fear you are preaching to the choir posting on here....
Totally rich, My email went off before reading your post. Watched the piece, saw a stone cold case of driver cockage, then sat and listened to email after text of uptight **** comments about non insurance/non tax by cyclists presuambly meaning that for completely incorrect reasoning running down cyclists is fair enough.
****ing unbelievable.
I didn't think there was space to pull out there.....
I saw that and complained to the BBC about it. 👿
Complaint entered here also.
Pook - I hope you're kidding!
He didn't pull out. He was already on the road, travelling... There was an obstruction parked in the cyclelane and he moved out to avoid hitting it - Just as you would do if you were in a car. he had every right to do that.
Do you guys really believe that complaining to a broadcast company who run a show such as top gear is going to make any difference?
Best case scenario we'll get some vitriol from jeremy ****tson on stage.
Yes we do Juan. And it's not about getting the BBC to change as much as necessarily countering the awful opinions of the examples used in the piece. Or do you think we should shrug our shoulder and forget it?
Well last time I went to the police station quoting the bloke "I won't ride behind you I'll just bump you out of the way" I just got laugh. So called me cynical but I think that nowt is going to change mark.
The only problem I see is that it's too late. Car have taken way to much importance in people life. The only thing I could see if making sure petrol reaches 3£ a litre. And even so, not sure it will make a difference.
More to the point of cycle lane. I have been to the main city a couple of times lately, and big green lanes with a bicycle painted in it make a very pretty parking lane 🙁
If the cycle lane has a split white outer line it's legal to park in it. If it's a continuous white outer line, it's not.
Did anyone else notice the make of the car? yes, it was a Mercedes. probably owned by a middle class director of somecompany Ltd. with little care in the world because he was chatting on his blackberry without a hands free kit because he thinks he's above the law!
the drive should have been aware that there was a car obstructing the cyclists path and pre-empted his actions and slowed down appropriately!
the Road tax thing really makes my blood boil as i reckon that most people who commute/ride for fun do have a car and do pay road funds like the gits that run us over. so ner ner ner ner!
the Road tax thing really makes my blood boil as i reckon that most people who commute/ride for fun do have a car and do pay road funds like the gits that run us over. so ner ner ner ner
But the whole point is that roads are funded through Council Tax, it makes the sum total of **** all difference if you own a car. Cars pay vehicle excise duty, basically to offset the damage they do!
I'm putting SOME blame on that cyclist there. I think the misread the intentions of the merc driver and also were a bit erratic in their road positioning - i.e. too close to the side on approach to the parked car and too far the other way when passing the parked car. Go look at it you may see what I mean.
I've got to admit to thinking what's the point of saying or doing anything when you hear comments like that.
Just one thing, when I watched the video I did immediately think he was turning right because he pulled right out into the middle of the road. When I saw him go down I assumed it was a set up, but I think I just witnessed a bad cyclist and a terrible driver.
You are joking aren't you?
Cyclist appraching parked car. What the hell would anybody ever think he was going to do? Evaporate?
It's obvious to a blind man on a galloping horse that he's going to come out to the right to get round it. The car driver surely can see that's about to happen and all he or she has to (and should do) is hang on a sec' and give him chance to get past the car.
No not at all of course he was always going to pull out to the right, and the driver is a moron for trying to overtake a cyclist that is already overtaking.
Of course the cyclist has done nothing wrong, but I smell something here i.e why was he wearing a helmet cam? is he a cycling pedant and has perhaps had a few incidents. Until we all live in harmony on the roads I think we need to show a bit more savvy, but personally no I would never pull that far out to overtake a car.
Hmmm, Oldgit, but maybe you would pull out further if you had been knocked off by someone opening their door on you? (as I have)
Monksie: Rule 140 Highway Code:
"You MUST NOT drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a solid white line during its times of operation. Do not drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a broken line unless it is unavoidable..."
I think "unavoidable" here does NOT mean to pop into the nail bar, or to take a phone call or to text someone.
I am interested in the "during its times of operation" because, although I have seen many yellow plates qualifying yellow lines, I have never seen a yellow plate (or blue plate as in times of bus lanes)qualifying times of operation of a bike lane.
As far as I can see from my journey to work, cycle lanes are ok to park in if you're dropping your kid off to school (the mums also park on the zig zags).
karinofnine I'd pull out yes but never that far that's just mad and I certainly wouldn't risk that move to go round an unoccupied car.
I thought his rear glances were bloody long as well, something could have pulled out in front the time he was taking.
wether he was a bit wide or looked to far behind a car srtill ran into him. He did not suddenly swerve or vere sharply to avoid a rut etc.
