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Nearly home on the cycle commute back from work this evening, see a 4 series BMW off to the left not bother stopping at a roundabout about 15ft in front of me and zip through at 35mph or so, think to myself that I'm truely glad I wasn't 2 secs further forward...
A minute later I'm behind the BMW as it's stuck in traffic. We both then turn left into junction with me following behind, and out of nowhere with nothing in front of him and me behind at say 15ft / 15-16mph he completely slams on the brakes causing me to wham into his rear bumper and come a cropper in the road (my roadbike doesn't stop on a dime like my 29'ers sadly!). It was a reasonable thud but from a standstill he then just drives off. I thankfully land like a cat so a slightly dead elbow, roughened up rear of jersey, bobbling on tights but nothing worse.
Due to the initial roundabout speed and subsequent catch up in traffic I've memorised his number plate. There was no communication between us, no remonstrating, I'm honestly not sure if he realised how close I was behind him but what appeared to be a brake test to a standstill just seems entirely odd, not least because I ended up on the tarmac and he drove off. Would STW'ers drop 101 a call and report?
Importantly the road bike is unmarked! 😀
It's a collision and they drove off without stopping, report.
So, who's fault do you think it was?
You were clearly too close to him if you couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting him so I'd look at how close you follow vehicles.
Not excusing what the driver of the car did (although maybe a cat ran out in front of him?) but it's your fault for hitting him. As for calling 101? Seriously?
Sounds like leaving the scene of an accident. At very least you should report it to the police within 24hrs as I bet you will be sore tomorrow and there has been at least one case of a cyclist hitting the back of the car and assuming he was okay only to die from injuries later on.
One good things is you can't get stung for your car insurance if the driver tries to claim off for any damage you as you were on your bike and too close for your stopping distance. Not sure what other means of recovering costs they could have but by driving off and breaking the law they may have invalidated any claim anyway.
Sounds like a result for you tbh- lesson hopefully learned, with minimal damage, and he drove off so you won't have to deal with any damage you may have caused.
Course, he should have stopped- assuming he was aware of the collision. You'd expect he would be but who knows?
If you thought it was deliberate then I'd phone the police. He drove off which makes me think it was. If I had braked for good reason and someone on a bike went into me I'd stop to check two things. One that they were ok, then that they hadn't damaged my car - I wouldn't drive away.
I've had someone do this to me but I avoided them. I phoned 101.
I'd still say it was worth reporting so they have a record of it in case of any future run-ins with cyclists (or previous). Sounds like someone who doesnt deserve a license.
You were clearly too close to him if you couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting him so I'd look at how close you follow vehicles.
How can anyone who wasn't there say this?
There have been a very, very few cases where drivers have been held responsible for accidents by slamming the brakes on like that.
You could report him for his stupid driving and for failing to stop.
Or you could be grateful that if your failure to stop has caused any damage to his car, at the moment he has no way of identifying you and making a claim against you.
And keep an eye out for him tomorrow if this is your regular time and commute maybe.
2 things:
1. It doesn't seem clear from your description why the driver stopped - was he really brake checking you or did he stop for some other reason
2. From what you'd seen of his driving style, he wasn't a sensible driver
It can be hard sometimes but I've learnt over the years that if someone's driving like an idiot, they're probably an idiot, and for as long as they're driving their a great danger to you so best to put as much clear space between you and them as possible. Stay behind them where you can see them, and you're in control of how much you expose yourself to the risk they present.
Same goes for driving - if someone's tailgating you, pull over and let them go - then they no longer present stress or a danger to you. I learnt that from the instructor on my speed awareness course...
Your fault. Do you want he police to track him down so you can pay for damages?
You were clearly too close to him if you couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting him so I'd look at how close you follow vehicles.How can anyone who wasn't there say this?
Well, the car stopped and the cyclist didn't. The driver might have been being a tit, but I would respectfully submit that there is some prima facie (sp?) evidence right there.
How can anyone who wasn't there say this?
Cos he told us like.
me behind at say 15ft / 15-16mph he completely slams on the brakes
5ft to react @15mph, 10ft to stop. Clearly wasn't enough...
