Hit by a car this morning :-(

Got out on the bike just after 6am this morning for a pre-work training ride as is fairly usual. A nice still Autumn morning, started out with a big moon and bright stars and ended with a nice orange sunrise in the clear sky. First bit of Autumn frost noted along a stretch grass lining some swoopy singletrack aswell.

Ride all going well and about 5 miles from home when I have to ride along a mile of A road, ride it all the time and whilst it goes from a wide 30mph zone into a narrower 50mph section I usually do a good 20mph along there so don’t have any issues and ride on the white line so as close to the gutter as I feel comfortable. However today I get half way along and WHACK… my right elbow and forearm are clattered by a wing mirror and I can feel a car wing slide past my right leg at about 35mph or so, pushes me left violently but manage to keep my balance on the bike and see that the car involved pulls over about 300m in front. I ride up to the car (not able to hold the right side of the bars at this point as my arm is still completely stunned). Pull onto the verge shaking my arm like crazy trying to get some feeling back into it and out steps the driver. He’s probably in his 60’s and to be fair looks far worse than me – very, very apologetic and already looks like shock is setting in as he can’t stop shaking! We have a discussion for about 2mins, I assure him that I’m fine bar a sore arm (no broken skin but it’ll be an impressive bruise I imagine!) and on I go.

I remained calm throughout and gave it some thought on the ride back home however in the past hour the true realisation of what might have been had the car been another 8 inches further left is starting to sink in… The last thing I want to do is be overly reflective but thoughts that my wife could have had an awful phonecall to deal with this morning have spooked me somewhat. No doubt I’ll be back on the bike tommorrow or Saturday but it’s certainly the closest call I’ve ever had in 19 years of being a regular cyclist.

Apologies for the long post, clearly needed to get it out my system!

Did he try and explain why he hit you? Did he even see you?

While this doesn’t excuse someone hitting you, when are cyclists going to learn not to do this? It’s an open invitation for someone to try to squeeze past you rather than waiting until the opposite lane is clear for a safe overtake. You are also likely to merge into the background/surroundings a lot more than you would if you were riding further out from the kerb.

and ride on the white line so as close to the gutter as I feel comfortable.

cb – he said he didn’t see me, I had lights going and reflective gear on even though the sun had risen to be pretty bright by around 7.30am. It’s a completely straight, flat section of road for say 600-700m as well so it made the surprise of being hit even greater.

I got knocked off by an old chap once (pulled out of a junction straight across me and I rolled over his bonnet)

Like you he was far more shaken up than me , and I ended up telling him it was ok etc

It was only later , after I got home that the shock hit me and I realised how bad it could have been

What they said.

Ride where the car’s wheel would be and force them to overtake properly. My only exception to that is on a NSL on my commute that’s wide enough for a car to pass safely without crossing the central lines if I ride over to the left a bit, every other situation, f***-em, they can wait untill it’s safe (or I pull over and let them).

cb – he said he didn’t see me, I had lights going and reflective gear on even though the sun had risen to be pretty bright by around 7.30am.

whilst I always cringe when I see cyclists riding in the gutter as generally I think it makes them less safe, if the old boy wasn’t looking/really didn’t see you then maybe it saved you from serious injury or death on this occasion! I’m sure it was a pretty sobering experience. Glad you’re OK.

It’s an open invitation for someone to try to squeeze past you…

Judging by the OP, the driver didn’t try to squeeze, he didn’t see the cyclist. There’s an argument to say he would have been more visible further out in the road, but that’s speculative, no more provable than saying he would have definitely been knocked off if he’d been further out.

Easy to say from here, BennyBoy, but it’s one of those things, could have been worse, but equally he could have seen you and moved over. Doesn’t pay to dwell – but again, that’s easier said than done… 🙂

Sun in front/low down, or behind? Not that it’s an excuse, he should have been driving safely for the conditons but it can be quite dazzling at this time of the year.

Generally I’m with Scotroutes on road positioning, but it could be in this particular case being in the gutter saved a serious flattening.

Ride where the car’s wheel would be and force them to overtake properly. My only exception to that is on a NSL on my commute that’s wide enough for a car to pass safely without crossing the central lines if I ride over to the left a bit, every other situation, f***-em, they can wait untill it’s safe (or I pull over and let them).

Spot on!

Oh and hope your feeling better soon OP

Did you get his details? Sorry, but I’d be reporting him to the police and claiming on his insurance. Hope you’re not badly hurt

Regardless of whether you are both ok, you should have exchanged details – if you had a problem with your arm when you got home or passed out from shock later in the journey – how would you have made contact with the other party?

Last time I got hit by a car we swapped mobile no’s and texted when we got home just make sure each party had made it back and all was fine.

tthew – no dazzle issues as the sun rising was positioned off to the right of the road.

