Was I an Idiot on the road today? (short 40 second video)

[Mr_Kipling]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXCNg59iC1k&feature=youtu.be


I was cycling down Regent Street today and went to overtake a taxi. Just before I approached the Taxi, the driver stopped and beckoned on 4 pedestrians to cross in front of him. When I realised what was happening I blew on my whistle and the pedestrian stopped. There was a cyclist ahead of me who may have had a better view. I have watched the video over and over, I was going about 15mph and I don't think I would have stopped in time had the lady stepped out. I have hydraulic disc brakes but I need about 6 meters to think & stop at 20mph I was going about 15mph, when I noticed the danger & was about 5 meters away. Is the Taxi driver silly for stopping to let them cross? Was I silly for overtaking? How about the cyclist ahead of me (who I don't know) was he silly. I would appreciate it if people on this forum could give their views on this.

 

[Banjo]

i am allways reluctant to stop the car to allow peds to cross unless I know nothing can overtake me.

I dont think you were stupid ,the whistle worked well but had you hit one of the peds a certain amount of blame could have been directed at you I suppose.

 

[Scoosh]

The peds surely have a duty to check that the road is clear before following the guidance of the taxi driver, in exactly the same way that a driver cannot just pull out to overtake when waved on by a cyclist/ other driver etc.

Your whistle was 'friendly' and perfectly 'polite' and didn't appear to cause any distress to the peds.

IMHO you did nothing wrong and for avoiding an incident.

 

[mustang1]

If the pedestrian was an unpredictable kid (not saying adults aren't unpredictable but they're probably more stupid than unpredictable), then yeah I think it would have ebeen better if you weren't in the position you were in while overtaking.

Having said that, I found myself in a position like that a couple of times and thought that was quite silly of me.

 

[Mr_Kipling]

[QUOTE 3348482, member: 9609"]you'll give us all a bad name - I'll have to my paper bag for the next few weeks

did you realise what was happening at the time ? if so - 'you're bad'. if not - 'these things happen, no harm done'[/QUOTE]
The very second I worked out what was happening was when I blew on my whistle (witch I keep in my mouth when I am moving) I did 2 mirror checks before attempting to move right & overtake in-case something was attempting to overtake me, which meant I took my eyes off the road for a nano second. I would never try to overtake if I know pedestrians are crossing the road. I'm glad I did not hit that lady. I was so disappointed in myself it kind of ruined the rest of my ride.

 

[Drago]

If you learned something from the experience than you weren't daft.

 

[Jon George]

Well, it's tempting to say you should never go faster than the conditions dictate, but that would be a self-nomination for Most Pompous Comment Of The Year Award. No harm done, maybe a few people twitching, but I doubt it. The thing that intrigues me (as someone who spends most of his cycling time in the country) is what sort of arrangement do you have that enables you to whistle without taking a hand off the handlebars?

 

[jack smith]

I think thats perfectly fine, especially since you warned them, they should look before thye cross but alot of people dont, seems pedestrians always seem to get the right of way even if they are being idiots though

 

[Captain Scarlet]

As has been said you were able to warn them of your approach. Pedestrians do often seem to cross without looking properly, especially in cases like you've shown.

Even when I'm driving the car it makes me boil when people stop their cars in a lane to wave a car or pedestrian to cross over the road or get out of a junction etc........even seen it at roundabouts where they've the right of way but insist on waving at you to go.......grrrr ffs.

Whilst I can appreciate what the taxi driver was doing above it can easily put people in situations and the result could be different next time.

 

[Mr_Kipling]

[QUOTE 3348577, member: 9609"]

Far more interesting - You cycle with a whistle in your mouth ? you must have extra good lungs or something![/QUOTE]

Yep. When I am moving I put the whistle in my mouth and grip it with my teeth. But over a bumpy road I grip it with my lips because the bumps cause me to bite hard on the whistle. At red lights I let go of it and it is around my neck so I wont lose it. Sometimes when cycling I just let go of it because I need air, but not often, mostly only uphill.

 

[adamhearn]

when I blew on my whistle (witch I keep in my mouth when I am moving)

Would seem on that statement that you have less intention to stop yourself and more to warn others of your arrival. Not suggesting that's good or bad but surely you're post is mostly mute - the whistle was used, the pedestrian(s) didn't step out. What's more to be asked/said?

 

[winjim]

I don't think you did anything wrong. Yoi alerted the pedestrian to your presence, she moved back, nobody got hurt. Your video just serves to highlight the dangers of waving people across the road. Just because one vehicle has stopped and waved someone across, they are not absolved of the responsibility of checking, and of only crossing when they deem it safe.

 

[themosquitoking]

I think thats perfectly fine, especially since you warned them, they should look before thye cross but alot of people dont, seems pedestrians always seem to get the right of way even if they are being idiots though

I've been saying that we need something akin to the American jay walking law in this country for 20 years, the amount of people i see crossing the road within 10-15 yards of a legitimate crossing point is unbelievable. Also some sort of penalty for walking up to a pelican crossing and pushing the button then looking up and seeing no traffic and crossing without waiting for the green man, i reckon 50% of Londons congestion is down to these two factors.

 

[Mr_Kipling]

Would seem on that statement that you have less intention to stop yourself and more to warn others of your arrival. Not suggesting that's good or bad but surely you're post is mostly mute - the whistle was used, the pedestrian(s) didn't step out. What's more to be asked/said?

I have more drivers do silly things right in front of me, then peds stepping out. Thats the main reason I have the whistle, no real different to a bike horn.

 

[Globalti]

When I was a motorcyclist the first thing I used to do when buying a new bike was replace the weedy standard horn with a pair of Fiamm snail horns. They certainly saved me a few accidents over the years.