[Closed] Have you ever hit or nearly hit a cyclist driving a car due to your error?

Nearly. Yes, turning right at lights. He had no lights on and was hidden by lights of oncoming car. Oops.

No,never

Cause I is a cyclist and motorbiking person , I is paying lots of attention 😉

How do you know if someone driving a car is a cyclist or not? 😆

Unless you recognise them, how would you know if it was a cyclist driving the car?

Bugger, beaten to it! 😆

Never hit a cyclist and never had a disagreement with a cyclist in almost 25 years of driving. I'm not saying it's always the fault of the motorist but it almost always is.

They probably wouldnt be seen dead driving a BMW.

I have occasionally verbally abused cyclists in the hope that individual might pop up on here with the story. Hasn't happened yet, so will carry on.

I hit a cyclist once on a bend, car I was in skidded went into a spin and I hit him hard. I managed to go half through the side window when i hit the kerb, he ended up 30 yards away in a hedge. His little lad with him (who I missed)was screaming I'd killed his dad. Not a nice experience at all and his bike somehow was wedged under the car(my dads new SRi). Luckily, the guy recovered (he worked with my mum) but he did have a broken leg, pelvis, arm etc, was off work for a year. I was lucky with lots of stitches, a valuable lesson and a bill for the ambulance. My old fella's insurance also went up a bit I seem to remember. 1985, not my best year..

bit too early in the year for my views on commuting lights 😕

but, no, not really. I've seen plenty of near-invisible cyclists though, just because I look hard

i have been hit by a cyclist in car when I was cycling.
The road had been gravelled and he braked and just skidded into me going downhill whilst I was stationary.
He was nearly in tears shouting at himself for being one of those C word who hits cyclists. He could not apologise enough.
I found it quite funny tbh as I was unhurt and his pain was far greater than mine.

His bike was on his roof rack and he was clad in lycra so it was obvious he cycled

I almost got knocked off my bike by a car with a 'Think Bike!' sticker in the window the other week. Had to laugh really.

I usually get 'em if I'm aiming for 'em... 😈

Local girl here in Stretford. I reversed out of my road and luckily she had her eyes working. I didn't.

I ALWAYS indicate when overtaking cyclists to let other drivers know and give loads of room. I notice though very few other drivers indicate.
Being a cyclist myself I would be devistated if I knocked someone off there bike however I often see cyclists with no lights on when dark or nearly dark and I do wish they would all wear helmits.

I was driving to Glentress a few yrs ago, with bike on roof, early Sunday morning, on 'autopilot' as it's a drive I do often, Came to a junction, looked both ways and pulled out, nearly hitting a roadie who I just didn't see. He went mental at me, rightly so, pointing to bike on roof etc. I stopped, got out, apologised and all was fine and we went on our respective ways. Still shakes me up that even though I was wide awake, no distractions, no hangover etc, and I stopped and looked I somehow never saw him 😳

Nearly, once. Going along in the car into head on low winter sun, didnt see them until i was on top of them (not literally!) 😳

I got a winker sign off a bloke once, he said I'd gone too close. I hadn't. I discussed the matter with him and he ended up apologising and shaking my hand.
I nearly hit a moped once, but I was lost, in France (in love).

Yes lost control on black ice in an unfamiliar car - chap was seriously injured.

Ambulance crashed when it came to get him and another van crashed just out of site while I was talking to the Police.

Over 20yrs ago 😥

Nearly, crossing an urban crossroads, blinded by the sun so made a point of stopping fully and looking carefully. Cyclist was going very slow on opposite side of the road and would have been behind the A pillar directly in front of the sun, saw him in my final check as I got to the centre line, luckily still relatively slow so just had to pause. But if I hadn't have looked left as I moved across the road there could have been a bump.

Not as close as the elderly woman though, I was looking left/right at a T junction and she decided to cross in front of me using my grill as a handhold. I knew she was waiting near the kerb on my left, car to my right flashed me to go so I glanced left, lifted the clutch and then realised she was no longer on the pavement, I'd moved about 6 inches and raised the revs but luckily not got on the power, jumped back on the brakes and stopped, looked around for her and then there she was right in front of me! She was short and I was in a high van so only her head was visible. Shook me up, I'd have driven right over her.

