Cyclist knocked off his bike and abused

ah **** it no, post deleted I’m not getting drawn in again 🙁

It means there was no intent.

I guess the thing here is that there was clearly intent – the driver sounded their horn as a sign of aggression, shouted, “I’m with the funeral” (despite being a good distance behind), then drove into the cyclist regardless, instead of waiting for an appropriate time to overtake (which generally isn’t at a pinch point when traffic is indicating to turn right). The passenger then threatened the cyclist with violence.

Definitely think it’s one for the IPCC if the police won’t take action, because they blame the cyclist for a) not telepathically knowing that the car approaching from behind is a part of the funeral party that passed some time beforehand and b) not giving way, even though they had no obligation to do so.

Going to a funeral doesn’t give you the right to overtake dangerously, or threaten other road users.

but clearly, that behaviour is fine if the victim is a person on a bike.

– banging on the sides of vehicles, shouting obscenities, enticing a reaction.

Really? I have seen a fair few videos where people have done this…but only after a driver has done soemthing dangerous. They are reacting to what is happening, not provoking it. The effect of 1 1/5 tons of metal nearly squishing you can provke an adrenaline reaction which is why you see cyclists doing what they do. I’m not saying it is right, but it is understanderble and isn’t the initial cause of the conflict.

But sometimes the “initial cause of the conflict” is simply inconsiderate cycling. Whether I’m cycling or driving, I try to think about how my actions will affect other road users. Sometimes, that means slowing down, giving way etc. even when I’m not obliged to (e.g. letting someone out of a side road or perform a u-turn). Some of these videos features riders too preoccupied with their entitlement that they fail to exhibit even the slightest amount of consideration.

…. So the car driver is still at fault then?

In the case of the above video, yes, but the discussion was moving on to some of those regularly posting “look how bad my commute is” videos.

Sometimes, that means slowing down, giving way etc. even when I’m not obliged to

unlike in the video where the driver though obliged to slow down chooses to use horn and then rear end the cyclist

Recursion

Some of Teh Grauniad comments are thoroughly depressing, particularly the “I’m a cyclist but..” ones!

Tingler
08 August 2013 11:43am
..
The cyclist is clearly unaware of how he interacts with his environment and in this instance he should have pulled over and stopped.
..
if you choose a high risk mode of transport, then you accept the consequences…
..
Leave cycling to the professionals.

fivewindows
08 August 2013 11:26am

I’m a cyclist and a driver. This is going to be unpopular on this thread, but as far as I’m concerned cars have precedence on the road, and cyclists who ride insensitively to this are a pain.

Dodo56
08 August 2013 1:45pm

Whenever I see a cyclist brandishing a helmetcam I have a pretty good idea of what to expect – aggressive filtering, ignoring red lights, road markings treated as optional, followed by a display of antagonism and whining victim mentality when something predictably happens.
..
I seem to have managed to ride a bicycle for 40 years in town and country without incurring a single road rage incident
..
Sticking your arm out and diving into the middle of the road is asking for trouble, but then that’s what helmetcams are for isn’t it?
..
he evidently decided to do what many cyclists seem to, he took a position in the middle of the road to try and prevent anyone passing him. Perhaps on this occasion he didn’t want to risk being squeezed against the kerb where the traffic island prevented the car from passing him. Then again perhaps he could have tolerated this, because swerving out into the middle of the road to block the car from passing is what led to him being hit.

FFS. We’ve a long way to go!

As in so many videos like this, I think that the driver(s) get all shouty and aggressive, because they know they are in the wrong and are over-compensating.

To be honest, funeral processions REALLY grind my gears as I live and work near a large crematorium, so traveling anywhere during the day becomes a nightmare.

Poor you 😐

csar driver at fault they ranover someone
Their reaction is worse than their initial behaviour though perhaps they were upset

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and perhaps the cyclist should have pulled over and let them all through but the law is clear that they do not have to do this though car drivers do have to give way and not run over cyclists

Another example of better to be alive than right sadly
it is deeply disturbing to see the police take this view

I assume had he run into the back of a walking funeral procession then threatened the walkers it would be the same outcome ?

It scares me that you can have this evidence and still **** all happens

warton – Member

as I said before, how do you know a red hatchback is a funeral car?

You really need telling? 😯

How about by the way the occupants are dressed? <insert turbobelm smiley here>

I would have given way to the procession, because I’m nice like that and I’m sure in other circumstances the punishment would have been (deservedly) greater, but any half decent lawyer will play on the fact the driver was on his way to a funeral, hence the lenience.

Many people are thick c**ts, thats all.

It’ll continue to happen until they start getting prosecuted, all but the very thickest can usually figure thats not a good thing.

How about by the way the occupants are dressed?

So you check how people in the cars behind you are dressed when you do your lifesaver…you sir are truly TEH AEWSUMS!!!!!

the cyclist was doing everything right. I would do the same in that position. The police have wrongly advised in that letter. I think they have gone leniently on the car/passenger because it was a funeral. I’d rather they prosecuted every time.

I would have given way to the procession

That might have been a bit easier to do if they were a procession, moving together at the respectfully sedate speed expected of a cortège, rather than a column of random cars slaloming between a cyclist and traffic islands at 30mph.