FFS if evn on bike forum we will defend running into the back of cyclists then we are just f@cked.
personally no I would never pull that far out to overtake a car
I would if I could see a driver or if I could not see into the vehicle as we have all had a door opened on us surely.
Now remember folks, if we all ride considerately and don't break any laws then all those people making the comments will instantly love cyclists and treat us with respect and courteousy.
The Merc driver lacks a single atom of an essential skill called "anticipation" and I now view Look East viewers very dimly.
Without exception, every anti cycling comment/incident I've had (when riding) has been from fat pedestrians or lardy drivers.
The being "in the right but dead" scenario that cyclists find themselves in is a bit of a no win position, is it not?
Fact: Motorists don't always pay attention.
Solution: Ride defensively on a bike, always check whether parked cars are occupied, always look the motorist in the eye before making any sudden maneouvers (especially when pulling out past a parked car and at round-abouts). Don't listen to your i-pod whilst riding, don't pull onto main roads without looking (a lorry may be about to pull over to park and you will die). Never undertake a vehicle turning left at traffic lights. Don't go through red lights.
I think that human error is an absolute. As the more vunerable co-road user the onus is unfortunately on the cyclist to be aware whether or not the motorist is paying attention or not, even if that is wrong.
Just out of interest, if you look behind you and you see a car in that situation, what do you do? Slow down, indicate, hit the parked car? I ask because TBH I rarely check behind if I'm overtaking parked cars, and I'm starting to think that might be a silly thing to do 🙁
Have you been East, Mat? They can be a dim lot...
Don't listen to your i-pod whilst riding
Oh go on 🙁
i think we all do what he did check to see we have space and assume the car driver has the skill /awareness to react. we can hardly stop every time we face an obstacle or a car is behind us can we.
human error is an absolute
100%
I spent 4 years commuting around Cambridge. The drivers are all morons.
They get so used to students and idiot tourists who really have no idea, that all cyclists get thrown in the same boat and get no respect from the motorists. The only way to ride there safely is VERY aggressively, taking up as much road space as possible.
*Exactly* the same thing happened to me, except it wasn't a Mercedes that hit me, it was a Volvo.
I feel a bit weird watching this, it's so similar to my situation it's freaky. Same speeds, everything. *shivers*
I have found that giving the motorist the impression you aware of THEM makes them a lot more attentive of YOU. This doesn't require stopping, merely looking round and getting their attention. A wee wobble helps loads...
RichPenny - MemberJust out of interest, if you look behind you and you see a car in that situation, what do you do? Slow down, indicate, hit the parked car? I ask because TBH I rarely check behind if I'm overtaking parked cars, and I'm starting to think that might be a silly thing to do
I have never understood this - I see loads of cyclists who don't look behind before pulling out to pass a parked car! Why FFS! Be aware of every vehicle around you at all times
I look behind about every 30 seconds when riding in town - all a part of defensive riding - look behind every time you make any manoeuvre at all. and look behind anyway if you havent for 30 secs - min for a manoeuvre
I cannot see the vid for some reason but when approaching a parked car I look behind - see a car behind me make eye contact if I can and I pull out to pass the parked car 30-50m behind it - and I go wide first of all then swing back in if there is a car behind to try to ensure they leave me space. always more than a car door width from the car unless I am sure it is empty. Look into every car for people about to open doors or it to pull away, look in the side mirror of vans for the same reason.
You should know the colour of every car and the age and sex of every driver around you to better predict what type of stupidity they will do.
Ride skilfully and defensively. Demand your space in the road. Be aware of every vehicle around you. Cover your brakes. Make eye contact with as many as you can and above all else ASSUME THEY ARE ALL BLIND AND HAVE NOT SEEN YOU!
How long did it take for Merc to hit the cyclist? felt like ages.
Blind as a bat driver.
And Look East is crap. Boring to watch and probably made up the rants to stir us up.
I'm getting sick to death reading drivers knocking over cyclists.
IS the collision rate increasing???
I'm putting SOME blame on that cyclist there. I think the misread the intentions of the merc driver and also were a bit erratic in their road positioning - i.e. too close to the side on approach to the parked car and too far the other way when passing the parked car. Go look at it you may see what I mean.
WTF? The cyclist was using the cycle lane as they feel compelled to do when they're present. He then observed the car behind, the car in the cycle lane, pulled out to overtake as the gap behind was huge and it's fairly reasonable to assume that A) the car behind is going to wait for the bike and B) If he's going to overtake he'll be more aware if the cycle is in the middle of the road. The cyclist is then central in teh road (between white line and parked car) and then gets hit. If you place any blame on the cyclist there I'm astounded.
