offside of the road slowly trying to entice a cyclist to the near-side of the van then swerving into the kerb is dangerous driving.
Let's wait and see, huh?
AndyCarolan
Do you smell fudge?
- Location
- Norwich
User3143 said:
hey, what do you have against trees?
DrSquirrel
Guest
ComedyPilot said:
What sort of path would you take though regarding possible prosecutions? Realistically of course...
If this was me - I would have said that it was either go up the left or run into the back of the van, and then hit the van and shout to let them know you were there.
ComedyPilot
Secret Lemonade Drinker
- Location
- The Kingdom of Yorkshire
As I stated, it could have been avoided if the cyclist had hung back. It also could have been avoided if the van driver (prat) had accelerated away after pulling out on the cyclist (the road in front of the van was clear - no traffic holding it up). That said, swerving into the kerb and throwing bottles at people is dangerous driving, assault and Section 59 (using a vehicle in an anti-social manner).
Plenty for a traffic bobby to get their teeth into here. I would personally try and make sure traffic cops get the complaint, as opposed to beat bobbies. Traffic cops love this sort of thing, beat bobbies have their hands full of domestics, shop thefts, petty criminal damage etc.
Plenty for a traffic bobby to get their teeth into here. I would personally try and make sure traffic cops get the complaint, as opposed to beat bobbies. Traffic cops love this sort of thing, beat bobbies have their hands full of domestics, shop thefts, petty criminal damage etc.
Riding in Circles
Veteran
- Location
- EDINBURGH
I agree that the sensible thing would be to hang back and let the van go but let's face it, once we get up to speed it is a pain having to start again because some moton cannot use their peanut brain.
thomas
the tank engine
- Location
- Woking/Norwich
ComedyPilot said:
I think that would be a fair assessment.
drsquirrel said:
The thing is though, bikes have two brakes, so to stop quickly it pays to use both hands so that you can stop/slow as quickly as possible...by hitting the van you are in fact slowing down your ability to slow down
I don't think that it was necessary to hit the van and that would probably be taken into account for the rest of the driver's behaviour.
The van driver is a plank...and I am not saying I wouldn't of hit his van. I certainly have done things which probably enticed the situation due to red mist...but it can be good to look at these objectively still, as I think the Police would take hitting the van into account as a factor.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
ComedyPilot said:
Although the vehicle is being driven slowly and inconsiderately it is clearly being used to obstruct the road. How about obstruction CP? Throwing the bottle a Public Order Offence?
And he turns right off the road a short distance up
. In my experience it always pricks such as this, pulling out then, turning off 5 seconds later that caused grief. I had a bad run in with a SVM just like Number14 in March, but worse. He pulled over got out and waited for me to cycle by then tried to knock me off. Attempted assault. Same type of van as well and an ignorant git driving it. I would have had a gorgeous pic of him back inside his van giving me a double fingered salute, but for having my camera switched on but unfortunately on the incorrect setting 
. That was deffers a s.5 Public Order Offence. But Mini drivers and 4x4s were the worst in my experience. Always with a mobile glued to their ears or texting whilst driving turning suddenly in front of you without indication, pulling out or dangerously close passing. Twats the lot of them. Glad I don't commute by bike any more. Stress levels have really dropped.DrSquirrel
Guest
thomas said:I think that would be a fair assessment.
The thing is though, bikes have two brakes, so to stop quickly it pays to use both hands so that you can stop/slow as quickly as possible...by hitting the van you are in fact slowing down your ability to slow down
I don't think that it was necessary to hit the van and that would probably be taken into account for the rest of the driver's behaviour.
If you are beside the van when you tap it, surely you can suggest you were braking until that point.
I did say though that I reckon I could have braked in time, I was just saying how I would have explained my actions if this was me.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Throwing the bottle - littering, fly tipping?
drsquirrel said:If you are beside the van when you tap it, surely you can suggest you were braking until that point.
I did say though that I reckon I could have braked in time, I was just saying how I would have explained my actions if this was me.
I hate to repeat myself... are you sure this was a tap and not the rider fending himself off the side of the vehicle
The two could easily be confused
DrSquirrel
Guest
That is the point I was making 
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Yip, I find it confusing the sequence of events; was it the cyclist defending themselves/ alerting the driver to their presence or was it a petulant (sorry I can't think of a better word) reaction to a piece of cr@p driving.Cunobelin said:I hate to repeat myself... are you sure this was a tap and not the rider fending himself off the side of the vehicle
The two could easily be confused
I've just had much the same thing with a car pulling out on me (from the right side of the road).
It was wet and i was braking hard, in the end i banged very hard on the passenger window as she clearly hadn't seen me / didn't care and i was rapidly running out of room.
Unfortuantley i don't have a camera but am considering getting one. Shame as i'd have put it straight into the police!
Back to this incident though - clearly an offence (or two!) has been commited but i'm not sure i'd have put myself alongside that nutter!
It was wet and i was braking hard, in the end i banged very hard on the passenger window as she clearly hadn't seen me / didn't care and i was rapidly running out of room.
Unfortuantley i don't have a camera but am considering getting one. Shame as i'd have put it straight into the police!
Back to this incident though - clearly an offence (or two!) has been commited but i'm not sure i'd have put myself alongside that nutter!
