Ambulance Close Pass

[CopperBrompton]

[QUOTE 3368366, member: 45"]In situations like this it is always wrong to assume, so it's never reasonable.[/QUOTE]
Virtually every human activity, cycling and driving included, involve making informed predictions about what people will or won't do and then acting on the basis of those.

 

[CopperBrompton]

See above.

 

[CopperBrompton]

[QUOTE 3368464, member: 45"]Level of risk is always a consideration, and the driver will have been trained not to bring this level of risk to the road.[/QUOTE]
The risk here was a combination of one road-user doing a very unexpected thing (failing to pull over for an ambulance after seeing the vehicle ahead pull over and doing a shoulder-check) and another road-user making the wrong prediction. I'm sure both have learned from the experience.

 

[User6179]

Granted the ambulance did the passing. But to me, passing doesn't equate to dangerous in this instance. Just my opinion, of course.

Can I ask a question , because we are all different and one persons dangerous might not be another persons idea of dangerous , How close would the ambulance or any vehicle have to be before you would class it as dangerous ?

 

[Origamist]

Granted the ambulance did the passing. But to me, passing doesn't equate to dangerous in this instance. Just my opinion, of course.

An extreme, minority opinion. Thankfully.

 

[CopperBrompton]

No point going round in circles. My view is the cyclist's actions were not just unpredictable but inexplicable; you have a different view. Let's just agree to disagree.

 

[CopperBrompton]

<Sigh>

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Virtually every human activity, cycling and driving included, involve making informed predictions about what people will or won't do and then acting on the basis of those.

True, and, in a circumstance like this an informed prediction should lead to the conclusion that unless a vehicle has signalled or bugun to slow/pull out of the way then there is a fair probability they might not have seen you/ be aware of your presence therefore don't proceed under the assumption that they have...

 

[Firestorm]

Should one, therefore, delegate some reponsibility to those who have a vehicle pull out in front of them, on the basis that there was a probabilty that they may not have seen them ?
given the anecdotal evidence gathered from this and other sites , it could be said to be an informed prediction

 

[User6179]

Should one, therefore, delegate some reponsibility to those who have a vehicle pull out in front of them, on the basis that there was a probabilty that they may not have seen them ?
given the anecdotal evidence gathered from this and other sites , it could be said to be an informed prediction

No ,The car pulling out in front of you is breaking the law ( Driving without due care and attention )

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Should one, therefore, delegate some reponsibility to those who have a vehicle pull out in front of them, on the basis that there was a probabilty that they may not have seen them ?
given the anecdotal evidence gathered from this and other sites , it could be said to be an informed prediction

Yes. I believe you have the responsibility to cycle safely. That would include good positioning, keeping out of the door zone, approaching junctions where you have priority with care etc. in your example of a car pulling out at a junction the weight of the responsibility should lie with the one pulling out, but if it were at night for example, then having lights would be your responsibility and avoiding a collision the responsibility of you both.

 

[Firestorm]

[QUOTE 3368683, member: 45"]Are you wary of cars waiting to pull out into the road you're on as you approach the junction?[/QUOTE]
If I havent seen the drivers eyes I do tend to be more wary, and maybe slow a bit, having been knocked off my motorbike by someone who didnt see me on a roundabout until I had passed in front of him

 

[Lemond]

Should one, therefore, delegate some reponsibility to those who have a vehicle pull out in front of them, on the basis that there was a probabilty that they may not have seen them ?
given the anecdotal evidence gathered from this and other sites , it could be said to be an informed prediction

Good point. I think we can all identify situations and scenarios where the potential for danger lurks, and would be daft not to adjust accordingly. I'll take a small "inconvenience" over a trip to A&E every time.