Yes lost control on black ice in an unfamiliar car - chap was seriously injured.

Ambulance crashed when it came to get him and another van crashed just out of site while I was talking to the Police.

Over 20yrs ago 😥

Nearly, and just last weekend as it happens. I was driving with the family to the 'weekend country residence' on a country road near Barnard Castle. It wad around half six and this particular section of road was slightly uphill.

Anyway, I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a rider through the glare of the sun which was quite low. I moved over to the right to give plenty distance. Mrs J asked what I was doing, apparently drifting onto the opposite direction lane just as we passed. She said not only did she not see him, she would have hit him, and if I'm honest, I was very lucky I saw him when I did or I probably would have.

There was another time when I was merging onto the A19 during rush hour traffic in the depths of winter. I just missed this fella who was riding with no lights on the bike. A mixture of idiocy and luck.

I was going through a set of lights and some fanny on a bike had jumps the lights, had to swerve to avoid him. Can't think how that would have been my fault. Red light jumpers are idiots.

Twice.

Once really late at night, cyclist had no lights and was dressed in black, my passenger spotted him and saved him from a 30mpg broadside.

Second time I pulled out straight in front of a guy then realised I was high as a kite from Gloss Paint fumes (was nipping out to B&Q to get another tin of paint after painting all morning).

DezB: did you give the cyclist as much room as you'd give a car?

[img] [/img]

I'm often annoyed at how little room I'm given and then amazed by how annoyed said driver is at the fact that I'm annoyed.

I try my best not to get annoyed any more, it just ends up ruining your ride.

GaryLake - that's more room than one would normally give a car when overtaking, so a really bad illustration.

yup .. it was horror ..:(

I have a big 'give cyclists room' sticker on the back window.
Was driving back from a ride in Surrey Hills on the A25. Windy, fast A road.
A row of 8 mtb'ers riding single file - so correct according to the Highway Code. I eased up and sat behind until I thought I had space to pass them all. Was part way past when a car came the other way. I needed to pull in but the cyclists were there. They could see the prob though and slowed up so I fitted into the middle of the group.
I know you should only pass when you have time and space. But 8 in a row makes this very difficult.
I felt really bad that I nearly took some cyclists out but couldn't help thinking they should have ridden in two smaller groups with distance between them to make overtaking less risky for all
Either way all was ok thankfully

Aimed an no one in particular but it's interesting how people are blaming the cyclist in this thread.

Riding without lights (at night) or RLJ is def the cyclist putting themselves at risk
In my post, I'm not laying the blame on the riders, I made a mistake when I went to overtake. But IMO riding in a line of 8 makes it harder to overtake safely and they could have acted to make themselves safer.

brooess - as a regular roadie, I'm sure it's better to ride two-up and therefore create a shorter "peleton". However, most motorists don't see it that way.

Aimed an no one in particular but it's interesting how people are blaming the cyclist in this thread.

Very.

I've never hit one, but have had lots of close calls... slow moving traffic the other day, I thought I saw a gap but it was quickly filled with a motorbike filtering. He went apoplectic despite my profuse apologies. numerous other close shaves, some my fault some others, but hey... no one's perfect.

I suspect this attitude is why I have never EVER been in a confrontation with a motorist on my commute. The adrenalin hit that a cyclist gets from a near death experience does intensify the situation, no one in a car gets that very often, wrapped up in a cocoon.

I do wish they would all wear helmits (sic)

Yeah. I pulled up to a T junction turning left,. I looked left then right then left again, nothing coming. Just as I started to pull out I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye and this guy nearly slammed into the front of the car. Never saw him till that point. There was a lot of street furniture but yep, totally my fault.

Also, and this was less my fault, at night I stopped my car, looked in my wing mirror , nothing coming, opened the door. Almost took out this chap riding along with no lights. He wanted a fight. I put that one down to 50/50 so managed to calm him down in the end.

Never (yet) hit or had a close call with a cyclist but ave had a couple of "almosts" with motorcyclists. On bot occasions I was pulling right out of a junction and trying to see past a parked van on my right. On both occasions a motorcyclist appeared from behind the van just as I was pulling out. I reckoned joint liability though. They were quite close in when overtaking said van and were above the speed limit.

