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Cyclists to be awarded equality with motorists.

I've cycled for 45 years, commuted on bike for almost 25 years, racked up at least 10,000 miles a year for the past 35 years and have only been in one RTA. When I was hit from behind by a car trying to make a late exit from a roundabout. She decided she wanted to cut across all three lanes of the roundabout from the innermost lane to the outermost. Could I have seen her, no she was behind me all the way and simply drove through me from behind scooping me off the road onto her bonnet.

I couldn't begin to count the number of times I have been proceeding with caution at a junction where despite having the right of way I've been forced to take avoiding action.

I've seen at least 6 cyclists go over the front of cars, those cars were right turning across oncoming traffic not 400 yards from my front door. ( Ecclesall Road, Rustlings Road junction, just up the hill from hunters bar roundabout- for Woodface)
 
sq225917 said:
I've cycled for 45 years, commuted on bike for almost 25 years, racked up at least 10,000 miles a year for the past 35 years and have only been in one RTA. When I was hit from behind by a car trying to make a late exit from a roundabout. She decided she wanted to cut across all three lanes of the roundabout from the innermost lane to the outermost. Could I have seen her, no she was behind me all the way and simply drove through me from behind scooping me off the road onto her bonnet.

I couldn't begin to count the number of times I have been proceeding with caution at a junction where despite having the right of way I've been forced to take avoiding action.

I've seen at least 6 cyclists go over the front of cars, those cars were right turning across oncoming traffic not 400 yards from my front door. ( Ecclesall Road, Rustlings Road junction, just up the hill from hunters bar roundabout- for Woodface)
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Ecclesall Road is a bit of crap shoot, actually a lot better in rush hour as the bus lanes are clear. I cycle down it at least twice a week & it certainly sharpens the senses. The big hazard is often cars being flashed out of side junctions & not seeing the oncoming cyclist.
 
Woodface said:
The big hazard is often cars being flashed out of side junctions & not seeing the oncoming cyclist.
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That’s a real bugbear of mine, too. If I’m going to flash somebody out of a junction, I’ll check that it’s safe for them to go first, ie they’re not going to take out a cyclist or pedestrian on my say-so. And if somebody flashes me out, I’ll check my way is clear before I go. Too many people do neither, and so we have acci- sorry, road traffic collisions.
 
I think it’s actually dangerous to flash, I could be mistaken but it’s something that you wouldn’t do on a driving test?

It is ultimately the recipients responsibility to check it is clear. I actually think that a lot of the time they do see me but ultimately know I will not risk life & limb by not stopping. It’s the height of arrogance but there you go.
 
sq225917 said:
I've seen at least 6 cyclists go over the front of cars, those cars were right turning across oncoming traffic not 400 yards from my front door. ( Ecclesall Road, Rustlings Road junction, just up the hill from hunters bar roundabout- for Woodface)
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And on the other hand, I had a cyclist go over my bonnet as I was starting to turn left. I checked my mirrors before I indicated and he was directly behind me, centrally positioned and quite a way back. As I started to turn he shot up my inside, head down and not looking (it was windy) and I stopped, but he went straight over the corner of my bonnet. The police gave up on his complaint after I went back and measured the distances.

Woodface said:
I think it’s actually dangerous to flash, I could be mistaken but it’s something that you wouldn’t do on a driving test?
It is ultimately the recipients responsibility to check it is clear. I actually think that a lot of the time they do see me but ultimately know I will not risk life & limb by not stopping. It’s the height of arrogance but there you go.
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You would fail your driving test if you did, because it is dangerous and can be misunderstood. I was about to turn into a junction once and an approaching car flashed. The Royal Mail van parked on the pavement in front of me pulled out and I nearly ran into him. I don't know if the flash was for me or him, but he assumed it was for him and pulled out without checking. Plus at night it destroys night vision for several seconds, especially if several cars do it one after the other.
As for drivers seeing cyclists or motorcyclists, it is well known (at least to driving instructors) that they look for something that will hurt them, and actually look round two wheeled road users looking for a car or truck coming. Hence SMIDSY (sorry mate, I didn't see you); they truly don't see you!
The only time I will flash, apart from the correct reason of warning, is on the narrow country lanes here to let someone a long way ahead know that I have seen them, and will wait for them to come through.
 