Certainly interested by the comments on road positioning – I think in this case he just wasn’t paying attention to the road / his car windows still looked pretty condensated on a cold Autumn morning etc so I presume he’d only shortly got into the car. In this instance I’m personally glad I was riding as close to the white line as poss, if I’d been any further right I fear he would of had me completely off the bike and over the bonnet.

Did you get his details? Sorry, but I’d be reporting him to the police and claiming on his insurance. Hope you’re not badly hurt

For what?

Flat road, daylight, lights on, reflective gear – all this adds up to the fact that his eyesight “might not” be up to driving. If you got his details I’d report it. You might be saving him as much as other road users.

I’m not sure I agree with the so called “defensive” riding position. It will reduce potential for being clipped by careless drivers but will wind up the aggressive idiots even more. Not a nice choice though so continue to do what your were doing and ride where you are most comfortable.

I had a similar experience, knocked off in broad daylight by an old lady who was very upset and I almost ended up trying to comfort her by saying I was ok .Wanted to get moving before I seized up ,it was only when I got home that I thought about the potential consequences [ she could have pushed accross the road into oncoming traffic ] and reflected that I’d dealt with it completeley differently that if it had been someone younger .

A chilly night would have left dew on his windows; he was probably only able to see where the wipers had swept.

Lucky escape though! You’ve spent some karma there.

Last time I got hit by a car we swapped mobile no’s and texted when we got home just make sure each party had made it back and all was fine.

That seems like a sensible approach.

I’d be reporting him to the police and claiming on his insurance

That doesn’t.

Ride where the car’s wheel would be and force them to overtake properly.

I’m not sure I agree with the so called “defensive” riding position. It will reduce potential for being clipped by careless drivers but will wind up the aggressive idiots even more

I was doing that yesterday overtaking some parked cars. There was a car coming up behind me but thought not enough room for me and car so positioned myself fairly centrally in the road (away from car doors etc.) Could hear the car behind me and with a quick glance behind noticed it wasn’t slowing down at all. Had to swerve almost hitting the parked car as the car behind barged through (no change in speed or even any acknowledgement I was there.) As they went past I noticed the driver was on her bloody phone! Middle of the day, good light etc. Couldn’t possibly have not seen me with my big orange courier bag. Just unbelievable driving.

The last thing I want to do is be overly reflective but thoughts that my wife could have had an awful phonecall to deal with this morning have spooked me somewhat.

This was me last night. Some idiot overtook someone at some traffic lights in a 30 zone and didn’t care that I was coming the other way. All I remember is seeing two headlights speeding straight toward me about 20m in front. Somehow I instinctively dived into the gutter and missed the car by inches, otherwise he’d have gone straight into me head on at about 30-40mph (they didn’t even brake!). The whole thing couldn’t have lasted more than half a second but it shook me up so much I had to stop and take a breather. It won’t stop me riding on the road but I’ve not had a close call like that in a long time. Horrible.

According to Dr Ian Walker’s research, the further into the road you ride, the nearer cars will pass you.

Got knocked off last week. Lead rider in a group of 12. Car overtook approaching a blind bend and then swerved into me to avoid an oncoming car. Went over the car and my bike too another cyclist down.
My helmet here

Broken collar bone and a lot of skin missing

Driver seemed to think we were in his way!

Did you get his details? Sorry, but I’d be reporting him to the police and claiming on his insurance.

what for? OP suggests no damage other than some bruising

According to Dr Ian Walker’s research, the further into the road you ride, the nearer cars will pass you.

true but there’s a train of thought that suggests being more infront of the car moves you out of somones peripheral vision and much more likely to spot you – what they do after they’ve seen you is anyone’s guess.

Hope your back riding soon OP, don’t let it put you off.
I hit a car this morning, think I may have bruised my hand 🙁

Driver seemed to think we were in his way is a complete bellend!

(according to available evidence)

MikeWW, that is bloody awful, hope you have a speedy recovery. Was there any comeback on the driver?

I’ve done a couple of club rides this year and the group numbers seem to be up which does result in some stupidly dangerous overtakes by cars. It’s putting me off TBH. I’d rather ride on my own or in a small group of three or four.

The OP was hit by a car and people are suggesting it’s just a matter of shaking hands and all’s well? At the very least it wants reporting – the guy might not be fit to drive & he could have done the same thing before. IMO “sorry I didn’t see you” actually means “sorry, I wasn’t looking”.

Did you get his details? Sorry, but I’d be reporting him to the police and claiming on his insurance. Hope you’re not badly hurt

I genuinely hate people like you.

Why?

Got knocked off last week. Lead rider in a group of 12. Car overtook approaching a blind bend and then swerved into me to avoid an oncoming car. Went over the car and my bike too another cyclist down.