Yep 2 weeks after i passed my test i clipped a guy on a backroad outside Dunfermline - it was 2am, he was dressed entirely in dark clothes with no lights at all RIDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FFS ! I hit him with my wing mirror, wasn't speeding, was well awake, bizarre. Came round a corner and boomtish knew i had hit somethign obviously, and there he was. P1ssed as a fart as well. Called the cops etc etc

It usually is the cyclist's fault. They need to realise that two tons of metal hurts no matter how defensively they ride. Face it, cyclists are guests on the road no matter how much people dress up their rights in the Highway Code.

GlitterGary, trolling, I really hope?

I have a few times. At the end of the day cyclist are harder to spot and so it does happen sometimes.
Key thing to remember is theres loads of cyclists who dont care about the highway code and other road users, just like there is motorists.
I commute into leeds city centre often on my bike and have had full blown shouting matches with both parties about how they are using the road.

One thing that does need sorting out is peoples space awareness. Cyclist should be given as much room as a car when been overtaken, alot of motorist dont understand that the cyclist they are within inches of is a life!

James.

Have you ever [s]hit or[/s] nearly hit a cyclist driving a car due to your error?

yes, twice (that i can remember).

both times i was pulling out into a T junction. through a lucky combination of shouting (them), and panic stopping (me), i didn't hit them.

i can only guess/hope that it's a bit like this:
[url=

and that it's not simply a question of looking 'harder' - but looking [i]smarter[/i]

recently had a near miss; driving on twisty b roads, i was going considerably less than the speed limit and paying full attention, just as i came round a bend there was a cyclist on my side and a lorry coming the opposite way - very close. Really made me think, it's a stretch of road i don't like riding on, and other than driving at 20mph (it's a 60 speed limit, but i wasn't going much over 30) not much else i could of done different.

but it's not all bad, if i'd of been driving like the majority of cars i see on that road, the cyclist wouldn't of stood a chance

[i]DezB: did you give the cyclist as much room as you'd give a car?[/i]

Not sure what the picture is for, it wasn't on that road or one even with a white line down it.
I didn't bother explaining the situation as I thought the apology from the cyclist would suffice.
The guy had been wound up by someone previous to our encounter, as I often was when riding that route.

I nearly did it in central manchester a few weeks back. Actually probably more a case of cutting him up but as I didn't see him can't be sure. Made a last minute lane change and was only alerted by his indignant cry.

I stopped and apologised - didn't seem to cut much ice and I don't blame him 🙁

Yep, some tool with no front brake decided to ride on the wrong side of the road, skid one way when he saw a car coming, then the other way into my lane. It would have been darwin at work if he'd gone under someones wheels.

Equaly I've cycled into cars and it's been my fault, thankfully the driver was too appologetic rather than apoplectic too realise I was definately in the wrong, and I don't want to know how much his wing mirror proabably cost!

captain_bastard - Member
recently had a near miss; driving on twisty b roads, i was going considerably less than the speed limit and paying full attention, just as i came round a bend there was a cyclist on my side and a lorry coming the opposite way - very close. Really made me think, it's a stretch of road i don't like riding on, and other than driving at 20mph (it's a 60 speed limit, but i wasn't going much over 30) not much else i could of done different.

but it's not all bad, if i'd of been driving like the majority of cars i see on that road, the cyclist wouldn't of stood a chance

Would you normally pile round a corner unable to stop on the road you can see ahead? Think the highway code will tell you that you should be able to stop in the distance you can see, if you can't then it is probably dangerous driving. the speed LIMIT is simply just that, the maximum for that road, it does not mean it is the speed you should aspire to be travelling at!

Just last night, in the dark, about to pull out onto a roundabout when I spotted the cyclist I would have hit. Might have been easier to see him if the light that was mounted to his handlebars had been switched on. His rear light was flashing away merrily so I'm assuming an unplanned battery outage was involved, so there's a reminder for y'all as the evenings get darker - don't get caught out by your batteries!!

DezB: it's from the Highway code on Direct.gov, my point was, whether you agree with it or not, according to the highway code, less than a car width is too little room to leave.