Several people on the Grauniad comments accused him of cutting through the middle of a procession – they seem to have missed the bit where half the procession overtook him!

How about by the way the occupants are dressed? <insert turbobelm smiley here>

I don’t know what a turbobelm smiley is, so I’m assuming you’re being serious.

I’m traveling at 20mph, on my bike. I’m avoiding potholes, watching for parked cars, pedestrians walking out on me, upcoming traffic lights, traffic jams etc.

You also want me to take into account how people are dressed, in cars, behind me? And if they are dressed like they are going to a funeral (please define funeral wear), and two cars ago a hearse passed me, you want me to pull over, rather than turn right.

I’ll probably just turn right, thanks all the same.

I don’t know about everyone else, but when im riding on the road and looking over my shoulder for approaching vehicles etc, Im not generally looking at whether the driver has got a natty cravat on whilst rocking perforated brown leather driving gloves FFS.
If I spent that much time looking at the occupants of the car I’d likely ride into another hazard instead of looking forwards.

And if they are dressed like they are going to a funeral (please define funeral wear),

Best mate’s wife insisted that we all wore bright colourful clothes to her funeral as she wanted us to celebrate her not mourn in a black, Victorian stylee – guess we would have been wrongly identified in this instance.

When my dad died about 15 of his cycling club all came to the funeral on bikes, and in club kit.

I’m getting confused now, should other cyclists have pulled over for them?

We need some sort of funeral hierarchy spreadsheet…

EDIT: and can someone let me know the rules of drafting a funeral procession, is this bad form?

You really need telling?

How about by the way the occupants are dressed? <insert turbobelm smiley here>If you really believe cyclists should be aware of how car drivers/passengers are dressed, or that it is even POSSIBLE to ascertain this based on a quick check behind you really have taken cluelessness to a new level. 🙄

First against the wall come the revolution ?

can someone let me know the rules of drafting a funeral procession, is this bad form?

No its fine so long and you only look down, out of respect…

What about if I’m in my car and a car behind me wants to catch up to the hearse that’s half a mile ahead, having got through a junction just before the lights went red?

If I’m turning right should I first pull over to the left to allow someone in a suit (therefore obviously going to a funeral) to overtake me? If there isn’t room but they’ve got a bigger car are they allowed to bash me out of the way? Whose insurance will have to pay out? Mine, for being in the way of griefmageddon?

Should one remove one’s helmet also?

me or them?
Not sure I would kill anyone for being a crap driver – or typist if it was aimed at me
I would probably but them against the drawll come the evolution 😉

perhaps vehicles in the funeral cortege should be marked so that we know to treat them differently.
and for those of us without eyes in the back of our heads, perhaps they should also be playing the funeral march so we know that they’re approaching.

should we despair more because someone doesn’t know about funeral procession etiquette, or because driving in a funeral cortege seems to excuse you from running people down in the street?

sobriety – Member

So you check how people in the cars behind you are dressed when you do your lifesaver…you sir are truly TEH AEWSUMS!!!!!

I actually check a lot more.
I wouldn’t describe myself as awesome, but I would describe myself as someone who doesn’t get knocked off their bike and doesn’t crash their car. 🙂

I actually check a lot more.

csar/tsar – Russian revolution etc etc.

</explaining supposed joke>

Oh enough already, let’s just go round and dig up her Gran, that’ll teach her.

warton – Member

I’m traveling at 20mph, on my bike. I’m avoiding potholes, watching for parked cars, pedestrians walking out on me, upcoming traffic lights, traffic jams etc.

He wasn’t travelling at 20mph, he had all the time in the world to make all necessary observations.

You also want me to take into account how people are dressed, in cars, behind me? And if they are dressed like they are going to a funeral (please define funeral wear), and two cars ago a hearse passed me, you want me to pull over, rather than turn right.

I’ll probably just turn right, thanks all the same.

That’s your choice, and I’m happy for you to make it.
You would have been knocked off though, I wouldn’t. 💡
😀

Just to avoid any pointless arguments, I believe the driver was 100% in the wrong, and their punishment unduly lenient.

Nods sagely sound of penny dropping

lemonysam – Member

Chinny reckon

Come for a ride/drive with me and I’m sure I would be able to help you increase your observation skills. 🙂

I take it back. You’re not awesome. You’re god.

sobriety – Member

I take it back. You’re not awesome. You’re god.

As an atheist, that’s a pretty depressing situation to be in. 😉

> I’ll probably just turn right, thanks all the same.

That’s your choice, and I’m happy for you to make it.
You would have been knocked off though, I wouldn’t.

So you wouldn’t have been knocked off because not only would your acute observational skills allow you to deduce that the woman in floral summer dress behind you in a red Peugot was clearly attending the funeral; but also that the driver of said vehicle was a mild sociopath and would be prepared to run you down for daring to act like any other traffic would.

Very impressive, Mr Holmes.

GrahamS is right, a lot of what im reading here is genuinely depressing..
That anyone could draw the conclusion that the shouty agressive driver/passengers (in their 2 ton weapon) were at anyway in the right, and that the cyclist ‘ad it comin’ downright staggers me.

The more I think about it the more I dispair – should I or any of my loved ones come under this kind of treatment from drivers/the old bill – what chance have we got?

‘Car drivers have precedent on roads’
Dear oh dear..

Quick, someone cheer me up!