That really sucks. Hope you heal soon. In those situations (blind bends) I move so far over to the right that I’m virtually on the white line. I do this so that overtakers will have to move fully onto the wrong side of the road which seems to discourage most but unfortunately not all. It does mean though if I get overtaken when there’s a car coming the other way I have an escape route of sorts.

According to Dr Ian Walker’s research, the further into the road you ride, the nearer cars will pass you.

Interesting reading although it doesn’t mention frequency of overtaking. I’m not too bothered whether drivers give me 1m or 1.5m of room as long as they don’t try to overtake when it’s not safe.

mrblobby – Member
MikeWW, that is bloody awful, hope you have a speedy recovery. Was there any comeback on the driver?

I’ve done a couple of club rides this year and the group numbers seem to be up which does result in some stupidly dangerous overtakes by cars. It’s putting me off TBH. I’d rather ride on my own or in a small group of three or four.

Police were called and solicitor involved. There were plenty of witnesses including other car drivers.

I actually think that its safer riding in a reasonably sized group in that you are seen and the driver has to think about overtaking. However there are some standards of driving that you just can’t make allowances for.

I think in this case he just wasn’t paying attention to the road / his car windows still looked pretty condensated on a cold Autumn morning

Ah yes, driver just wiping a little porthole in the steamed up window maybe? Or didn’t bother doing the left hand side of the windscreen?

I followed this old dear today who I’m not 100% convinced could actually see out of the front of the car as it seemed to be steamed up, and she missed a couple of parked cars by inches. Stayed well back from that accident waiting to happen.

I think it’s always worth reporting an incident not for insurance purposes necessarily but the police may like to just call and have a word make him aware of the severity of whats happened, the next person he doesn’t see might not be so lucky. Also statistics purposes, isn’t this one of the factors taken in to account when trying to improve cycling infrastructure?

whilst I always cringe when I see cyclists riding in the gutter as generally I think it makes them less safe, if the old boy wasn’t looking/really didn’t see you then maybe it saved you from serious injury or death on this occasion!

While what you say is perfectly true in this case it’s a bit like being in a car crash and being saved because you weren’t wearing a seatbelt and were thrown clear. It can happen but on balance your still better riding further out in the road.

Op glad to hear you are ok and I hope it doesn’t put you off riding or spoil your enjoyment of it for too long. On a positive note perhaps you’ve just created a driver who’s now going to be a lot more careful and vigilant around cyclists. And maybe one who might have realised his eyesight isn’t what it used too be and he needs to address it.

It’s dangerous out there. There are some complete idiots on the road, and many that shouldn’t have a licence at all. I know a lot of people that won’t ride on the road for this reason.

It still amazes me when I do the odd bit of road between trails how close people pass me. It only takes one idiot on their phone, or changing a cd or sipping a coffee to run into the back of you. Scarey stuff.

sturmey – Member
I think it’s always worth reporting an incident not for insurance purposes necessarily but the police may like to just call and have a word make him aware of the severity of whats happened, the next person he doesn’t see might not be so lucky. Also statistics purposes, isn’t this one of the factors taken in to account when trying to improve cycling infrastructure?

You would think so wouldn’t you?. However I was out about 6 months ago and driver clipped me with his mirror. He stopped and we had words and I told him I would be reporting him. Police didn’t want to do anything because I had not been hurt. After escalating things through 2 levels they finally agreed reluctantly to have a chat with the driver.

The OP was hit by a car and people are suggesting it’s just a matter of shaking hands and all’s well?

meant to selectively quote you. Report yeah, I would, but claim…what for?

Claim for pain and suffering. Even with no huge injury.

Hoping for a mealy-mouthed insincere apology is all very well, but hitting dangerous drivers in the wallet is more likely to have an impact on their behaviour.

Jeez, are people really bringing up the OPs road positioning on a road he has ridden many times before and they no doubt haven’t ever ridden on?
Yeah, mate, change road position for next time. 🙄
FFS you lot get a grip.

Old bloke pulled out in front of me yesterday. Nothing to do with my road positioning or anything I was doing, he just didn’t look. Then had no idea what to do when he realised so he just got in the way a bit more.

Jeez, are people really bringing up the OPs road positioning

I was only told about “primary” after many years of riding in the gutter. It’s just one idea/strategy, makes a lot of sense to me on some roads. Maybe OP didn’t know about primary or maybe he thought best strategy for that road was riding in the gutter, unclear from his post.

Hoping for a mealy-mouthed insincere apology is all very well, but hitting dangerous drivers in the wallet is more likely to have an impact on their behaviour

The pocket you hit them in is every car driver’s, including mine. Claim for pain and suffering? Can I sue you for the anguish that litigious BS like this causes me?