Out for a ride around the city this morning with an eye to explore a couple of lanes to see were they go. Less than a mile out from home on the outward section I’m coasting down a hill towards a five way junction with traffic lights, I’m starting to brake, the lights are on red. There is a roadie sat at the lights waiting to go, no other cars except the one behind me, the driver tried to overtake at the top of the hill but I’ve gained a bit of momentum and there are several speed humps, the sort of mound in the middle of the road with an extended curb on each side.

I’m about 30 meters away from the lights when they turn green, roadie sets off at a reasonable clip, I feather the brakes so as to not to overtake but to try and keep some of the momentum from the hill. There is a central island on both roads so again the driver isn’t in a postion to overtake. I’ve now caught the roadie, within a couple of meters, but he’s just starting to pull away from me. We both pull out to ride around the long line of parked cars on the left, a good 100 meters or so of cars, we’re both 2 meters out from the cars, and there is a stream of traffic on the right queuing for the lights going the other way. No room to overtake, there would be plenty of room if it was just the car.

Part way up the parked cars the roadie “indicates” to turn right. When I mean indicate I mean hand by his hip, one finger pointing right. I see it because I’m about 3-4 meters behind him, the driver obviously doesn’t, their view was certainly blocked by me. As he starts to move further right the driver gives it a big hoof of right foot. This is a big red Jaguar, not sure which model but its got a big lump of engine and it gives off the almost V8 roar. The driver squeezies between me and the line of traffic on the other side of the road and shunts the roadie from behind big style. He goes over the bars, goes down hard, his bike bounces and then goes under the front of the Jaguar.

The driver swerves left, taking her and a parked cars door mirrors off, I grab a handfull of brakes, my escape route is now blocked, I go into the back of the Jaguar and up on to the boot. I’m just winded. A bit of shock kicks in afterwards. The roadie on the other hand is not so lucky. Right wrist and shoulder / collar bone, a good amount of rash on both knees and elbows. He’s sat in the middle of the road nursing his broken bits, various other drivers get out of there cars, the Jaguar driver is going apocalyptic. Screaming at the roadie about the damage to her car, how she’s late, etc.

Ambulance, Police all turn up. The Jaguar driver has tried to leave on a couple of occasions, it was only because a van driver took her keys out of the car that meant she didn’t. Police took statements from a fair few people, I’ve given mine and told to get my bike checked out and to keep a diary about how I feel over the next couple of weeks. I’ve already recieved an incident number from the Police via email.

The roadie goes off to hospital in the ambulance, the driver is taken away in a Police car. That certainly doesn’t look good for her.

The roadies bike was mangled, smashed to pieces. Carbon certainly explodes with some decent force. From what I saw there wouldn’t be a lot that was salvageable.

I don’t know who the roadie was but healing vibes chap.

Sounds nasty. Not sure what you’re implying by the title.

What do you mean “two wrongs don’t make a right”?

unclear signalling and/or lack of a lifesaver Id guess.

However, jag driver is in for a nasty shock if witnesses are all saying the same thing.

Two wrongs: cyclist not carrying out check and signal; driver overtaking unsighted.

No right (turn) as a result?

Nasty accident and a very fair and concise description but I was waiting for the ‘Two Wrongs’ punchline. Not sure what anyone other than the driver of the jag did wrong.

The tiniest of tiny hand finger signals. At least make an effort.

The driver had no right to make the maneouver. There was only just enough room for a car, certainly not enough with two bikes in there as well.

I’ll change the thread title if that helps.

He’s sat in the middle of the road nursing his broken bits, various other drivers get out of there cars, the Jaguar driver is going apocalyptic. Screaming at the roadie about the damage to her car, how she’s late, etc.

Some people are just so classy.

“Jaguar driver is going apocalyptic. Screaming at the roadie about the damage to her car, how she’s late, etc.”

Amazing. How do you get to own a Jaguar and be that stupid?

How do you get to own a Jaguar and be that stupid?

Sense of entitlement and lack of empathy doesn’t necessarily correlate with income?

How do you get to own a Jaguar and be that stupid self centered?

Some might say they go hand in hand. I wouldn’t, I’m just doing some mild trolling

Shitty for the roadie…

the Jaguar driver is going apocalyptic

To be fair, shock can do that to some people as an automatic response when adrenaline is flowing.

I was once walking to the shop when a couple were trying to cross the road. The guy started to go then saw the van and stepped back onto the kerb. The girl, far too late, decided to go also then somehow failed to see the van til the last split second, tried to sprint but the van (having slammed on) caught her trailing leg, spinning her round and apparently breaking it. Two first aiders from work were also there and they tended to her, whilst the bloke was giving his own girlfriend a screaming bollocking as she lay in serious pain. I talked him down, but he was clearly out of his mind with shock and adrenaline and not in control of himself.

If the driver was taken away by the Police, that sounds like she was probably arrested. Did she fail a breath test?

Deserves the book being thrown at her if that’s the case

To be fair, shock can do that to some people as an automatic response when adrenaline is flowing.

I think that’s extremely generous of you!

I’ve been *almost* knocked off my bike twice in my life. Responses from the shocked drivers were (in order)

Shit! Are you OK mate?

and

**** hell I’m really sorry. Are you OK?

I (to my shame) once drove into the back of someone on the motorway. My own car was a mangled wreck. My first words to the driver:

Are you OK?

I think that’s extremely generous of you!

I said it CAN happen – not that it happens to everyone, clearly. We won’t ever know whether or not it happened here but I’m generous enough to consider it as a possibility.

Crikey that sounds terrible.

Keep us updated please OP.

That’s my biggest fear – being rear ended by some aggressive idiot.
No amount of experience, road craft and skill will completely nullify the danger presented by the fool who simply MUST get past no matter the consequences.
Hope both the OP and the other rider heal OK, please keep us informed.

muddydwarf – Member
That’s my biggest fear – being rear ended by some aggressive idiot.
No amount of experience, road craft and skill will completely nullify the danger presented by the fool who simply MUST get past no matter the consequences.

Indeed. Happened to my Dad once on a Sunday run. First we knew of it was when he rang us asking to be collected some three or four hours after he’d normally have been home. The delay didn’t bother us, because he’d often change route and stay out later, but in this case he’d been unconscious in a ditch for pretty much the whole day. Luckily everything was ok, but the driver was never found.