You were clearly too close to him if you couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting him so I'd look at how close you follow vehicles.How can anyone who wasn't there say this?
Seems fairly obvious. Too close, not paying attention or both. What other reason could it be?
Not excusing what the driver of the car did (although maybe a cat ran out in front of him?) but it's your fault for hitting him. As for calling 101? Seriously?
Why wouldn't you. If it was intentional, it's as good as assault. And leaving the scene of an accident is a fairly serious offence.
Maybe the OP shouldn't have put himself in that position. But two wrongs don't make a right, And unless there was a good reason for stopping, I know which is the bigger wrong.
Wow - some interesting points of view on this thread.
You are supposed to leave a safe braking distance between you and the vehicle in front [u]regardless[/u] of the types of vehicle the two of you are using.
It's intended to prevent this kind of incident.
Maybe a car door opened or something? This happened to me 3 years ago and I went face first through the non laminated rear window of a Toyota Hilux. Wasn't pretty. It put me of road cycling for a long time. He said he was stopping to let a car out of a pub car park. Whether that is true or not I'm not sure, either way I learned my lesson
[quote=butcher ]If it was intentional, it's as good as assault.
No, it really wasn't - especially as has been pointed out that benny was clearly riding too close (presumably he knows there was no reason for the sudden stop - but if some kid had run into the road and the driver had emergency stopped the result would be the same). Dickish driving maybe, but people do that all the time - and far worse stuff to cyclists - without the police caring.
a cat might have run into the road
...but if some kid had run into the road and the driver had emergency stopped the result would be the same
Of course it would. And I'm sure the OP would be happy to admit it was his fault and completely avoidable.
But that is completely different to someone intentionally hitting you with their car. Doesn't matter who is where in the road. If the driver's intent was to cause an accident, and potentially injure, how can you not call that assault? I can't believe I'm hearing this.
[quote=butcher ]But that is completely different to someone intentionally hitting you with their car.
I must have missed the bit of the OP where that happened - could you remind me?
I know we all like a good bit of victim blaming on STW, but are you genuinely suggesting that the person who set out to deliberately cause an "accident" is not in any way responsible for the "accident" that then ensues?Your fault. Do you want he police to track him down so you can pay for damages?
although this driver got a 12 month ban for brake checking, so obviously it isn't totally ok [url= http://www.****/news/article-2894563/Shocking-moment-road-rage-driver-slams-car-s-brakes-just-inches-lorry-motorway.html ]http://www.****/news/article-2894563/Shocking-moment-road-rage-driver-slams-car-s-brakes-just-inches-lorry-motorway.html[/url]Dickish driving maybe, but people do that all the time - and far worse stuff to cyclists - without the police caring.
maybe the driver was being a dick.
maybe he'd just bought his first automatic car and went for the clutch by mistake.
maybe a cat (or kid) ran out in front.
sounds like you were too close, but you got off lightly, you rode away with only injured pride (more or less)
I must have missed the bit of the OP where that happened - could you remind me?
You quoted my post, which said:
[b]If it was intentional[/b], it's as good as assault.
And from the OPs description, there's a fairly good chance that it was intentional. But I'm happy to accept it could have been an accident too.
Still shouldn't have drove off.
Fair enough, I've been out-smart-arsed.
You were clearly too close to him if you couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting him so I'd look at how close you follow vehicles.
horseshit.
report it.
[quote=butcher ]You quoted my post, which said:
nothing at all about the car hitting the bike, because that didn't happen, did it?
[quote=cynic-al ]Fair enough, I've been out-smart-arsed.
Well there's something that doesn't happen every day 😉
Most days aracer!
When are you giving in and joining the Brotherhood of Big Hitters?
a cat might have run into the road
That What I though.
[i]
Cat, slam on,
Thud,
Oh, poor cat
Drive on.
What's they bloke doing on the road.
La La La
Bmw bmw
Oo
][/i]
Etc.
brakes - Member
You were clearly too close to him if you couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting him so I'd look at how close you follow vehicles.
horseshit.report it.