Tbh I think a car's width is excessive but even this morning coming in, I barely got 50cm far more often than I'd have liked.

Think the highway code will tell you that you should be able to stop in the distance you can see, if you can't then it is probably dangerous driving.

Ever driven on a bendy single lane country road with high hedges? You'd have to go at about 2mph to be able to stop in the distance you can see.

I've had a couple of close shaves while driving, some my fault, some the cyclists - but I think as a driver you do have more responsibility. IIRC in France if there is an accident with a car and cyclist/pedestrian the driver is automatically considered at fault unless they can prove otherwise?

GaryLake - Member
DezB: it's from the Highway code on Direct.gov, my point was, whether you agree with it or not, according to the highway code, less than a car width is too little room to leave.

GlitterGary, trolling

cyclists are guests on the road no matter how much people dress up their rights in the Highway Code.

😀

Not in the car but i have almost hit a couple on my bike when riding in the dark and they haven't had lights on or any kind of reflectors. The worst had to be a runner who just ran out of the hedge in front of me whilst listening to his MP3, this was also in the dark.
I have had a few close ones with cars of which a couple have been my fault but an appology seems to work every time including when given to me by a lorry driver.

couple of times now - both with fixie bike riders riding like idiots/ignoring any sense of highway code. 2 idiots ran red lights and popped out from behind a large van straight in front of me at a controlled T junction as i was pulling out onto the main road. luckily managed to stop just shy of one of them who sh@t himself and fell off his bike. his mate then decided to hurl abuse at us as if we were at fault! also a guy who ran red lights and rode across traffic on a busy roundabout, he popped out from behind a van luckily i saw him in time before i turned him into paste...

Read it again.

To be honest, the highway code says similar but different things in 3 different places alone so yeah, it's all conflicting. But at the end of the day, if the guy on the bike thinks you passed too close, the opinion of the guy in the 1 ton box doesn't really count IMO.

To be honest, the highway code says similar but different things in 3 different places alone so yeah, it's all conflicting.

IIRC, the Highway Code says "leave as much room as you would when overtaking a car". It does not say "leave a cars width when overtaking a bicycle".

But at the end of the day, if the guy on the bike thinks you passed too close, the opinion of the guy in the 1 ton box doesn't really count IMO.

Once I got clost when I pulled to a T junction in the car, I wanted to turn left but there was a van parked just round the junction so I couldn't see beyond it so was concentrating on what was happening there and not to my right which I just glanced at, seeing nothing. A second later there was a screatching of brakes and and I could see the cyclist just stopping in time. After passing the van I let him pull alongside so I could apologise, I felt pretty sick afterwards.
I normally very careful on the open road but in the city there is sometime so much going on to het your attention. If I'm a passenger I often warn the driver of cyclists and leaving enough space as most don't.

I drove through Bristol city centre for 6 years as part of my 30 mile commute and before that 2 years cycle commuting I could see so much bad driving and cyling. I really do think that all drivers should be forced to take cycling proficiency in a city centre to give awareness. And those cycling without lights and across pedestrian crossing at 20mpg are just Darwin candidates.

IIRC, the Highway Code says "leave as much room as you would when overtaking a car". It does not say "leave a cars width when overtaking a bicycle"

Ah but that image I posted is actually from Direct.gov, whether that's what it actually says or not in the code, they're still implying it in their literature. Again conflicting stuff.

Because, being a cyclist, he would always be correct?

Or perhaps because he's the vulnerable one in this situation and has a better view of the situation.

Not done it in a car, thank God. Done it a few times on the trail, mind!
One mortifyingly embarassing collision where I sent a woman on her aris at Innerliethen. No serious injuries, profuse apologies, but I still slunk down the trail feeling like a cahnt.

I did when I was 18 - pulling up to a junction with two lanes, pulled over to the left and hadn't noticed the cyclist moving up the inside. Almost had her off which she was quite vocal about telling me about.

Learnt my lesson, not done it since.

Two days ago,

Had to stop suddenly, when a group of mountainbikers decided to cross a roundabout off a dual carriagway going the wrong way against the traffic, I was looking right as they cycled past me from the left.