Sue Pertwee-Tyr said:
That’s a real bugbear of mine, too. If I’m going to flash somebody out of a junction, I’ll check that it’s safe for them to go first, ie they’re not going to take out a cyclist or pedestrian on my say-so. And if somebody flashes me out, I’ll check my way is clear before I go. Too many people do neither, and so we have acci- sorry, road traffic collisions.
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:D

On a serious note, I’ll leave a gap to allow someone out, but they will need to then make their own choice re safety. Too much civil litigation and blame flying round.

I wonder how many drivers on here trust their passenger to say ‘nothing from the left’, or ‘it’s ok to go’, without checking themselves?
 
Andrew C! said:
I wonder how many drivers on here trust their passenger to say ‘nothing from the left’, or ‘it’s ok to go’, without checking themselves?
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Depends on the situation and who it is. One mate is 100% reliable and I would trust him, another mate is nicknamed "Captain Crash"!!
 
Andrew C! said:
On a serious note, I’ll leave a gap to allow someone out, but they will need to then make their own choice re safety. Too much civil litigation and blame flying round.
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I got hit by a bus (whic pushed me into a Transit on the other side of the road) when a car driver flashed it to pull out and neither he or the bus driver had noticed I was alongside the bus in my motorbike. The insurance companies did take the view that it was 100% the bus drivers fault for not check it was safe to pull out before doing so - the driver flashing the lights was viewed as being irrelevant.
 
Andrew C! said:
:D

On a serious note, I’ll leave a gap to allow someone out, but they will need to then make their own choice re safety. Too much civil litigation and blame flying round.

I wonder how many drivers on here trust their passenger to say ‘nothing from the left’, or ‘it’s ok to go’, without checking themselves?
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If a driver wanting to pull out looks at me, I will either shake my head "No", or shrug, meaning it's up to you. And I would never trust a passenger. I hardly trust myself!
 
awkwardbydesign said:
If a driver wanting to pull out looks at me, I will either shake my head "No", or shrug, meaning it's up to you. And I would never trust a passenger. I hardly trust myself!
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I had a driver flash me to let me turn right into my driveway, ahead of them, and get quite arsey when I declined and waved them on. They clearly hadn't seen the group of pedestrians and dog-walkers on the pavement crossing in front of our entrance.
 
sq225917 said:
I've cycled for 45 years, commuted on bike for almost 25 years, racked up at least 10,000 miles a year for the past 35 years and have only been in one RTA. When I was hit from behind by a car trying to make a late exit from a roundabout. She decided she wanted to cut across all three lanes of the roundabout from the innermost lane to the outermost. Could I have seen her, no she was behind me all the way and simply drove through me from behind scooping me off the road onto her bonnet.

I couldn't begin to count the number of times I have been proceeding with caution at a junction where despite having the right of way I've been forced to take avoiding action.

I've seen at least 6 cyclists go over the front of cars, those cars were right turning across oncoming traffic not 400 yards from my front door. ( Ecclesall Road, Rustlings Road junction, just up the hill from hunters bar roundabout- for Woodface)
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153 miles a day? 365 days a year for 10 years?
Blimey!
I did a tenth of that when i was commuting. Did you never think in midwinter that that 75 miles home might be a bugger????
 
Sue Pertwee-Tyr said:
I had a driver flash me to let me turn right into my driveway, ahead of them, and get quite arsey when I declined and waved them on. They clearly hadn't seen the group of pedestrians and dog-walkers on the pavement crossing in front of our entrance.
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LOL! I refuse to pull out of a junction or the local filling station if I don't think it's safe or suitable. And yes, some of them get annoyed.
 
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