Try doing that in a car, if you can't stop you are too close. It's a very simple principle. the only time I've see it not be true is if somebody cuts you up and brakes. Then it's not.
? how bright was the OP's front light(s) ?
lots of drivers angry and hate cyclists - bright lights are one more reason to hate cyclists, as is moving at a similar speed to a car
I don't think we are getting the full story.
OP mentions the car pulled out at the junction, did OP call him an anchor or some such like, which then made car slam its brakes on (not saying that's right)
Or was a worm crossing the road which the cyclist failed to see and hence why the car did an emergency stop. To be fair if you rode in to the back of my BMW I would be a bit annoyed and at least look at what damage you had caused so that I could sue you.
Something isn't adding up.
Well, had a good night's sleep and don't feel sore thankfully, just lightly bruised elbow.
Really interested to read through the comments. I'll take on the chin that a vehicle / bike behind another should manage and has responsibility for braking distance. I will add that I still have no idea why the car decided to stop on a dime / emergency stop to the complete standstill though - no oncoming traffic, clear road, no cats or worms crossing the road (!).
Just to clarify, it was dark, I had my Exposure light on the front, maybe that shining in his rear view mirror meant he was not quite sure the distance back to me? The section of road is a suburban minor road heading into a housing estate. As mentioned but worth reiterating - I was not in confrontation with the driver, we had no communication at all.
It is a truely strange incident, partly why I posted, not experienced something quite like it before. I will also add that I regard myself as a reasonably veteran cyclist (cycled just shy of 13000km last year for example). Being a daily cycle commuter I also ride with the assumption that vehicles will pull out on me so I attempt to ride with this level of anticipation (although I do find it rather depressing that I have to ride assuming the worst from drivers).
Anyway, I'm not going to dwell on it too much more although will keep in mind road bike braking distances for the future and will try to better anticipate vehicle emergency stops for no reason! 🙂
Sounds like a 'punishment' stop for having too bright a light? Or maybe they were just being a dick.
had the same happen to me years ago, dented the rear wing, punched out the rear light and snapped the rear spoiler and the chap drove off. i was unhurt surprisingly. chalked it up to a lucky escape not having to pay for all the damage.
just check your forks/frame for hidden damage if they are carbon and got hit, last thing you want is for the frame/fork to collapse on you
Sounds to me like the driver was annoyed at being tailgated by a dick with a blinding light. Of course he was still wrong to react as he did (assuming it really was as deliberate and calculated as described here).
FACTS
-----
- The driver performed a sudden stop
- The OP crashed into the back of him
SPECULATION AND OPINION
-----------------------
- All the rest of this thread
We only have the OP's [i]interpretation[/i] of events, they might be spot on, they might not. That's all I'm saying.
OP, hope you're OK, take it on the chin and learn the lesson*, stopping distances are important not for when everything is going according to plan and people are playing by the rules, but for when they aren't, like this situation.
If your interpretation is correct and he was driving like a dick then he was driving like a dick, but that's no reason to be following so close that you can't stop (eg: if they do an emergency stop for a legitimate reason), avoiding crashes with dicks is a good skill to learn.
* a lot of us have learnt it in a similar fashion to you, the important bit is not to do it again 😉
Sounds shit Ben - glad to hear you're ok.
If it happened to me again, I wouldn't waste my time reporting it.
A car came at me on the wrong side of the road as it wheelspun out of the junction, hit me and drove off.
I wasn't injured, but his car was badly scratched from my pedal. I got the make, model, reg etc.
Police took my statement, but the lad denied even being there and nothing more happened.
What really rubs it in, is that he works around the corner from me. They could have just checked his clocking time at work to see he was lying. I got a feeling that they really couldn't be arsed.
Vengeance crossed my mind, but I figured it wasn't worth it in the long run.
I've read the whole thread and still not got to the bit where the OP had to ride his donkey.
road bike brakes just not fit for purpose
Sounds like the driver was being a dick and the OP was too close to safely stop. Result : nil-nil.
No winners here