My Mrs gave me that knowing look from the passanger seat 😉

[edit] played chicken as a kid cycling to school & lost when a roadie plowed me well and proper on my bmx into a ditch 😉

I've seen some regulars off here go the wrong way around a mini-roundabout 🙄

Very near miss in a car park, but as it was dark and he had dark clothes and no lights I count that as his fault.

Had a very near miss with a motorbike which was my fault, I pulled out to overtake something as he was in my blind spot already overtaking me, I should have checked.

Nearly got run over by my own mother once, I was on the bike, she was cutting a corner at a fast junction (don't think it was deliberate...)

I bumped a cyclist who I wasn't even aware of - it was poor light, he was wearing dark clothing and hadn't got reflectors or lights on his bike. Saw him at the last possible second when he swerved away from the hedge - I was only doing 30 so fortunately when I clipped him it was quite low speed.

Got out to check he was OK, he said he was fine, apologised profusely and asked if he'd damanged my car. He stank of weed and was quite pleased he hadn't spilled all of his can of Stella! I miss my hometown...

Only other time I've nearly hit a cyclist was on the Parade in Leamington, but as a pedestrian. Strolled out in front of him like a complete lemming, bizarrely I just registered the road as clear. Not sure what happened there.

I don't think he was in any state to be riding a bike, but I still felt massively guilty.

GaryLake yes, you're right I brushed his handlebars as I went past 🙄

Don't drive so no incidents with cars, but i have almost collided with a kid on a bike once. Dark night, on way home from work, lights blazing on my bike etc when a kid on a bmx in dark clothing and no lights popped out from behind a parked car without even looking to his right to see if anything was there.

He had a little surprise when i cycled up alongside him and clipped his ear for being so stupid, if i'd been in a car he'd have been under it no question, only the fact that i was a bike and therefore moving slower saved him from injury. I reckon i was only 10ft or so away when he popped out without looking, if i had been moving faster (tired after work) i'd have gone right into him. Gave him a little rollocking and told him to A) get some lights & B) get some road sense!

Never quite managed to hit one yet but seen a few silent screams on faces

No but seen plenty of numpty riders crossing from one pavement to another without looking!

Very nearly once.

Guy cycling on the pavement at night , no lights. Decides to ride off the pavement just as I'm drawing level with him.

I'd half predicted it and managed to swerve around him. Gave me a fright I'm not sure if the guy on the bike noticed I was even there

Ah but that image I posted is actually from Direct.gov, whether that's what it actually says or not in the code, they're still implying it in their literature. Again conflicting stuff.

[img] [/img]

There are two ways you can interpret what's in the Highway Code. Either you have to imagine the bike's the size of a car and overtake that 'car' (as in that image) or you have to leave the same gap between the bike and your car as you would when overtaking a car.

There are two ways you can interpret what's in the Highway Code. Either you have to imagine the bike's the size of a car and overtake that 'car' or you have to leave the same gap between the bike and your car as you would when overtaking a car.

There may be two ways you can interpret what's in the Highway Code, but [i]the words are absolutely clear[/i].

They really aren't.

Does it mean move as far across the road as you would when overtaking a car or, leave the same space between yourself and the cyclist as you would when overtaking a car?

[img] [/img]

3 cars trying to overtake at once? - that's just plain stupid, they'll never all fit

DezB - so as long as you don't brush a cyclist's bars, you've left enough room? 🙄

Give vulnerable road users as least as much [b]SPACE[/b] as you would a car

miketually - Member
leave the same [b]SPACE [/b]between yourself and the cyclist as you would when overtaking a car?

By jove, I think he's got it.

What it does omit, is to always completely forget that the cyclist existed as soon as your rear wheels are past him.

(Christ. Gary, I hit him. Knocked him off. Reversed over him, opened the door, spat and said "ha that'll teach you scumbag". He then said sorry and shook my hand. Bye then)

By jove, I think he's got it.

And yet the official photo on the official site seems to interpret it differently...

[img] [/img]

That car is leaving an awfully big [b]space[/b] between itself and the bike. If it was overtaking a car leaving that much [b]space[/b], it'd be off the road.

When overtaking parked cars, often a negative amount of space is left resulting in missing wing mirrors. Lots of drivers seem to think this space is adequate when overtaking cyclists.