Commuting home by bike last night I’m passed safely by a car which begins to signal a right turn, slowed and stopped to wait a gap, van passes me safely , slows and stops behind the turning/waiting car. Third car passed me safely and smacks straight in the back of the van at 30+, pushing him into the car in front. Happened with me one or two car lengths back.

Driver got out and said ‘I saw the cyclist (me) and was watching him…. Just didn’t see you… Why did you stop?’

Eek. 3 rear lights and some reflective piping possibly saved my life. Don’t scrimp on lights and stay safe people.

So 3 rear lights and some reflective piping blinded the driver and caused him to crash…. 😯

3 rear lights? Any 1000 lumen ones in there?

That was FAR too close!!

I often wonder to myself at certain road situations what action I could take to get “out of the way” of a big accident happening in front of me so I wouldnt get caught up in it. Sounds like you almost were….

Turns out SMIDSY isn’t just for cyclists, 2 ton vans can be missed too, when they’re right in front of you 😯

3 smart superflash so no, he wasn’t dazzled. My k2 emittered ultra fire torch was not on the bike ( it’s angled down so not to dazzle when fitted)

SMIDSY was what came to my mind too! No one seriously hurt the thankfully but I bet the van driver has whiplash, he was very shaken and constantly rubbing his neck. One vectra off to the scrap heap in the sky, probably one berlingo van too. BMW with minor scratch.

So 3 rear lights and some reflective piping blinded the driver and caused him to crash….

F- for trolling ability – are you Kate Hopkins ?

A lot of drivers are so desperate to overtake cyclists for some reason that they don’t check the road ahead. Happens to me all the time (although the normal result is they anchor up as soon as they pull back in front, rather than crash!)

normal result is they anchor up as soon as they pull back in front

for me it’s that they realise that my speed plus oncoming traffic means they won;t get past in time to pull back in normally so they boot it, cut in early and hope for the best 🙁

sounds scary! bet you crapped yourself – i would’ve!

A lot of drivers are so desperate to overtake cyclists for some reason that they don’t check the road ahead.

it’s not just cyclists – most drivers just watch the car ahead. i often see brake light up ahead on the motor way and start to slow. people often don’t apply brakes until the car infront has.

It’s simple, drivers just don’t look far enough up the road!

Scary how many drivers can’t watch more than one thing at a time. Or how many drivers tailgate for miles. It doesn’t get you anywhere any faster and reduces your view ahead to nothing but the car/van in front.

Many drivers seem to think that blind corners don’t matter when it’s a cyclist they are overtaking.

Many drivers seem to think that blind corners don’t matter when it’s a cyclist they are overtaking.

It was this that led to a lorry nearly killing me. He overtook 75yards from a blind bend on an A road having followed me for a couple of hundred yards. He somehow thought he could accelerate from 10mph (it was uphill) past me and get back in. It being rush hour a car came round the bend. Luckily it was being driven slowly and did an emergency stop. The lorry could have too but no it chose to try to crush me to death for which he recieved ‘driving without due care and attention’ rather than dangerous driving.

A lot of drivers are so desperate to overtake cyclists for some reason that they don’t check the road ahead.

This is obviously what happened. Although, surprise surprise, some folk want to find the OP at fault. This place is mental.

Had something similar a couple of months ago on an evening road ride.
Heading down through Rossendale on the main road, junction ahead on my left. A car comes down the side road with his right turn indicator on & stops, good he’s seen me approaching. Car coming the other way on the main road towards me and also indicating to turn right into the side street.
Both cars stop, i roll through the junction no problem – however i do notice the bloke in the car on the side street following me with his head turning as i pass.*
Get some 30yrds past the junction and CRUMP!! both cars had attempted to turn right immediately after i passed through, the car in the side street had ploughed straight into the offside rear quarter of the other car!
* i put it down to the bloke trying to read my jersey as i went past, its one of those ‘i pay road tax’ ones with large green tax discs emblazoned all over it – needless to say i didn’t go back to interfere..